Wilmington Attractions?

Alabamacoastie

Alabamacoastie

Adiutor vicinorum
Puddle Pirate
2A Bourbon Hound 2024
2A Bourbon Hound OG
Life Member
Multi-Factor Enabled
Joined
Feb 22, 2018
Messages
6,577
Location
Pittsboro, NC
Rating - 100%
75   0   0
HI friends. My wife, daughters (5yo and 7yo), and I have only been living in NC for two years (Pittsboro).

In those two years, we have not been to any NC beaches a single time.

Well, we finally planned a weekend in Wilmington from Thursday through Sunday (Aug 1st through the 4th.) We are staying at the Wilmington Marriott downtown each night. We already promised to take the kids to Jungle Rapids one day.

What else should we do? Are there any beaches, restaurants, attractions, that we should see while we are there?

This is our first trip to a NC beach and we love seafood. Any ideas of what we can do during that three day weekend?

Thank you in advance for any recommendations!
 
MacEntyre said:
Wilmington is not at the beach. It's way up the river from the ocean. Not far, but it ain't "the beach" atall!
Click to expand...
Well, that's the last time i let my wife "plan a trip to the beach ". Haha
 
mj1angier said:
Battleship North Carolina. It's close to downtown. They have a good water front for walking downtown.
Click to expand...
That sounds like a plan... My wife and i like restaurants. And, i like telling my daughters, "I used to live on a warship like this. Don't be a shithead like me. Go to college instead. "
 
jodyisaacs said:
Exactly

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Well, based on y'all's recommendations... I guess we'll spend 4 days exploring Wilmington.

And, then, another time we'll go to the "beach"...

On our next trip, to the beach, where should we go? Which beach?
 
Alabamacoastie said:
Well, based on y'all's recommendations... I guess we'll spend 4 days exploring Wilmington.

And, then, another time we'll go to the "beach"...

On our next trip, to the beach, where should we go? Which beach?
Click to expand...
Emerald Isle is nice
 
Alabamacoastie said:
Well, based on y'all's recommendations... I guess we'll spend 4 days exploring Wilmington.

And, then, another time we'll go to the "beach"...

On our next trip, to the beach, where should we go? Which beach?
Click to expand...
I can't help with that. I live in the other end of the state, and only travel to Wilmington for work a couple times a year. Only there 2 or 3 days at a time, and then in out. Really don't get to sight see. I'm sure you'll get lots of recommendations though. Be safe!

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk
 
You can do a day at the beach. It's 30-45 min away. And Fort Fisher and aqu are at a beach!
 
Lots of good info here. You can take the ferry to Southport and eat dinner at Frying Pan or Provisions, then hit the ice cream stand next door on the way out. There's a cool outfitter store in Southport and a big toy store next door to it.

Sometimes the ferry from the Aquarium to Southport and get backed up and you may have to wait until it comes back
 
Go to the snake museum.

It’s amazing.
 
Lots of beaches within easy driving distance to Wilmington. Britt’s donuts in Carolina beach is always a must for the wife and I when we travel that way. I second the battleship and the waterfront in Wilmington. Great choices. The beach at Ft Fisher is pretty nice and easy access if already at the aquarium.
 
Fish Bites is a favorite restaurant of ours. It is on the south end of Wilmington; you'll pass it on the way to the aquarium and Fort Fisher. It doesn't look like much from the outside but the food is good. Call ahead and get your name on the waiting list, they don't take reservations. https://www.fishbitesseafood.com/Home

There is a railroad museum on the waterfront that we enjoyed. http://www.wrrm.org/
 
Last edited:
Butter said:
Lots of good info here. You can take the ferry to Southport and eat dinner at Frying Pan or Provisions, then hit the ice cream stand next door on the way out. There's a cool outfitter store in Southport and a big toy store next door to it.

Sometimes the ferry from the Aquarium to Southport and get backed up and you may have to wait until it comes back
Click to expand...
Alabamacoastie said:
HI friends. My wife, daughters (5yo and 7yo), and I have only been living in NC for two years (Pittsboro).

In those two years, we have not been to any NC beaches a single time.

Well, we finally planned a weekend in Wilmington from Thursday through Sunday (Aug 1st through the 4th.) We are staying at the Wilmington Marriott downtown each night. We already promised to take the kids to Jungle Rapids one day.

What else should we do? Are there any beaches, restaurants, attractions, that we should see while we are there?

This is our first trip to a NC beach and we love seafood. Any ideas of what we can do during that three day weekend?

Thank you in advance for any recommendations!
Click to expand...
2nd 3rd and 4ths on provisions Best burger and coldest beer I've ever been served.
 
