By Simone Jasper
From The Charlotte Observer
A North Carolina town boasts a quiet setting—and is one of the nation’s “ultimate beach destinations,” new rankings show.
Kure Beach ties for No. 2 on a list of places offering affordable prices, pleasant weather, and nearby restaurants for spring break travelers, according to results shared with McClatchy News.
To determine the top beach destinations to visit, the rental website HomeToGo said it waded through millions of property listings. It focused on those that received interest from people searching for trips from March to April 2025 and scored “hidden gem” destinations the highest.
Using data from travel review websites, the U.S. government and other sources, HomeToGo said it considered six other metrics: “the median nightly price for accommodation, average temperature, average days of rain, average visitor satisfaction, the number of nearby places to eat and drink, and the average distance traveled by vacationers to reach each destination.”
What Makes the NC beach Special?
Kure Beach was the only North Carolina destination to earn a spot in the top 10. The town, a roughly 15-mile drive south from Wilmington, is home to an aquarium, a historic fishing pier and other attractions.“With wide, sandy shores and a relaxed pace, Kure Beach offers a quieter alternative to North Carolina’s busier coastal towns,” HomeToGo wrote in its report. “Beyond the beach, maritime forests and sand dunes create scenic hiking trails, and the area’s calm, residential feel makes it perfect for those looking to unwind by the sea.”
The website focused its report on the top 35 beach destinations in the country. Among them, Kure Beach scored high for its concentration of nearby restaurants and earned the status as a “local secret,” reserved for places that tend to attract local visitors. The town also made its mark when it came to affordability, with a median vacation rental cost of $84 per person each night, results show.
So, how did other North Carolina destinations fare? Topsail Beach ranks No. 12 and Holden Beach is No. 28 on the list.
Nationwide, the top-ranked destination was Avila Beach, California, a roughly 180-mile drive northwest from Los Angeles. Here are the places that rounded out the top five:
- Cherry Grove Beach, South Carolina, tied at No. 2
- Saint Joe Beach, Florida, at No. 4
- Vilano Beach, Florida, at No. 5
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