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

This Afternoon looks like the best day across this list.

Strongest single forecast: Wrightsville Beach on This Afternoon (85).

Within 60 mi

Wrightsville Beach

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

Ideal for a beach walk.

82°F water 82°F air 10 mph wind Best this week: This Afternoon (85)

Carolina Beach

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

Ideal for a beach walk.

82°F water 84°F air 9 mph wind Best this week: This Afternoon (84)

Kure Beach

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

Ideal for a beach walk.

82°F water 82°F air 9 mph wind Best this week: This Afternoon (81)

Topsail Beach

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

Ideal for a beach walk.

82°F water 84°F air 8 mph wind Best this week: This Afternoon (85)

Oak Island Beach

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

Ideal for a beach walk.

82°F water 85°F air 9 mph wind Best this week: This Afternoon (84)

Surf City Beach

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

Ideal for a beach walk.

82°F water 82°F air 9 mph wind Best this week: This Afternoon (85)

Holden Beach

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

Ideal for a beach walk.

82°F water 86°F air 9 mph wind Best this week: This Afternoon (79)

North Topsail Beach

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

Ideal for a beach walk.

82°F water 84°F air 8 mph wind Best this week: This Afternoon (80)

Sunset Beach (North Carolina)

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

Ideal for a beach walk.

82°F water 82°F air 10 mph wind Best this week: This Afternoon (83)

North Myrtle Beach

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

Ideal for a beach walk.

83°F water 85°F air 9 mph wind Best this week: This Afternoon (83)

Emerald Isle Beach

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

Ideal for a beach walk.

82°F water 83°F air 9 mph wind Best this week: This Afternoon (85)

Myrtle Beach

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

Ideal for a beach walk.

83°F water 82°F air 12 mph wind Best this week: Thursday (76)

Indian Beach

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

Ideal for a beach walk.

82°F water 84°F air 9 mph wind Best this week: This Afternoon (80)

Surfside Beach (SC)

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

Ideal for a beach walk.

83°F water 81°F air 13 mph wind Best this week: Thursday (71)

Garden City Beach

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

Ideal for a beach walk.

83°F water 85°F air 10 mph wind Best this week: Thursday (70)

Atlantic Beach (NC)

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

Ideal for a beach walk.

82°F water 83°F air 9 mph wind Best this week: This Afternoon (85)

Litchfield Beach

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

Ideal for a beach walk.

82°F air 14 mph wind Best this week: This Afternoon (81)

Cape Lookout National Seashore

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

Ideal for a beach walk.

83°F air 8 mph wind Best this week: This Afternoon (79)

Pawleys Island

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

Ideal for a beach walk.

84°F air 10 mph wind Best this week: This Afternoon (78)

Ocracoke Beach

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

Ideal for a beach walk.

83°F air 8 mph wind Best this week: Tuesday (80)

Isle of Palms

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

Skip the beach today.

85°F water 83°F air 18 mph wind Best this week: Thursday (45)

Sullivan's Island Beach

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

Skip the beach today.

85°F water 84°F air 17 mph wind Best this week: Thursday (44)

Folly Beach

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

Skip the beach today.

83°F water 83°F air 20 mph wind Best this week: Thursday (43)

Cape Hatteras National Seashore

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

Ideal for a beach walk.

82°F air 8 mph wind Best this week: This Afternoon (80)

Nags Head Beach

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

Ideal for a beach walk.

83°F air 12 mph wind Best this week: Tuesday (84)

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.