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

Where to Eat in Wilmington

If you’re looking for affordable options, The Little Dipper (138 South Front Street) and Ceviche's (7210 Wrightsville Ave) are great picks.

When to visit Wilmington

Wilmington in January
Estimated hotel price
$108
1 night at 3-star hotel
Wilmington in January
Estimated hotel price
$108
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 Washington, D.C. and takes around 1h 26m.

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 Budget and Easirent, 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

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 Washington, D.C. and takes around 1h 26m.

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 Budget and Easirent, 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.

Airlines serving Wilmington

KLM
Good (1,361 reviews)
British Airways
Good (6,833 reviews)
Delta
Excellent (8,970 reviews)
Air France
Good (1,558 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (3,943 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (9,372 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (7,876 reviews)
Finnair
Good (1,325 reviews)
Scandinavian Airlines
Good (1,312 reviews)
Alaska Airlines
Excellent (9,388 reviews)
Spirit Airlines
Good (8,209 reviews)
Frontier
Good (3,648 reviews)
Korean Air
Excellent (1,054 reviews)
LATAM Airlines
Good (2,018 reviews)
Aeromexico
Good (2,065 reviews)
Virgin Atlantic
Good (672 reviews)
American Airlines
Good (12,603 reviews)
Sun Country Air
Good (441 reviews)
Air New Zealand
Excellent (539 reviews)
WestJet
Good (2,810 reviews)
Show more

Where to stay in Wilmington

Average rates range from around $215 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to $184 and up for a 5-star experience.

Where to stay in popular areas of Wilmington

Most booked hotels in Wilmington

Sandpeddler Inn & Suites
2 stars
Excellent (8.8, 151 reviews)
$214+
Holiday Inn Resort Lumina on Wrightsville Beach, an IHG Hotel
3 stars
Excellent (8.7, 856 reviews)
$160+
Embassy Suites by Hilton Wilmington Riverfront
3 stars
Excellent (8.3, 666 reviews)
$182+
Comfort Inn University
2 stars
Excellent (8, 1638 reviews)
$90+
Shell Island Resort - All Oceanfront Suites
3 stars
Good (7.9, 1799 reviews)
$148+
Blockade Runner Beach Resort
3 stars
Excellent (8.4, 14 reviews)
$157+

Renting a car in Wilmington

Renting a car in Wilmington costs $60 per day, on average, or $119 if you want to rent if for 2 days. Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Hertz and Alamo are the agencies with the best reviews in the city. The most popular location to rent a car in Wilmington is the Thrifty branch at 1740 Airport Blvd, 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 $3.56 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 Mini (Chrysler Pacifica or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Luxury rental cars (Hyundai Genesis G80 or similar) are, on average, 85% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.

Renting a car in Wilmington costs $60 per day, on average, or $119 if you want to rent if for 2 days. Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Hertz and Alamo are the agencies with the best reviews in the city. The most popular location to rent a car in Wilmington is the Thrifty branch at 1740 Airport Blvd, 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 $3.56 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 Mini (Chrysler Pacifica or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Luxury rental cars (Hyundai Genesis G80 or similar) are, on average, 85% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.