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We've rounded up a dozen of North Carolina's best beaches — as decided by readers — from the northern Outer Banks to Sunset Beach. 

Why it matters: It's nearly summer, and we live in one of the finest states in the land for beach season.

Of note: Beaches are listed in no particular order.

Located 30 minutes south of Wilmington, near the mouth of Cape Fear, Oak Island's small-scale charms have remained even as Brunswick County's population soars.

Great for: Hard-core beach lovers who enjoy sitting in the sand all day and marveling at one of the few East Coast beaches where, during spring and fall, you can catch a sunset over the water.

Check out: On the island itself — the Oak Island Lighthouse (which, yes, looks sorta like a cigarette), the Oak Island Pier and restaurants like Island Way or Koko Cabana.

Off island: The nearby port town of Southport offers a host of shopping and eating options — including the famous Yacht Basin Provision Co. — in its historic downtown overlooking the Intracoastal Waterway.

Distance: About 2.5 hours from Raleigh; 3.5 hours from Charlotte.

Emerald Isle is part of The Crystal Coast — an 85-mile stretch of beaches often called the southern outer banks. Photo courtesy of VisitNC

A favorite of Triangle residents craving a nearby getaway from the city.

Great for: Laid-back family hangouts and ditching the city for a long weekend. And for following in the footsteps of renowned writer David Sedaris, who grew up in Raleigh and bought a house at Emerald Isle called The Sea Section.

Check out: The remote end of the island called The Point, Fort Macon State Park and the restaurants and bars clustered around downtown Morehead City, like Sugarloaf Island Deli and Yellowfin Pub.

For excursions, try paddle boarding yoga with Emerald Isle Paddle Tours, shuck your own oysters straight from the water on a boat tour with Sea Shore Oyster Company or get a glimpse of the wild horses of Shackleford Banks (and maybe even dolphins)with Crystal Coast EcoTours.  

Distance: About 2.5 hours from Raleigh; roughly 5 hours from Charlotte.

Kitty Hawk pier at sunrise. Photo courtesy of VIsitNC

A stretch of well-traveled beaches is synonymous with the OBX acronym, flush with sand dunes, wildlife and boardwalks.

Great for: A classic North Carolina beach trip, mixed with lots of modern businesses.

Check out: The Wright Brothers National Memorial, which commemorates where brothers Wilbur and Orville Wright took the first successful airplane flight. Or head to Kitty Hawk Woods Reserve for hiking, birding, kayaking and exploring.

Distance: About 3 hours and 15 minutes from Raleigh; 6 hours from Charlotte

Kayakers on the Currituck Sound in Duck. Photo courtesy of VisitNC

A northern Outer Banks town people return to every year for its beaches, local shops and walkability — especially its boardwalk, Duck offers a mile-long pet-friendly way to enjoy a post-dinner sunset along the Currituck Sound.

Great for: People who need the beach but also want to stroll through other natural elements, including lots of oak trees in a maritime forest.

Check out: The annual Duck Jazz Festival, a free event in October featuring national, regional and local jazz musicians. Attendees can bring their own food, blankets and beverages. Also, the beloved doughnut shop Duck Donuts originated in Duck and now has locations throughout the state (including in Kitty Hawk and Nags Head) — stop in to fuel up before your beach day.

And of course, there's the Sanderling, one of North Carolina's top resorts, complete with a spa and fantastic dining options.

Distance: 3.5 hours east of Raleigh; 6.5 hours from Charlotte

The Cape Hatteras Lighthouse is actually in Buxton, a couple of towns north of Hatteras, but it's an icon of the coast that's for decades helped boats steer through the treacherous shallow waters of what was known as the Graveyard of the Atlantic. Photo: Visions of America/Joseph Sohm/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

The jewel of the Outer Banks rests where the cool-water Labrador Current meets the warm-water Gulf Stream.

Great for: Fishing and small-community life.

