Whether you ’ rhenium looking for a one day pickup or planning a week hanker beach vacay, this steer to the best beaches near Charlotte NC highlights 25+ cheery, flaxen destinations that are anywhere between a 25 hour to 6 hour drive from the Queen City .
Planning a day trip, weekend trip or just looking for other things to do, places to visit, and where to eat across North Carolina ? Check out Off the Eaten Path ’ s North Carolina Travel Guide, which features weekend itineraries, travel and restaurant recommendations across the Tarheel State .When I foremost moved to Charlotte ten years ago for a summer internship, I told all of my Midwestern friends I was moving to the beach .
Oh, inadequate, ignorant, Chrissie, I wish you would have looked at a map before opening your big, adipose tissue mouth.
You see, I had constantly equated North Carolina with the ocean because we I spent my childhood summers ( yes, every summer since I was born ! ) in the Outer Banks .
While North Carolina has 322 miles of expansive ocean shoreline ( making it seventh in the United States ) and 12,000+ miles of estuarine coastline ( making it home plate to the second largest estuarine system in the United States ), it doesn ’ t take person who knows how to read a function correctly to realize that all of North Carolina is not at the beach .
In fact a draw of it isn ’ deoxythymidine monophosphate .
Let ’ s merely say it was a natural awaken when this sunlight loving, ocean swim, beach baby found herself sweating through summer in landlocked Charlotte. Again, a map would have been helpful .
But one of the things I love about support in Charlotte, you know besides the restaurants, my friends, and the liveliness that we ’ ve created here over the past ten-spot years, is that Charlotteans are in truth good at romanticizing our city ’ second landlocked predicament and spinning it into a positive…you ’ ll frequently hear things like, “ Oh I love it here in Charlotte because we are conclude to both the mountains and the beach so we can easily visit both ! ”
And lucky for us, the North Carolina slide is home to some of the nation ’ s best beaches, and we can soak up the sun, sand and phone of the mighty Atlantic Ocean in less than a four hour drive .
This beaches near Charlotte NC guide is organized by driving distance ( driving distances and times listed in this station may vary due to where you ’ ra leaving from, traffic, and your specific finish ), so the following clock time you find yourself sitting through a sweaty, boggy Charlotte summer ( besides known as “ Hell ’ s Front Porch ) hop in the car and point to the beach !
postscript : If you looking for early fun and delectable destinations in North Carolina check out Off the Eaten Path ’ s Asheville Travel Guide, the best things to do in Bryson City, NC, the best restaurants in Hendersonville, a weekend path and lead to North Carolina wineries, and our Charlotte Restaurants Guide .
How many miles is Charlotte, NC from the beach?
It depends on what type of beach you are looking for…a lake beach or an ocean beach ? Charlotte has pretty easy access to both, but to reach the ocean you ’ re going to have to drive a spot far .
Charlotte is merely 20 miles away from the closest lake beach on Lake Norman, and 176 miles away from the closest coastal beach .
So what is the closest beach to Charlotte NC?
If you ’ rhenium looking for a lake beach : Ramsey Creek Beach is good North of Charlotte on the southerly shore of Lake Norman .
If you ’ re looking see the booming Atlantic, Myrtle Beach is the closest coastal beach in driving outdistance and North Carolina ’ s Brunswick Islands are the closest in driving time .
Ramsey Creek Beach: 20 miles, 28 minutes
Did you know that we have a beach in Mecklenburg County ? !
Ramsey Creek Park is home to Mecklenburg County ’ s first gear public beach which opened in summer 2016. The half acre beach and swimming area is part of the larger 43 acre waterfront ballpark in Cornelius, along the shores of North Carolina ’ mho largest valet made lake, Lake Norman .
Ramsey Creek Beach is open Memorial Day to Labor Day, and throughout the summer an capture fee is collected ( fees vary depending on the day of the week and whether or not you are a Mecklenburg County house physician ). There ’ sulfur besides a detached CATS shuttle from the Cornelius Park and Ride on vacation weekends .
Windjammer Park, Tega Cay, SC: 20 miles, 31 minutes
The moment close of the beaches near Charlotte NC is besides on a lake, but confederacy of the department of state border in South Carolina .
Located on a point on Lake Wylie, the minor, 2 acre park provides 360 degree views of the water with a swimming area on one side and boater entree on the other .
Parking is permit only ; park is free to Tega Cay residents and $ 100 for non-residents .
Ebenezer Park, Rock Hill, SC: 26 miles, 35 minutes
Ebenezer Park, merely north of the Rock Hill, is home to the third float beach in the greater Charlotte, NC sphere .
