Experience the beauty of Wrightsville Beach during spring, when coastal blossoms complement the destination’s crystal blue waters and refreshing wellness activities. Read on to find gardens across the island and witness the season's flowers in full bloom.
Harbor Way Gardens
Spring bursts to life within Harbor Way Gardens, nestled on the west end of Wrightsville Beach Park. Established in 2003, this acre of gardens is filled with native plants and flowers, including one of North Carolina’s only public displays of Witherspoon Roses. The Plant it Pink Garden, adorned with the vivid pink flowers, honors breast cancer survivors. Relax in the shade of trees and on benches scattered along paved pathways while the little ones splash and play in the Children’s Fountain.
Attend the free annual Art in the Harbor Way Gardens event, and enjoy blossoming roses and Gaillardia, the Harbor Island Garden Club’s official flower, as you peruse paintings by plein air artists depicting scenes of Wrightsville Beach, available for purchase.
Blockade Runner Beach Resort
The oceanfront gardens and lawn space of Blockade Runner Beach Resort are meticulously tended by a team of year-round gardeners. The full-service resort, positioned between the surf and the sound, showcases native species like purslane, honeysuckle, bee balm and echinacea in their springtime splendor.
Join a certified instructor in the seaside gardens for an energizing morning yoga session, available to guests May to September. Unwind in the nearby outdoor lounge areas while playing lawn games and gathering around a fire pit. Dine al fresco while overlooking the gardens at Blockade Runner’s EAST Oceanfront Dining, known for fresh fare featuring local seafood and produce.
Airlie Gardens
Just over the bridge, explore Airlie Gardens’ 67 acres of formal Southern gardens. Follow the walking paths to lush landscapes, seasonal blooms, wildlife, lakes and the 500-year-old Airlie Oak. More than 75,000 azaleas and 60,000 spring bulbs typically flower mid-March to mid-April.
Visit structures like the pergola, Minnie Evans Bottle Chapel and Butterfly House, open daily from June to September. Nearby, the carefully designed Pollinator Garden brims with native plants that draw bees, hummingbirds and other pollinators.
Blooms in Neighboring Wilmington
For more floral inspiration, plan a convenient day trip to the historic riverfront city of Wilmington, located just a short 15-minute drive from Wrightsville Beach. Stroll through 7 acres of flowering trees and plants at the New Hanover County Arboretum, which features a Japanese specialty garden with an authentic tea house, as well as a water garden with lilies and Koi fish. Take a self-guided tour of the historic Burgwin-Wright House and Gardens’ Colonial-era grounds, which include terrace and rose gardens, and an orchard with fig and pomegranate trees.
Let the season inspire your Wrightsville Beach itinerary, and immerse yourself in blooming coastal gardens that will stir your senses and elevate your spring vacation experience.
