Wilmington, North Carolina was one of the destinations during our road trip adventure across North Carolina.
Located around 20 minutes from downtown to the Atlantic Coast, Wilmington offers a lot for families looking for adventure.
I’m sharing more about how to make the most of your first-time visit.
Thanks again to Wilmington and Beaches CVB for hosting our visit. All opinions are my own. This article contains affiliate links.
Discover Downtown Wilmington and the Riverwalk
Downtown Wilmington is a great place to start your visit. You’ll find gorgeous architecture, a beautiful waterfront, and southern charm and hospitality.
Take a Unique Tour of Wilmington
A local tour is one of my favorite ways to learn about an area. Foodies will want to check out the food tours available with Taste Wilmington.
If you’re feeling brave or love tours with the supernatural, you might be interested in the Wilmington Ghosts: Phantoms of Pirates and Patriots Tour.
Wilmington is known as the “Hollywood of the East” with 500+ film and TV credits. You can learn more about those on a 90-minute Hollywood Location Walking Tour.
The History and Architecture Walking Tour will give you insight into 300 years of colonial history and architecture.
Admire Architecture on a Horse-Drawn Carriage Tour
We really enjoyed an evening horse-drawn carriage ride. The tour shared more about the history of downtown Wilmington.
We also learned more about many beautiful homes we passed by at around 2mph and it was so nice to take things in at a slower pace!
Many of the horses used for the tour are rescues and the carriage tours help fund the care and rescue of more horses.
Their tours don’t run on a set schedule so the horses have enough time to rest and drink water between tours. They don’t take reservations or bookings for public tours.
They encourage guests to just show up and the horses will indicate when they are ready to give the tour. The tours won’t operate if the weather conditions are unsafe for the horses or the driver.
Explore the Cape Fear River on a Wilmington Water Tour
Located at the Riverwalk, guests have the option of tours that take you more downtown or farther down the Cape Fear River on the Eagles Island Cruise.
There are rotating cruises on the hour. If you visit on the even hours you will cruise north to see more of the historic downtown and Eagles Island.
The Eagle Island tour lets guests view the USS North Carolina Battleship and learn more about a local shipwreck.
Our tour took place during the odd hour which took us under the Memorial Bridge to see the State Ports. The State Ports were also a filming location for Ironman 3.
You’ll learn more about a WW2 Wilmington Ship Yard. There’s a lot of wildlife spotting along the way made easier with binoculars provided on the boat.
Check their website to learn more about private and special event cruises.
A Waterside Meal at Pilot House Restaurant
Pilot House Restaurant is a short walk from Wilmington Water Tours.
The restaurant offers guests a casual dining experience with scenic riverfront views indoors or on their patio.
The Hot Crab Dip made with jumbo lump crab, horseradish, blended cheeses, and buttered baguette is a great appetizer.
I ordered the House Specialty, the Sweet Potato Grouper made with fresh local grouper, sweet potato crisps, and mushroom ravioli, atop mixed greens with balsamic aioli.
The Southern Fried Chicken Sandwich was also a hit with my family.
*There is a free parking lot for the restaurants at the corner of Water & Ann streets.
Explore Wrightsville Beach
Wrightsville Beach is known for being one of the best beaches in the United States to surf. The beach’s surfing history dates back to 1909 and has evolved in style and popularity.
You can enjoy watching the surfers show off their skills. If you’re more adventurous, take a surf lesson or attend a surf camp. This is a great way to learn how to surf for the first time or build on your current skill set.
Wrightsville Beach was also the first beach to ban smoking in 2012. The Beach takes pride in being a clean and environmentally friendly destination for families.
Metered parking is available.
If you want to learn more about protecting and restoring the coast Stop by the NC Coastal Federation, next to the Wrightsville Beach Museum, to learn more about protecting and restoring the coast.
Walk Along Johnnie Mercer’s Pier
Johnnie Mercer’s Pier is a great spot for taking pictures at Wrightsville Beach. It’s the only concrete fishing pier in North Carolina.
There’s a small fee to walk on the 1200 ft pier with a parking lot nearby that charges by the hour.
Beautiful Sunrises and Sunsets
As a Midwest girl, I feel obligated to spend as much time at the beach as possible, whenever I’m near the ocean.
That means losing sleep to experience the sunrise with sand and water between my toes. I love feeling a sense of awe and gratitude as the sun sets over the water.
Despite a weather forecast that didn’t fully cooperate, I still got to experience several moments of wonder during our visit.
If you enjoy an early morning workout during a visit, you might want to check out The Loop. The 2.45-mile scenic fitness trail circles the island.
