Southern Living recognized several Wilmington-area places on its list beautiful places on the North Carolina coast.
In the magazine's story "The 8 Most Beautiful Places on the North Carolina Coast," three are local places: Brunswick beaches, Wrightsville Beach and Topsail Island.
The Brunswick beaches were recently mentioned in the magazine as one of the 15 most beautiful places throughout North Carolina.
Brunswick beaches
Southern Living writes flanked by two vacation powerhouses in Wilmington and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, the six beaches that make up the Brunswick Islands are a welcome escape. Places like Oak Island, Bald Head Island and Sunset Beach each offer a small-town feel with beaches every bit as beautiful as its more well-known neighbors.
"The entire stretch of oceanfront communities is stunning to say the least, but one sight you can’t miss is the Kindred Spirit Mailbox at Sunset Beach," according to the story.
Frank Nesmith and a woman he was dating at the time installed the first mailbox in the 1970s on Tubbs Inlet, which separates Sunset Beach and Ocean Isle. They left a notebook inside, hoping people would leave messages. But they never dreamed it would be so successful.
Wrightsville Beach
"This sunny community is the posterchild for great beach towns," writes Southern Living. There’s crystal-clear blue-green water, white sand, and seemingly ever-present sun. Local restaurants, bars, shops, and there’s a selection of rental homes and condos situated on both the ocean and the harbor. To truly experience the unrestrained restrained beauty of Wrightsville Beach will be to take a sunset cruise along the Intracoastal Waterway, where you can spot dolphins and coastal birds.
Topsail Island
Surrounded by water on three sides, it doesn’t get much more scenic than Topsail, an under-the-radar barrier island that sits about an hour north of Wilmington, writes Southern Living. The 26-mile-long island is made up of three communities ? Topsail Beach, North Topsail Beach, and Surf City, which each has their own signature sparkle.
Visitors can explore The Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center in Surf City. Also visitors can stop by The Missiles and More Museum on Topsail Island, which tells the story of the area's history, including World War II. North Topsail Beach offers an abundance of wildlife, visitors can search for shells and ancient sharks’ teeth, go surfing and enjoy watersports.
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Cheryl M. Whitaker covers community news for the StarNews. Reach her at cheryl.whitaker@starnewsonline.com.