Here’s another local beach for those who need some sun and sand in your life without making the 2 hour drive to the coast! Sit along the Neuse River at the Thornton Road River access and enjoy the sandy beach area with a great swimming hole. As of August 2020, there’s also a tire swing setup so you can have some extra fun while swimming!
I’ll preface this by saying that Milburnie Beach is still my favorite spot along the river, but this is a less-popular backup spot. If you have older kids they’ll enjoy the deeper water and the tire swing. Due to the large bend in the river the water is slow moving here. However, it’s deeper here than at Milburnie so watch out that the little ones don’t go out too far. It’s also more muddy than sandy in some parts, so be prepared that the kids will get dirty!
Directions
- Travel to the Thornton Road Greenway Access and park in the large gravel lot.
- Take the path until it dead ends and then take a right on the Neuse River Trail.
- Walk until the path starts to curve to the right and you will see picnic tables and a small bridge to the left.
- Cross the bridge and go down the stairs to access the water!
This would also a be a great spot to set out on the kayak or canoe. For more great spots with boating and other water activities, check out our list here!