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.

Where to Eat in Wilmington

If you’re looking for affordable options, Circa 1922 (8 N. Front St.) and Osteria Cicchetti (1125 Military Cutoff Road Suite K) are great picks.

When to visit Wilmington

Wilmington in January
Estimated hotel price
£85
1 night at 3-star hotel
Wilmington in January
Estimated hotel price
£85
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. The shortest flight to Wilmington from the United Kingdom departs from London and takes around 13h 21m.

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 Alamo, among others, in Charlotte.

Bus

FlixBus operates bus routes to Wilmington. 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. The shortest flight to Wilmington from the United Kingdom departs from London and takes around 13h 21m.

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 Alamo, among others, in Charlotte.

Bus

FlixBus operates bus routes to Wilmington. Wilmington’s bus station is located 4 km from the city centre.

Airlines serving Wilmington

KLM
Good (849 reviews)
British Airways
Good (4,541 reviews)
Delta
Good (4,618 reviews)
Air France
Good (983 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (4,962 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (2,467 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (5,863 reviews)
Alaska Airlines
Excellent (5,654 reviews)
Spirit Airlines
Good (4,545 reviews)
Frontier
Okay (1,352 reviews)
Korean Air
Excellent (773 reviews)
Aeromexico
Good (811 reviews)
American Airlines
Good (5,794 reviews)
Sun Country Air
Good (137 reviews)
Virgin Atlantic
Good (504 reviews)
WestJet
Good (1,928 reviews)
Allegiant Air
Good (438 reviews)
Show more

Where to stay in Wilmington

Average rates range from around £194 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to £180 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.

Where to stay in popular areas of Wilmington

Most booked hotels in Wilmington

Sandpeddler Inn & Suites
2 stars
Excellent (8.7, Excellent reviews)
£216+
Embassy Suites by Hilton Wilmington Riverfront
3 stars
Excellent (8.5, Excellent reviews)
£147+
Holiday Inn Resort Lumina on Wrightsville Beach, an IHG Hotel
3 stars
Excellent (8.2, Excellent reviews)
£252+
Shell Island Resort - All Oceanfront Suites
3 stars
Excellent (8.1, Excellent reviews)
£208+
Hotel Ballast Wilmington, Tapestry Collection by Hilton
4 stars
Good (7.8, Good reviews)
£136+
Best Western Plus Wilmington/Wrightsville Beach
2 stars
Good (7.8, Good reviews)
£103+

Hiring a car in Wilmington

Hiring a car in Wilmington costs £55 per day, on average, or £110 if you want to hire it for 2 days. Alamo, Enterprise Rent-A-Car and Thrifty 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 6816 Gordon Road, which is 8 km from the city centre.

It’s generally cheaper to hire your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 3% cheaper than airport locations in Wilmington.

Expect to pay £0.83 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 £9.88 and £13.18. 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 Intermediate car hire (Hyundai Elantra or similar) is, on average, 49% cheaper than other car hire types in the city.

Hiring a car in Wilmington costs £55 per day, on average, or £110 if you want to hire it for 2 days. Alamo, Enterprise Rent-A-Car and Thrifty 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 6816 Gordon Road, which is 8 km from the city centre.

It’s generally cheaper to hire your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 3% cheaper than airport locations in Wilmington.

Expect to pay £0.83 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 £9.88 and £13.18. 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 Intermediate car hire (Hyundai Elantra or similar) is, on average, 49% cheaper than other car hire types in the city.