Freeman Park Beach (S21B)

Wilmington, North Carolina
Managed by Swim Guide - Main
Your donations make Swim Guide’s work possible and help us provide important water quality data.

The undeveloped northern tip of Carolina Beach, known as Freeman Park, is a popular destination for residents and visitors alike and has become one of Carolina Beach's major attractions. It is a community swimming beach that overlooks the Carolina Beach Inlet. You must access the beach with your 4WD vehicle as there are no paved roads here. You can also park your bike or car near the end of Carolina Beach and walk along the long stretch of Pleasure Island. Enjoy surfing, swimming, kayaking, fishing, boating, crabbing, amazing sunsets, and beautiful beaches. The cost of a season permit is $60 from January 1 to March 31, but after this date the cost of an annual permit is $100. Permit applications are not required for daily passes, which can be purchased for $20 at the entrance of Freeman Park. Do not walk or drive on the sand dunes or disturb the fencing and the signs. Dogs are allowed between October 1st and March 31st off leash in Freeman Park so long as the owner has control over his pet. They are not allowed without a leash from April 1st to September 30th. The Town of Carolina Beach provides seasonal lifeguard services.

Get directions to this beach
COVID-19

Keep your distance from other people.

Practicing social distancing is still essential. Only go to the beach if you are able to keep 6 feet or 2 meters away from others. Follow the instructions provided by your local health authorities. If your community has asked that you remain indoors and away from others, do so. Spending a day in any crowded place is the worst thing we can do for our most vulnerable right now and will counter our efforts to curb the virus’s spread.

Water Quality
  • Passed water quality tests at least 95% of the time

  • Historical Status
  • This status is based on the latest sample, taken on May 2nd, 2022. Swim Guide - Main updates the status of this beach as soon as test results become available. These results were posted to Swim Guide on May 5th, 2022 at 10:10 AM.
For water quality icon legend, click:  
Current Weather
31°C
Clear and sunny
  • Report Pollution
Monitoring Frequency

Freeman Park Beach (S21B) is sampled weekly from April 1st to October 31st.

Source Information

The N.C. Recreational Water Quality Program's staff monitor water quality at over 200 testing sites across the North Carolina. Monitoring locations are divided into 3 tiers based on their location and average public use. The more popular a beach is, the more strict the water quality standard will be. The swimming season is from May - September, with April and October being considered shoulder months. All locations are sampled biweekly in October and once a month from November - March. Tier 1 beaches default to Tier 2 standards during the shoulder months and off season.

Tier 1 beaches are sampled weekly during the swimming season. All ocean beaches as well as brackish and freshwater beaches that average daily use during the swimming season will be marked Green when the geometric mean of 5 samples collected within 30 days contain less than 35 units / 100ml of water and when single sample test results are below 104 units / 100 ml of water. When water quality results fail to meet this standard, Swim Guide will show these beaches as "Red".

Tier 2 monitoring locations are sampled every two weeks April - October. These beaches will be marked "Green" when single sample results show enterococci levels below 276 untis / 100mL of water. When water quality results fail to meet this standard, Swim Guide will show these beaches as "Red".

A beach is marked Grey when there is no current or reliable monitoring information available.

Please note: Warning signs are only posted at beaches when a single sample results are above 500 units / 100 ml of water, however the press is notified to an alert when results show enterococci levels above 104 units / 100 ml of water for Tier 1 beaches and 276 units / 100 ml for Tier 2 beaches. Tier 3 beaches are in a separate region as boating is the primary use.

Recreational fishing permits are required for people over the age of 16 in North Carolina.

Swim Guide checks water quality results daily April - October.

Read more
Water Quality Graph

Freeman Park Beach (S21B)

Wilmington, North Carolina
Managed by Swim Guide - Main
COVID-19

Keep your distance from other people.

Practicing social distancing is still essential. Only go to the beach if you are able to keep 6 feet or 2 meters away from others. Follow the instructions provided by your local health authorities. If your community has asked that you remain indoors and away from others, do so. Spending a day in any crowded place is the worst thing we can do for our most vulnerable right now and will counter our efforts to curb the virus’s spread.