Check out: Take a sport-fishing trip with the Albatross fleet, a family-owned business that dates back to the 1930s and remains the longest-running charter fishing operation on the Outer Banks. If you're really into fishing, get up at 5:30am, grab a cup of coffee at Oden's Dock and listen to the captains tell stories (which are mostly true).

For dinner, try a possessive — Sonny's or Dinky's — or eat whatever you caught in the morning, of course.

Distance: About 4.5 hours from Raleigh; 7 hours from Charlotte

Wrightsville Marina. Photo courtesy of VisitNC

The No. 1 beach as voted by our readers, Wrightsville is the closest beach to Raleigh and can be thought of as Wilmington's next door neighbor. 

Great for: Plentiful dining options and coffee shops, beach bars, nature trails and surf-friendly waves.

If your group is the type to want a mix of a relaxing beach day paired with a late night of bar hopping, Wrightsville Beach is the way to go.

Check out: The south end of the beach for access to most of the dining options, including Tower 7 Baja Grill (go early or expect a wait), SUNdays, a cafe on top of a surf shop with a view of the ocean and South Beach Grill. The west end of the beach is more secluded and residential.

Get in a walk on the Wrightsville Beach Loop and refuel afterward with an açaí bowl at Zeke's or brunch at Drift Cafe. For nightlife, check out popular beach bars like Jimmy's, Lagerheads and The Palm Room.

In early 2025, one of Wrightsville's longtime hotels, The Blockade Runner, reopened as modern beach resort Trailborn Surf & Sound with updated rooms, new dining options and guest experiences from yoga classes to island cruises. 

Distance: 2 hours from Raleigh; about 3.5 hours from Charlotte. You'll likely pass roadside produce stands along the way — break up the drive with a pit stop for fresh peaches.

Carolina Beach. Photo courtesy of Wilmington and Beaches Convention & Visitors Bureau

Just south of Wilmington, Carolina Beach feels like a postcard from a midcentury beach town.

Check out: The classic boardwalk with rides or the state park with miles of hiking. Britt's Donut Shop for glazed doughnuts, and Havana's for seafood, steaks and pasta in a "polished casual dining" setting.

Distance: Roughly 2 hours from Raleigh; 3.5 hours from Charlotte.

Paddle boarders at Bald Head Island. Photo courtesy of VisitNC

Bald Head Island is a lush and luxurious beach that feels chiseled off from the rest of the state, abundant with wildlife, from sea turtles to osprey to gators.

Great for: People who dream of a car-free life. Cars aren't allowed on the island and you'll need to take a ferry.

Check out: Climb to the top of Old Baldy — a 108-step trek to the top of North Carolina's oldest standing lighthouse. Rent a bike and explore.

Distance: The ferry terminal is at 1301 Ferry Road, Southport, roughly 2.5 hours from Raleigh and 3.5 hours from Charlotte.

Ferry tickets can be purchased online or in person. General lot parking is $12 per day.

Ocracoke island Lighthouse station and boardwalk. Photo: Jeffrey Greenberg/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

You can only reach this 14-mile-long island by ferry, but when you arrive, the rewards will wash over you.

Check out: Maybe the purest beach you'll find in the state, Ocracoke's shoreline is maintained by the National Park Service and has no hotels or houses. Camp on a moonlit night and feel the immensity of the ocean.

Howard's Pub is the classic Ocracoke bar and grill. Dajio is your fine-dining destination. Look out for music from longtime locals Marcy Brenner and Lou Castro, and listen for their song "Five Minutes." It was inspired by their meeting, when Marcy was in remission from cancer, and Lou told her he'd rather love her for five minutes than never at all.

Distance: Northern routes from Raleigh: A 4-hour drive along I-40 to U.S. 64 and down the Outer Banks along famed Hwy. 12 for the short Hatteras to Ocracoke ferry; or a nearly 3-hour drive along I-40 to U.S. 64 to N.C. 45 to Swan Quarter for a 3-hour ferry. 

