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

Thursday looks like the best day across this list.

Strongest single forecast: Kure Beach on Thursday (81).

Within 60 mi

Wrightsville Beach

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

Skip the beach today.

82°F water 86°F air 7 to 10 mph wind Best this week: Thursday (80)

Carolina Beach

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

Skip the beach today.

82°F water 88°F air 6 to 9 mph wind Best this week: Thursday (79)

Kure Beach

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

Skip the beach today.

82°F water 86°F air 9 mph wind Best this week: Thursday (81)

Topsail Beach

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

Skip the beach today.

88°F air 5 to 8 mph wind Best this week: Thursday (75)

Oak Island Beach

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

Mixed conditions today.

89°F air 8 mph wind Best this week: Thursday (78)

Surf City Beach

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

Skip the beach today.

86°F air 8 mph wind Best this week: Thursday (77)

Holden Beach

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

Skip the beach today.

89°F air 8 mph wind Best this week: Thursday (76)

North Topsail Beach

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

Skip the beach today.

88°F air 7 mph wind Best this week: Thursday (76)

Sunset Beach

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

Mixed conditions today.

88°F air 6 to 9 mph wind Best this week: Thursday (78)

North Myrtle Beach

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

Skip the beach today.

84°F water 90°F air 5 to 8 mph wind Best this week: Thursday (77)

Emerald Isle Beach

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

Skip the beach today.

86°F air 6 to 9 mph wind Best this week: Thursday (79)

Myrtle Beach

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

Skip the beach today.

84°F water 88°F air 6 to 10 mph wind Best this week: Thursday (81)

Indian Beach

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

Skip the beach today.

86°F air 5 to 10 mph wind Best this week: Thursday (78)

Surfside Beach (SC)

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

Skip the beach today.

84°F water 89°F air 7 to 12 mph wind Best this week: Friday (77)

Garden City Beach

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

Skip the beach today.

91°F air 6 to 9 mph wind Best this week: Thursday (74)

Atlantic Beach (NC)

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

Skip the beach today.

86°F air 6 to 10 mph wind Best this week: Thursday (79)

Litchfield Beach

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

Skip the beach today.

90°F air 7 to 13 mph wind Best this week: Thursday (79)

Cape Lookout National Seashore

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

Skip the beach today.

85°F air 5 to 10 mph wind Best this week: Wednesday (80)

Pawleys Island

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

Skip the beach today.

91°F air 6 to 10 mph wind Best this week: Thursday (77)

Ocracoke Beach

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

Skip the beach today.

85°F air 9 to 13 mph wind Best this week: Wednesday (79)

Isle of Palms

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

Skip the beach today.

87°F water 88°F air 10 to 15 mph wind Best this week: Thursday (75)

Sullivan's Island Beach

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

Skip the beach today.

87°F water 92°F air 9 to 14 mph wind Best this week: Thursday (75)

Folly Beach

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

Skip the beach today.

87°F water 89°F air 13 to 16 mph wind Best this week: Thursday (75)

Cape Hatteras National Seashore

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

Skip the beach today.

85°F air 14 mph wind Best this week: Thursday (80)

Nags Head Beach

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

Skip the beach today.

86°F air 10 to 14 mph wind Best this week: Thursday (80)

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.