Wilmington (North Carolina)

A historic port city on the Cape Fear River with a riverwalk and a battleship museum, plus Wrightsville Beach and Fort Fisher close at hand.

Wilmington sits in the southeastern corner of North Carolina, where the Cape Fear River flows into the Atlantic. It is the state's largest port city and the hub of its coastal vacation scene. Downtown runs along the river, where a roughly 3 km Riverwalk links old wharves, restaurants, and 19th-century historic districts, while the World War II battleship USS North Carolina is moored on the opposite bank; the Bellamy Mansion, the Burgwin-Wright House, and Thalian Hall bear witness to the city's history as a colonial port and Southern city. Wilmington is also known as "Hollywood East," with many films and TV series shot at local studios and on its streets. About 15 minutes' drive east is Wrightsville Beach, good for surfing, paddleboarding, and boating to uninhabited Masonboro Island. Heading south down Pleasure Island, you'll pass the Carolina Beach Boardwalk, Kure Beach, Fort Fisher State Historic Site, and the North Carolina Aquarium, then take the state ferry across the river to the harbor town of Southport—a loop you can do in one day. The surrounding wetlands and pine forests are the only native habitat of the Venus flytrap, which you can see at Carolina Beach State Park. Climate: humid subtropical, most comfortable April–June and September–October; July–August is peak beach season, hot and humid; August–October is hurricane season, so check forecasts before traveling; winters are mild but the ocean is cold. Getting there: Wilmington International Airport has flights to and from Charlotte, Atlanta, and elsewhere, and Raleigh is about a 2-hour drive away; downtown is walkable, but you'll need a car for the beaches and surrounding sights. Plan to stay 2–3 days: one day for downtown and the battleship, one for the beach, and one heading south to Fort Fisher and Southport. Beach parking is paid in summer, and heed rip current warnings.

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