Introduction
What to do
Where to eat
When to visit
How to get there
Where to stay
Renting a car

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

Tours

2-Hour Wilmington Guided Tour on Electric Bikes
Bike Tour
BYOB pedal boat cruise on the Cape Fear River near downtown Wilmington
Boat Tour
SCUBA diving charters, training, and equipment
Scuba / Snorkeling
Wilmington Walking Tours
Walking Tour
Guided E-Bike Tour of Wilmington’s History, Haunts & Breweries
Bike Tour
Boat Tours, Island Adventures, Paddleboarding, Sunset Cruises and More
Boat Tour
Airport shuttle, Towncar and SUV service
City Tour
Boat Tours & Island Adventures
Boat Tour
Private Sail on the Cape Fear River aboard a Classic Yacht
Boat Tour

Nature & Outdoor Activities

4 Hour Kayak and Island Exploration Excursion-Guided/private adventure
Kayaking
Guided Kayaking Eco-Tours
Outdoors
Inshore & Nearshore Fishing Charters
Outdoors
Inshore/Nearshore Fishing and Sunset Cruises
Fishing
Snow's Cut RV Retreat - RV Camping
Outdoors
Nearshore and Offshore Fishing Trips and Sunset Cruises
Fishing

Food, Drinks, & Nightlife

Anne Bonny's Bar & Grill - downtown waterfront bar and restaurant
Restaurant
Roadies Brew Bus - Private Tour in a VW Bus
Brewery / Distillery
Cafe Mata - Wilmington's Only Plant Based Coffee Shop
Cafe

Other activities

Airport Transportation and Limousine Service
Transport•Airport Transfers
Board Game Night - Thursdays at 6: 30pm
Events•Entertainment
Gallery with local & regional handmade art. Voted Best Art Gallery!
Art & Performing Arts•Free
The Bellamy Mansion Museum - Historic Home and Original Slave Quarters
Museums•Historical
Therapeutic Massage, deep tissue, sports, prenatal, relaxing and more
Activities•Spa / Massage
The Children's Museum of Wilmington - museum for kids ages 1 to 10
Museums•For Kids
Blue Moon Gift Shops - shopping destination of over 100 local vendors
Shopping•Local
45 minute Salt Therapy Session to Relax and Rejuvenate
Activities•Relaxation
Yoga Classes
Sports & Fitness•Yoga / Pilates

Where to Eat in Wilmington

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

When to visit Wilmington

Wilmington in January
Estimated hotel price
$111
1 night at 3-star hotel
Wilmington in January
Estimated hotel price
$111
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″.

Data provided by weatherbase
Temperatures
Temperatures
Data provided by weatherbase

How to Get to Wilmington

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, Delta and Qatar Airways. The shortest domestic flight to Wilmington departs from Tampa and takes around 1h 40m.

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

You can travel by bus to Wilmington using Greyhound or FlixBus. From Raleigh, the bus ride to Wilmington takes 195 miles and will cost you around $40. From New York, the ticket costs about $177 for a journey of 845 miles. Wilmington’s bus station is located 2 miles from the city center.

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, Delta and Qatar Airways. The shortest domestic flight to Wilmington departs from Tampa and takes around 1h 40m.

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

You can travel by bus to Wilmington using Greyhound or FlixBus. From Raleigh, the bus ride to Wilmington takes 195 miles and will cost you around $40. From New York, the ticket costs about $177 for a journey of 845 miles. 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

KLM
Good (1,432 reviews)
British Airways
Good (7,562 reviews)
Delta
Good (8,009 reviews)
Turkish Airlines
Good (4,080 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (3,676 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (9,065 reviews)
Air France
Good (1,502 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (10,506 reviews)
Scandinavian Airlines
Good (1,594 reviews)
Finnair
Good (1,334 reviews)
Alaska Airlines
Excellent (11,405 reviews)
JetBlue
Good (2,898 reviews)
LATAM Airlines
Good (1,890 reviews)
Frontier
Okay (3,090 reviews)
Korean Air
Excellent (1,180 reviews)
Aeromexico
Good (1,650 reviews)
Spirit Airlines
Good (8,161 reviews)
Virgin Atlantic
Good (675 reviews)
Sun Country Air
Good (334 reviews)
American Airlines
Good (11,043 reviews)
Show more
Find flights to Wilmington

Where to stay in Wilmington

Average rates range from around $171 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to $114 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 $49 to $1,374 per night. Downtown is the neighborhood with the highest amount of rentals to choose from. On average, vacation rentals in Wilmington are about 10% 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
Sandpeddler Inn & Suites
2 stars
Excellent (9.2, 408 reviews)
$130+
View
Holiday Inn Resort Lumina on Wrightsville Beach by IHG
3 stars
Excellent (9, 1093 reviews)
$111+
View
Embassy Suites by Hilton Wilmington Riverfront
3 stars
Excellent (8.5, 1002 reviews)
$132+
View
Best Western Plus Wilmington/Wrightsville Beach
3 stars
Excellent (8.4, 1081 reviews)
$88+
View
Courtyard by Marriott Wilmington/Wrightsville Beach
3 stars
Excellent (8.2, 485 reviews)
$81+
View
Shell Island Resort - All Oceanfront Suites
3 stars
Good (7.9, 2166 reviews)
$113+
View

Renting a car in Wilmington

Renting a car in Wilmington costs $54 per day, on average, or $107 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 4% cheaper than airport locations in Wilmington.

Expect to pay $3.41 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 $40.88 and $54.51. The most frequently booked car type in Wilmington is Full-size (Dodge Durango or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Standard rental cars (Nissan Murano or similar) are, on average, 61% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.

Renting a car in Wilmington costs $54 per day, on average, or $107 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 4% cheaper than airport locations in Wilmington.

Expect to pay $3.41 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 $40.88 and $54.51. The most frequently booked car type in Wilmington is Full-size (Dodge Durango or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Standard rental cars (Nissan Murano or similar) are, on average, 61% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.

Best car rental deals in Wilmington

Economy

2 Adults, 2 Bags

$26/day

Economy

Compact SUV

4 Adults, 2 Bags

$27/day

Compact SUV
Find car rentals in Wilmington