Closest Beaches

Beaches Near Wilmington, NC

Wilmington sits on the Cape Fear River with barrier-island beaches within easy reach. Wrightsville Beach is about 10 miles east, and Carolina Beach plus Kure Beach are roughly 20 miles south on Pleasure Island. Topsail Beach stretches up the coast for a quieter alternative.

Plan This Week

Veterans Day looks like the best day across this list.

Strongest single forecast: North Myrtle Beach on Tuesday (84).

Within 60 mi

Wrightsville Beach

8.6 mi · ~12 min drive · New Hanover County, NC

Great day for a beach walk.

69°F water 67°F air 12 mph wind Best this week: Monday (75)

Carolina Beach

13 mi · ~19 min drive · New Hanover County, NC

Great day for a beach walk.

69°F water 70°F air 10 mph wind Best this week: Tuesday (78)

Kure Beach

17 mi · ~24 min drive · New Hanover County, NC

Great day for a beach walk.

69°F water 67°F air 12 mph wind Best this week: Monday (74)

Topsail Beach

20 mi · ~29 min drive · Pender County, NC

Great day for a beach walk.

69°F water 69°F air 10 mph wind Best this week: Veterans Day (80)

Oak Island Beach

24 mi · ~34 min drive · Brunswick County, NC

Great day for a beach walk.

69°F water 71°F air 9 mph wind Best this week: Monday (81)

Surf City Beach

27 mi · ~38 min drive · Pender County, NC

Great day for a beach walk.

69°F water 67°F air 12 mph wind Best this week: Veterans Day (77)

Holden Beach

30 mi · ~43 min drive · Brunswick County, NC

Great day for a beach walk.

69°F water 71°F air 7 to 10 mph wind Best this week: Tuesday (79)

North Topsail Beach

35 mi · ~50 min drive · Onslow County, NC

Great day for a beach walk.

69°F water 68°F air 6 to 10 mph wind Best this week: Tuesday (75)

Sunset Beach (North Carolina)

41 mi · ~59 min drive · Brunswick County, NC

Great day for a beach walk.

69°F water 69°F air 7 to 10 mph wind Best this week: Monday (79)

North Myrtle Beach

50 mi · ~1 hr 12 min drive · Horry County, SC

Great day for a beach walk.

74°F water 72°F air 6 to 9 mph wind Best this week: Tuesday (84)

Emerald Isle Beach

60 mi · ~1 hr 26 min drive · Carteret County, NC

Great day for a beach walk.

69°F water 68°F air 9 mph wind Best this week: Veterans Day (77)

Myrtle Beach

64 mi · ~1 hr 32 min drive · Horry County, SC

Great day for a beach walk.

74°F water 69°F air 8 to 12 mph wind Best this week: Monday (81)

Indian Beach

68 mi · ~1 hr 38 min drive · Carteret County, NC

Great day for a beach walk.

69°F water 68°F air 10 mph wind Best this week: Veterans Day (75)

Surfside Beach (SC)

73 mi · ~1 hr 45 min drive · Horry County, SC

Great day for a beach walk.

74°F water 68°F air 12 mph wind Best this week: Veterans Day (81)

Garden City Beach

75 mi · ~1 hr 48 min drive · Horry County, SC

Great day for a beach walk.

74°F water 71°F air 9 mph wind Best this week: Monday (84)

Atlantic Beach (NC)

76 mi · ~1 hr 49 min drive · Carteret County, NC

Great day for a beach walk.

69°F water 68°F air 9 mph wind Best this week: Veterans Day (76)

Litchfield Beach

85 mi · ~2 hr 2 min drive · Georgetown County, SC

Great day for a beach walk.

78°F water 68°F air 12 mph wind Best this week: Monday (82)

Cape Lookout National Seashore

85 mi · ~2 hr 3 min drive · Carteret County, NC

Great day for a beach walk.

74°F water 66°F air 9 to 14 mph wind Best this week: Veterans Day (74)

Pawleys Island

88 mi · ~2 hr 6 min drive · Georgetown County, SC

Great day for a beach walk.

78°F water 70°F air 9 mph wind Best this week: Monday (79)

Ocracoke Beach

127 mi · ~3 hr 3 min drive · Hyde County, NC

Great day for a beach walk.

74°F water 64°F air 10 to 15 mph wind Best this week: Veterans Day (72)

Isle of Palms

144 mi · ~3 hr 27 min drive · Charleston County, SC

Great day for a beach walk.

78°F water 71°F air 9 mph wind Best this week: Monday (82)

Sullivan's Island Beach

149 mi · ~3 hr 34 min drive · Charleston County, SC

Great day for a beach walk.

78°F water 72°F air 8 mph wind Best this week: Monday (84)

Folly Beach

158 mi · ~3 hr 48 min drive · Charleston County, SC

Great day for a beach walk.

69°F water 71°F air 12 mph wind Best this week: Monday (78)

Cape Hatteras National Seashore

162 mi · ~3 hr 53 min drive · Dare County, NC

Great day for a beach walk.

74°F water 64°F air 15 to 20 mph wind Best this week: Veterans Day (72)

Nags Head Beach

176 mi · ~4 hr 14 min drive · Dare County, NC

Great day for a beach walk.

74°F water 63°F air 10 to 17 mph wind Best this week: Veterans Day (76)

Distance is straight-line, drive times are estimates

Mileage shown is straight-line distance from the center of Wilmington. Real drive times depend on highway routing, weekend traffic, and where in the metro you start. For summer Saturdays, plan 20–40 minutes longer than the estimates here. The range slider above filters by the same straight-line distance.