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Explore North Carolina📍: My Top Picks🙌🏻
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Ava Gurley profile picture
Ava Gurley
As someone who’s visited North Carolina many times and plans to become a local I’ve gathered my favorite spots around Jacksonville - 2 hour commutes. From hidden gems to well-known must-sees, these are the places I love and recommend checking out!
Map
Sections
3
 
Beaches
 
Other places
 
Restaurants

Beaches

 
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This is my go to beach to go swimming! About an hour commute from Jacksonville, has free parking lots and ones to pay but it’s cheap and all the money goes into cleaning the beach. The water is blue! Dog friendly!
Topsail Beach
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I LOVE walking the board walk is my favorite!!! Free swim access, plenty of shops & restaurants and an amusement park! Hour and a half commute from Jacksonville.
Carolina Beach
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Wrightsville beach is beautiful! Every time I’ve been it’s had massive waves so definitely a place to surf or to walk the beach and gather shells.
Wrightsville Beach
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Other places

 
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I love this farmers market ! It’s much bigger than Jacksonvilles. They have produce, jewelry, dog stuff, seafood, and so much more!
Farmers' Market | Wrightsville Beach, NC
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This is the cutest book store ever! It has everything fantasy and I love that! Such a good vibe with a great selection.
Burning Pages Bookstore
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There so much to see ! So fun to walk around , and see all the different shops.
The Cargo District
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The cutest plant shop ever!!! The owner was super helpful , she taught me about my plant before I bought it which was so helpful! I will be back for more!!
The Plant Outpost
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Under two hours from Jacksonville! It’s every Saturday! It’s so much fun and so much to see.
The Wilmington Farmers Market
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This is the biggest thrift / antique place I’ve ever been to! It took me 2 hours to see have the store!
The Foundry Cosignment MALL | Jacksonville NC
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My favorite day trip is to go to the boardwalk, I love looking at all the shops especially the boho ones ! And right next store to those is my favorite sushi place ever ran by the cutest couple.
Carolina Beach Boardwalk Things to Do - Wilmington, NC
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I enjoy walking the trails here
Lejeune Memorial Gardens
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Restaurants

 
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The best all you can eat sushi & hibachi place! 26$ per person.
Tsukiro Japanese Restaurant
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I love eating at this steak house! I recommend the steak & shrimp dish.
Logan's Roadhouse
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Love love love!
LongHorn Steakhouse
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