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 2 days in order to fully appreciate everything Wilmington has to offer.

What to do in Wilmington

Top activities & attractions in Wilmington

Where to Eat in Wilmington

If you’re looking for affordable options, The Little Dipper (138 South Front Street) and Circa 1922 (8 N. Front St.) are great picks.

Most popular restaurants in Wilmington

Steakhouse
Wonderful (310 reviews)
French
Wonderful (238 reviews)
American
Very good (73 reviews)

When to visit Wilmington

Wilmington in January
Estimated hotel price
$116
1 night at 3-star hotel
Wilmington in January
Estimated hotel price
$116
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
Average
Fahrenheit (°F)
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, JetBlue and Delta. The shortest domestic flight to Wilmington departs from Tampa and takes around 1h 40m.

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 Easirent and Hertz, among others, in Charlotte.

Bus

Wilmington’s bus station is located 2 miles from the city center.

Airlines serving Wilmington

KLM
Good (504 reviews)
British Airways
Good (2,084 reviews)
Delta
Good (3,659 reviews)
Air France
Good (624 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (3,587 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (1,684 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (2,576 reviews)
JetBlue
Good (1,459 reviews)
Spirit Airlines
Good (3,219 reviews)
ITA Airways
Good (301 reviews)
Korean Air
Excellent (447 reviews)
Frontier
Okay (1,451 reviews)
Aeromexico
Good (806 reviews)
American Airlines
Good (4,987 reviews)
Sun Country Air
Good (113 reviews)
Virgin Atlantic
Good (421 reviews)
Allegiant Air
Good (355 reviews)
Air New Zealand
Good (170 reviews)
WestJet
Good (1,034 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 $224 and up for a 5-star experience. If you’re on a budget, well-reviewed accommodations include Howard Johnson by Wyndham Wilmington and Tru by Hilton Wilmington.

Where to stay in popular areas of Wilmington

Most booked hotels in Wilmington

Homewood Suites Wilmington/Mayfaire
Excellent (8.9, 536 reviews)
$194+
Sandpeddler Inn & Suites
Excellent (8.8, 188 reviews)
$363+
Embassy Suites by Hilton Wilmington Riverfront
Excellent (8.6, 843 reviews)
$229+
Hampton Inn & Suites Wilmington/Wrightsville Beach
Excellent (8.5, 468 reviews)
$213+
Shell Island Resort - All Oceanfront Suites
Excellent (8.1, 2018 reviews)
$290+
Holiday Inn Resort Lumina on Wrightsville Beach, an IHG Hotel
Excellent (8.1, 1041 reviews)
$398+

Renting a car in Wilmington

Renting a car in Wilmington costs $66 per day, on average, or $132 if you want to rent if for 2 days. Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Alamo and Hertz 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 6816 Gordon Road, which is 5 miles from the city center.

It’s generally cheaper to rent your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 2% cheaper than airport locations in Wilmington.

Expect to pay $3.82 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 $45.88 and $61.17. 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 Intermediate rental cars (Honda CR-V or similar) are, on average, 68% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.