By Lena Moriarty
Intern
Alongside beaches from Croatia to Australia to Thailand, Wrightsville Beach received international recognition as a tourist destination today after being named to the U.S. News & World Report’s list of “30 Small Beach Towns that Should be on Your Radar.” The recognition was one of several recent accolades bestowed upon Wrightsville Beach by national or regional publications that cover tourism.
With a reach of nearly 24 million monthly page views, the post on the magazine’s online travel section highlighted the quality of the town’s beach, the breadth of outdoor activities and the energy of the local nightlife scene. See the list here: https://travel.usnews.com/gallery/30-small-beach-towns-that-should-be-on-your-radar?slide=22
“Wrightsville Beach is characterized by impressively wide beaches, large vacation homes and lively bars. Families and groups will love the ample space available for spreading out on the sand and playing games or building sandcastles,” the site said. “Visitors can also enjoy surfing, stand-up paddleboarding and sailing in Wrightsville Beach: Different parts of the area offer ideal water conditions for each sport.”
Bald Head Island and Currituck joined Wrightsville Beach as the only beaches from the state to make the U.S. News & World Report list. The report didn’t rank the beaches.
This is the third list this year to recognize the quality of Wrightsville Beach as a tourist destination and place to live.
Last month, Southern Living’s list of “The South’s Best Beaches of 2018” ranked Wrightsville Beach at No. 9. https://www.southernliving.com/souths-best/beaches#south-padre-island-texas-beaches
The town finished eighth in the USA Today Readers’ Choice 10Best online survey for “Best North Carolina Beach.” USA Today described Wrightsville Beach as having “waves that attract surfers from all over the East Coast.” A historical marker was recently raised to recognize the town as a pioneer of East Coast surfing. http://www.10best.com/awards/travel/best-north-carolina-beach/
Online voting is currently underway for Wrightsville Beach as a “Great Places for Healthy Living” by the North Carolina Chapter of American Planning Association. See online voting here: https://www.wishpond.com/lp/2301863/
