Carolina Beach, NC- What is it like?
 

Looking for a nice beach to relax for a few days. Has anyone ever been there?

I like to walk on the beach morning and night. Want to relax on a balcony and read a book. Looking for a few nice places for food and pizza.

Don't plan to swim. Don't need activities or facilities for children. Not interested in bars or nightlife.

Wrightsville beach is pretty booked. Myrtle beach will be bike week.

Is this a nice, pretty, calm place for a few relaxing days?

If not, any other/better ideas?

Go south to Litchfield or Garden City. Which bike week--Memorial Day?

Bike week is 12 - 21 May in Myrtle Beach.

What are Litchfield and Garden city like?

Thanks for any and all help or advice.

That bike week is the Harley week and while crowded, is not bad. I wouldn't stay in MB but the surrounding beaches are fine. The Bike Week you don't want to be in MB is Black Bike Week over Memorial Day. MB and a couple of beaches north are uninhabitable.
Litchfield and GC are lovely beaches with good restaurants nearby.

Garden City and Surfside are just south of Myrtle Beach and are still considered part of the Grand Strand. They are beautiful family beaches with lots to do, but not nearly the crowds of Myrtle. Mostly homes and low-rise condos, very few high rises. All this said, you would be right in the bike week action to visit here during bike week. A lot of the activities are are in this area and the bikes stream up and down Ocean Blvd at all hours. I have only been there the last day and the days following and the noise was terrible. Since I am not a biker, I would avoid this at all cost. My reccommendation for these dates would be Ocean Isle Beach in NC. Nice family beach south of Wrightsville. This would be my pick over Carolina. Also look into Bald Head Island.

Ocean Isle would be a good choice. Bald Head Island requires a LOT of doing to use it--park,ferry, then a golf cart to transport all your stuff.
Litchfield is pretty unaffected by either bike week and the beaches are gorgeous and uncrowded.

Thanks again, everyone.

Going to search for Ocean Isle and Litchfield.

Garden City Beach is really nice. This is a more quiet area than right in MB. We have a condo across the street, with great access to the beach, the pier and a few restaurants.

Have been going to Carolina Beach now for 6 years--from California, no less. It's very laid back--great beach for walking/shelling. There are nice restaurants, movie theatre nearby for when it's raining. Way more quiet than Myrtle Beach. Easy to get around. We don't eat out much--too many good cooks in our group.

Carolina Beach is considered the more "rednecky" of the Wilmington area beaches. However, it is to be preferred to congested Myrtle Beach. In fact, Carolina's beaches have been going upscale for a long time now and Carolina Beach might not fit the bill as a "rednecky" beach any longer. The fishermen's mobile homes are getting priced out in most Carolina resorts.

Thanks again.

Any nice places to stay in Carolina Beach..

I am considering the Courtyard.

Courtyard is nice--right near the boardwalk. Check out http://www.carolinabeachgetaway.com for hotel/motel (and rentals). Anything on Carolina Beach Avenue will be on or across from beach. Lake Park Blvd and you'll have to drive/park at the beach. Savannah Inn is nice--unless you're a smoker (non-smoking premises). Enjoy!