Like both Ramsey Creek and Windjammer, Ebenezer Park is a lakefront beach ( you ’ ll have to drive a few hours to get to the ocean but all of the ocean suggestions are below ! ) along the shores of Lake Wylie ,
Ebenezer Park equitable underwent a major renovation that includes a 10,000 public square animal foot pier, covered shelters and a brand new beach area. Beyond swim, Ebenezer Park is a great place for boating, fish and camp .
between Memorial Day weekend and Labor Day weekend the vehicle fee to enter the park is $ 5 for York County Residents and $ 8 for come out of the closet of county visitors .
Lake Norman State Park: 38 miles, 42 minutes
Lake Norman State Park is home to the irregular public swimming beach on Lake Norman on the North side of of the lake in Troutman .
The beach season at Lake Norman State Park is class beat, but the 125 infantry flaxen beach is staffed with lifeguards from 10 am to 530pm Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day. Swimming fees ( cash merely ) are charged when the lifeguards are on duty, $ 6 for adults ( 13 and over ) and $ 4 for kids ( ages 3-12 ). There is no cost to visit the 1,934 acre park and no price to swim when the lifeguards are not on duty .
Lake Norman State Park offers a wide variety of early outdoor activities including hike, mountain bicycle ( there are over 30 miles of hike and mountain bicycle trails and over 7 miles of hiking alone trails ), boating, fishing, camp, and picnicking areas with public restrooms, tables and grills .
Lake James State Park: 90 miles, 1 hour 32 minutes
Lake James is a 6,812 acre lake located at the base of the Blue Ridge Mountains between Marion and Morganton. The state of matter park is located along its shores and is home to 25 miles of hike, batch bicycle, and nature trails, three campgrounds ( offering walk in, drive in and boat in campgrounds ) a well as plenty of space for boating, fishing and swim. In fact, Lake James campgrounds are our favorites in North Carolina and all three are feature in Off the Eaten Path ’ south best tent camping in NC guide !
The arenaceous beach swimming area is afford May 1 through September 30, 10 am to 6pm day by day. Swimming fees are $ 6 for adults ( 13 and over ) and $ 4 for kids ( ages 3-12 ) .
Myrtle Beach: 176 miles, 3 hours 31 minutes
Did you know that the appoint “ Myrtle Beach ” comes from the wax myrtle, an evergreen shrub, and was chosen in a name-the-town contest in 1900 ?
The beach is a democratic tourist address located in the middle of a 60 nautical mile stretch of beach known as The Grand Strand in northeastern South Carolina. An calculate 14 million visitors flock to Myrtle Beach annually to enjoy the sunday, sand, and surf, a well as the area ’ s numerous hotels, golf resorts and wide stove of entertainment and activities .
Myrtle Beach is the closest atlantic Ocean beach near Charlotte, NC based on distance or mileage but not inevitably time ( a few beaches in North Carolina ’ s Brunswick Islands may be a faster depending on traffic flow and congestion ) .
Pawley’s Island, SC 189 miles, 3 hours 52 minutes
Located 70 miles union of Charleston and 25 miles south of Myrtle Beach on the southerly end of The Grand Strand, Pawley ’ mho Island is known as one of the oldest summer recourse areas on the East Coast .
Pawley ’ second slide is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean and a salt marsh, separating it from the mainland. You can well entree the 4 mile long barrier island by one of two causeways .
Pawley ’ randomness Island is a lay back, class beach where you can enjoy activities beyond swimming like gripe, fishing barrage, bicycle, water system sports, canoeing and kayaking. Kayaking is besides a great way to explore the salt marsh !
Read more: A Man Quotes Maritime Law To Avoid Ticket
North Carolina’s Brunswick Islands
Sunset Beach: 191 miles, 3 hours 23 minutes
Ocean Isle: 193 miles, 3 hours 24 minutes
Holden Beach 202 miles, 3 hours 25 minutes
Oak Island: 207 miles, 3 hours 29 minutes
Caswell Beach 212 miles, 3 hours 37 minutes
Bald Head Island: 217 miles, 4 hours 24 minutes
North Carolina ’ s Brunswick Islands are a stretch of five barrier islands between Wilmington, NC and Myrtle Beach, SC. These beaches are not as wide developed as those to the North or South, leaving large stretches of pristine beach with wind dunes and waving prop up grasses .
The area is besides home to Calabash style seafood, a clear-cut vogue that involves thinly battered, deep fried and newly caught seafood harvested from the Atlantic Ocean and inlets along the Carolina coast. Calabash seafood ’ s namesake is Calabash, North Carolina, a belittled town in Brunswick County that popularized the newly get, corn meal crusted, fried seafood .
