Wilmington (North Carolina)

Wilmington is a city in the southeastern part of North Carolina. It is the county seat of New Hanover County, and home to the University of North Carolina at Wilmington, the U.S.S. North Carolina Battleship Memorial, the Cape Fear Museum, Airlie Gardens, and a large historic district. It is convenient to nearby beaches, and is a relatively short drive from the Triangle (Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill), Charlotte, Myrtle Beach, SC, and the I-95 corridor.

Understand
The city is famous for its beaches, seafood, and historic plantations. As of 2020, there were about 116,000 people residing in the city, with about 300,000 residents in the metro area. The racial makeup of the city is about 70% White, 26% African American, and the remainder other races.

The cultural opportunities in Wilmington are endless; aquariums, museums, historical sites, festivals, libraries, film studios, theatres, and plantations can be enjoyed in this richly cultured city. Wilmington was the site of the only violent overthrow of a democratically-elected government in United States history, the Wilmington Insurrection, when a mob of 2,000 white Democrats massacred an estimated 60 black residents and the duly-elected city government (including several white men), and installed a white supremacist government in its place despite the city's population being more than 55% African-American at the time. This was following the 1898 election in which a coalition party that promised free public education for all and equal voting rights for every African-American man in the city had secured a majority of city council seats.

Climate
Wilmington sits between the Cape Fear River and the Atlantic Ocean. With the influence of the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf Stream, some 45-60 miles (70–95 km) offshore, Historic Wilmington and North Carolina's Cape Fear Coast - Carolina Beach, Kure Beach & Wrightsville Beach enjoy a temperate subtropical climate year-round. Summer temperatures are usually in the 80s °F (close to 30 °C). Seasons are mild, with an average 212 sunshine days and a mean average temperature of. The average winter temperature is about.

By car
From the south via I-95 N, or from the direction of Charlotte, you should take US 74 E (exit 14 in North Carolina from I-95). It will take you about an 1.5 to 2 hours to get to Wilmington from the junction of I-95 and US 74. If taking this route, you should be sure to stock up on snacks and drinks, use the restroom, and fill up your gasoline tank before merging onto US 74 E, because stops are few and far between until arriving in Wilmington. US 74 (running concurrent with US 17 and US 76 at this point) crosses the Cape Fear River Bridge into Wilmington just south of the Historic District.

From the north via I-95 S, or from the direction of Raleigh, take I-40 E. Again, it will take approximately 1.5 to 2 hours to get to Wilmington from the junction of I-95 and I-40. You should be aware that stops between I-95 and Wilmington are also infrequent, although there is a rest area near Warsaw, at the exit for NC 24.

From Barstow, California drive 2560 miles (4120 km) due east on Interstate 40 through Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Tennessee. The interstate ends at US Highway 117 in Wilmington.

By bus
Bus service to Wilmington is via Carolina Trailways, a subsidiary of Greyhound. Buses connect Wilmington to Charleston, Goldsboro, Myrtle Beach, Raleigh and Savannah. The station is at 201 Harnett Street in downtown Wilmington. Service is infrequent, with only four arrivals and departures per day, and the station is open for limited hours: 9AM-1PM, and 4PM-6PM.

Get around
Wilmington is very much a driving town. Below are some alternatives to driving, but the boating and biking mentioned are mostly recreational activities, not the best way between points A and B. If you're arriving in Wilmington without a car, you will need to rent one, use cabs for the duration of your stay (which must be called ahead of time), or rely on the inadequate and infrequent coverage of the local bus network.

By bicycle
The NCDOT Cape Fear Run Bicycling Highway 5 connects Apex to Wilmington and closely parallels the RUSA brevet route. The Ports of Call Bicycling Highway 3 connects Wilmington to Bath, Edenton, New Bern and Southport. The River to the Sea Bikeway (signed route 1) runs for 10 miles from downtown Wilmington to Wrightsville Beach along local streets and off-road paths. The Wilmington Metropolitan Planning Organization provides maps of local bicycle facilities and routes. The Gary Shell Cross City Trail runs from Wrightsville Beach, through multiple city parks, ending later at E.L Wade Park.