Southern route from Charlotte: It's a 5.5-hour drive from Charlotte to Cedar Island, plus the 2.5-hour ferry ride across the Pamlico Sound. 

Holden remains a popular destination for the whole family, even your furry ones.

Great for: Families, seashell hunting, bike riding, fishing and golfing.

Check out: Ride your bikes to Bridgeview Park for a view of the Holden Beach Bridge and stick around for the playground, splash pad, bocce ball courts and picnic tables.

The nearby town of Shallotte is a 15-minute drive from Holden and has restaurants, shopping and a golf course (Rivers Edge Golf Club).

Holden Beach is pet-friendly (leash required) at any time from Sept. 11- May 19 and before 9am and after 5pm from May 20 - Sept. 10.

Distance: Roughly 2.5 hours from Raleigh; 3.5 hours from Charlotte.

View of the Sunset Beach bridge across the Intracoastal Waterway

The Mannon C. Gore Bridge over the Intracoastal Waterway was completed in 2010. Before that, a one-lane swinging bridge opened every hour for boat traffic — and gave residents and visitors a built-in excuse for being late to a meeting. Photo: Michael Graff/Axios

North Carolina's southernmost beach resists commercial development and invites you to drop a dream in a mailbox.

Great for: Families, small-town lovers, birders and letter writers.

Check out: Walk about a mile south of the Sunset Beach pier and join the tens of thousands of people who've left notes in the Kindred Spirits mailbox. Remain anonymous if you want, but drop your hopes and dreams and confessions.

Sunset has a wonderful union with its inland neighbor Calabash, the fried seafood capital. Go to Bennett's Grill for lunch and try the Calabash burger (crab cake topped with shrimp) and, for dinner, try Oyster Rock, one of the North Carolina coast's best restaurants.

Distance: 3 hours from Raleigh, 3.5 hours from Charlotte

Ocean Isle Beach along the Intracoastal Waterway

Ocean Isle is a busy place in the summer, but you can still find places to be alone, like here on the waterway on the east end of the island. Photo: Michael Graff/Axios

Once a remote destination that was nearly washed off the map during Hurricane Hazel in 1954, Ocean Isle now has many amenities you might see in larger cities, from large grocers to a wine shop. But it still feels small and far away. 

Check out: Kayak solo through the marshlands at high tide, find a charter fishing trip with friends, eat and drink on the third-floor deck at Ocean Isle Fishing Center, fill the morning with bagels at 59 Causeway or coffee at Drift, make a locally caught dinner with fresh seafood from Island Seafood, or just sit for hours on the south-facing beach and snack on Sunset Slush.

The town recently updated its park and playground, complete with two ziplines for kids, and it's good for hours of entertainment.

Distance: Just under 3 hours from Raleigh, 3.5 hours from Charlotte

Sugarloaf Island Deli and Yellowfin Pub. 

I-40 to U.S. 64 to N.C. 45 to Swan Quarter

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The best beaches in North Carolina

We're blessed to live in one of the finest beach-going states in the country.

North Carolina

We&#x27;ve rounded up a dozen of North Carolina&#x27;s best beaches — <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="as decided by readers" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/raleigh/2024/03/07/best-beach-in-north-carolina-wrightsville" data-vars-content-id="13807582-e0d2-4cf1-96ad-8240a12d67d0" data-vars-headline="The best beaches in North Carolina" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/raleigh/2024/03/07/best-beach-in-north-carolina-wrightsville" target="_self">as decided by readers</a> — from the northern Outer Banks to Sunset Beach. Why it matters: It&#x27;s nearly summer, and we live in one of the finest states in the land for beach season.

Things to Do

Travel

Since we first published this independent bookstore guide in 2021, some spots on the original list have closed, while others have found new homes. There are also new stores to explore.

Here's a guide to the shelves around Charlotte and a few others just a drive away. Stores are listed in no particular order.