Visit Trailborn Surf & Sound at Wrightsville Beach
Trailborn Surf & Sound (Previously named Blockade Runner Beach Resort) is a family-friendly resort with beach access.
You can try kayaks, stand-up paddleboards, canoeing, sailing, and fishing on their Southside access.
They also have an outdoor pool with plenty of seating and an outside restaurant and bar.
There are activities for kids and beautiful grounds where you have a good chance of seeing wild bunnies.
We stopped there for lunch and toured the property. My husband and boys made it their mission to swim in the ocean even though the water and air temperatures were in the ’50s that day.
Some of our lunch highlights at EAST Oceanfront dining were the Fish tacos, Block Burger, and the Bánh mì sandwich.
Save on Booking Your Stay at Trailborn Surf & Sound Here
Learn About the Ecology with Wrightsville Beach Scenic Tours
Located across the street from the Blockade Runner Beach Resort at the Southside pier, you can learn more about the local ecology during a 1-hour History Harbor Tour.
On our tour, we learned about the 7 species of birds that nest on the beach. Our Captain and guide, Joe Abbate, had a birding book and pointed out the various species that we saw along the way.
During the summer you can take a boat tour to Masonboro Barrier Island. The undeveloped barrier island is only accessible by boat, which makes the tour even more special.
The tour was very relaxing and our guide did a great job of sharing information about the area in an interesting way for kids and adults.
( I definitely want to come back to visit Masonboro Barrier Island for the day)
See a Real Venus Flytrap at Carolina Beach State Park
This State Park is one of the few places in the world where you can see the Venus Flytrap in its native environment.
During our visit, we toured the park with a park ranger to check out the campsites.
Cabins are available for rent if you don’t like tent camping or have a camper. The park also has recreational areas with access to water.
My favorite part was the guided hike on the Flytrap trail. We learned more about the 13 distinct plant communities in the area.
There are 761 acres at the State Park.
If you plan on hiking, it is recommended that you wear pants and closed-toed shoes and bring along insect repellant and sunscreen.
Relax at Greenfield Lake Park
We stumbled upon this park by accident. Greenfield Lake Park is a beautiful park located minutes from downtown Wilmington.
The park has a walking trail, playground, fishing and canoe, kayak, and paddleboat rentals.
Visit Fort Fisher State Recreation Area
This state park is located near the North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher. It has 6 miles of beaches and really cool oak trees, twisted and formed by the elements over the years.
Fort Fisher State Historic Site and Museum is another noteworthy stop near Kure Beach.
It’s the site of the largest Civil War land/sea battle.
Unfortunately, it wasn’t open during our visit but it’s free to visit and perfect for war history enthusiasts.
More Great Places to Eat
I wanted to share a few other restaurants to add to your list during your visit.
My Favorite Meal at Michael’s Seafood
We ate incredible food during our visit to Wilmington but Michael’s Seafood was my favorite!
I ordered the Blackened Fish & Grits. The dish was made with the freshest catch of the day, garlic parmesan sauce, corn, fresh tomato, and scallion served over their house-made grit cake.
It was a gamble that paid off big….because grits can go either way.
Michael’s Seafood was the home of my FAVORITE dish of the trip.
It’s the dish I still dream of because it was so good! Make sure that you also try their award-winning seafood chowder.
Dinner with an Ocean View at Oceanic Restaurant
703 S. Lumina Avenue, Wrightsville Beach, NC
Enjoy dinner with a view. Oceanic Restaurant offers seafood specialties with ocean views that are hard to beat!
You can dine inside or outside. After your meal, you can take a nice walk on the pier and watch the surfers as they catch their next wave.
We tried the Sunkissed shrimp as an appetizer, stuffed Flounder, and Chipotle Atlantic Salmon & Shrimp.
After our meal, we spent time on the beach playing and watching the surfers before the sunset.
Indoor Adventures Around Wilmington That Are Perfect for A Rainy Day
These attractions are perfect for a rainy day or if you need a break from being out in the sun.
Explore the Cape Fear Museum of History and Science
814 Market St, Wilmington, NC
Learn more about the history of Wilmington, local culture, and ecology at the Cape Fear Museum. Sports fans will love the exhibit featuring memorabilia from Michael Jordan who grew up in Wilmington.
There is a lot of history to read and several interactive components to help you understand more about the Cape Fear region.
Make sure that you check out the interactive Venus Flytrap exhibit in the Michael Jordan Discovery Gallery.