By boat
There are two water taxi services that connect downtown Wilmington to the U.S. Battleship North Carolina and connect Wrightsville Beach to the North Carolina National Estuarine Research Reserve at Masonboro Island. Many area attractions, including Carolina Beach, downtown Wilmington, and Wrightsville Beach are accessible by boat via the Cape Fear River and Intracoastal Waterway.

By bus
Local bus service is provided by the Cape Fear Public Transportation Authority, which does business as WAVE Transit. WAVE Transit operates eight local routes through the city of Wilmington and New Hanover County. Most of these operate every 30 min on weekdays. The authority also operates a free downtown trolley that runs every 10 min on weekdays and infrequent service to the towns of Belville, Bolton, Hallsboro, Lake Waccamaw, Leland, Navassa, and Whiteville on the west side of the Cape Fear River. The base fare for a one-way trip is $1.50. The services that cross the river are more expensive.

By car
If you do not drive to Wilmington, it really is advisable to rent a car once you arrive as travel in Wilmington is so difficult without one.

Car rental is available at the airport from these companies:
 * Avis, +1 910 763-1993
 * Hertz Rent-a-Car, +1 910 762-1010
 * National Car Rental, +1 910 762-8000
 * Thrifty Rent-a-Car, +1 910 343-1411

Traffic can be heavy in some parts of Wilmington (South College Rd., Market St.), but on the whole, driving around town is relatively easy. For the most part, major thoroughfares radiate out from the historic downtown, and there are numerous streets that allow you to cut across these radiating thoroughfares. The new Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway provides easy access to downtown, the airport, Interstate 40, and the beach while bypassing the most congested parts of Wilmington.

Do



 * Hit the beach! There are several beaches to choose from in Wilmington: Wrightsville Beach, Carolina Beach, and Kure Beach. Wrightsville and Carolina Beach are crowded in the summer, but there are always good views and good times. Wrightsville Beach (follow US 74 or US 76 east) has two piers, one owned by a restaurant, the Oceanic, and the other is a public pier. The original wooden public pier was destroyed by a hurricane in 1996 and has since been rebuilt with cement pilings. This pier also has an arcade for those interested. Carolina Beach (head south on S. College Road) has a board walk with an arcade, several restaurants, an ice cream shop, and a pier.
 * Hit the beach! There are several beaches to choose from in Wilmington: Wrightsville Beach, Carolina Beach, and Kure Beach. Wrightsville and Carolina Beach are crowded in the summer, but there are always good views and good times. Wrightsville Beach (follow US 74 or US 76 east) has two piers, one owned by a restaurant, the Oceanic, and the other is a public pier. The original wooden public pier was destroyed by a hurricane in 1996 and has since been rebuilt with cement pilings. This pier also has an arcade for those interested. Carolina Beach (head south on S. College Road) has a board walk with an arcade, several restaurants, an ice cream shop, and a pier.

Learn

 * University of North Carolina Wilmington, 601 S. College Rd., +1 910 962-3000.
 * Cape Fear Community College, 411 N. Front St., +1 910 362-7000.
 * New Hanover County Public Library, 201 Chestnut St., +1 910 798-6301.

Buy
There is plenty of shopping to be done in Wilmington. Downtown has many neat clothing and shoe stores. Most notable is a cluster of eight historic buildings called The Cotton Exchange. The Cotton Exchange offers a variety of shopping and dining opportunities all in a charming turn of the century setting. Parking for visitors to The Cotton Exchange is free.

Independence Mall off of Oleander Drive is a respectable mall. Its major department stores are Dillards, JC Penney, and Belk's. There are a plethora of other shops to browse as well.

