Wilmington Travel Guide

Wilmington Tourism | Wilmington Guide

You're Going to Love Wilmington

With a population of 106 476, Wilmington is a must-see destination in North Carolina, United States. It is among the most popular tourist destinations in the country. We recommend you stay at least 3 days in order to fully appreciate everything Wilmington has to offer.

Activities & attractions in Wilmington

If you’re looking for affordable options, Tarantelli’s (102 S 2nd St) and Seabird (1 S Front St) are great picks.

Wilmington in July

Estimated package price

$107

2 travelers

Flight to Wilmington

3 nights at hotel

$107

2 travelers

Flight to Wilmington

3 nights at hotel

Looking for warm weather? Then head to Wilmington in July, when the average temperature is 80.6 °F, and the highest can go up to 89.6 °F. The coldest month, on the other hand, is January, when it can get as cold as 35.6 °F, with an average temperature of 46.4 °F. You’re likely to see more rain in September, when precipitation is around 7.8″. In contrast, April is usually the driest month of the year in Wilmington, with an average rainfall of 2.8″.

Temperatures

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Plane

When flying to Wilmington, you’ll arrive at Wilmington New Hanover County (ILM), which is located 7 km from the city center. Airlines that fly from the United States to Wilmington include American Airlines, Delta and British Airways. The shortest domestic flight to Wilmington departs from Hartford and takes around 1h 56m.

Train

The train station in Wilmington is called Wilmington, and is located 5 km from the city center.

Car

Another option to get to Wilmington is to pick up a car rental from Charlotte, which is about 293 km from Wilmington. You’ll find branches of Turo and NU Car, among others, in Charlotte.

Bus

Wilmington’s bus station is located 4 km from the city center.

Plane

Train

The train station in Wilmington is called Wilmington, and is located 5 km from the city center.

Car

Another option to get to Wilmington is to pick up a car rental from Charlotte, which is about 293 km from Wilmington. You’ll find branches of Turo and NU Car, among others, in Charlotte.

Bus

Wilmington’s bus station is located 4 km from the city center.

Airports near Wilmington

MYRMyrtle Beach Intl

ILMWilmington New Hanover County

FAYFayetteville

Airlines serving Wilmington

Good (1,473 reviews)

Good (7,800 reviews)

Good (8,288 reviews)

Good (4,258 reviews)

Good (1,546 reviews)

Good (9,434 reviews)

Good (3,736 reviews)

Scandinavian Airlines

Good (1,719 reviews)

Air Canada

Good (10,811 reviews)

Finnair

Good (1,373 reviews)

Alaska Airlines

Good (12,059 reviews)

JetBlue

Good (2,907 reviews)

Frontier

Okay (3,025 reviews)

Korean Air

Excellent (1,202 reviews)

Good (1,914 reviews)

Good (8,523 reviews)

Good (1,564 reviews)

Good (682 reviews)

Good (11,467 reviews)

Sun Country Air

Good (340 reviews)

Find flights to Wilmington

Where to stay in Wilmington

Average rates range from around $185 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to $161 and up for a 5-star experience. If you’re on a budget, well-reviewed accommodations include Hampton Inn Wilmington Downtown and Wingate by Wyndham Wilmington. There are also lots of vacation rental options in Wilmington, with prices from $63 to $880 per night. Downtown is the neighborhood with the highest amount of rentals to choose from. On average, vacation rentals in Wilmington are about 26% more expensive than a hotel room in the city.

Most popular hotel in Wilmington by neighborhood

Where to stay in popular areas of Wilmington

Most booked hotels in Wilmington

See all

Holiday Inn Resort Lumina on Wrightsville Beach by IHG

3 stars

Excellent (9.1, 1107 reviews)

$224+

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Hotel Lela Wilmington, Tapestry Collection by Hilton

4 stars

Excellent (9.1, 57 reviews)

$113+

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Wingate by Wyndham Wilmington

2 stars

Excellent (8.8, 1287 reviews)

$98+

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Embassy Suites by Hilton Wilmington Riverfront

3 stars

Excellent (8.6, 1028 reviews)

$166+

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Best Western Plus Wilmington/Wrightsville Beach

3 stars

Excellent (8.5, 1093 reviews)

$94+

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Harbor Inn

2 stars

Excellent (8.5, 161 reviews)

$178+

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Renting a car in Wilmington costs $52 per day, on average, or $157 if you want to rent if for 3 days. Hertz, Enterprise Rent-A-Car and Alamo are the agencies with the best reviews in the city. The most popular location to rent a car in Wilmington is the Budget branch at 1740 Airport Boulevard, which is 7 km from the city center.

It’s generally cheaper to rent your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 15% cheaper than airport locations in Wilmington.

Expect to pay $3.82 per gallon in Wilmington (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between $45.88 and $61.17. The most frequently booked car type in Wilmington is Compact (Toyota Corolla or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Economy rental cars (Chevrolet Spark or similar) are, on average, 69% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.

It’s generally cheaper to rent your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 15% cheaper than airport locations in Wilmington.

Best car rental deals in Wilmington

Supplier choice

5 Adults, 5 Bags

$31/day

Compact SUV

4 Adults, 2 Bags

$35/day

Find car rentals in Wilmington

Wilmington Tourism | Wilmington Guide

You're Going to Love Wilmington

Activities & attractions in Wilmington

Tours

Nature & Outdoor Activities

Food, Drinks, & Nightlife

Other activities

Where to Eat in Wilmington

When to visit Wilmington

How to Get to Wilmington

Plane

Train

Car

Bus

Plane

Train

Car

Bus

Airports near Wilmington

Airlines serving Wilmington

Where to stay in Wilmington

Where to stay in popular areas of Wilmington

Most booked hotels in Wilmington

Renting a car in Wilmington

Best car rental deals in Wilmington