Hi everyone, I have a route problem for the bike tour I am planning. My goal is to bike from Wilmington, NC, to the Outer Banks, but I have no clue what the best and safest route is out of Wilmington. Does anyone have a map showing the best route or live in NC to answer my question? Wilmington is not the most bike-friendly area, so I'm just nervous about the first couple of days. Especially about Wilmington till we get to Morehead City. Our other option was to change the trip by just being on the Outer Banks islands and going out and back, then just driving back to Wilmington. Thoughts and advice are needed!
by Ccarne333
2 Comments
Well buddy. Let’s talk because I want to do the same. 17 obviously is the straightest route to new Bern but are you thinking of taking the ferry from cedar island? Or going up through the swamps to manteo?
Getting out of Wilmington to hamstead is essentially just 17. But i would have fun and cut through surf city to topsail and ride down the island to the 210 bridge, then up towards Jacksonville. It would be fantastic if it was possible to cut across camp lejune but my guess is they wouldn’t let us. Meaning 17 though Jacksonville to 24. 24 ain’t too bad, and again once through swansboro, cut over to Emerald Isle and take that all the way to morehead via Atlantic beach. No choice but to take the 70 bridge over to Beaufort, then follow 70 out to Otway. Once we make that right turn across the water, that road is beautiful and easy to bike all the way to the ferry. Then once there it’s hwy 12 as far as you want to go.
That’s a tough one OP. There are few routes. 17 is a shit show but it gets better once you pass Ogden. That road is four lane divided with stoplights though a long commercial district. It will be busy the whole way to Jacksonville. You could go N on 117 or 421 and turn E around Burgaw. Been a while since I’ve been on 117. 421 is divided highway to Burgaw through the country side but its wide and usually not terribly busy.