Mar 7, 2024 - News
North Carolina beach bracket champion: Wrightsville Beach
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A surfer at Wrightsville Beach on September 23, 2023. Photo: Eros Hoagland/Getty Images
Wrightsville Beach is the champion of Axios' North Carolina beach bracket, edging past Emerald Isle in the final with 54% of our readers' votes.
By the numbers: Thousands of you have weighed in on with your favorite beaches in North Carolina, and Wrightsville Beach was never close to losing against any of its matchups.
Maybe we should've seen it coming. Wrightsville Beach offers something for everyone, and — maybe most importantly — it's the closest beach to Raleigh.
- The 4-mile long beach island is famous for its walkable town with bars, shops and restaurants. Its waves are among the most popular for surfing in the state.
- Wrightsville also offers plenty of calm spots to escape the noise — especially for those who kayak or paddleboard to the nearby Masonboro Island Reserve.
Yes, but: Good luck finding a parking spot.