Introduction
Where to eat
When to visit
How to get there
Where to stay
Hiring a car

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

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Where to Eat in Wilmington

If you’re looking for affordable options, Tarantelli’s (102 S 2nd St) and Seabird (1 S Front St) are great picks.

When to visit Wilmington

Wilmington in January
Estimated hotel price
$186
1 night at 3-star hotel
Wilmington in January
Estimated hotel price
$186
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 7 km from the city centre.

Train

The train station in Wilmington is called Wilmington, and is located 5 km from the city centre.

Car

Another option to get to Wilmington is to pick up a car hire from Charlotte, which is about 293 km from Wilmington. You’ll find branches of Dollar and Hertz, among others, in Charlotte.

Bus

You can travel by bus to Wilmington using Greyhound or FlixBus. From Raleigh, the bus ride to Wilmington takes 314 km and will cost you around $87. From New York, the ticket costs about $199 for a journey of 1360 km. Wilmington’s bus station is located 4 km from the city centre.

Plane

When flying to Wilmington, you’ll arrive at Wilmington New Hanover County (ILM), which is located 7 km from the city centre.

Train

The train station in Wilmington is called Wilmington, and is located 5 km from the city centre.

Car

Another option to get to Wilmington is to pick up a car hire from Charlotte, which is about 293 km from Wilmington. You’ll find branches of Dollar and Hertz, among others, in Charlotte.

Bus

You can travel by bus to Wilmington using Greyhound or FlixBus. From Raleigh, the bus ride to Wilmington takes 314 km and will cost you around $87. From New York, the ticket costs about $199 for a journey of 1360 km. Wilmington’s bus station is located 4 km from the city centre.

Airports near Wilmington

MYRMyrtle Beach Intl
ILMWilmington New Hanover County
FAYFayetteville

Airlines serving Wilmington

KLM
Good (1,508 reviews)
British Airways
Good (7,910 reviews)
Turkish Airlines
Good (4,326 reviews)
Delta
Good (8,448 reviews)
Air France
Good (1,579 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (9,644 reviews)
Scandinavian Airlines
Good (1,759 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (3,729 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (10,960 reviews)
Finnair
Good (1,390 reviews)
JetBlue
Good (2,954 reviews)
Alaska Airlines
Good (12,279 reviews)
LATAM Airlines
Good (1,911 reviews)
Frontier
Okay (2,980 reviews)
Korean Air
Excellent (1,212 reviews)
Aeromexico
Good (1,541 reviews)
Spirit Airlines
Good (8,635 reviews)
Virgin Atlantic
Good (687 reviews)
Sun Country Air
Good (337 reviews)
Porter Airlines
Excellent (435 reviews)
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Where to stay in Wilmington

Average rates range from around $343 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to $315 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 holiday rental options in Wilmington, with prices from $31 to $1,497 per night. Downtown is the neighbourhood with the highest amount of rentals to choose from. On average, holiday rentals in Wilmington are about 24% more expensive than a hotel room in the city.

Where to stay in popular areas of Wilmington

Most booked hotels in Wilmington

See all
Best Western Plus Wilmington/Wrightsville Beach
3 stars
Excellent (8.5, Excellent reviews)
$208+
View
Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Wilmington/Wrightsville Beach
3 stars
Excellent (8.4, Excellent reviews)
$209+
View
Courtyard by Marriott Wilmington/Wrightsville Beach
3 stars
Excellent (8.2, Excellent reviews)
$174+
View
Hotel Ballast Wilmington, Tapestry Collection by Hilton
4 stars
Good (7.3, Good reviews)
$269+
View
Country Inn & Suites by Radisson,Wilmington, NC
3 stars
Good (6.4, Good reviews)
$165+
View

Hiring a car in Wilmington

Hertz, Enterprise Rent-A-Car and Alamo are the agencies with the best reviews in the city. The most popular location to hire a car in Wilmington is the Budget branch at 1740 Airport Boulevard, which is 7 km from the city centre.

Expect to pay $2.01 per litre in Wilmington (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your car hire, filling up the tank will cost between $24.09 and $32.12. 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 car hire (Nissan Murano or similar) is, on average, 52% cheaper than other car hire types in the city.

Hertz, Enterprise Rent-A-Car and Alamo are the agencies with the best reviews in the city. The most popular location to hire a car in Wilmington is the Budget branch at 1740 Airport Boulevard, which is 7 km from the city centre.

Expect to pay $2.01 per litre in Wilmington (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your car hire, filling up the tank will cost between $24.09 and $32.12. 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 car hire (Nissan Murano or similar) is, on average, 52% cheaper than other car hire types in the city.

Car hire agencies in Wilmington

Enterprise Rent-A-Car

Enterprise Rent-A-Car

Hertz

Hertz

Avis

Avis
Find car hire in Wilmington