This beach ranks as the best in NC. Which other destinations are on the list?
Key Takeaways
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Holden Beach ranks No. 1 on USA Today 10Best’s list of top North Carolina beaches.
- The town has roughly 8 miles of beachfront and received nods for its peaceful setting.
- To create the list, 10Best received input from travel experts, editors and readers.
A peaceful coastal town has been crowned North Carolina’s top beach destination.
Holden Beach, in Brunswick County, beat out other places on the state’s shoreline to claim the No. 1 spot in a new contest from USA Today’s 10Best. Here are the other destinations that ranked in the top 10:
- Surf City at No. 2
- Atlantic Beach at No. 3
- Topsail Beach at No. 4
- Carolina Beach at No. 5
- Cape Lookout National Seashore at No. 6
- Corolla at No. 7
- Indian Beach at No. 8
- Wrightsville Beach at No. 9
- Kure Beach at No. 10
FULL STORY: This beach ranks No. 1 in NC. Here’s what makes it an ‘idyllic’ getaway spot
- Holden Beach climbed to the top of the May 27 rankings after landing at No. 3 in last year’s contest.
- The town is a roughly 40-mile drive from Wilmington and near the South Carolina border. It has fewer than 1,000 year-round residents, though the population can swell with visitors, according to a tourism website.
- Holden Beach boasts roughly 8 miles of beachfront and calls itself a family-friendly town that’s mostly residential.
- The 10Best report praised Holden Beach’s “particularly idyllic atmosphere thanks to its low population.” It also highlighted the area’s shells, sea turtles and nearby golf courses.
- To create the list, 10Best said travel experts nominated top beaches. Editors narrowed the field, and readers could spend a month voting on the ones they loved the most.
The summary points above were compiled with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists. The full story in the link at top was reported, written and edited entirely by journalists.
Simone Jasper
The News & Observer