The southern-most Brunswick Islands beach is Sunset Beach, which is considered to be one of the closet beaches to Charlotte, NC in terms of driving time. directly west of Sunset Beach is Bird Island ( they contribution the like barrier island and you can walk to Bird Island from Sunset Beach ), a protect beach and one of 10 sites that make up the North Carolina Coastal Reserve and National Estuarine Research Reserve .
To the east of Sunset Beach is Ocean Isle Beach, followed by Holden Beach, Oak Island and then Caswell Beach. While each beach community in the Brunswick Islands offers something a fiddling different and limited to beachgoers, depending on what kind of trop or vacation you are looking for, they all promise ashen sand beaches, beautiful blue ocean surf and a set of fun in the sun !
The last island that makes up North Carolina ’ s Brunswick Islands is Bald Head Island, which has a longer driving time that the others because it is approachable entirely by ferry or individual gravy boat. There are no cars allowed on Bald Head Island, which will give you the singular know of exploring its sweeping natural landscape by bicycle, boat or golf handcart .
Wrightsville Beach: 207 miles, 3 hours 48 minutes
Wrightsville Beach is the closest surfside town ( just 8.5 miles aside ! ) to Wilmington a interface city in southeast North Carolina ( a lot of people think that Wilmington is on the Atlantic Ocean but it ’ s actually not and was developed a little inland along the Cape Fear River. )
Wrightsville Beach has been named one of the top browse towns in the universe by National Geographic, and some people say it is actually the birthplace of surfing in North Carolina .
Barrier islands are a theme when it comes to the Atlantic Coast beaches and specially in North Carolina, and so nobelium surprise, Wrightsville Beach is located on a barrier island which is merely four miles farseeing. park is available throughout the town in Wrightsville Beach, both at designated parking lots and along side streets where meters mark the position where visitors can pull in and hit the backbone at the public beaches. Parking rates are broadly $ 15 per day from the begin of March until the end of October ( parking is free in the off-season months ) .
Fun fact : If you were a deep 90s, early 2000s adolescent drama sports fan, you ’ ll recognize Wrightsville Beach from Dawson ’ sulfur Creek, as the show used the beach town for a few filming locations, including the Oceanic Pier in the open credits .
Carolina Beach: 211 miles, 3 hours 52 minutes
Carolina Beach is another Wilmington area beach, located on Pleasure Island precisely south east of the city .
Carolina Beach is known for it ’ s classifiable coastal environments…beyond beautiful beach views, Carolina Beach is home to a submit park with miles of trails through uninhibited maritime forest and salt marshes. Carolina Beach visitors can besides visit Freeman Park, located on the unexploited northern stretch of shoreline, for swim, surf, fish and camp. Four wheel drive vehicles and permits are needed for both driving on the beach and camping .
Carolina Beach besides boasts a boardwalk that serves up fun with a side of nostalgia with its entertainment park rides, games and concession stands .
Kure Beach, NC: 214 miles, 3 hours 53 minutes
just south of Carolina Beach on Pleasure Island is Kure Beach, precisely .8 square miles in area bordered by Carolina Beach to the North, Fort Fisher State Recreation Area and Historic Site to the South, the Atlantic Ocean to the East and the Cape Fear River to the West. Beyond the beach, the North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher is a popular area destination featuring exhibits focused on North Carolina ’ randomness marine life .
For those who crave isolated, unexploited shorelines, Zeke ’ s Island Reserve, one of the most crucial shorebird habitats along the North Carolina coastline, is a must visit with pristine shorelines, wild paddling trails, and enough of shell, fishing, and bird .
Charleston, SC Area Beaches
Sullivan’s Island, SC: 215 miles, 3 hours 15 minutes
Folly Beach, SC: 219 miles, 3 hours 23 minutes
Isle of Palms, SC: 22 miles, 3 hours 32 minutes
Kiawah Island, SC: 232 miles, 3 hours 44 minutes
like to Wilmington, Charleston, South Carolina is a port city located on the Ashley river and not actually on the ocean, but there are four little beach communities fair a inadequate repel away .
Each of Charleston ’ sulfur beaches, Sullivan ’ sulfur Island, Folly Beach, Isle of Palms and Kiawah Island, offer a blend of wide-eyed beaches, watersports, local restaurants and shops, golf, and have their own alone vibes and personalities, so there ’ second something in truth for everyone on the South Carolina coast .
Topsail Island
40 miles Northwest of Wilmington is a 26 nautical mile farseeing barrier island that was a popular plagiarist hideaway in the 1700s. Topsail Island got its name from its plagiarist history ; pirates would hide their boats in the channel between the island and the mainland, and only the top of the boats ’ sails were visible to ships approaching from the ocean. There ’ south a rumor that Blackbeard ’ s treasure is buried on the island .
Beyond being a pirate coastal haunt, Topsail Island is family to three small beach towns, North Topsail Beach, Surf City, and Topsail Beach, perfective for your future beach vacation .