It’s the original — "the cornerstone of independent bookstores in Charlotte" since 1977, as it says on its website. It's a Park Road Shopping Center staple. 

If you’re lucky, you’ll run into Yola the Dog, the store pup, who was named one of Charlotte magazine’s 2019 Charlotteans of the Year.

Park Road Books' staff picks are on the right as you walk in. Photo: Ashley Mahoney/Axios

New books line the shelves in Scott Tynes-Miller's bookshop in Sardis Crossing. 

The shop also sells toys for kids, plus shirts, hoodies, canvas totes, journals, puzzles and other gifts, like Modern Goldfish earrings, made by Kenna Covington.

Stop by: 1721-7C Sardis Road North near New Zealand Cafe.

Go deeper: New independent bookstore opens in east Charlotte

Bookshop owner, Scott Tynes-Miller stands in front of shelves of books. 

Troubadour Booksellers owner Scott Tynes-Miller. Photo: Ashley Mahoney/Axios

The children's section. Photo: Ashley Mahoney/Axios

There is a mix of new and used books here, along with local items like greeting cards from Good Postage, also located in Camp North End. 

Go deeper: Silent Book Club chapters to check out in the Charlotte area

"That's Novel Books" above an etching of a book that spans a window in Camp North End.

That's Novel Books dog in a chair in front of a mural. The dog's name is Taco.

You'll find Taco at That's Novel Books. Photo: Ashley Mahoney/Axios

Books on the shelves at That's Novel Books. 

Trope Bookshop is a bus-turned-romance-bookshop. The Green Girl, as the bus is affectionately known, has what owner Katie Mitchell describes as an old-school English-style pub feel. A permanent home opened for Charlotte's only romance bookstore in March. 

Stop by: 1516 Lyon Court just off Central Avenue. 

Find Green Girl's pop-up schedule on Instagram.

Go deeper: New romance bookstore opens in Plaza Midwood

Fall in love with Charlotte's romance bookstore on wheels

A tapestry with the word "Trope" on it hangs behind the counter at Trope Bookshop. Shelves lined with books flank either side.

A sticker of Trope Bookshop in front of Trope Bookshop. 

Book Buyers has been selling used books in Charlotte since 1999. The shop relocated from Plaza Midwood to the Eastway Crossing shopping complex a few years ago. 

Inky, one of the cats at Book Buyers. Photo: Ashley Mahoney/Axios

This south Charlotte used bookstore has been around for decades and boasts having 50,000 used books for $8 or less.

From the partially completed puzzle on the back table to the treehouse for kids, to the cozy chairs around the store, Belmont Bookshop whispers, "Come on in. Stay awhile," the moment you walk in the door.

It's a short drive down I-85 to the bookshop, which opened in December 2023.

Go deeper: 18 things to eat, see and do in Belmont including a rum distillery and farm-to-table brunch

Libby, the shop dog. Photo: Ashley Mahoney/Axios

A partially completed puzzle on a table at the back of the bookshop.

This Black-owned store opened in University City in July 2021 and quickly became a hub for discussions, poetry and sipping wine on the patio. It's now a mobile bookstore.

Owner Sonyah Spencer is an Ohio native who found comfort in books after her oldest son died. She hopes Urban Reader can be a space where people can "embrace the culture, ask questions and heal."

Stop by: Gibson Mill Market for now; 305 McGill Ave. Concord, N.C. 

Davidson's redbrick sidewalks and benches are more instruction than decoration: they tell you that to truly experience this town, you should stop. You should park. You should stroll.

And when you do, you may stumble into this wonderful bookstore that has its own set of instructions: Stop, pocket that phone and read.

The bookstore was a filming location for "The Other Zoey," a romantic comedy partially shot at Queens University of Charlotte.

Alissa Redmond is a diplomat turned bookshop owner in Salisbury. She opened South Main Book Company in 2019. Make sure you say hi to the shop dog, Hazelnut on your visit.

Stop by: 110 S. Main St., Salisbury, N.C.

