Carolina Beach State Park is a particularly nice winter escape. Six miles of trails take you through a range of environments, from the beach along the Cape Fear River to a coastal forest, to marshes, to a pine savannah and up a 50-foot forested dune. Lovers of coastal flora will find more than enough to keep them occupied while avid campers will appreciate the cool nights (great for sleeping) and bugless (for the most part) days.
Getting there from downtown Wilmington
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Address: 1010 State Park Road
City: Carolina Beach
State: N.C.
Zip: 28428
Latitude: 34.0471
Longitude: 77.9072
Distance: 25 minutes from downtown
No. of campsites: 83
No. with hookups: None
No. without hookups: 83
Primitive sites: None
Reservations? Yes. 877.722.6762
Cost: $20 for non-hookups
Year-round? Yes
Gate hours: Open daily at 8 a.m., closes at 6 p.m. November-February; 8 p.m. March, April, September and October; 9 p.m. May-August.
Stuff to do nearby: hiking, paddling, fishing