News & Accolades

Articles & Coverage
Area Accolades

Articles & Coverage

	The Workshop featured on WRAL News' Tar Heel Traveler There are two stories under one roof in Wrightsville Beach at The Workshop, where employees will sell you coffee and shark tooth-based jewelry. Watch now»
	Conde Nast Traveler Names Wrightsville Beach One of The 24 Best Beaches in the U.S. Touted for its accessibility and world-class watersports, Wrightsville Beach is the ideal spot for families who enjoy active adventures on land and sea, beachfront access and more on vacation. Read more»
	Wrightsville Beach Named One of The 30 Most Magical Island Getaways in the U.S. Wrightsville Beach ranked No. 4 by Good Housekeeping, for the island's elevated selection of restaurants, watersport activities and more. Read more»
	Blockade Runner Beach Resort Featured in PBS North Carolina Weekend PBS North Carolina's "NC Weekend" features Blockade Runner Beach Resort in episode "Coastal Treasures." A family-owned boutique resort and a Wrightsville Beach staple for more than 50 years, the resort welcomes guests to experience fine dining, surf-to-sound amenities, beachside yoga classes and more. Watch now»
	Wrightsville Beach Named One of The 6 Underrated Beach Getaways in the U.S. This laid-back summer destination boasts the energy of nearby surfers with plenty of scenic views on its four-mile stretch. Go sailing, swimming, or try your hand at stand-up paddleboarding on the Atlantic. Read more»
	Blockade Runner Beach Resort featured in GettingOn Travel's Eco-Friendly Resorts Operating for more than 50 years, the family-owned resort has been recognized as an Ocean Friendly Establishment by the Plastic Ocean Project and received North Carolina Green Travel Initiative’s highest honor for the property’s efforts to reduce waste, conserve energy and provide community outreach. Read more»
	Across the Bridge, On Island Time in Wrightsville Beach A savvy local shares his favorite spring activities and hot spots for friends and family in Wrightsville Beach, NC. Read more»
	Wrightsville Beach Offers Unique Adventures, Any Time of Year Friends don’t let friends take boring vacations, so when two of my college girlfriends called to join them and their beaus on a weekend trip to Wrightsville Beach, I immediately said, “Yes!” With summer turning to fall, bringing milder temps and smaller crowds, this would be a great time for unique adventures. Read more»
	10 Reasons to Take your Family to Wrightsville Beach With beautiful waters, a spacious beach, wellness activities, watersports – including surfing and paddleboarding – it’s easy to see why Wrightsville Beach remains a favorite vacation spot, especially for families. Here are 10 reasons why you and the family should plan a trip to Wrightsville Beach this summer. Read more»
	Wrightsville Beach Named One of the Best Spring Break Destinations in the U.S. Wrightsville Beach is featured by Travel and Leisure as one of the Best Spring Break Destinations in the U.S. noting the variety of things to do, like surfing, kayaking, stand up paddle boarding and scuba diving. Read more»
	Wrightsville Beach recognized as one of the 25 Best Beaches in the U.S. Vacations packed with water activities like surfing, paddleboarding and kayaking are just part of the reason Wrightsville Beach has been recognized by Travel + Leisure as one of the 25 Best Beaches in the U.S. Read more»
	Across the Bridge, On Island Time in Wrightsville Beach A savvy local shares his favorite spring activities and hot spots for friends and family in Wrightsville Beach, NC. Read more»
	Wrightsville Beach Offers Unique Adventures, Any Time of Year Friends don’t let friends take boring vacations, so when two of my college girlfriends called to join them and their beaus on a weekend trip to Wrightsville Beach, I immediately said, “Yes!” With summer turning to fall, bringing milder temps and smaller crowds, this would be a great time for unique adventures. Read more»
	10 Reasons to Take your Family to Wrightsville Beach With beautiful waters, a spacious beach, wellness activities, watersports – including surfing and paddleboarding – it’s easy to see why Wrightsville Beach remains a favorite vacation spot, especially for families. Here are 10 reasons why you and the family should plan a trip to Wrightsville Beach this summer. Read more»
	Wellness Meets Relaxation at Wrightsville Beach Get away and begin your wellness path at Wrightsville Beach. The vibrant island community where quality and wellness converge is one of the few North Carolina beach destinations that offers convenient access to celebrated dining, upscale shopping opportunities and outdoor activities. Read more»
	A Beach Vacation That Craft Beer Drinkers Need To Try The Blockade Runner Beach Resort in Wrightsville Beach speaks to the active nature of the craft beer community. The hotel even offers a Craft Beer Beach Vacation package. Read more»
	Annex Surf Shop in Wrightsville Beach Whether you’re a wave chaser in search of a surfboard or a coffee lover looking for a pick-me-up, Annex Surf Supply has you covered. Read more»
