Two Wilmington-area beaches scored high in a WRAL contest for voters’ picks.

Wrightsville Beach came in at No. 1 for North Carolina beach destinations, and Carolina Beach wasn’t much further behind at No. 3, according to a recent announcement from local tourism officials.

The Triangle-based TV station held its Out and About Voters’ Choice Awards with five main categories: Cuisine, Experiences, Lifestyle, Nightlife and Southern Experience. 

Thousands of votes were cast during the month-long nomination period, according to a news release from the Wilmington and Beaches Convention & Visitors Bureau. 

The awards were handed out at a ceremony Aug. 2 in Raleigh.

“Winning the WRAL Out and About Voters’ Choice award for ‘North Carolina Beach Destination’ is especially exciting for our island beaches because the Triangle region – Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill – comprises the Wilmington and Beaches’ top feeder market for visitors,” Shawn Braden, the local CVB’s vice-president of marketing, said in the release.