Kids will enjoy “Space Place.” The exhibit helps them imagine what it is like to be an astronaut in space while participating in several STEM hands-on exhibits.
All Aboard at the Wilmington Railroad Museum
505 Nutt St, Wilmington, NC (Next to the Wilmington and Beaches Visitor Information Center)
The Wilmington Railroad Museum is the perfect adventure for train enthusiasts, young and old.
Showcasing the Guinness World Record-holding longest model train made up of 1563 carriages and 31 locomotives, history of all of the aspects of train history.
Don’t forget to take pictures next to a 100-year-old steam locomotive, caboose, and boxcar.
The Museum does have several dedicated parking spaces for museum guests and street parking is free on Sundays.
Observe Marine Life at the North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher
900 Loggerhead Rd, Kure Beach, NC
North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher is a great place to learn more about marine life in the area.
The aquarium is ranked in the top 20 US Aquariums on Trip Advisor.
The aquarium has interactive exhibits, touch tanks, live feedings, and dive shows inside the two-story ocean exhibit with sharks.
One of my favorite moments during our visit was discovering the two alligators that appeared to be hugging and the dive show.
Play at Jungle Rapids Family Fun Park
5320 Oleander Drive, Wilmington, NC
Featuring adventures indoors and outside, Jungle Rapids Family Fun Park offers lots of fun activities for families of all ages.
A few of our favorites during our rainy day visit were the laser tag, mini bowling, 4-person air hockey table, the rock climbing wall, and the Spin Zone Bumper Cars.
Younger kids ages 3-8 will love the Kids Jungle play structure and arcade games that appeal to all ages.
Outside you can play Jungle mini-golf, race go-karts, and drop 40 ft on the Skytower.
Their outdoor waterpark is the largest in the area to enjoy during the summer.
Tour the Battleship North Carolina
1 Battleship Rd NE, Wilmington, NC
I’ve toured battleships before but I was truly impressed with how much access you are given on a self-guided tour of the WW2 Battleship North Carolina.
With 9 decks available to the public, you’ll want to allow several hours to explore. They recommend at least 90 minutes.
To enhance your experience, download the Battleship North Carolina app for an audio tour to learn more as you go.
There are many ladders and stairs to climb up and down and close-toed shoes are highly recommended. You’ll get a greater appreciation for how the crew lived and sacrificed to protect our freedom.
The tour also gives you insight into life on the ship for crew members at all levels.
You get to see the spaces where they would have slept, eaten, laundered their clothes, received a haircut, showered, and where they would have gone to purchase a treat or necessity.
Hotels and Airbnbs near Wilmington, NC – Book your stay now
Where We Stayed in Wilmington, NC
We stayed at the Homewood Suites Wilmington – Mayfaire Town Center. This was our first time staying at a Homewood Suites and I was really impressed!
We only had a 5-minute drive to Wrightsville Beach.
We also enjoyed complimentary breakfast and our suite had enough space to spread out.
It’s nice for families to have access to a full kitchen with a refrigerator, stovetop, dishwasher, cookware, and utensils if they want to save money on meals.
More Information
You can find more ideas for your next adventure in Wilmington from the Visit Wilmington and Beaches website.
Our family had a great time in Wilmington, NC and we can’t wait to come back!
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Love this town but you made it so simple to come and visit it like a local!
Thanks for the extra recommendations in the area. You’ve given me many reasons to want to come back!
As a 30-year Wilmington resident I would like to add a couple of things to this list. If you visit in the spring you must add Airlie Gardens to your list. Formerly, a privately owned garden it now belongs to the city. There is a modest fee for entry and it is well worth it. It is located near Wrightsville Beach.
If you like to dine near the water local favorites include The Dockside Restaurant and The Fish House Grill, which have casual, outdoor dining right on the ICWW and are located on the Wilmington side of the Wrightsville Beach draw bridge. Blue Water Grill is located on the other side of the bridge and also on the ICWW with outdoor dining. It is slightly more upscale.
Also, The Causeway Cafe at Wrightsville Beach has the best breakfast around. Get there early if you go on a summer Saturday because there will be a long wait, otherwise. The cafe sits next to Redix, which is a very atypical beach store with all kinds of interesting merchandise. Enjoy your visit!!!
How could anyone read this and not want to go to Wilmington! It’s so beautiful! I recently moved here and I cannot get enough of it. I am trying to convince my sister to move here. I know she would love it too.
I had been thinking about a road trip to Wilmington and after reading this article, I am definitely going.
Thanks so much.
definitely adding to my bucket list… thanks for sharing awesome article