Wrightsville BeachWilmington, NC

Visibility is an estimate — wind, rain, tide & water alerts.

Getting in

Shore access, walk in off the sand

Best conditions

A sand beach break with surf year-round, best on a southeast swell with a northwest wind. The waves run mostly left, and the cleanest conditions come most often in winter, November especially.

Parking

Every ocean beach access meters its parking from March 1 through October 31, run by Pivot Parking: $6 an hour or $30 a day at the main accesses, enforced 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., and $5 an hour or $25 a day at other marked street spaces, enforced 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Pay by the posted text code or a card-only kiosk.

On site

restrooms, rinse showers, lifeguard on duty, parking lot

Watch for

Rip currents; the town flies yellow flags for moderate hazard and red for high, and its standing advice is to swim near a lifeguard, Lifeguard stands are staffed only from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Town rules bar surfing between the checkered swim flags and require a leash wherever surfing is allowed

Checked 2026-08-24. Sources: Town of Wrightsville Beach: parking, Town of Wrightsville Beach: beach rules, Town of Wrightsville Beach: ocean rescue, Town of Wrightsville Beach: rip current safety, Town of Wrightsville Beach: beach accesses and public restrooms, Surf-Forecast (surf forecaster): Wrightsville Beach.