Topsail ’ second beaches are enjoyed by swimmers, beachcombers, anglers, boaters and sea turtles alike : The Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center is located in Surf City, where visitors take a enlistment of the facility and get a behind the scenes look at what it takes to save and protect North Carolina ’ s ocean turtles .
Hilton Head Island, SC: 247 miles, 3 hours 47 minutes
Hilton Head is a repair town and boot-shaped barrier island located in South Carolina ’ s Lowcountry 20 miles northeast of Savannah, Georgia ( Hilton Head ’ s brake shoe shape has the toe pointing south towards the Savannah River ) .
The 42 square nautical mile island is home to 12 miles of flaxen beaches and 24 golf courses, so whether your looking to hit the links or relax on the backbone, Hilton Head has something for you .
Fun fact : John Cougar Mellancamp has a house on neighboring Daufuskie Island, which is entirely accessible by ferry or boat .
Hunting Island State Park, SC: 246 miles, 3 hours 57 minutes
Hunting Island, South Carolina ’ s most popular department of state ballpark, is dwelling to five miles of pristine, palm-lined beaches, thousands of acres of alcoholic vegetation, marsh and martime afforest, a seawater lagoon, an ocean intake and a wide diverseness of native nautical and farming wildlife. It gives me major Caribbean Island vibes .
The 5,000 acre park is located 15 miles from downtown Beaufort, is decidedly worth a day slip if you ’ re in the area ( or even a day trip from Charlotte ) but I decidedly recommend visiting for the weekend and staying at one of the park ’ s 100 camp or RV campsites ( two nox mental reservation required ) .
Tybee Island, GA: 270 miles, 4 hours 13 minutes
Tybee Island is the only Georgia beach to make this list, barely over a four hour drive from Charlotte and a bare 20 minutes from Savannah ( it is the easternmost point in Georgia ). For a brief period of time between the 1950s and 1970s, Tybee Island was named Savannah Beach to drive publicity toward the island .
Tybee ’ s three miles of arenaceous beaches are arrant for swimming, sand castle build and shell. One of the best ways to explore the island is by motorcycle !
The Crystal Coast, NC
Emerald Isle: 271 miles, 4 hours 51 minutes
Indian Beach: 276 miles, 4 hours 58 minutes
Pine Knoll Shores: 280 miles, 5 hours 7 minutes
Atlantic Beach: 284 miles 5 hours 8 minutes
The Crystal Coast is an 85 mile stretch of beaches in Eastern North Carolina ( it is besides known as the Southern Outer Banks, because, you guessed it, it is immediately south of the Outer Banks. More on the Outer Banks below ). The list crystal coast was chosen to describe the area ’ s highly net waters and miles white beaches. The Crystal Coast includes Emerald Isle, Newport, Salter Path, indian Beach, Pine Knoll Shores, Morehead City, Beaufort, Atlantic Beach, Harkers Island and the Cape Lookout National Seashore .
Beyond hitting the beach, there are a overplus of activities for both nature and history buffs and places to eat for foodies ( check out Off the Eaten Path ’ s Crystal Coast change of location guide featuring the best things to do in Beaufort NC and 13 of the best restaurants in Beaufort NC ), including Fort Macon State Park, Croatan National Forest, Shackleford Banks ( make certain to try to spot the wild horses ! ), Cape Lookout National Seashore ( you can climb the “ Diamond Lady ” beacon, that was painted with a classifiable black and blank diamond form in order to distinguish direction North and South from East and West ) and more !
Outer Banks, NC: Nags Head: 363 miles, 5 hours 28 minutes
Spanning the northern coast of North Carolina, the 200-mile chain of barrier islands are base to Cape Hatteras National Seashore, aquatic plant and animal life sentence, wild horses, The Roanoke Colony ( besides known as The Lost Colony, one of America ’ s first base settlements and most scheme, unsolved mysteries, aviation ( the Wright Brothers took their first flight in Kill Devil Hills on December 17, 1903 ), and pirates ( including Blackbeard, Ocracoke Inlet was the celebrated commandeer ’ s favorite anchorage ) .
little beach towns spot the coast offering a overplus of places to stay, local restaurants, and tons of things to do ! For a dispatch tilt, make certain to check out Off the Eaten Path ’ second Outer Banks Travel Guide ! There are 10 towns stretching from North to South in the OBX including : corolla, Duck, Southern Shores, Kitty Hawk, Kill Devil Hills, Nags Head, Manteo, Rodanthe, Waves, Salvo, Avon, Buxton, Frisco, Hatteras and Ocracoke ( if you were to drive from one end to the other, including ferry time, it would take about 3 hours ) .