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My boyfriend and I moved to Raleigh from up north last fall. Once the weather warms up more consistently, we would like to take advantage of living only a couple hours from the coast. It seems like Wrightsville is popular for day trips from Raleigh because of how close it is. If we head to the beach though, we would like to stay overnight so we can enjoy the whole weekend there. Money is an issue though. Does Wrightsville Beach have any cheaper hotels, or maybe even somewhere to camp near the beach? I guess we could always stay in a motel too, but I admit I'm stereo-typing the idea of a cheap motel and kind of afraid of going that route, unless anyone knows of a decent one.
I think your best bet would be to stay at a hotel off the actual island and drive in (5-10 minutes) as opposed to staying on the island where hotels in the peak season can be around 250 a night...at least last year when I checked the Holiday Inn Sunspree...
Some hotels that are nearby that you might find reasonable are the Hampton Inn at Landfall and also the Hilton Garden Inn at Mayfaire may run some specials...If you dont mind driving a few more minutes hotels on Market street will be even more reasonable...
There is no camping that I remember at Wrightsville but there is a campsite towards Carolina/Kure if you would prefer to go that route.
Me & the husband stayed for Valentine's weekend at the Days Inn on Market Street. I admit when looking at it.. I was like, I hope this is an ok place because it has outdoor entrances and that never looks right to me haha. But, it got excellent reviews and it was super clean and only about $50 a night.. def nothing wrong with staying there for good cheap accomodations. It is not far at all from Wrightsville, maybe 10 min?? Mostly everywhere in Wilmington is convenient to Wrightsville and the closer you are to there, the pricier hotels would be.. just stay somewhere cheap like the Days Inn. Also, wrightsville is the beach to go to, not Carolina.. so stick with that one.
How do you like Raleigh by the way? I want to check it out, we are currently in Charlotte.
I think your best bet would be to stay at a hotel off the actual island and drive in (5-10 minutes) as opposed to staying on the island where hotels in the peak season can be around 250 a night...at least last year when I checked the Holiday Inn Sunspree...
Some hotels that are nearby that you might find reasonable are the Hampton Inn at Landfall and also the Hilton Garden Inn at Mayfaire may run some specials...If you dont mind driving a few more minutes hotels on Market street will be even more reasonable...
No way. Parking on Wrightsville Beach is a total nightmare on weekends when the weather is warm. I live in Wilmington, and I've completely given up on the idea of driving to WB. I just head down to Kure Beach instead, even though Wrightsville is a much better beach.
Now, maybe during the week you'll have better luck.. but be sure to bring plenty of quarters.
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There is no camping that I remember at Wrightsville but there is a campsite towards Carolina/Kure if you would prefer to go that route.
You can drive a 4x4 out on the north end of Carolina Beach and camp out there, right on the beach. Carolina Beach is dirty in several meanings of the word, but it seems to be a popular option for weekenders from out of town.
Me & the husband stayed for Valentine's weekend at the Days Inn on Market Street. I admit when looking at it.. I was like, I hope this is an ok place because it has outdoor entrances and that never looks right to me haha. But, it got excellent reviews and it was super clean and only about $50 a night.. def nothing wrong with staying there for good cheap accomodations. It is not far at all from Wrightsville, maybe 10 min?? Mostly everywhere in Wilmington is convenient to Wrightsville and the closer you are to there, the pricier hotels would be.. just stay somewhere cheap like the Days Inn. Also, wrightsville is the beach to go to, not Carolina.. so stick with that one.
How do you like Raleigh by the way? I want to check it out, we are currently in Charlotte.
I disagree. I avoid Wrightsville Beach like the plague because parking is an absolute nightmare, it is very crowded, and it is a bit pricier. Carolina Beach is just as nice if not nicer in my opinion. The only down side is it will take you another 15-20 minutes to get there.
Carolina Beach State park is a nice option. Costs about $15 per night. My family camped there last fall and had a great time. You can also camp on the beach if you have a 4x4 (Freeman Park). An annual pass to drive on the beach is $50. I believe it is free to camp on the beach.
Oh, I'm not talking down Wrightsville - I will be moving there in a few weeks.
I just don't think that circling the island in heavy traffic for hours looking for a parking spot makes for a good vacation. I would not plan my trip around the availability of parking there.
Judging by the fact that so many apartments, rentals, etc. advertise being "Near Wrightsville Beach," I have come to learn that there is a cottage industry relying on the myth that being "near Wrightsville Beach" leads to easier beach access than living in.. say.. Raleigh. On a summer day, I bet it is a quicker drive (parking included) from Raleigh to Carolina Beach than it is from downtown Wilmington to Wrightsville Beach.
There is a park at the north end of Carolina Beach called freeman/s park and you can camp there for free but you need a 4 wheel drive and a park pass ($40 for a year) I guess you could just hump the gear out onto the beach but you still have to deal with a parking issue. It is a very nice beach and you may find that Carolina Beach is just as nice as Wrightsville if it is really the beach that you love.
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