South Main Book Company shop dog, Hazelnut. 

Hazelnut hanging out in the window seat. Photo: Alissa Redmond/Courtesy of South Main Book Company

 South Main Book Company children's section.

Photo: Alissa Redmond/Courtesy of South Main Book Company

This woman-owned pop-up bookstore opened in September 2023. It specializes in children's and young adult books. It's named for the scholarly owl from Disney's "The Sword in the Stone."

Cleary's is a women-owned bookstore in Mount Holly selling new and used books.

Stop by: 105 N Main St. Mount Holly, N.C.

The wine bar, restaurant and bookstore opened in 2021 in Rock Hill. 

Stop by: 295 Herlong Ave. Suite 401 Rock Hill, S.C. 29732

This woman-owned bookstore and coffee shop opened in downtown Kannapolis in 2017. Editions sells new and used books, plus locally made items.

Expect new and used books here. It's named for owner Stephen Hayes' father, Fred, and his Aunt June. 

Stop by: 248 N. Main Street Mooresville, N.C.

Husband and wife duo David and Bethany Kern opened Goldberry Books in 2020. They named their bookstore after a character from "The Lord of the Rings." 

This Rock Hill bookstore sells new and used books. "Come for the high-brow literature; stay for the paper cuts," their Instagram bio reads.

Stop by: 1037 Oakland Ave. Rock Hill, S.C.

Melinda Parkes opened Walls of Books in 2018 in Cornelius. The shop sells new and used books.

Stop by: 20920 Torrence Chapel Road B-6 Cornelius, N.C.

A family-owned bookstore selling new and used books. 

Stop by: 4519 School House Commons STE 230, Harrisburg, N.C.

What began as a mobile bookstore in February 2024 now has a storefront in downtown Monroe.

Entrance to So Much More to the Story bookshop in Monroe. The brick building has yellow and white flowers beneath the sign bearing its name. 

A used bookstore not far from Charlotte.  

New independent bookstore opens in east Charlotte 

Silent Book Club chapters to check out in the Charlotte area

See inside Trope: New romance bookstore opens in Plaza Midwood

18 things to eat, see and do in Belmont including a rum distillery and farm-to-table brunch

295 Herlong Ave. Suite 401 Rock Hill, S.C. 29732

20920 Torrence Chapel Road B-6 Cornelius, N.C.

4519 School House Commons STE 230, Harrisburg, N.C.

Independent bookstores in Charlotte — and a few more within driving distance

Here's a guide to the bookstores around Charlotte and a few others just a drive away.

Trope Bookshop in Plaza Midwood. The dark green shelves line the walls and are filled with books. A rolling ladder sits in front of a window with cream curtains on the right. A window seat sits in front of a window with cream curtains to the left. A small antique table holds books in the center. 

Trope Bookshop, a romance bookstore, opened a permanent home in Plaza Midwood on March 1. Photo: Ashley Mahoney/Axios

Books

Since we first published this independent bookstore guide in 2021, some spots on the original list have closed, while others have found new homes. There are also new stores to explore.Here&#x27;s a guide to the shelves around Charlotte and a few others just a drive away. Stores are listed in no particular order.

Culture

Hurricane Helene arrived on Florida land one week ago in the dark hours between Sept. 26 and 27 and quickly turned its wicked wand toward western North Carolina. By the end of Friday, it was gone, and the sun was out to show us the hell it'd left.

Why it matters, now and going forward: "The western North Carolina that existed on Thursday is no more," Zeb Smathers, the mayor of Canton, told the Smoky Mountain News. 

Indeed, for the communities in this precious region of our state, there will be a Before Helene and an After Helene.

But the entire state of North Carolina will be part of the "after." People who lived in the mountains Before Helene will become Charlotte residents After Helene. Or Raleigh residents. Or Anywhere Else residents. Some for a month, some for a year, some maybe forever.

