36 Hours in Wilmington, NC (Things to Do, Where to Eat & Stay!)

The quaint and charming city of Wilmington is one of our favorite getaways from Raleigh, not just because it’s only a 2-hour drive away, but because it has oodles of history to soak up, it’s free of flashy neon-lit attractions and commercialized resorts, has laid-back beach vibes, thriving craft beer scene, and tons of locally owned stores and restaurants.

From its historic downtown riverfront area to its cypress-clad riverbanks and nearby beaches of Wrightsville Beach and Carolina Beach, there is so much to see and explore in Wilmington in just 36 hours.

Despite being the Eastern NC coast’s largest city, Wilmington still has a small-town vibe. It’s the place to go to seek history and charm, or to feel the buzzing college town energy at night or spot a celebrity or two on their way to film in “Wilmywood.” If you have just a day and a half on your side, here’s how to spend 36 hours in Wilmington.

Where to Stay

• Embassy Suites by Hilton Wilmington Riverfront: a riverfront 4-star hotel with an indoor pool, fitness center, rooftop bar and restaurant, and spacious pet-friendly rooms. See other top hotels in Wilmington.
• A modern pet-friendly house with hot tub and a Scandinavian beach house decor.
• Front St Inn is a boutique hotel in downtown with a more local feel, individually styled rooms, and an onsite coffee shop.
• The Verandas is a charming 3.5* bed and breakfast with a serene garden, period furnishings, and free breakfast included.

Getting around

Downtown Wilmington is very walkable, but you can also take the free Port City Trolley, which is a convenient way of traveling through the five districts in downtown. It arrives every 40-minutes and goes past the main attractions. The Port City Trolley doesn’t operate during public holidays. See the route map here.

36 Hour Itinerary

We’ll begin our 36-hours on a Friday evening, so you have more daytime to explore on Sunday. Since Raleigh is a two-hour drive from Wilmington, you could easily start this itinerary after work on a Friday (or take off early). Or you can certainly do this itinerary mid-week. Just adapt the time to suit your availability. 

6:00 pm: Check into your accommodation

River views from Embassy Suites

Assuming you can depart Raleigh around 4pm, you should arrive at your accommodation around 6:00 pm. Most hotels in Wilmington allow check-in up to midnight, so if you do finish later, you can go to dinner first and then check in. Be sure to check this with your hotel first.

We typically stay at the Embassy Suites when we visit Wilmington because we love its riverfront location and easy walk into downtown, it has suites, and we feel good value. It has an onsite restaurant, and an indoor pool and fitness center. Rooms are spacious and comfortable, with modern furnishings. Read our full review.

7:30 pm: Dinner at Pilot House

Sunset views + seafood!

Once you’ve unloaded your luggage, take a stroll along the Riverwalk to The Pilot House, one of our favorite restaurants in Wilmington because of its stunning sunset views overlooking the Cape Fear River. As well as having an ideal waterfront location with a rustic wooden deck to enjoy it from, it’s also known for its fresh seafood and Southern cuisine. It has a warm and happy ambiance and tantalizing food. The crab dip is its specialty.

9:00 pm: After dinner drinks at Cloud 9 Rooftop Bar

Cloud 9 Rooftop bar

Located on the top floor of the Embassy Suites is Cloud 9 Rooftop Bar, which boasts beautiful views of the Cape Fear River, especially at sunset. It has handcrafted cocktails, an extensive wine list, and local NC beers – including Raleigh’s very own Crank Arm Brewing.

Try a local Wilmington brew while you’re in the city! Breweries you can sample are Flytrap Brewing, Waterline Brewing Co., Wilmington Brewing Company, Wrightsville Beach Brewery, Bill’s Brewing Co., and Broomtail Craft Brewery.

Saturday: History and Food

The second day will be all about exploring Wilmington’s top attractions. We’ll be visiting some of the most historic sites and sampling some of the best cuisine in the city.

8:00am: Breakfast at The Basics (10am weekends)

Brunch at the Basics

If you don’t want to eat breakfast at your hotel, head to The Basics, an old-fashioned, brick-walled restaurant in the historic downtown area. It serves hearty Southern cuisine and is especially popular for breakfast (from 8am weekdays) and weekend brunch (from 10am – it gets busy!) It’s the kind of food your grandma used to make, and with its cozy farmhouse-style decor, it will feel nostalgic, perfect for a day of exploring Wilmington’s historic attractions!

