Discover Attractions in Wilmington & Beyond
Vibrant Downtown Spots
While stunning beaches often get top billing in these parts, cosmopolitan options abound. You can catch world-class shows at both Downtown Wilmington’s historic theater Thalian Hall and the modern outdoor Live Oak Bank Pavilion. Explore the riverside Historic District, an area where 18-century architecture meets modern spaces with fine dining, bistros, brewpubs, and shopping for every budget. Just across the Cape Fear River you’ll find the USS North Carolina, a restored World War II-era battleship you can board.
Immerse in Art and History
Attend cultural gatherings and take in art from around the world at the Cameron Art Museum, and step back in time with a tour at the 1800s-era Bellamy Mansion Museum. The Cape Fear Museum of History and Science lives up to its name with exhibits dedicated to the area’s natural history and contributions to science, while the Wilmington Railroad Museum has a caboose you can climb on and much more. And you don’t have to be a kid to enjoy the Children’s Museum of Wilmington, a hands-on experience that makes art, science, and history fun.
Magnificent Nature Escapes
Stroll 67 acres of green spaces with lakes and a butterfly house at Airlie Gardens, discover native plants and flowers at the New Hanover County Arboretum, and enjoy 14 acres of grounds with shade trees and farm animals at the Poplar Grove Plantation. You can walk trails that wind from forest to sea at Carolina Beach State Park, while a trip to the Fort Fisher State Recreation Area rewards with beaches, salt-marsh trails, and the North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher.
What’s Nearby:
- Mayfaire Shopping Center
- Wrightsville Beach
- Airlie Gardens
- ILM International Airport
- University of North Carolina Wilmington
- Cape Fear Community College
- Downtown Wilmington
- Battleship North Carolina
- Cape Fear Academy
- Monkey Junction
- Murray Middle & Ashley High School
- North End of Carolina Beach
- Carolina Beach State Park
- Carolina Beach Boardwalk
- Carolina Beach Elementary
- Fort Fisher Aquarium
- Fort Fisher Ferry
- Southport
- Bald Head Island
- Caswell Beach
- Oak Island Lighthouse
- Oak Island Pier
- Oak Island
Excellent Shopping and Dining Scenes
An ever-growing university town, Wilmington is home to the University of North Carolina Wilmington, a dynamic hub surrounded by a wide range of shopping and dining options. You’ll find over 80 stores and 20 restaurants at the Mayfaire Town Center. A scenic stroll down the famed Wilmington Riverwalk presents a wide range of waterfront eateries and eclectic local shops, while the adjacent downtown area offers dozens more spots to tempt your palate. If it’s seaside dining you seek, you can check out the restaurants of Wrightsville Beach and Oak Island, home to an iconic lighthouse and a bird and turtle sanctuary.
Beach Living Doesn’t Get Better
You’re spoiled for choice with so many miles of pristine beaches. Some notable stretches of sand include Wrightsville Beach with two piers, a walking trail, and water activities such as kayaking, sailing, windsurfing, and more. Fish right from a pier at Kure Beach, while the nearby Carolina Beach Boardwalk invites you to enjoy amusement rides, carnival games, and lots more family-friendly fun. With a half dozen beaches, adjacent Brunswick County has pet-friendly sands, fishing piers, lighthouses, oceanfront restaurants, and more.
A business powerhouse that’s served by an international airport, the Wilmington area offers attractions that are as diverse as the people who live there. If you’re thinking of joining them, contact us at (910) 839-8627 or at [email protected].
Wilmington Area Beach Towns
Wonderful places to visit or to call home!
Bald Head Island – Carolina Beach – Caswell Beach – Holden Beach – Kure Beach – Oak Island – Ocean Isle Beach – Southport Sunset Beach – Topsail Island – Wrightsville Beach