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 December
Estimated hotel price
$145
1 night at 3-star hotel
Wilmington in December
Estimated hotel price
$145
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 6 miles from the city center. The shortest domestic flight to Wilmington departs from Myrtle Beach and takes around 1h 39m.

Train

Amtrak is the only carrier operating train routes to Wilmington. The train journey from Wilmington to Newark takes 1h 11m and costs around $11 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Baltimore, expect to pay about $6 for a 1h 15m trip. The train station in Wilmington is called Wilmington, and is located 0.7 miles from the city center.

Car

Another option to get to Wilmington is to pick up a car rental from New York, which is about 108 miles from Wilmington. You’ll find branches of Turo and Payless, among others, in New York.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Wilmington, including Greyhound, Peter Pan Bus Lines and FlixBus. From Wilmington, the bus ride to Wilmington takes 50 miles and will cost you around $924. From Allentown, the ticket costs about $52 for a journey of 85 miles.

Plane

When flying to Wilmington, you’ll arrive at Greater Wilmington (ILG), which is located 6 miles from the city center. The shortest domestic flight to Wilmington departs from Myrtle Beach and takes around 1h 39m.

Train

Amtrak is the only carrier operating train routes to Wilmington. The train journey from Wilmington to Newark takes 1h 11m and costs around $11 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Baltimore, expect to pay about $6 for a 1h 15m trip. The train station in Wilmington is called Wilmington, and is located 0.7 miles from the city center.

Car

Another option to get to Wilmington is to pick up a car rental from New York, which is about 108 miles from Wilmington. You’ll find branches of Turo and Payless, among others, in New York.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Wilmington, including Greyhound, Peter Pan Bus Lines and FlixBus. From Wilmington, the bus ride to Wilmington takes 50 miles and will cost you around $924. From Allentown, the ticket costs about $52 for a journey of 85 miles.

Airports near Wilmington

PHLPhiladelphia
BWIBaltimore/Washington
ACYAtlantic City

Airlines serving Wilmington

Lufthansa
Good (7,054 reviews)
KLM
Good (1,337 reviews)
British Airways
Good (6,851 reviews)
Delta
Excellent (7,936 reviews)
SWISS
Good (1,589 reviews)
Turkish Airlines
Good (3,791 reviews)
Iberia
Good (2,703 reviews)
Air France
Good (1,448 reviews)
Austrian Airlines
Good (781 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (8,700 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (3,221 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (3,566 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (9,263 reviews)
Scandinavian Airlines
Good (1,349 reviews)
Brussels Airlines
Good (346 reviews)
LOT
Good (1,070 reviews)
Alaska Airlines
Excellent (9,980 reviews)
Finnair
Good (1,275 reviews)
TAP AIR PORTUGAL
Good (1,855 reviews)
Etihad Airways
Good (1,205 reviews)
Show more
Find flights to Wilmington

Where to stay in popular areas of Wilmington

Most booked hotels in Wilmington

See all
Staybridge Suites Wilmington Downtown, An IHG Hotel
3 stars
Excellent (9.2, 415 reviews)
$160+
View
Brandywine River Hotel
2 stars
Excellent (8.7, 825 reviews)
$122+
View
Inn at Mendenhall
3 stars
Excellent (8.4, 486 reviews)
$152+
View
Sheraton Suites Wilmington Downtown
3 stars
Excellent (8, 727 reviews)
$164+
View
DoubleTree by Hilton Wilmington
4 stars
Good (7.7, 588 reviews)
$128+
View
Super 8 by Wyndham New Castle
2 stars
Good (7.2, 202 reviews)
$76+
View

Renting a car in Wilmington

Renting a car in Wilmington costs $58 per day, on average, or $175 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 3% 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 Intermediate (Hyundai Elantra or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Economy rental cars (Chevrolet Spark or similar) are, on average, 50% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.

Renting a car in Wilmington costs $58 per day, on average, or $175 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 3% 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 Intermediate (Hyundai Elantra or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Economy rental cars (Chevrolet Spark or similar) are, on average, 50% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.

Best car rental deals in Wilmington

Supplier choice

5 Adults, 5 Bags

$24/day

Supplier choice

Economy

2 Adults, 2 Bags

$25/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.