	Wrightsville Beach Featured as "Small Beach Town That Should be On Your Radar" Wrightsville Beach is featured alongside beaches from around the world. Visitors will enjoy surfing, stand-up paddleboarding and sailing in Wrightsville Beach: Different parts of the area offer ideal water conditions for each sport. Read more»
	Cruising The Intracoastal Waterway The beauty of Wrightsville Beach marinas is their convenience to restaurants, the beach, and shopping. Read more»
	Explore Wrightsville Beach With Tours and More Wrightsville Beach proves it's got the goods for family fun including surfing, fishing, restaurants and rentals. Perfect for family getaways. Read more»
	Wrightsville Beach: A Vacation the Whole Family Can Get Behind Each year more and more families vacation with at least three generations. But finding a destination that satisfies everyone can be a challenge. Wrightsville Beach has something for everyone. Read more»
	A Local's Love of Wrightsville Beach Pursue an outdoor lifestyle with plenty of downtime fun at North Carolina's most accessible beach. Read more»
	Our 7 Favorite Things on Wrightsville Beach Just east of the port city of Wilmington, is Wrightsville Beach, a 4-mile long ocean playground along the Atlantic. Vacationers from around the state have found a perfect haven at Wrightsville Beach. Read more»
	“Choice” Attractions Await Fan of the latest Nicholas Sparks movie? See where the romantic drama was filmed in Wilmington and Wrightsville Beach! Read more»
	A getaway for all generations in Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina As I squished my toes in the sand, I looked over at my younger son, Ty, as his grandfather stood him on a surfboard for the first time. He was three years old and was learning the family legacy. The men in my husband’s family have been surfing since they could walk, and my boys would be no exception. Read more»
	Wrightsville Beach recognized as the birthplace of surfing in North Carolina North Carolina's most accessible beach from Interstate 40 has been recognized as a pioneer in East Coast surfing. Read more»
	10 Reasons Why A Trip To Wrightsville Beach Is One You Won’t Soon Forget Wrightsville Beach is a top destination for people in North Carolina and all over. It is easily accessible from I-40 and a little too easy to stay. From the moment you enter Wrightsville, a wave of relaxation washes over you. It will be most obvious you have entered a charming surf town with crystal blue waters and perfect temperatures. Read more»
	Wrightsville Beach is Surfing Birthplace This month, Wrightsville Beach will get an historical marker touting it as the birthplace of North Carolina surfing. Folks have been waxing their boards and shooting the curl since 1909, right here in the Tarheel State. Who needs Hawaii or California? Read more»
	10 Best U.S. Beaches Where Smoking is Banned Wrightsville Beach was featured on TheActiveTimes.com as No. 4 for best beaches where smoking is banned: In 2012 this North Carolina beach became the first in the state to ban smoking. Read more»
	Indo Jax Surf School’s Camps The Indo Jax Surf School features weekday surf camps at Wrightsville Beach during June, July, and August. The camps run from 8am to 10am Monday through Friday. Read more»
	Memorable Things To Do in Wrightsville Beach With Kids ‘Kid-friendly’ is usually a top requirement for parents when researching destinations for a much-deserved family vacation. Enjoy a list compiled by Wrightsville Beach, N.C. experts with kid-friendly and entertaining finds that keep families of all shapes and sizes coming back to this beach year after year. Read more»
	The Fitness Files - Standup Paddleboarding in Wrightsville Beach There's a new a way to enjoy the Intracoastal Waterway at Wrightsville Beach that combines beautiful scenery with a vigorous workout. Derek Long introduces us to standup paddleboarding in this latest installment of The Fitness Files. Read more»
	U.S. Road Trips: The South Roadside diners, Blue Ridge mountains, Main Street, biscuits, banjos, and more. With the help of friends and admired travelers, we compiled a list of weekend road trip destinations in the southern United States. Are we there yet? Read more»
	Wrightsville Beach Featured on Top List of Stateside SUP Hubs Endurance athletes, thrill seekers, and the yoga set have all fallen for stand-up paddleboarding. Find your perfect match at Wrightsville Beach. Read more»
	The Wrightsville Beach Mailbox; a love story Those simple words written on the outside of a mailbox launched an 11-year love story at Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina. In 2003, Bernie and Sidney Nykanen decided to place a mailbox and a bench at their favorite spot on the north end of the beach. They supplied pens and small notebooks inside the mailbox along with instructions to 'leave a note.' In this time the mailbox served as a repository for love notes, marriage proposals, notes of joy, notes of sadness, notes to lost loves - in all the meditations left by strangers filled over 200 journals. Read more»
	The “Wright” Place is at Wrightsville Beach Whoever said that planning a family vacation was too stressful hasn’t planned a Wrightsville Beach vacation. Read more»

