Introduction
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 70.851, Wilmington is the largest city in Delaware, United States by the number of inhabitants. 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.

Where to Eat in Wilmington

If you’re looking for affordable options, Domaine Hudson (1314 N Washington Street) and Moro (1307 N. Scott Street) are great picks. For delicious green meals, The Garden at Bardea (612 N Market St) and Apexx Lounge (913 N Orange St) are recommended spots to get vegetarian or vegan food in Wilmington.

When to visit Wilmington

Wilmington in August
Estimated hotel price
$149
1 night at 3-star hotel
Wilmington in August
Estimated hotel price
$149
1 night at 3-star hotel

Looking for warm weather? Then head to Wilmington in July, when the average temperature is 77 °F, and the highest can go up to 86 °F. The coldest month, on the other hand, is January, when it can get as cold as 24.8 °F, with an average temperature of 32 °F. You’re likely to see more rain in July, when precipitation is around 4.3″. In contrast, February is usually the driest month of the year in Wilmington, with an average rainfall of 2.9″.

Data provided by weatherbase
Temperatures
Temperatures
Data provided by weatherbase

How to Get to Wilmington

Plane

When flying to Wilmington, you’ll arrive at Greater Wilmington (ILG), which is located 9 km from the city center. The shortest domestic flight to Wilmington departs from Myrtle Beach and takes around 1h 41m.

Train

Amtrak is the most popular train carrier serving Wilmington, followed by Acela. The train journey from Wilmington to Newark takes 1h 04m and costs around $17 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Washington, D.C., expect to pay about $11 for a 1h 51m trip. The train station in Wilmington is called Wilmington, and is located 1.1 km from the city center.

Car

Another option to get to Wilmington is to pick up a car rental from New York, which is about 173 km from Wilmington. You’ll find branches of Turo and Drive Tri-State, among others, in New York.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Wilmington, including Greyhound, FlixBus and American Airlines. From New York, the bus ride to Wilmington takes 145 km and will cost you around $35. From Washington, D.C., the ticket costs about $32 for a journey of 402 km.

Plane

When flying to Wilmington, you’ll arrive at Greater Wilmington (ILG), which is located 9 km from the city center. The shortest domestic flight to Wilmington departs from Myrtle Beach and takes around 1h 41m.

Train

Amtrak is the most popular train carrier serving Wilmington, followed by Acela. The train journey from Wilmington to Newark takes 1h 04m and costs around $17 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Washington, D.C., expect to pay about $11 for a 1h 51m trip. The train station in Wilmington is called Wilmington, and is located 1.1 km from the city center.

Car

Another option to get to Wilmington is to pick up a car rental from New York, which is about 173 km from Wilmington. You’ll find branches of Turo and Drive Tri-State, among others, in New York.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Wilmington, including Greyhound, FlixBus and American Airlines. From New York, the bus ride to Wilmington takes 145 km and will cost you around $35. From Washington, D.C., the ticket costs about $32 for a journey of 402 km.

Airports near Wilmington

PHLPhiladelphia
BWIBaltimore/Washington
ACYAtlantic City

Airlines serving Wilmington

Lufthansa
Good (7,407 reviews)
KLM
Good (1,386 reviews)
British Airways
Good (7,363 reviews)
Delta
Good (7,957 reviews)
SWISS
Good (1,737 reviews)
Turkish Airlines
Good (3,968 reviews)
Iberia
Good (2,924 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (8,925 reviews)
Air France
Good (1,468 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (3,336 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (3,624 reviews)
Austrian Airlines
Good (850 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (10,144 reviews)
Scandinavian Airlines
Good (1,486 reviews)
LOT
Good (1,114 reviews)
Etihad Airways
Good (1,250 reviews)
Alaska Airlines
Excellent (10,894 reviews)
Finnair
Good (1,324 reviews)
Cathay Pacific
Good (993 reviews)
Brussels Airlines
Good (359 reviews)
Show more
Find flights to Wilmington

Where to stay in Wilmington

If you’re on a budget, well-reviewed accommodations include Days Inn by Wyndham Wilmington/Brandywine and Holiday Inn Express Wilmington North - Brandywine By IHG.

Where to stay in popular areas of Wilmington

Most booked hotels in Wilmington

See all
Brandywine River Hotel
2 stars
Excellent (8.7, 903 reviews)
$124+
View
Hotel du Pont
4 stars
Excellent (8.4, 233 reviews)
$447+
View
Sheraton Suites Wilmington Downtown
3 stars
Excellent (8.1, 741 reviews)
$134+
View
DoubleTree by Hilton Wilmington
4 stars
Good (7.7, 614 reviews)
$119+
View
Super 8 by Wyndham Pennsville/Wilmington
2 stars
Good (7.3, 1140 reviews)
$62+
View
DoubleTree by Hilton Downtown Wilmington - Legal District
4 stars
Good (7, 914 reviews)
$93+
View

Renting a car in Wilmington

Renting a car in Wilmington costs $50 per day, on average, or $151 if you want to rent if for 3 days.

It’s generally cheaper to rent your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 12% cheaper than airport locations in Wilmington.

Expect to pay $3.56 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 $42.70 and $56.93. 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 Intermediate rental cars (Honda Civic or similar) are, on average, 70% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.

Renting a car in Wilmington costs $50 per day, on average, or $151 if you want to rent if for 3 days.

It’s generally cheaper to rent your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 12% cheaper than airport locations in Wilmington.

Expect to pay $3.56 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 $42.70 and $56.93. 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 Intermediate rental cars (Honda Civic or similar) are, on average, 70% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.

Best car rental deals in Wilmington

Supplier choice

5 Adults, 5 Bags

$30/day

Supplier choice

Economy

2 Adults, 2 Bags

$31/day

Economy
Find car rentals in Wilmington

Wilmington Travel Guide - View the KAYAK Wilmington city guide for the best Wilmington travel tips. To help you organize your Wilmington trip ideas, this Wilmington visitors guide provides travel information and trip tips about how to get there, where to stay, what to do, where to eat and more.