The Swim the Loop begins and ends at the Dockside Restaurant on Airlie Road, on the Wilmington side of the Intracoastal Waterway. This open-water swim takes place at Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina, offering a 3.5-mile race and a 1.3-mile option.
The main swim commences at high tide to maintain a consistent tide pattern throughout the loop. Swimmers will encounter varying water conditions, with some sections potentially having a slight incoming tide and others a slight falling tide.