Last Updated:
1/14/23
Wilmington, NC
Below is a list of the best places I would visit on a trip to this location. My picks fit my personality and interest. Everyone has a different interest so you may not like everything I listed which is fine. If you like a place, I recommend saving it to Google Maps for a future trip down the road. I made sure to include the address or GPS to make it easier to find. You can find out more about me in the "About Me" section to see if we share common interests.
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Breakfast
Britts Donut Shop
11 Carolina Beach Ave N, Carolina Beach, NC 28428
The Only Item The Serve
Glazed Donut: That is the only item they sell, and when you are the best on the planet at making them, you can get away with just one food item food board.
Cash Only
A Donut: $1.00
Half Dozen: $6.00
Dozen Donuts: $11.50
They Do Offer Beverages
Hours: (Very Seasonal)
Last Day of Season 9/11/22
Daily 8:30 am - 10 pm
Order Online: No
Best Glazed Donut Anywhere, Sorry Krispy Kreme Not You
The Basics
319 N Front St, Wilmington, NC 28401
Sample Menu of What I Would Order
Blueberry Oatmeal Pancakes: with Maple Syrup & Walnut Butter includes One Side $13.75
Southern Benedict: Buttermilk Biscuit, Over Easy Eggs, Coca Cola House-Smoked Ham, and Topped with Sausage Gravy. One Side Included $13.75
The B.E.L.T: Classic BLT with Housemade Mayo and Fried Egg on the Sandwich. One Side Included $12.75
Hours: (Focus On Breakfast Time)
Monday to Friday 8 am - 11 am
Saturday & Sunday 10 am - 3 pm
Order Online: Yes
Voted Best Brunch in Wilmington
Activities
Battleship North Carolina
You have an opportunity to board a fully restored WWII battleship and explore the nine levels of the ship. During World War II, the ship participated in every major naval offensive in the Pacific and earned 15 battle stars. When visiting, try to go either on "Battleship 101" or "Battleship Alive" event day because it's a chance to learn more about the ship from expert volunteers at no added cost.
SINGLE DAY ADMISSION:
Adult - $14.00
Child(6-11) - $6.00
Senior(65+) - $10.00
1 Battleship Rd NE, Wilmington, NC 28401
Hours:
Daily 8 am - 4 pm; Ship Closes at 5 pm
Hidden Battleship 2023 - March 11, May 13, and Nov 11th
Cape Fear Museum
The museum is located in the heart of Wilmington and has a handful of exhibits on display. Most of the Cape Fear Museum exhibits deal with the local region. The two exhibits that interest me the most would be Michael Jordan, his days in North Carolina, and the replica of a giant ground sloth skeleton with additional information about the animal.
SINGLE DAY ADMISSION:
Adult - $8.00
Youth(6-17) - $5.00
Senior - $7.00
814 Market St, Wilmington, NC 28401
Hours:
Monday Closed
Tuesday to Saturday 9 am - 5 pm
Sunday 1 pm - 5 pm
New Exhibit: FIRE! - From May 20, 2022, to November 26th, 2023
North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher
North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher is one of three aquariums along the coast of North Carolina. You can take a tour of many unique habitats throughout the aquarium, for example, freshwater streams, coastline, and ocean. All of them play a significant role in North Carolina's ecosystem. The latest exhibit, “Otters on the Edge," is a 3,000-square-foot playground for Asian small-clawed otters. (My favorite type of animal)
SINGLE DAY ADMISSION:
Adult - $12.95
Child(3-12) - $10.95
Senior(62+) - $11.95
900 Loggerhead Rd, Kure Beach, NC 28449
Hours:
Daily 9 am - 5 pm
Otters are in their Habitat Daily 9 am - 3:45 pm
Bellamy Mansion Museum
Tour a 10,000-square-foot, a twenty-two-room mansion built in the mid-1800s, the Bellamy Mansion is the best example of antebellum architecture in North Carolina. You can explore most of the property on your own, including the five-story mansion and two-story slave quarters.
