Five years have passed since we moved to Wilmington and we’re still discovering new things to love. It has beautiful beaches, a clean riverwalk, delicious restaurants, an abundance of activities to enjoy on the water and even historic sites and architecture that date back to the founding of America! I’m excited to share recommendations for each of those things in this Wilmington Travel Guide series! We’ve already covered Where to Stay & Where to Shop, Best Restaurants & Coffee Shops and What to Do. Today I’m sharing our favorite beaches and areas to explore!

Best Beaches in the Wilmington Area

There are a lot of options when it comes to beaches in the Wilmington area, but there are a couple we nearly always rotate between…

Wrightsville Beach:

Wrightsville Beach is the most popular in Wilmington, and our family’s favorite, too. The sunrise view from here is pretty glorious… If you can’t find parking at Johnnie Mercers Pier or any of the other access points along N Lumina, there’s always parking at Wrightsville Beach Park, if you’re up for the walk.

Our favorite part of Wrightsville Beach is the South End! You can enjoy the waves of the open ocean on the east side of the peninsula, then walk over and watch the sun set on the intracoastal side where the water is more calm and lake-like (easier swimming for littles). Another quick plug for a good coffee: if you catch the sunrise on WB (Wrightsville Beach), stop in at SUNdays afterwards!

There are always people fishing on the pier at Johnnie Mercers. Keep a lookout if you head up there… you never know what someone might pull up — like this baby shark!

Oceanic is a beautiful restaurant with a pier over the Atlantic that you can dine on to end your day. You can even plan your wedding here!!

Oak Island:

Oak Island is near Southport! The parking is free at Caswell Beach, it’s normally way more clear than Wrightsville Beach, and it has a stunning view of the sunset since it’s on the southwestern curve of the North Carolina coast. We LOVE this location!

Best Places to Explore

This section also includes our favorite beaches, but the first couple will take a little more effort to get to. If you’re the type that loves a good adventure, these will be perfect for you!

Bald Head Island:

It takes a ferry to get here, and once you arrive, you’re only getting around via bike or golf cart! There are no residential cars on this island and we absolutely love how quiet and peaceful that makes it… there are some amazing Airbnb options in neighborhoods that are reminiscent of Prince Edward Island from Anne of Green Gables.  🥹 

The lighthouse and chapel are beautiful, shelling is phenomenal and there’s even a walk-in lending library on the port over the water that you have to stop at before you board for home. We like having lunch at Cozumel after we arrive.

Shackleford Banks:

On the opposite side of Wilmington from Bald Head Island, a couple hours north is Shackleford Banks: a 9-mile undeveloped barrier island on the southern end of the Cape Lookout National Seashore. There is a herd of over 100 wild horses that descended from Colonial Spanish mustangs brought to the North Carolina coast by explorers in the 16th century. We normally pack a lunch, search for the horses, swim for a couple hours and go shelling. On most beaches you’re not allowed to climb dunes, so the boys love that they get to do that here (and that they are so much higher than the typical beach)! You’ll want to reserve ferry tickets out of Beaufort through this service.

I would be negligent not to warn you of these cactus burrs… stepping on them HURTS (ask me how I know). I’ve found the best sandals for walking this kind of terrain are ones that strap around the ankle, like Tevas. I definitely recommend having a pair similar to these for walking across the island.

Fort Fisher:

Though this one won’t require a long drive or a ferry, I listed it under the Areas to Explore category because there’s a lot more to Fort Fisher than just the beach. The maritime trees and rocky portions on this stretch of coast make Fort Fisher different than all the others around. It used to be a Confederate Fort, so there’s even a Civil War Museum across the road. I’ve done lots of sessions here, from proposals and family sessions to engagements and anniversaries! The variety is wonderful! Parking is free and if you drive to the State Recreation Area, there is a beach access with places to have lunch + stations for washing the sand off your feet when you leave.

Where to go to Church

Finally, if you’re here over the weekend and looking for a good church to attend, come join us at Eastwood Community Church! It’s where our family personally attends and we’d love to have you!

This wraps up the Wilmington Travel Guide series, but I’ve already gone back and added more to each category, which I’m sure I’ll continue to do as we discover new favorites!! In case you missed any, here are the first three posts:

Part 1: Where to Stay & Where to Shop

Part 2: Best Restaurants & Coffee Shops

Part 3: What to Do