Fun Things to Do in Wilmington, NC
Locals call it Wilmywood. The nickname is not an exaggeration. More film and TV productions have shot here than almost anywhere outside Los Angeles.
The town earns its reputation well beyond the cameras too. A 1.75-mile boardwalk follows the Cape Fear River, a retired battleship sits anchored downtown and a live oak older than the country shades a historic garden.
Wilmington punches above its size, and these fun things to do in Wilmington, NC show why, from the Riverwalk to a battleship and a live oak that dates to 1545.
The Short Version
| Spot | Known For |
|---|---|
| The Riverwalk | 1.75 miles along the Cape Fear River |
| Battleship North Carolina | A WWII memorial saved by schoolchildren’s dimes |
| Wilmywood Studios | The largest film studio outside California |
| Airlie Gardens | A live oak dating to 1545 |
| Thalian Hall | A theater running continuously since 1858 |
Walk the Riverwalk Along the Cape Fear
The Riverwalk runs 1.75 miles along the Cape Fear River in downtown Wilmington, open around the clock and free to walk. USA Today readers have voted it one of the best riverfronts in the country.
Restaurants, cafes and shops line the boardwalk, including the historic Cotton Exchange. River cruises depart nearby for sightseeing trips and sunset tours.
Climb Aboard the Battleship North Carolina
The USS North Carolina fought through every major Pacific offensive of World War II and earned 15 battle stars before the Navy decommissioned it in the 1950s.
Wilmington residents raised money across the state to save the ship from the scrapyard. Schoolchildren mailed in dimes for an admission pass. The ship arrived at its permanent berth on the Cape Fear River in October 1961.
Fun Fact
The Battleship North Carolina was dedicated as a permanent memorial on April 29, 1962, after a statewide fundraising campaign kept it out of the scrapyard.
Current listings show an adult ticket near $15, but confirm the price and hours on the ship’s own site before you drive downtown. Plan about two to three hours aboard and wear shoes with grip for the steep ladders.
Spot Wilmywood’s Film Locations
Producer Dino De Laurentiis built Wilmington’s first movie studio in the 1980s. Frank Capra Jr. ran it, pulling in productions like Dawson’s Creek and One Tree Hill.
The studio now operates as Cinespace Studios, the largest film facility in the country outside California. More than 400 projects have filmed there since 1983. Downtown walking tours point out filming locations around the city. For another quiet coastal town with a fishing past, try our guide to Cedar Key.
Stand Under the Airlie Oak at Airlie Gardens
Sarah Green Jones began planting Airlie Gardens in 1901 on land named after her family’s home in Scotland. German landscape architect Rudolf Topel redesigned the grounds starting in 1906.
The Airlie Oak at the center of the gardens dates back to 1545, making it the largest live oak in North Carolina. Mount Lebanon Chapel, built around 1835, stands nearby as the oldest surviving church structure in the county.
Airlie Gardens lists about $10 for entry. Other listed prices are the Cape Fear Museum near $16, the Cameron Art Museum about $17, the Children’s Museum about $10 and the quirky Museum of the Bizarre about $3.
Catch a Show at Thalian Hall
Thalian Hall opened on October 12, 1858, built as both a theater and Wilmington’s city hall. It has stayed in continuous use ever since, making it one of the oldest working theaters in the country.
The building is the only surviving theater designed by architect John Montague Trimble. More than 700 performances fill its calendar every year.
Other stops that recur in 2026 guides include the Bellamy Mansion Museum, an antebellum house finished in 1861, and the Stanley Rehder Carnivorous Plant Garden. The Cape Fear Museum of History and Science was set to move to a new downtown building at 230 Grace Street in summer 2026, with a planetarium.
In spring the North Carolina Azalea Festival fills the downtown with parades and concerts, so book hotels early for that week. For a beach break, Wrightsville Beach is a short drive for surfing and sunbathing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Wilmington Punches Above Its Size
A small coastal city holds a working battleship, a 480-year-old oak and a film industry that rivals much bigger places, all within a few miles of each other.
More destinations sit in North America and Things to Do.
