OUR FAVORITE RESTAURANTS:

Finer Dining:

Tarantelli's - our favorite Italian spot downtown
-102 S 2nd St, Wilmington, NC 28401

The George (Now River 128) - water front fine dining on the River Walk
-128 S Water St, Wilmington, NC 28401

The Pilot House - water front dining on the River Walk
-2 Ann St, Wilmington, NC 28401

Three10 - seafood restaurant in the Brooklyn Arts District (Catie loves their GF hushpuppies!)
-1022 N 4th St, Wilmington, NC 28401

Burgers and Sandwiches:

Fork N' Cork - burgers featured on Diners Drive - Ins and Dives! They do not take reservations so get there early (small restaurant)
- 122 Market St, Wilmington, NC 28401

Rooster & the Crow - Burgers, sandwiches and other yummy foods with a southern twist
-225 S Water St Suite G & H, Wilmington, NC 28401

Front Street Brewery - great nachos and chicken salad too!
-9 N Front St, Wilmington, NC 28401

Rebellion NC - huge pretzels, nachos and tasty burgers! Cute courtyard with live music most weekends!
-15 S Front St, Wilmington, NC 28401

Pizza:

Benny's Big Time Pizzeria - In the South Front District (next to one of our favorite bars - Satellite!) get the chicken parmesan bites!
-206 Greenfield St, Wilmington, NC 28401
I Love NY: NY style pizza small storefront in heart of downtown
-28 N Front St, Wilmington, NC 28401

Ponysaurus Brewing Co. - brewery downtown with nice outdoor seating area and bar! -214 Market St, Wilmington, NC 28401

Wrightsville Beach Restaurants:

Oceanic - seafood, ocean views and good sangria!!
-703 S Lumina Ave, Wrightsville Beach, NC 28480

Tower 7 Baja Mexican Grille 
-4 N Lumina Ave, Wrightsville Beach, NC 28480

South Beach Grille- upscale casual dining spot
-100 S Lumina Ave, Wrightsville Beach, NC 28480

King Neptune Restaurant- really good scallops!
-11 N Lumina Ave, Wrightsville Beach, NC 28480

Trolly Stop- local hot dog chain!
-94 S Lumina Ave, Wrightsville Beach, NC 28480

Other favorites:

Block Taco - taco stand next to Satellite bar in South Front District
-120 Greenfield St #B, Wilmington, NC 28401
CheeseSmith - grilled cheese restaurant in Cargo District
-624 S 17th St, Wilmington, NC 28401

Hieronymous Seafood Restaurant & Oyster Bar - seafood restaurant with fresh caught seafood
-5035 Market St, Wilmington, NC 28405

Indochine - Thai and Vietnamese food - really cool outdoor eating area!
-7 Wayne Dr, Wilmington, NC 28403

BEACHES:

Wrightsville Beach - parking is limited during the spring/summer months. Parking is $5/hour or $25/day. If you are planning to head here the earlier the better!

Carolina Beach - more parking here but still best to go earlier to be safe! Parking lots are $6/hour and street parking is $5/hour. If you are looking for a beach with more tourist attractions and a boardwalk this may be the beach for you!

OTHER THINGS TO DO:

Battleship North Carolina - tour a WW2 battleship! Tickets are $14 for adults, $10 for seniors and $10 for active or retired military for the tour. You should allot yourself at least 2 hours to tour the whole ship, it is a lot of climbing and some tight spaces but very cool!

Airlie Gardens - tour this 67 acre garden and enjoy the big oak trees, flowers in bloom, fountains and pretty views of the water. $10 admission fee.

Fort Fisher Aquarium - not the largest aquarium but it’s a good time and has a wide variety of species! You must reserve tickets before going to the aquarium! Tickets are $12.95 for adults, $11.95 for seniors (62+) and military.

The Cotton Exchange, Chandler’s Wharf, and the Old Wilmington City Market - cool small business shopping areas in downtown Wilmington! Good places to get some souvenirs!

Historical tours - tour any of the historical sites in downtown Wilmington - the Bellamy Mansion Museum of History and Design, the Burgwin-Wright House and Gardens, the Latimer House Museum, or take a ghost tour!

Greenfield Lake Park - go paddle boating, kayaking or canoeing on the lake, but beware because there are alligators in the water!

Film tours - take a self-guided tour of filming locations for a variety of shows/movies including: One Tree Hill, Dawson’s Creek and The Summer I Turned Pretty. Bet you didn’t know Wilmington was a Hollywood hub!

Explore historical downtown Wilmington and take a stroll on the River Walk along the Cape Fear River!