Goldston's Beach
Elizabethtown, North Carolina · on White Lake
Verified · 2 independent sources
- WATER
- lake
- ACCESS
- Designated swim area
- FEE
- $20 / Adults
- SEASON
- Best in summer
About Goldston's Beach
Goldston's Beach is a historic commercial swim beach and longtime swimming hole on White Lake, a natural spring-fed Carolina bay lake in Bladen County, North Carolina, near Elizabethtown. Opened in 1921 and run by the same family for four generations, it was rebranded in 2021 as 'The Grand Regal at Goldston's Beach' for its 100th anniversary and now operates as a resort with a public swim pier, motel, arcade, and adjoining water park.
White Lake is a shallow, spring-fed Carolina bay lake known for unusually clear water and a white sand bottom and shoreline; the town of White Lake sits directly on its shore about 7 miles from Elizabethtown and draws roughly 200,000 visitors each summer. Goldston's Beach occupies a stretch of that shoreline as part of a lakefront resort complex that also includes a motel, restaurants, an arcade, putt-putt golf, a vintage carousel, and an event venue.
Swimming at Goldston's Beach
Swimming happens directly off a public pier and beach into White Lake's clear, spring-fed water; the lake is widely described as having no currents or tides, making it a calm, flat-water swim suited to families and casual swimmers rather than open-water or adventure swimming. An adjoining Splash's Fun Park adds water slides and a jumping pillow for kids alongside the natural lake swimming.
How to get to this swimming hole
Located on White Lake Dr in the town of White Lake, NC, on the shore of White Lake, about 7 miles from Elizabethtown via NC-53/NC-87.
The walk in
No real hike here. The water is a short walk from where you park. This is a drive-up commercial resort beach; on-site parking sits directly adjacent to the pier/beach with no hike required, just a short walk from the lot to the water.
Plan your visit
Bringing kids
OK with supervision
White Lake is widely described as a shallow, spring-fed, currentless and tideless lake with a sandy bottom, which is favorable for kids, but no lifeguard presence at Goldston's Beach/Pier was confirmed on the resort's own site, and swimming happens off a pier/beach where depth can increase quickly, so close supervision of young children is warranted.
Parking
Lot
On-site resort parking. The official FAQ states parking is complimentary for visitors who are just dining or shopping on the property; for beach/pier swimming, parking is bundled into the $10-per-person (cash only) day pass along with swim access and bathhouse use, so there is no separate stand-alone parking fee confirmed.
Restrooms
Yes
A 'fully renovated bathhouse' is on-site and included with the swim day pass, per the resort's official FAQ.
Water clarity
Clear
Consistently described as crystal-clear, spring-fed lake water with a white sand bottom. A visitor review found via search states: 'I have been going here since i was a little kid and I still love it! The water is the same crystal clear water as always.'
Hours
Goldston's Pier and swimming: 8:30am-5:30pm daily, weather permitting, per The Grand Regal Resort's official hours page (an older Apple Maps listing shows 7:30am-10:00pm, which may reflect a prior season or the broader resort property rather than swim-specific hours).
On the water
Goldston's Beach/Pier itself functions as a swimming and docking area ('Available for daily docking to the public for access to all departments at Goldston's'). More broadly, White Lake supports 'boating, swimming, skiing, fishing' per the resort's own Lake Side/Bay Side page, and an on-site 'Watersport Rentals' outfit (at the Putt-Putt building) offers pontoon boats, kayaks, paddleboards, and wakeboards. No electric-only or no-wake restriction specific to this location was found in official sources.
Rentals nearby
Pontoon boats, kayaks, paddleboards, and wakeboards ('From pontoon boats to paddleboards, kayaks, wakeboards, and more')
On-site at the Putt-Putt building, part of The Grand Regal Resort at Goldston's Beach, White Lake, NC
What regulars say
One longtime visitor describes decades of returning to the same spot and calls the water 'crystal clear...the same...as always,' echoing the resort's and tourism board's own claims about White Lake's clarity. Little candid commentary on this spot's crowds or real-world tips could be located; this should be treated as a data gap rather than an absence of visitor traffic.
Backstory
Goldston's Beach opened in 1921 as part of the White Lake Amusement Company development and was run by the Womble family (Harry Womble, then descendants) for about 100 years before a 2021 sale/partnership with Jenna and Dean Hilton, coinciding with its centennial rebrand to 'The Grand Regal at Goldston's Beach.'
Goldston's Beach: FAQ
Does Goldston's Beach charge a fee?
Per The Grand Regal Resort's official site: public daily admission listed as Kids $20 / Adults $5, or a combined daily beach-swim-plus-Splash-Park rate of Kids $15 / Adults $5; resort/motel guests get discounted or free entry with a room key and wristband.
Is Goldston's Beach kid friendly?
White Lake is widely described as a shallow, spring-fed, currentless and tideless lake with a sandy bottom, which is favorable for kids, but no lifeguard presence at Goldston's Beach/Pier was confirmed on the resort's own site, and swimming happens off a pier/beach where depth can increase quickly, so close supervision of young children is warranted.
Do I need to hike to reach Goldston's Beach?
No significant hike is required. The swimming area is close to parking and access.
Where do I park for Goldston's Beach?
On-site resort parking. The official FAQ states parking is complimentary for visitors who are just dining or shopping on the property; for beach/pier swimming, parking is bundled into the $10-per-person (cash only) day pass along with swim access and bathhouse use, so there is no separate stand-alone parking fee confirmed.
Can I bring a kayak or paddleboard to Goldston's Beach?
Goldston's Beach/Pier itself functions as a swimming and docking area ('Available for daily docking to the public for access to all departments at Goldston's'). More broadly, White Lake supports 'boating, swimming, skiing, fishing' per the resort's own Lake Side/Bay Side page, and an on-site 'Watersport Rentals' outfit (at the Putt-Putt building) offers pontoon boats, kayaks, paddleboards, and wakeboards. No electric-only or no-wake restriction specific to this location was found in official sources.
When is the best time to visit Goldston's Beach?
Summer; the operator has noted water temperatures make swimming impractical after Labor Day into the off-season, though the resort itself now stays open year-round for non-swimming activities.
What water body is Goldston's Beach on?
Goldston's Beach is on White Lake, a natural lake verified in USGS hydrography data.
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