Area Accolades

	Wrightsville Beach was voted one of the "South's Best Beach Towns" by the readers of Southern Living magazine for the fourth time. Noting "bike-friendly streets, big surf, good food and a laid-back attitude makes Wrightsville Beach a true beach lover's getaway."
	Wrightsville Beach is featured by Travel and Leisure as one of the "Best Spring Break Destinations in the U.S." noting the variety of things to do, like surfing, kayaking, stand up paddle boarding and scuba diving.
	Four lodging properties in Wrightsville Beach have been awarded the AAA Inspectors Best of Housekeeping Award 2020, meaning that they fall within the top 25% of all hotels based on cleanliness and condition. This program highlights AAA Diamond designated properties that are the top tier in housekeeping: Blockade Runner Beach Resort, Holiday Inn Resort Wrightsville Beach, Shell Island Resort and Summer Sands Suites
	Wrightsville Beach is featured on MSN's list of “The Best Beaches in the U.S.,” noting year-round beauty, kids’ surf camps, stand-up-paddleboard and surfing.
	Wrightsville Beach's Carolina Pro-Am and Carolina Cup events have been added as stops on the Association of Paddlesurf Professionals APP Qualifier Series. Participants will earn valuable points towards qualification for the APP World Tour and ultimately, points towards crowning of the World Champion. The APP Qualifier Series will also feature global events in Asia, Europe and Central & South America.
	Wrightsville Beach Marathon Madness has been recognized as a Southeastern Tourism Society Top 20 Event. Sign up to race in the Boston Marathon qualifying event. Set a new personal best as you traverse a course winding along the Intracoastal Waterway and making its way inland.
	Coastal Living included Wrightsville Beach in its list of 10 Best Little Surf Towns in America for its annual pro-am surfing festivals and competitions, beginner-friendly surf environment and surf camps.
	IRONMAN 70.3 North Carolina won in two worldwide categories in the Athletes' Choice Awards. The triathlon, which starts on Wrightsville Beach, ranks second for best overall run and tied for fifth in best overall swim in the world.
	The annual Carolina Cup Paddle Races, North Carolina Holiday Flotilla, and U.S. Open Fat Bike Championship have been recognized by the Southeast Tourism Society as Top 20 Events.
	Indo Jax Surf Charities in Wrightsville Beach gained special attention from a story on The Hero Effect on the Oprah Winfrey Network. Indo Jax Surf Charities offers free programs for medically fragile, special needs and disadvantaged children. The programs build self-esteem and are held in North Carolina, California, Nicaragua, and India. Indo Jax Surf Charities has also been featured by multiple media outlets including TedX Talks and American Way Magazine.
	SUP Magazine reports The Carolina Cup's 13.2-mile Graveyard Race was elevated to 7-Star status - the highest ranking and one of only three races in the world to attain the lucky-7. The Cup has also been added as the 2nd stop on the World Paddle Association's World SUP Tour 2017.
	*Country Living* named Wrightsville Beach one of the 20 Most Magical Island Getaways in America.
	USA TODAY featured the Blockade Runner Beach Resort as one of the Best Beach Resort Kids' Clubs in the country for its Sandcampers kids’ club held during summer months offering crafts, games, and activities.
	Wrightsville Beach was named the Pioneer in East Coast Surfing and the birthplace of surfing in North Carolina for its early surfing activity beginning in 1909. Check out all of the places to hang 10 with these great schools and surf camps on your visit.
	TripAdvisor.com listed Wrightsville Beach as one of 14 Beautiful Little Beach Towns in the U.S. for its clear water, clean sand, charming restaurants, fantastic surf and the Wrightsville Beach Museum of History.
	Top Value Reviews featured Wrightsville Beach on the list of 30 Great Small Beach Towns on the East Coast.
	*National Geographic* named Wrightsville Beach among the Last Best American Beach Towns, boasting its great seafood, calming marshlands, ample fishing, unspoiled nature, and nightlife.
	*National Geographic* named Wrightsville Beach one of the World's 20 Best Surf Towns, saying “It’s a great surf town for two main reasons—attitude and access.”
	Outside Magazine named Wrightsville Beach one of the top 7 Stateside SUP Hubs.
	*Men’s Journal* named Wrightsville Beach North Carolina’s most naturally gifted water sport hub.
	*Coastal Living* magazine included Wrightsville Beach and Wrightsville Beach Surf Camp among its list of Best Summer Beach Vacations.
	FoxNews.com ranked Wrightsville Beach #8 among its list of Worthwhile Beaches 20 Minutes from the Tarmac, citing Wilmington International Airport only 10 miles from the beach.
	Men’s Journal included Wrightsville Beach among its roundup of Summer Hot Spots that highlight “the five best places to ride a wave, spike a volleyball, or paddle into the blue.”
	SurfCollectiveNYC.com named Annex Surf Supply in Wrightsville Beach among its list of 22 Best Surf Shops in the World.