Butter said:
Lots of good info here. You can take the ferry to Southport and eat dinner at Frying Pan or Provisions, then hit the ice cream stand next door on the way out. There's a cool outfitter store in Southport and a big toy store next door to it.

Sometimes the ferry from the Aquarium to Southport and get backed up and you may have to wait until it comes back
Click to expand...
Good suggestions and you don't have to wait long for the ferry.
 
Ride down to Carolina beach to britts donuts(trust me you won’t regret it)

Then go to Michaelangelos pizza . Then take the fort fisher ferry to Southport and go to Provision Co for dinner
 
When my kids were that age we'd take them to Shell Island at the far end of Wrightsville Beach and stay in one of the condos for a week for what a weekend would normally cost since they were in year-round school and their first break came after Labor Day when all the rates went down. Just walk out the beach-side doors and down to the beach. At low tide they could walk out 100 yards in the water - almost to where the fishing boats were trolling. A day visit to the Battleship North Carolina was fun for them too. Still enjoy the pictures of them climbing on the AA guns and "steering" the ship. But as @Me. said - the kids just want to see the beach, the sand, the ocean. Trying to sight-see everything in a couple of days is nearly impossible. North Carolina has hundreds and hundreds of miles of shoreline and it is as varied as the whole state of "Variety Vacationland" is. Since you're new to NC I'd recommend going to your local library and see if they have back issues of "Our State" magazine. Pull the June and July issues for the last several years to get some ideas of what to do along the NC coast - where to go and what to see. You might even want to subscribe to it and see all the great places NC has to visit. We once took our boys on the lighthouse tour along the Outer Banks so they could visit all the NC lighthouses.
 
https://squigleysicecream.com/

Squigley's Ice cream is very good down at Carolina Beach. They make their own waffle cones too. Ask the girls about the Squigley, it's not a dip style icecream.
Say if you like Kitkat candy bar ,they grind the bar with the icecream. I think there is 3000 different combinations.
 
Pilot House & Elijah's on the waterfront downtown are/were the best seafood restaurants in town.

Deckhouse in Carolina Beach, Oceanic at Wrightsville Beach (the kids will love eating on the pier).

As far as beaches, we like Kure Beach the best. A block or two either side of the pier away from crowds for beach play, then take the kids to the pier for ice cream and walk out onto the pier to see the pelicans begging for the fishermen's catch.
 
Kilwin's has the best ice cream in the area, located not far from the waterfront. They also have many other locations around NC.
 
If you do the stuff at Ft. Fisher, drive to Carolina Beach and take the kids to Squigley's.

Next trip stay at Kure beach. It gives you easy access (15-20 min.) to all the things mentioned.
 
Burt Gummer said:
Ride down to Carolina beach to britts donuts(trust me you won’t regret it)

Then go to Michaelangelos pizza . Then take the fort fisher ferry to Southport and go to Provision Co for dinner
Click to expand...

Yes, Yes, a thousand times YES! Go get Britt's doughnuts and then go sit on the boardwalk and eat 'em. Eat 'em while they are almost too hot to eat!! Taking some back for "tomorrow" is not advised as they form a large, greasy, vaguely doughnut-like mass in the bottom of the bag. That's right, no KK-type flat box, you get your doughnuts in a plain white paper bag and you will like it like that!! Also, they serve coffee, Pepsi products, and (I think) milk ONLY and they ONLY take cash. Best hot glazed doughnut (the only kind they have) on the planet maybe!
 
I'll second Fish Bites seafood, it's about the best I've had in town. Cape Fear Seafood is a close second.

Downtown the Copper Penny has great pub food. Fork and Cork has the best fancy burgers in town that I know of.

At Kure beach Freddie's has the best pork chops that I've ever had.

On the Wrightsville Beach side of town Sweet and Savory is great for brunch or dinner.

K-38 in several places has an interesting take on Mexican, one of my favorites.

As far as attractions I think everyone has it pretty well covered. Be warned the battleship will be hot, no ac on board. It's a good time though.
 
My father was took us on a tour of the battleship. As former Navy having served on a destroyer built in the same era he showed us small details that would have been missed if he had not been there.

The great thing about this state is that you have the mountains and the sea. A lot to see and experience.

Sent from my SM-J320V using Tapatalk
 
Grits said:
My father was took us on a tour of the battleship. As former Navy having served on a destroyer built in the same era he showed us small details that would have been missed if he had not been there.

The great thing about this state is that you have the mountains and the sea. A lot to see and experience.

Sent from my SM-J320V using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

My mom remembers when they got money up to bring it home


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom