The Best Beach Resorts in North Carolina

Wrightsville Beach

Once the site of stately hotels—The Seashore and The Ocean Terrace—Blockade Runner continues to uphold its coastal heritage in the most family-friendly, laid-back fashion, but with a cool retro-hip look in the lobby and poolside spaces. With harborfront and oceanfront suites, the resort can offer sweeping vistas of the bustling boats or the calm open ocean—take your pick. 

Sprawling beach chairs and bright blue umbrellas line the sandy shore, as attendants provide rental services for lounging back in them. For beach-goers in search of a more adventurous beach experience, watersports like kayaking, stand-up paddle boarding, surfing, and sailing are conveniently available on the property—certified instructors included. A brief one-mile walk down the sandy beach will land you at Johnnie Mercer's Pier—the only concrete fishing pier in the state (and the only pier that charges a small fee for a stroll down it). 

Duck

When it comes to a luxury vacation experience on the Outer Banks, Sanderling Resort knows how to deliver. Situated along the wide, private beaches (but narrow mainland) of Duck—a stretch of North Carolina's northernmost coastline—the elegant beachfront resort offers Atlantic Ocean views from nearly every angle. 

Kimball's Kitchen serves up world-class local seafood dishes (and world-class Currituck Sound views), while the Sandbar provides beach bites and specialty cocktails for visitors longing to perch, well, slightly closer to the sand. Make the getaway complete with a visit to the spa, and soothe your soul further with a Beach Sunrise yoga session. 

Wrightsville Beach

With 169 balcony rooms overlooking the Atlantic, Shell Island Resort—the only all-ocean-facing, all-suite stay on the island—fronts 3,000 feet of sweeping sand and surf. 

Indulge in fresh fare—from seafood to steaks—for breakfast, lunch, and dinner at the Shell Island Restaurant and Oceanfront Lounge. For a more casual approach, grab a bite (and a happy hour cocktail!) at the poolside bar and grill. Afterward, rent a surfboard to ride the waves, or hop on a bike to cruise the town. Or simply return to your shaded beach chair with a Tiki drink in hand. 

Ocean Isle Beach

With enough retro charm to wow the simplest of lodgers, The Winds Resort is a quaint, family-owned slice of paradise nestled on North Carolina's southern coast. Choose from one-, two-, and three-bedroom suites that overlook tropical flora and grassy dunes, or opt for the grandeur of three-, four-, and five-bedroom cottages with Atlantic Ocean views. 

Turquoise pools, beach cruisers and breakfast buffets abound, but the poolside Tiki bar is the shining beacon of the resort property—a true siren call to all guests with a desire to pull up a bar stool, sip on a boozy beverage, and sway to the sounds of the surf. 

Sunset Beach 

Nestled on 2,000 acres among three world-class golf courses, Sea Trail Resort's tight-knit community feel can't be beat. You also can't beat its ideal blend of golf courses and stretches of sand (a short five-minute drive from the resort). With private suites and vacation rentals, families or golf groups can linger for a weekend or a month. 

And golf isn't the only active option here. Horseback riding, kayaking, deep sea fishing, and yoga and Zumba classes are also available to keep you busy. When mealtimes roll around, country club-style dining at Magnolia's Restaurant and Brassie's Pub (the more laid-back of the two) serve up scrumptious bites of Southern cuisine and cold beverages. Kick back poolside, golfcart-pathside, or beachside—the best of every vacation world. 

Kill Devil Hills

The Outer Banks Beach Clubs I & II are a collection of oceanfront vacation condos in Kill Devil Hills. It's a large property with easy access to the ocean via the boardwalk, a number of indoor and outdoor pools, hot tubs, a sauna, shuffleboard courts, tennis courts, racket-ball courts, golfing (but with a per person golf cart fee), and full local YMCA fitness center privileges. Not only is there also a kids' club and two pools specifically designed for children, but there is also childcare available while adults work out at the gym, which makes both of these resorts terrific choices for family vacations. One, two, or three-bedroom condos are available at both resorts, which each have ocean front, ocean side, and pool side view locations. In addition, they have full kitchens and private terraces, with some even featuring jacuzzis.

There is an abundance of eateries, shopping opportunities, and historical attractions nearby, many only a short walk away. Tourists enjoy conveniently located and popular restaurants such as Food Dudes Kitchen, Duck Donuts, and Kill Devil's Frozen Custard & Beach Fries. Local entertainment and historical attractions include the Wright Brothers National Memorial, the OBX Mystery Dinner, and the Paradise Fun Park.

