Day-tripping to the beach? Where to park, how to pay on North Carolina’s coast

Martha Quillin

Dr. Beach — coastal ecologist Stephen P. Leatherman — uses 50 variables to determine which of America’s beaches will make his list of 10 best each year.

That’s 49 too many, because it doesn’t matter if the sand is soft and pink and the water is crystal-clear at waist depth if you can’t actually get to the beach.

Available parking. That’s what makes a good beach, and in North Carolina, some beaches are more welcoming than others to the traveler who doesn’t have the funds or the forethought to reserve an oceanfront rental, but needs a bit of saltwater therapy.

It’s still summer through September 23, which leaves plenty of time to pack a cooler and some SPF30 and stake out a place on the sand.

Here’s how:

▪ Pick a beach you can get to by 10:30 a.m. or go after 5 p.m. In between, even the largest public parking lots likely will be full and you’ll be driving slow laps looking for one like it’s Christmastime at the mall.

▪ Depending on how long you plan to stay, you may want to search the state’s public beach access database or the town’s website for a parking area that has a bathroom (which may be a porta-john) and maybe even an outdoor shower.

▪ Research the area around the parking lot you plan to use to see if there are restaurants within walking distance. If not, take food with you. If you have to move the car you’ll probably lose your spot.

▪ If you’ll be using paid parking, find out which parking app is in use at the lot, download it in advance and connect your debit card and car tag to it. Many lots no longer take cash payments. Cell reception is unreliable in some areas of the coast and you don’t want to waste precious beach time staring at the spinning wheel of death while your phone tries to find a signal. Common apps include Passport, ParkMobile, SurfCAST and Flowbird.

▪ Beachgoing wheelchairs are available at many access areas by reservation through municipalities or from beach-gear rental outfits. Use the “amenities” and “parking” filters on the state’s searchable beach access map to see which parking areas have reserved handicap-accessible parking and which have wheelchairs.

▪ Parking may be free or cost from $2 to $5 per hour and up to $25 per day. Check signs as rates vary by the season and time of day. Failure to pay and exceeding your paid window frequently result in a fine. Money paid for unused time is not refunded, but bear in mind that parking fees help pay for maintaining the lots and any amenities they include.

▪ Overnight parking typically is not allowed.

There are thousands of parking spaces available along the state’s coast within a short walk of an ocean beach. We recommend starting with the biggest parking areas — the interactive map allows you to filter for lots with more than 50 spaces — in the following beach communities. If you have no luck there, search the smaller lots and on-street sites.

Be patient. Paradise awaits.

Atlantic Beach

  • Fort Macon Bathhouse Access, with 317 sites including 6 handicap-accessible. Restrooms, showers, covered pavilion with snack bar. No charge for parking. 2131 East Fort Macon Road.

  • The Circle, 146 paid spaces, 6 handicap. Restroom, showers. 201 West Atlantic Blvd.

  • The Bathhouse, just west of The Circle at West Drive and Atlantic Boulevard, has 64 paid spaces. Restrooms and Showers.

Cape Hatteras

  • Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, Lighthouse Road, 120 free spaces.

Carolina Beach

  • Pelican Lane and Carolina Beach Avenue North lot, 276 paid spaces.

  • Carolina Beach Avenue North and Harper Avenue lot, 100 paid spaces, four accessible, restroom, showers.

  • Carolina Beach Avenue South and Atlanta Avenue lot and street parking, 58 paid spaces.

  • Alabama Avenue lot, 1 Alabama Ave., 62 paid sites, 2 accessible. Restrooms, showers.

Caswell Beach

  • Caswell Beach Regional Access, Caswell Beach. 80 free spaces, four accessible.

Coquina Beach

  • Coquina Beach lot, N.C. 12 east of Bodie Island Lighthouse Road intersection in Dare County, 178 free spaces. Restroom, showers.

Emerald Isle

  • Eastern Regional Access, 2700 Emerald Drive. 245 paid sites, six accessible. Restrooms, showers, picnic pavilion, seasonal lifeguards.

  • Western Regional Access, 9803 Louise Avenue, 250 paid spaces, three accessible. Restrooms, showers, seasonal lifeguards.

Holden Beach

  • Jordan Boulevard lot and street parking, under the Holden Beach Bridge, 65 paid spaces, four accessible. Restroom, showers, picnic tables. Beach walkover is at the end of Jordan Boulevard.

Kure Beach

  • Fort Fisher Aquarium, Loggerhead Road, 200 paid sites. Restrooms, showers.

  • K Avenue and Atlantic Avenue, 80 paid on-street spots, five accessible.

Morehead City

  • Radio Island Beach Access, 501 Marine Drive, 63 free spaces, four accessible. Restroom, showers.

Nags Head

  • South Virginia Dare Trail and Bonnett Street lot, 64 free spaces, 3 accessible. Restroom, showers.

  • Jennette’s Pier, 7223 South Virginia Dare Trail, 221 free spaces in lot and on street. Eight accessible space. Restroom, showers.

North Topsail Beach

  • Jefferies #1 lot, 101 New River Inlet Road, 80 paid spaces.

  • Jefferies #2 lot, 315 New River Inlet Road, 217 paid spots.

  • Onslow County Beach Access #2, 2950 Island Drive, 250 free spaces, two accessible. Restroom, showers, picnic tables.

  • Onslow County Beach Access #4, 484 New River Inlet Road, 150 free spots, two accessible. Restroom, showers.

  • Rogers Bay lot, 4104 Island Drive, 150 paid spaces.

Ocean Isle

  • Pier No. 1, 1 West First Street, 100 paid spaces.

Ocracoke

  • Ocracoke Beach lot, 2188 Irvin Garrish Highway, 100 free spaces, four accessible. Restroom, showers.

Pine Knoll Shores

  • Iron Steamer Regional Access, 345 Salter Path Road, 60 paid spots, two accessible. Restroom, showers.

Rodanthe

  • Bonner Bridge Pier lot, N.C. 12 south side of Oregon Inlet, 64 free spaces, two accessible.

Salter Path

  • Salter Path Access, 1019 Salter Path Road, 75 free spaces, two accessible. Restroom, showers.

Sunset Beach

  • Gazebo lot, West Main Street and Sunset Boulevard South, 103 paid spaces, four accessible. Restroom.

Wrightsville Beach

  • Stone Street lot and on-street parking, 58 paid spaces.

  • Salisbury Street lot and on-street parking, 25 East Salisbury Street (near Johnnie Mercer’s pier), 999 paid spaces, three accessible. Restroom, showers.

  • South Lumina Avenue lot and on-street parking, 86 paid spaces, two accessible. Restroom, showers.

  • North Lumina Avenue lot and on-street parking, 1800 N. Lumina Ave., 59 paid spaces, 4 accessible.

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