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

Data provided by

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 52m.

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 (1,434 reviews)

Good (8,013 reviews)

Good (7,617 reviews)

Good (4,113 reviews)

Good (9,115 reviews)

Good (3,692 reviews)

Good (1,513 reviews)

Good (10,560 reviews)

Scandinavian Airlines

Good (1,625 reviews)

Finnair

Good (1,339 reviews)

Alaska Airlines

Excellent (11,534 reviews)

Good (2,900 reviews)

Okay (3,070 reviews)

Good (1,894 reviews)

Excellent (1,185 reviews)

Good (8,204 reviews)

Good (1,625 reviews)

Good (677 reviews)

Good (335 reviews)

Good (11,062 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 $108 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 $51 to $1,383 per night. Downtown is the neighborhood with the highest amount of rentals to choose from. On average, vacation rentals in Wilmington are about 3% 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

See all

Holiday Inn Resort Lumina on Wrightsville Beach by IHG

3 stars

Excellent (9, 1095 reviews)

$122+

View

Homewood Suites by Hilton Wilmington/Mayfaire

3 stars

Excellent (8.9, 697 reviews)

$108+

View

Embassy Suites by Hilton Wilmington Riverfront

3 stars

Excellent (8.6, 1012 reviews)

$117+

View

Courtyard by Marriott Wilmington/Wrightsville Beach

3 stars

Excellent (8.3, 486 reviews)

$82+

View

Shell Island Resort - All Oceanfront Suites

3 stars

Excellent (8, 2170 reviews)

$116+

View

Trailborn Surf and Sound, Outdoor Collection by Marriott Bonvoy

4 stars

Excellent (8, 17 reviews)

$168+

View

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 9% 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 9% 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