9:00am: Walk the Wilmington Riverwalk

The Riverwalk has a whole different vibe during the day. This 2-mile scenic walkway next to the Cape Fear River is lined with over 200 boutique shops, art galleries, cafes, and restaurants. It’s one of the best places in Wilmington, especially for a scenic stroll.

Take in the Cape Fear River views and spend some time shopping for boutique finds. Be sure to visit Conlon Pier to watch the people fishing and admire the views. In fact, feel free to cast a line yourself if that’s your jam! It’s the only part of the Riverwalk where fishing is allowed.

10am: Coffee at Bespoke

Bespoke Coffee shop

Whenever we visit Wilmington, we always pop into Bespoke Coffee. Not only is their coffee good but the space is aesthetically pleasing with a black and white modern design that invites you to sit for a while. There is a Triangle area connection here too! They use Durham’s Counter Culture Coffee, and if you’ve got kids, ours enjoys their hot chocolates and smoothies.

11:00 am: Horse-Drawn Carriage Ride

One of the most popular things to do in Wilmington is to go for a tour of the historic downtown neighborhood by horse-drawn carriage with Springbrook Farms. For 30 minutes, you can be slowly whisked around the historic neighborhood to admire the stately mansions and homes in a vintage carriage, pulled by rescued Percheron draft horses. 

The commentary is super interesting and educational and a great way to get an overview of the history of Wilmington. Tours depart from Market Street and when the horses are ready. You can’t make reservations, just show up and plan for the best! 

11:30 am: Shopping and explore downtown Wilmington

Continue exploring in downtown Wilmington, which is full of antique shops and boutique stores in the historic district. We enjoy walking through the Old Wilmington City Market, a historic retail market since 1880, which features a mélange of specialty shops and galleries inside.

Another must-visit is The Cotton Exchange, which is located within eight restored 19th and 20th-century buildings connected by brick walkways. There are more than 30 unique specialty shops and restaurants within this complex. While you’re strolling around Wilmington, see if you can spot any filming locations for Dawson’s Creek or One Tree Hill, which were both shot in Wilmington. 

1:00 pm: Lunch at Beer Barrio

Casual Mexican joint

By now, you’re probably working up an appetite. Drop your shopping back at your hotel and head to Beer Barrio for casual Mexican flair paired with craft beers. This restaurant is lively but has a casual vibe. It’s located on the bustling Front Street, where you can get a table outside. It has a family-owned cantina vibe going on and makes fresh, scratch-made Mexican-inspired dishes such as signature tacos and burritos.

If pub-grub and a charming tavern are more your thing, the Copper Penny is one of the most popular places to eat in downtown Wilmington for burgers, sandwiches, fish & chips, wings and salads. Consider skipping dessert at either establishment, because our next stop is…

2.30 pm: Ice Cream from Kilwins 

Ice cream + fudge

Kilwins is the place to go to get handcrafted chocolates and confectionery treats – the smell as you enter will knock your socks off. It’s also the place to find ice cream using the OG recipe from 1947, which is made in-house and is absolutely divine. You can even watch their chefs make the waffle cones by hand. Grab some of their famous Mackinac Island Fudge to take home with you.

3:00 pm: Visit Battleship North Carolina

A highlight of a trip to Wilmington is a visit to Battleship North Carolina, also known as USS North Carolina, a famous former Navy ship for participating in every major naval offensive in the Pacific during World War II. It’s now a lovingly restored National Historic Landmark and World War II Memorial dedicated to more than 11,000 North Carolinians who lost their lives in the war.

It’s moored across the Cape Fear River opposite historic downtown and takes roughly 2 hours to explore on your own, or you can book a guided tour, which takes about 3-3.5 hours. Wander through nine levels of the ship, see the early computers, and climb inside gun turrets.

5:00 pm: Relax in the hotel or Stanley Rehder Carnivorous Plant Garden

Today has been a day of walking and soaking in the history and culture, so you might want to take some time out for an hour in the afternoon in your hotel or go for another coffee.

