the beach today
Cape Fear Coast Guide

Wrightsville
Beach

Cape Fear Coast

Everything for a day on the Cape Fear coast sand: conditions, parking, the sunset over Banks Channel and where to eat after.

Today on the Sand

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Water Temp

84°

warm · gentle surf

UV Index

9

very high · 10am–4pm

Beach Crowd

Busy

holiday weekend

Beach Toolkit

Beach Conditions

Surf, tides & water temp

Parking Finder

Paid lots, meters & the park

Banks Channel

Soundside sunset & the marsh

Dining

Fresh catch, tacos & oysters

Things to Do

Dolphins, Masonboro & charters

Events

What's on this week

Beach Rules

Dogs, drinks, fires, drones

Pick Your Sand

north to south

Johnnie Mercer's Pier

Concrete pier, showers & restrooms

Paid lot · Access #16

Public Access #4

North-end walkover & paid lot

North Lumina

Crystal Pier

South end by the Oceanic

Paid lot · Access #36

Wrightsville Beach Park

Sound-side park & the Loop

2 hrs free

Masonboro Island

Wild, undeveloped reserve · boat-in

Shuttle only

Shell Island

Quiet north tip by the inlet

Walk-on north end

Dolphin Cruises

Open →

Compare daily sails from the marina — wild dolphins on nearly every trip.

Beyond the Beach

day trips

Wilmington

15 min west

Riverwalk, downtown dining & the USS North Carolina

Carolina Beach

35 min south

Boardwalk, Britt's Donuts & the state park

Kure Beach

40 min south

Fishing pier, aquarium & Fort Fisher

Topsail Beach

35 min north

Quiet island, sea turtles & the sound

see you on the sand

Water temp, surf and UV are live from NOAA & Open-Meteo; sunset is computed locally for Wrightsville Beach. Crowd level is a weekday/weekend estimate.

Right now at Wrightsville Beach, the air is 68°F. Wind is 14 mph from the ENE and the UV index peaks at 4 (moderate) today. Unprotected fair skin burns in about 104 minutes right now. Today’s tides: High 12:46 AM, Low 7:13 AM, High 1:12 PM, Low 8:09 PM. Dogs are allowed right now, on a leash. Allowed until April 1.