Water Quality
  • Passed water quality tests at least 95% of the time
  • Historical Status
  • This status is based on the latest sample, taken on May 2nd, 2022. Swim Guide - Main updates the status of this beach as soon as test results become available. These results were posted to Swim Guide on May 5th, 2022 at 10:10 AM.
For water quality icon legend, click:  
Current Weather
31°C
Clear and sunny
Your donations make Swim Guide’s work possible and help us provide important water quality data.

The undeveloped northern tip of Carolina Beach, known as Freeman Park, is a popular destination for residents and visitors alike and has become one of Carolina Beach's major attractions. It is a community swimming beach that overlooks the Carolina Beach Inlet. You must access the beach with your 4WD vehicle as there are no paved roads here. You can also park your bike or car near the end of Carolina Beach and walk along the long stretch of Pleasure Island. Enjoy surfing, swimming, kayaking, fishing, boating, crabbing, amazing sunsets, and beautiful beaches. The cost of a season permit is $60 from January 1 to March 31, but after this date the cost of an annual permit is $100. Permit applications are not required for daily passes, which can be purchased for $20 at the entrance of Freeman Park. Do not walk or drive on the sand dunes or disturb the fencing and the signs. Dogs are allowed between October 1st and March 31st off leash in Freeman Park so long as the owner has control over his pet. They are not allowed without a leash from April 1st to September 30th. The Town of Carolina Beach provides seasonal lifeguard services.

Get directions to this beach
  • Report Pollution
Monitoring Frequency

Freeman Park Beach (S21B) is sampled weekly from April 1st to October 31st.

Source Information

The N.C. Recreational Water Quality Program's staff monitor water quality at over 200 testing sites across the North Carolina. Monitoring locations are divided into 3 tiers based on their location and average public use. The more popular a beach is, the more strict the water quality standard will be. The swimming season is from May - September, with April and October being considered shoulder months. All locations are sampled biweekly in October and once a month from November - March. Tier 1 beaches default to Tier 2 standards during the shoulder months and off season.

Tier 1 beaches are sampled weekly during the swimming season. All ocean beaches as well as brackish and freshwater beaches that average daily use during the swimming season will be marked Green when the geometric mean of 5 samples collected within 30 days contain less than 35 units / 100ml of water and when single sample test results are below 104 units / 100 ml of water. When water quality results fail to meet this standard, Swim Guide will show these beaches as "Red".

Tier 2 monitoring locations are sampled every two weeks April - October. These beaches will be marked "Green" when single sample results show enterococci levels below 276 untis / 100mL of water. When water quality results fail to meet this standard, Swim Guide will show these beaches as "Red".

A beach is marked Grey when there is no current or reliable monitoring information available.

Please note: Warning signs are only posted at beaches when a single sample results are above 500 units / 100 ml of water, however the press is notified to an alert when results show enterococci levels above 104 units / 100 ml of water for Tier 1 beaches and 276 units / 100 ml for Tier 2 beaches. Tier 3 beaches are in a separate region as boating is the primary use.

Recreational fishing permits are required for people over the age of 16 in North Carolina.

Swim Guide checks water quality results daily April - October.

Read more
Water Quality Graph

  Beach Location Water Quality
Carolina Beach, North Carolina
Wilmington, North Carolina
Carolina Beach, North Carolina
Carolina Beach, North Carolina
Swim Guide
is supported by
* The RBC Foundation

Swim Guide shares the best information we have at the moment you ask for it. Always obey signs at the beach or advisories from official government agencies. Stay alert and check for other swimming hazards such as dangerous currents and tides. Please report your pollution concerns so Affiliates can help keep other beach-goers safe.

Swim Guide, "Swim Drink Fish icons," and associated trademarks are owned by SWIM DRINK FISH CANADA. See Legal.

© SWIM DRINK FISH CANADA, 2011 - 2022