If you do have some energy, consider a half an hour walk around the Stanley Rehder Carnivorous Plant Garden in Piney Ridge Nature Preserve. It’s free to enter and free parking, and it’s quite an interesting place filled with many Venus Fly Traps and pitcher plants – both on the endangered plants list.

6:30 pm: Sunset sailing cruise

A nice evening activity to do in Wilmington is to cruise along the Cape Fear River to Eagle Island on a relaxing boat designed to give you unrivaled views of the river at sunset. Choose from this 50-minute Cape Fear River Cruise, or this scenic private charter cruise which offers a unique perspective of Wilmington.

This is a prime opportunity for wildlife viewing, as many migratory birds come out at sunset. Keep an eye out for egrets, gulls, and brown pelicans. Some stunt scenes in Iron Man III were filmed on the Cape Fear River. See if you can spot where they might have been while you’re cruising! The sailing charter lasts for two hours, and you can bring your own drinks.

8:30 pm: Dinner and drinks (restaurant or brewery)

For more charming options along the Riverfront, we love Elijah’s Oyster & Fish Camp. A veteran seafood restaurant since 1984 and a former maritime museum. Be sure to sit outside on the largest porch on the Riverwalk for incredible sunset views. Elijah’s is the place to go for fresh ocean-to-table dining – most famous for its crab – and its Dawson’s Creek connection.

Seabird is an award-winning restaurant in the heart of downtown Wilmington set in a historic building. Bright and modern, with a fresh take on retro vibe, the food has always been a celebration of seafood and North Carolina cuisine. The oysters and shellfish have all been caught locally by small-scale fishermen.

Flytrap Brewing

If you’d like a more casual brewery option, Saturday nights come alive in Wilmington. The most popular being the Flytrap Brewing, which features live music in its corner on Saturday and Sunday evenings. They also have food trucks in the beer garden. For more of a tavern style joint, Front Street Brewery opened in 1995 in a historic building and is North Carolina’s 7th brewery to open, and Wilmington’s longest operating. This microbrewery offers upgraded pub grub and house beers.

Sunday: Wrightsville Beach and Gardens

Wrapping up your 36 hours in Wilmington, we’ll go for a quick visit to the beach and a botanical garden before heading back to Raleigh.

6:30 am: Sunrise on Wrightsville Beach

I know, you’re on a getaway and might like to sleep in. But for the early risers, while you’re in Wilmington it would be a shame not to visit the beach since it’s only a 15-minute drive away to Wrightsville Beach. Sunrise is our favorite time to visit Wrightsville Beach because it faces East, so you can watch the sunrise over the Atlantic. I

If you’re visiting in the summer, go for a morning swim or take out a stand-up paddleboard, or take a gentle stroll along the beach or just sit on the sand and enjoy the first moments of the day awakening. Read our guide to Wrightsille Beach.

8am: Breakfast at Drift Coffee

Excellent coffee

Drift Cafe is one of our favorite coffee shops and cafes – one of the best coffees in the Wilmington/Wrightsville Beach area, and we are huge coffee snobs! One of our favorite places to eat in Wrightsville Beach because of its beach-themed decor. Popular for its bowls, pancakes and avocado toast. They also have a wide selection of gluten-free and vegan options.

9:30 am: Airlie Gardens and back to Raleigh

Before driving back to Raleigh, stop by Airlie Gardens for an hour or two (you could also visit here on your drive into Wilmington from Raleigh). These historic gardens began in 1545 when the first acorn of the Airlie Oak was planted. In 1735, King George II of England gave 640 acres of land to two brothers, Jonathon and Solomon Ogden, where today’s Airlie Gardens resides.

Beautiful gardens

The gardens are famous for their magnificent oak trees and azaleas and camellias, which were brought to Wilmington in the early 1900s by renowned horticulturalist P. J. Berckmans. Today, it comprises 67 acres of manicured gardens, pine forest, and lakes, and features a Bug Zoo, Butterfly House, and Chapel. It’s the perfect spot for a picnic, a stroll by the lakes, or simply to enjoy nature, especially in Spring, when the azaleas are in bloom.

In Summary

Wilmington is a fantastic getaway from Raleigh. We love the history and charm, the riverfront location and fresh seafood. You don’t have to use this guide for a weekend getaway, it is suitable for any day of the week, just check restaurant opening days and times! See all our content on Wilmington and Beaches here.