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. We recommend you stay at least 3 days in order to fully appreciate everything Wilmington has to offer.

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 July

Estimated package price

$127

2 travelers

Flight to Wilmington

3 nights at hotel

$127

2 travelers

Flight to Wilmington

3 nights at 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, Delta and British Airways. The shortest domestic flight to Wilmington departs from Hartford 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 Turo and CarWiz, among others, in Charlotte.

Bus

You can travel by bus to Wilmington using FlixBus or Greyhound. 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

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 Turo and CarWiz, among others, in Charlotte.

Bus

You can travel by bus to Wilmington using FlixBus or Greyhound. 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 (1,511 reviews)

Good (7,952 reviews)

Good (8,456 reviews)

Good (4,355 reviews)

Good (1,585 reviews)

Good (9,693 reviews)

Scandinavian Airlines

Good (1,770 reviews)

Qatar Airways

Good (3,728 reviews)

Air Canada

Good (11,002 reviews)

Finnair

Good (1,392 reviews)

Alaska Airlines

Good (12,342 reviews)

Good (2,980 reviews)

Good (1,917 reviews)

Okay (2,963 reviews)

Excellent (1,217 reviews)

Good (1,516 reviews)

Good (688 reviews)

Good (334 reviews)

Excellent (437 reviews)

American Airlines

Good (11,667 reviews)

Find flights to Wilmington

Where to stay in Wilmington

Average rates range from around $203 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to $197 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 $18 to $880 per night. Downtown is the neighborhood with the highest amount of rentals to choose from. On average, vacation rentals in Wilmington are about 22% 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

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Holiday Inn Resort Lumina on Wrightsville Beach by IHG

3 stars

Excellent (9, 1122 reviews)

$331+

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Best Western Plus Wilmington/Wrightsville Beach

3 stars

Excellent (8.5, 1122 reviews)

$119+

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Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Wilmington/Wrightsville Beach

3 stars

Excellent (8.4, 983 reviews)

$131+

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Harbor Inn

2 stars

Excellent (8.3, 168 reviews)

$187+

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Comfort Inn University

2 stars

Excellent (8.1, 1382 reviews)

$87+

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Courtyard by Marriott Wilmington/Wrightsville Beach

3 stars

Excellent (8.1, 502 reviews)

$102+

View

Renting a car in Wilmington costs $59 per day, on average, or $177 if you want to rent if for 3 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 12% cheaper than airport locations in Wilmington.

Expect to pay $4.43 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 $53.15 and $70.86. 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, 49% 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 12% cheaper than airport locations in Wilmington.

Best car rental deals in Wilmington

Economy

2 Adults, 2 Bags

$34/day

Compact

4 Adults, 2 Bags

$38/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