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. Wilmington deserves at least 2 full days for you to see its main sights.

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 January

Estimated hotel price

$105

1 night at 3-star hotel

$105

1 night at 3-star 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 4 miles from the city center. Airlines that fly from the United States to Wilmington include American Airlines, Qatar Airways and Delta. The shortest domestic flight to Wilmington departs from Rochester and takes around 1h 56m.

Train

The train station in Wilmington is called Wilmington, and is located 3 miles from the city center.

Car

Another option to get to Wilmington is to pick up a car rental from Charlotte, which is about 182 miles from Wilmington. You’ll find branches of Economy Rent a Car and Turo, among others, in Charlotte.

Bus

Greyhound operates bus routes to Wilmington. Wilmington’s bus station is located 2 miles from the city center.

Plane

Train

The train station in Wilmington is called Wilmington, and is located 3 miles from the city center.

Car

Bus

Greyhound operates bus routes to Wilmington. Wilmington’s bus station is located 2 miles from the city center.

Airports near Wilmington

MYRMyrtle Beach Intl

ILMWilmington New Hanover County

FAYFayetteville

Airlines serving Wilmington

Good (1,435 reviews)

Good (7,617 reviews)

Good (8,017 reviews)

Good (4,129 reviews)

Good (9,117 reviews)

Good (3,698 reviews)

Good (1,515 reviews)

Good (10,563 reviews)

Scandinavian Airlines

Good (1,630 reviews)

Finnair

Good (1,340 reviews)

Alaska Airlines

Excellent (11,558 reviews)

Good (2,902 reviews)

Okay (3,063 reviews)

Good (1,895 reviews)

Excellent (1,184 reviews)

Good (8,218 reviews)

Good (1,621 reviews)

Good (677 reviews)

Good (11,072 reviews)

WestJet

Good (3,223 reviews)

Find flights to Wilmington

Where to stay in Wilmington

Average rates range from around $163 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to $107 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 $46 to $1,546 per night. Downtown is the neighborhood with the highest amount of rentals to choose from. On average, vacation rentals in Wilmington are about 5% cheaper 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

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Holiday Inn Resort Lumina on Wrightsville Beach by IHG

3 stars

Excellent (9, 1098 reviews)

$129+

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Homewood Suites by Hilton Wilmington/Mayfaire

3 stars

Excellent (8.9, 700 reviews)

$109+

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Hotel Lela Wilmington, Tapestry Collection by Hilton

4 stars

Excellent (9.1, 44 reviews)

$105+

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Embassy Suites by Hilton Wilmington Riverfront

3 stars

Excellent (8.6, 1012 reviews)

$117+

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Courtyard by Marriott Wilmington/Wrightsville Beach

3 stars

Excellent (8.3, 486 reviews)

$82+

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Shell Island Resort - All Oceanfront Suites

3 stars

Excellent (8, 2170 reviews)

$120+

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Renting a car in Wilmington costs $53 per day, on average, or $105 if you want to rent if for 2 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 4 miles from the city center.

It’s generally cheaper to rent your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 6% cheaper than airport locations in Wilmington.

Expect to pay $3.26 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 $39.07 and $52.09. 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 Standard rental cars (Nissan Murano or similar) are, on average, 58% 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 6% cheaper than airport locations in Wilmington.

Best car rental deals in Wilmington

Economy

2 Adults, 2 Bags

$29/day

Compact SUV

4 Adults, 2 Bags

$29/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