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 Alaska Airlines. The shortest domestic flight to Wilmington departs from Orlando and takes around 1h 34m.

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

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 Alaska Airlines. The shortest domestic flight to Wilmington departs from Orlando and takes around 1h 34m.

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

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

Airlines serving Wilmington

KLM
Good (1,352 reviews)
British Airways
Good (6,844 reviews)
Delta
Excellent (8,837 reviews)
Air France
Good (1,531 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (3,903 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (9,240 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (8,084 reviews)
Finnair
Good (1,318 reviews)
Alaska Airlines
Excellent (9,422 reviews)
Scandinavian Airlines
Good (1,299 reviews)
Spirit Airlines
Good (8,191 reviews)
Frontier
Good (3,583 reviews)
Korean Air
Excellent (1,039 reviews)
LATAM Airlines
Good (1,978 reviews)
Aeromexico
Good (2,036 reviews)
Virgin Atlantic
Good (667 reviews)
American Airlines
Good (12,331 reviews)
Sun Country Air
Good (435 reviews)
Air New Zealand
Excellent (536 reviews)
Southwest
Excellent (5,119 reviews)
Show more

Where to stay in Wilmington

Average rates range from around $211 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to $171 and up for a 5-star experience.

Where to stay in popular areas of Wilmington

Most booked hotels in Wilmington

Home2 Suites by Hilton Wilmington Wrightsville Beach
3 stars
Excellent (9.1, 542 reviews)
$123+
Sandpeddler Inn & Suites
2 stars
Excellent (8.8, 151 reviews)
$195+
Holiday Inn Resort Lumina on Wrightsville Beach, an IHG Hotel
3 stars
Excellent (8.7, 857 reviews)
$146+
Embassy Suites by Hilton Wilmington Riverfront
3 stars
Excellent (8.3, 666 reviews)
$161+
Comfort Inn University
2 stars
Excellent (8, 1641 reviews)
$90+
Shell Island Resort - All Oceanfront Suites
3 stars
Good (7.9, 1793 reviews)
$151+

Renting a car in Wilmington

Renting a car in Wilmington costs $64 per day, on average, or $128 if you want to rent if for 2 days. Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Hertz and Thrifty 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 8% cheaper than airport locations in Wilmington.

Expect to pay $3.71 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 $44.52 and $59.36. The most frequently booked car type in Wilmington is Compact (Toyota RAV4 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 $64 per day, on average, or $128 if you want to rent if for 2 days. Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Hertz and Thrifty 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 8% cheaper than airport locations in Wilmington.

Expect to pay $3.71 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 $44.52 and $59.36. The most frequently booked car type in Wilmington is Compact (Toyota RAV4 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.