Some are already trying to enroll their kids in other local schools. Others might be at the restaurant table next to you tonight, or in the checkout line behind you.

Displaced humans without a home or even a town to put it in, calling themselves the fortunate ones.

Reality check: The main thing that matters now, still, are the lives of the missing. The storm had killed at least 215 people across the Southeast as of Friday morning, AP reports, making Helene the deadliest hurricane to hit the U.S. mainland since Katrina. But the number will rise, as officials connect with loved ones.

Flocks of helicopters, civilian and military, are still scanning creek beds and hilltops, looking for flashes from people holding mirrors or words like "HELP" carved in the mud.

What's next: The survivors will have to decide their futures. To rebuild a home along the same river? To start a business again in the same downtown? To stay on this side of a rebuilt bridge, or move to that side?

The bottom line: The hashtag #WNCstrong is trending. And they are strong, these mountain people. They have been throughout history, back to the Great Flood of 1916, back to when the Scots-Irish settlers made their way down from Pennsylvania in the 18th century. And back to the original inhabitants, the Cherokee, who still live here, and still follow the belief that there are not four but seven cardinal directions:

Here we look back at the past week, the first week of After Helene in North Carolina, in photos:

two people in a shallow but flooded street in Boone NC as Hurricane Helene hit

In some places, for some people, the initial flooding seemed like an innocent novelty, including for these two people playing with a ball in a street in Boone on Friday, Sept. 27. Photo: Sean Rayford/Getty Images

the charlotte skyline in the clouds of tropical storm helene

Helene blanketed Charlotte with rain on Friday, too, leaving at least two people dead and more than 100,000 without power in the immediate aftermath. Photo: Peter Zay/Anadolu via Getty Images

Helene downed trees and power lines around Charlotte on Sept. 27, such as in the Windsor Park neighborhood, leaving many residents without power all weekend. Photo: Courtesy

The Triangle experienced torrential downfall and flooded streets, parks and greenways after Helene made landfall. Pictured here is flooding around Ellerbee Creek in Durham on Sept. 27.  Photo: Zachery Eanes/Axios

One week after Helene in North Carolina: Photos

"The western North Carolina that existed on Thursday is no more."

<a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Hurricane Helene" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2024/09/27/hurricane-helene-floods-florida-georgia-north-carolina" data-vars-content-id="c40e9045-7b0b-41de-a9ba-74bc5206bc67" data-vars-headline="One week after Helene in North Carolina: Photos" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2024/09/27/hurricane-helene-floods-florida-georgia-north-carolina" target="_self">Hurricane Helene</a> arrived on Florida land one week ago in the dark hours between Sept. 26 and 27 and quickly turned its wicked wand toward <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="western North Carolina" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/charlotte/2024/09/27/tropical-storm-helene-nc-mountains-appalachian-flooding-asheville" data-vars-content-id="c40e9045-7b0b-41de-a9ba-74bc5206bc67" data-vars-headline="One week after Helene in North Carolina: Photos" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/charlotte/2024/09/27/tropical-storm-helene-nc-mountains-appalachian-flooding-asheville" target="_self">western North Carolina</a>. By the end of Friday, it was gone, and the sun was out to show us the hell it&#x27;d left.Why it matters, now and going forward: &quot;The western North Carolina that existed on Thursday is no more,&quot; Zeb Smathers, the mayor of Canton, told the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Smoky Mountain News" data-vars-click-url="https://smokymountainnews.com/news/item/38454-again-horrific-storm-damage-will-remake-western-north-carolina" data-vars-content-id="c40e9045-7b0b-41de-a9ba-74bc5206bc67" data-vars-headline="One week after Helene in North Carolina: Photos" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://smokymountainnews.com/news/item/38454-again-horrific-storm-damage-will-remake-western-north-carolina" target="_blank">Smoky Mountain News</a>. <ul><li>Indeed, for the communities in this precious region of our state, there will be a Before Helene and an After Helene.</li></ul>

Michael Graff

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