Our family has been enjoying the Carolina Beaches for over 30 years. Our favorite is Topsail Island. Once a sleepy little island community, it has grown to accomodate everyone. You can have a quiet weekend or retire there and live with the sand and sun forever. We now have a third generation coming up and enjoying summers at Topsail. We have also gone to the Outer Banks and have stayed from Duck to Kitty Hawk but prefer the closeness and convience of Topsail to the large, money-maker, rentals of the Outer Banks. Other suggestions are the communities of Kure Beach, Wrightsville Beach where there are the more ""traditional"" types of accomodations. Wherever you end up you can't go wrong with the ""Carolina Beaches""...Don't forget to try the Carolina Barbq...
Pros: convience, closer-in, variety of activities
Cons: traffic jams
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