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.

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
C$ 149
1 night at 3-star hotel
Wilmington in January
Estimated hotel price
C$ 149
1 night at 3-star hotel

Looking for warm weather? Then head to Wilmington in July, when the average temperature is 27 °C, and the highest can go up to 32 °C. The coldest month, on the other hand, is January, when it can get as cold as 2 °C, with an average temperature of 8 °C. You’re likely to see more rain in September, when precipitation is around 198 mm. In contrast, April is usually the driest month of the year in Wilmington, with an average rainfall of 71 mm.

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 centre The shortest flight to Wilmington from Canada departs from Toronto and takes around 5h 13m.

Train

The train station in Wilmington is called Wilmington, and is located 3 miles from the city centre.

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 Dollar and Easirent, among others, in Charlotte.

Bus

Greyhound operates bus routes to Wilmington. From Charlotte, the bus ride to Wilmington takes 400 miles and will cost you around C$ 109. From Atlanta, the ticket costs about C$ 171 for a journey of 890 miles. Wilmington’s bus station is located 2 miles from the downtown.

Plane

When flying to Wilmington, you’ll arrive at Wilmington New Hanover County (ILM), which is located 4 miles from the city centre The shortest flight to Wilmington from Canada departs from Toronto and takes around 5h 13m.

Train

The train station in Wilmington is called Wilmington, and is located 3 miles from the city centre.

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 Dollar and Easirent, among others, in Charlotte.

Bus

Greyhound operates bus routes to Wilmington. From Charlotte, the bus ride to Wilmington takes 400 miles and will cost you around C$ 109. From Atlanta, the ticket costs about C$ 171 for a journey of 890 miles. Wilmington’s bus station is located 2 miles from the downtown.

Airlines serving Wilmington

KLM
Good (1,417 reviews)
British Airways
Good (6,717 reviews)
Delta
Excellent (9,630 reviews)
Air France
Good (1,622 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (10,082 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (4,160 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (7,353 reviews)
Finnair
Good (1,332 reviews)
Alaska Airlines
Excellent (9,365 reviews)
Spirit Airlines
Good (8,407 reviews)
Frontier
Good (3,835 reviews)
Korean Air
Excellent (1,092 reviews)
Aeromexico
Good (2,241 reviews)
American Airlines
Good (13,550 reviews)
Sun Country Air
Good (515 reviews)
Virgin Atlantic
Good (705 reviews)
Air New Zealand
Excellent (564 reviews)
WestJet
Good (2,761 reviews)
Allegiant Air
Good (938 reviews)
Show more

Where to stay in Wilmington

Average rates range from around C$ 319 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to C$ 295 and up for a 5-star experience. If you’re on a budget, well-reviewed accommodations include Stella Maris Hostel and Hampton Inn Wilmington Downtown.

Where to stay in popular areas of Wilmington

Most booked hotels in Wilmington

Sandpeddler Inn & Suites
2 stars
Excellent (8.7, Excellent reviews)
C$ 380+
Embassy Suites by Hilton Wilmington Riverfront
3 stars
Excellent (8.5, Excellent reviews)
C$ 251+
Holiday Inn Resort Lumina on Wrightsville Beach, an IHG Hotel
3 stars
Excellent (8.2, Excellent reviews)
C$ 336+
Shell Island Resort - All Oceanfront Suites
3 stars
Excellent (8.1, Excellent reviews)
C$ 314+
Hotel Ballast Wilmington, Tapestry Collection by Hilton
4 stars
Good (7.8, Good reviews)
C$ 251+
Blockade Runner Beach Resort
3 stars
Excellent (8, Excellent reviews)
C$ 304+

Renting a car in Wilmington

Renting a car in Wilmington costs C$ 112 per day, on average, or C$ 336 if you want to rent it for 3 days. Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Alamo and Thrifty are the agencies with the best reviews in the city. The most popular location to rent a car in Wilmington is the Enterprise Rent-A-Car branch at 1930 Castle Hayne Rd, which is 5 miles from the downtown.

Expect to pay C$ 1.40 per litre in Wilmington (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between C$ 16.72 and C$ 22.30. The most frequently booked car type in Wilmington is Full-size (Ford Mustang Convertible or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Compact rental cars (Toyota RAV4 or similar) are, on average, 35% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.

Renting a car in Wilmington costs C$ 112 per day, on average, or C$ 336 if you want to rent it for 3 days. Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Alamo and Thrifty are the agencies with the best reviews in the city. The most popular location to rent a car in Wilmington is the Enterprise Rent-A-Car branch at 1930 Castle Hayne Rd, which is 5 miles from the downtown.

Expect to pay C$ 1.40 per litre in Wilmington (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between C$ 16.72 and C$ 22.30. The most frequently booked car type in Wilmington is Full-size (Ford Mustang Convertible or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Compact rental cars (Toyota RAV4 or similar) are, on average, 35% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.