Mayfaire is all outdoor but very nice. If you are in good health, you should have no problem parking in one place and walking around the mall. It's sort of upscale (but not out of reach of the average family) with Belk's and such. It also has an incredibly large and nice movie theater. Definitely the best in town. There are also condos upstairs to some of these buildings. They are costly, but very beautiful. It is a gorgeous place to walk around and shop for the day.

Eat
Something Wilmington is not short on is restaurants. No matter what kind of dining you are craving, it can be found.

Drink

 * Port City Java Wilmington, among other things, is known for their coffee. Port City Java, which was founded in this small town and has now gone global, has an excellent selection of coffee, bagels, and other varieties of café specialties. A local favorite.

Connect
The area code for Wilmington is 910.

The Time Warner Cable Store in Independence Mall has free internet kiosks set and free wifi access.

Internet access is available at Bella's Sweets & Spirits 19 Market St. Historic Downtown Wilmington, NC, +1 910 762-2777. Bella's Sweets & Spirits is an Italian-style coffee bar that offers free wireless high speed internet access and allows use of their in house computers for a fee. Prices range from $1.25 to $6.75.

Additionally, there is an Internet Café adjacent to the public parking lot below the Pier Arcade in Wrightsville Beach. This is at approximately Public Beach Access entrance 15.

The City of Wilmington also offers free wireless internet access in several areas of downtown. Citi Port Wireless Internet access is a free service provided by the city for citizens along Riverwalk, restaurants and businesses in central downtown. The service is accessible along the central part of Water Street and the foot of Market Street.

Crime
Due to several low-income neighborhoods located near the Front Street nightlife district and the fact that the nightlife attracts a hefty group of college students and US military personnel from nearby Camp Lejeune Marine Corps base, Wilmington does have a slightly higher crime rate than would be expected from a city of its size. When walking through unfamiliar neighborhoods/areas (particularly at night), exercise the standard level of awareness and caution and try to travel in groups. During late weekend nights, alcohol-fueled fights on Front Street are not unheard of. Typically this occurs around the time bars begin closing at 2:30-3:30AM The police are typically on top of disturbances, however, and such fights serve more as a public nuisance than a threat to safety. The Front Street riverfront nightlife district typically has a considerable mounted police presence on busy nights able to handle any disruptions.

There are several neighborhoods that have reputations as crime spots, but these areas offer nothing of interest to the visitor and are best avoided altogether. Do not mistakenly, particularly at night, wander into low-income neighborhoods that border the riverfront/Front Street district. Violent crime has been known to happen in these areas.

Always be aware of your surroundings. Front Street is quite a busy area; if you find yourself suddenly in an area lacking in pedestrian traffic, there is probable a reason for it so immediately turn around.

A real-time map  of reported crimes in Wilmington is available.

Beach and water safety

 * Wrightsville Beach Fire Department, 321 Causeway Dr., Wrightsville Beach, +1 910 256-7900. Includes the Ocean Rescue Squad (beach lifeguards).
 * Carolina Beach Lifeguards Information 

Tropical storms
Because Wilmington is on the coast, there is a possibility that a tropical storm system could affect the Wilmington area during hurricane season (June 1 - November 30). Stay informed about any systems and be prepared if one is expected to make landfall in the area. For hurricane safety and preparation tips pick up a hurricane tracking map at a local grocery store.

Pet health
Just in case a non-human companion needs medical treatment or to be boarded during your travels:

Go next

 * Carolina Beach – a beach town, plus a state park famous for carnivorous plants
 * Kure Beach – a quiet beach town, plus an aquarium and a Civil War fort
 * Southport Take the ferry on a day trip from Wilmington to this quaint little town. Stroll along the sidewalks, check out the antique shops, historic homes, grab a bite to eat, and experience true southern hospitality. Unfortunately, with the plans to build a new port and the building of condos and strip malls, this gem will eventually go the way of the dodo bird. See it now before its gone.