This beach ranks No. 1 in NC. Here’s what makes it an ‘idyllic’ getaway spot

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A coastal destination has a peaceful setting — and was named the best beach in North Carolina.

Holden Beach ranks No. 1 on a list of the state’s top places for sun and surf. And in a state that boasts hundreds of miles of coastline, plenty of popular beach destinations earned spots in the top 10.

“Sandy expanses in the Tar Heel State are often remote and rarely crowded, and a charming Southern coastal town is seldom far away,” USA Today’s 10Best wrote in its May 27 report.

To create the list, 10Best said it asked travel experts to nominate top-notch beaches across the state. Editors narrowed down the list of nominations before readers could spend a month voting on their favorites.

On the resulting list of readers’ choice award winners, Holden Beach rose to the top. The town is in Brunswick County, near the South Carolina border and a roughly 40-mile drive from Wilmington.

“With a particularly idyllic atmosphere thanks to its low population, Holden Beach is perfect for a relaxed seaside getaway,” 10Best wrote in its report. “Golfing is a popular hobby across the area, while visitors gather along the town’s shores to scour the tide for shells and even watch hatching sea turtles during the summer months.”

Holden Beach has fewer than 1,000 year-round residents but can swell with tourists. The town boasts roughly 8 miles of beachfront and calls itself a family-friendly destination, according to its website and the holdenbeachnc.com tourism guide.

“Holden Beach is proud of what we do not have,” the town wrote. “We are primarily a residential community, with a small commercial area. Holden Beach is a great place to relax, enjoy the beach and the natural wildlife that surrounds us.”

Here are the other North Carolina destinations that earned spots on the 10Best list:

Holden Beach was crowned the winner after it landed at No. 3 in last year’s rankings. More recently, other North Carolina getaway spots have surged into the spotlight.

The Outer Banks barrier islands ranked among the nation’s best places for family vacations. And the town of Beaufort was named a fan-favorite coastal destination, The Charlotte Observer and The News & Observer previously reported.

In the past, 10Best has told The N&O it doesn’t share the number of people who vote in its contests.

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This story was originally published June 12, 2026 at 7:30 AM with the headline “This beach ranks No. 1 in NC. Here’s what makes it an ‘idyllic’ getaway spot.”