Emerald Isle Beach

Emerald Isle has many opportunities for beach-goers to enjoy, including picnic pavilions, boat and kayak launches, volleyball courts, and playgrounds. Meanwhile amenities at Islander Hotel & Resort include a beachfront swimming pool with cabanas and a poolside bar, volleyball courts, and a picnic area with grills, with most of the rooms offering an ocean view. The resort is just a brief walk from Water Boggan Water Park, and a short drive from Bogue Inlet Fishing Pier and North Carolina Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores.

Kill Devil Hills

With a great location right on the beach, the Sea Ranch Resort is a family-friendly retreat with rooms and condos (some are even pet-friendly!) that offers tourists ample opportunity to experience Kill Devil Hills. Amenities include cabana rentals on the beach, an indoor swimming pool, and a gym. During summer there are free yoga and pilates classes.

Like the Outer Banks Beach Clubs I & II, the Sea Ranch Resort is close to many great eateries and attractions of Kill Devil Hills. But if you don't want to leave the property and venture out into the world to find food, the resort's Beachside Bistro offers a creative menu of American Coastal Cuisine, featuring local seafood choices and daily Chef's specials. Their Cajun Roasted Oysters are award-winning.

Carolina Beach

Facing Carolina Beach, Golden Sands is a five-story hotel with direct beach access, less than a half hour drive from downtown Wilmington—which has live music, micro-breweries, museums, and more. The Carolina Beach Boardwalk is only a mile away and is filled with restaurants, an amusement park, and shopping destinations. Amenities at the resort include indoor and outdoor swimming pools, a hot tub, a fitness room, a fishing pier, and an on-site restaurant.

Carolina Beach Jet Ski Rentals will allow you to take jet ski rides along the Intracoastal Waterway. Or out in the ocean, where you might get the chance to see or interact with dolphins and sea turtles. Beyond that, there are opportunities for stand-up paddleboard and kayak rentals, surfing lessons, and scuba diving.

Kitty Hawk

The rooms at the Hilton Garden Inn Outer Banks feature private balconies with either direct or partial ocean views. Perks include an indoor pool, a seasonal outdoor pool, an on-site gym, a complimentary hot breakfast, and an all-day restaurant.

Just across the street is the Kitty Hawk Fishing Pier. Only 10 minutes away, you'll find the Wright Brothers Memorial. The Lost Colony, Currituck Lighthouse, and Wild Horse Tours are all about a half-hour drive away. Elizabethan Gardens and N.C. Aquarium on Roanoke Island are also nearby. Venture out a bit further to the Kitty Hawk Woods Coastal Reserve, where nature lovers can explore over 1800 acres of forests and marshes, and see some of the local wildlife—including white-tailed deer, gray foxes, and otters.

Atlantic Beach

There's always a free cookie waiting for you when you arrive at a DoubleTree establishment, and that is reason enough to stay here. But another good reason is that every room has an amazing ocean view. Amenities include a fitness center with a gym, a bar and lounge, indoor and outdoor pools, including a heated pool and a hot tub.

The hotel also offers easy access to many nearby attractions, shopping, and restaurants. Local dining options include Happycakes Cupcakery, Circa 81 Tapas and Cocktaileria, Dank Burrito, and the Ruddy Duck Tavern. As for entertainment and activities, try Game On Escape Rooms, Fort Macon State Park, Hoop Pole Creek Nature Trail, Battle Works Tactical Laser Tag and Axe Throwing, and AB Watersport Adventures. Just across the bridge is Morehead City, which offers even more eateries, activities, and attractions—like Jaycee Park, the History Museum of Carteret County, the Carteret Community Theatre, and Sugarloaf Island.

Corolla Beach

This beach is one of the most popular vacation spots on the North Carolina coast, and the Hampton Inn & Suites Outer Banks is a lovely place to stay while experiencing it. The hotel's amenities include a free hot breakfast, indoor and outdoor pools, a lazy river, hot tub, fitness room, and private beach access.

Just a few miles away, you'll find the Currituck Club golf course. Elsewhere around Corolla is the Currituck Beach Lighthouse, the Whalehead mansion, and the Currituck Maritime Museum, along with many shopping, dining, and entertainment opportunities. The front desk at the Hampton Inn will also help arrange little adventures around town, like kayaking tours and observing wild Spanish mustangs.