me and the wife are have been looking all over the east/south east coast. Living in San Diego, the wrightsville beach, wilmington area are very appealing to us. I am not moving there tomorrow, or maybe every, but I sure am curious about the best neighborhoods to live in as a surfer. I have been checking two places mostly, wrightsville beach and carolina beach. They are both within 15, 20 minute drive of wilmington for work etc. Carolina beach has quite a few bungalow/shacks down there for sale. Wrightsville beach looks a lot nicer as far as the realestate, but it also seems as if all of the properties in Wrightsville beach are vaction homes and time shares. I mean, like damn near all of them. So, here is my question. I would obviously like to be able to "walk to the beach", like I do in San Diego. I live about 7 to 8 blocks away, so its a 10-15 minute walk if I feel like it. I still drive most of the time because i am lazy... So, aside from carolina/kure beach and wrightsville, are there any cool communities that have close beach/surf access? I was looking at wrightsville sound, which is right over the bridge, and about 2 miles from wrightsville beach... Do most surfers who arent renting apartments just live a few miles from the beach. I mean, a house along one of the creeks rivers or bays would be cool, but I am trying to keep as close to the sand as possible... Any ideas of other spots I should be checking? Surf city and spots up north barely have an real estate either... strange.
Well, most of the places on the beach are for tourists or rich people. there are a bunch of communitites on wrightsville ave and eastwood road that are a 5 minute drive to wrightsville. you could walk if you had to.
close to beach Wrightsville is a lot nicer beach however Carolina Beach is better for surf. Kure Beach is cool however it will take you forever in the summertime due to the one lane road.If you move to Wrightsville Beach I would be glad to help you transition seeing how I have spent several weeks in San Diego and was welcomed warmly. I will have to ask for a parking pass due to all the parks at wrightsville are metered.Thanks Ben
I lived on Wrightsville Beach for two years, and it is really hard to find a year long rental there. When you do find one, you pay roughly twice what you would pay across the bridge. It is a great place to live, but like most beaches it is crowded in the summer and you can only surf in designated surf zones, which increases the crowding. Not to mention every UNCW transplant heads there when the waves get good. Carolina Beach on the other hand, is not quite as nice as WB, but still a great area. Theres less crowd as far as surfing, no surf zones, and more consistent breaks. The downside of CB is that its more of a redneck beach. If I were moving back to that area, I would go for CB, just because there is better waves with less crowds. Hope that helps.
There's always a spot to go where the crowds aren't thick. So yeah, choose between crowded and nice, or uncrowded and crusty. WB and CB have by far the best surf south of Outer Banks. I never go to Cb, because it's like a 30 min drive longer for me, and Wb is a 15-min drive. Wb's the closest beach to me, (Topsail might be closer, but... no). You'll be happy though no matter which beach you pick.
please don't move to the east coast. i'm telling you, don't do it. for me. don't do this to yourself.
Unless you enjoy long periods of shin chop rarely relieved by a chest high wave that will be blown flat by a 30mph west wind within the hour. Well it isn't that bad. But it's close.
This place sucks Bro, do not come here. If I had more time I would list all the reasons why, but right now I got to hop in the boat and grab some lunch. Peace
only move here if you like obnoxious crowds, ridiculous traffic and heat in the summertime, over-amped kids who talk so much **** they choke on it, subpar waves, and mediocre job opportunities. definitely don't come if you like surfing good waves more than once or twice a season.