SINGLE DAY ADMISSION:
Adult - $15.00
Students(6-17) - $7.00
Senior(62+) - $13.00
Adult Premium Tour - $20.00
Student Premium Tour $10.00
503 Market St, Wilmington, NC 28401
Hours:
Daily 10 am - 4 pm
Premium In-Person Tours Offered at 10 am, Noon, and 2 pm When Available
Food
The Fork 'N' Cork
122 Market St, Wilmington, NC 28401
Hours:
Sunday to Thursday 11 am - 10 pm
Friday & Saturday 11 am - 11 pm
Order Online: No
Sample Menu of What I Would Order
Classic Poutine (Appetizer): Crispy Fries Topped with Wisconsin White Cheese Curds and Housemade Veal-Duck Gravy $13.00
Kreider Burger: Extra Bacon, Peanut Butter, Served on a Brioche Bun $14.00
Kyle Style Burger: Texas BBQ Brisket, Cheddar, BBQ Sauce, Pickle, Onion, and Mustard $16.00
Pimento Chz Burger: House Pimento Cheese, Bacon Jam, Lettuce, Tomato $15.00
Coming Here For The Burger
Casey's Buffet
5559 Oleander Dr, Wilmington, NC 28403
Sample of Buffet Menu
Served Daily: BBQ Pork, Fried Chicken, Catfish, Fat Back, Mac-N-Cheese, Hushpuppies, Banana Pudding, and so much more
Wednesday: BBQ Pork Chops, Chicken Gizzards & Country Livers, Meatloaf, and Beef Ribs
Thursday: Squash Casserole, Brunswick Stew, Baked Spaghetti, and Hamburger Steak
Friday: BBQ Pork Ribs, Fried Shrimp, and Carved Roast Beef
Saturday: Hot Wings, Fried Pork Chops, Hamburger Steak, Fried Shrimp, and Carved Roast Beef
Sunday: Turkey, Ham, Roast Beef, BBQ Chicken, Cornbread, and Homemade Biscuits
Hours:
Monday & Tuesday Closed
Weds & Thursday 11 am - 5 pm
Friday to Sunday 11 am - 9 pm
Order Online: Yes
Been Here, The Food is Amazing and Very Friendly Staff - Highly Recommend
Boombalatti's Homemade Ice Cream
1127 Military Cutoff Rd #B, Wilmington, NC 28405
Flavor Samples From Menu (Seasonal)
Banana Pudding
Gingerbread
Cannoli
Chocolate Cream Pie
Cinnamon Caramel Oatmeal Cookie
Key Lime Pie
Christmas Tree Cakes
Hours:
Daily Noon - 10 pm
Order Online: Yes
Price (April 2021): Small (Two Scoops) $4 | Medium (Three Scoops) $6 | Large (Four Scoops) $7.50
Places to Stay
FYI: The hotel prices are estimated and will most likely fluctuate since I looked them up on their website. I will keep them updated the best I can every three months. I look for the cheapest available room, usually a queen bed. I typically look at book rates two months in advance and in the middle of the month to get average rates. Reminder: It is an ESTIMATE
Hotel Ballast Wilmington
Sits in Downtown Wilmington Along the Cape Fear River
Outdoor Pool, Patio, and Fire Pit
On-Site Restaurant, Board & Barrel, Serving Sustainable Southern Cuisine
View of Battleship North Carolina
301 N Water St, Wilmington, NC 28401
Estimated Cost for Weekend Night (without tax/fee)
King Bed Riverview in July 22' - $326
King Bed Historic View in Oct 22' - $338
King Bed Historic View in Dec 22' - $158
King Bed Riverview in April 23' - $330
Walking Distance, Two Amazing Restaurants, The Basics and Fork N Cork
Blockade Runner Beach Resort
Family Owned and Operated Since 1964
Provide Guests with Unique Opportunities like an American Sailing Association Certified Sailing School, Eco-paddle Tours, Harbor Cruises, Surfing, and Many Other Unique Programs
Only Available Oceanfront Gardens on Wrightsville Beach Island
EAST Oceanfront Dining, Sit on the Canopied Garden Deck and Enjoy Fresh Local Seafood
275 Waynick Blvd, Wrightsville Beach, NC 28480
Estimated Cost for Weekend Night (without tax/fee)
Harborfront King in June 22' - $509
Harborfront King in Oct 22' - $345
Harborfront King in Dec 22' - $179
Harborfront King in April 23' - $305
Spend a Day at the Beach
21 and up fun
Hi-Wire Brewing Wilmington
1020 Princess St, Wilmington, NC 28401
SAMPLE OF BEER MENU
Lo-Pitch Hazy IPA: IPA - American | 5.5% ABV | 45 IBU
Pink Lemonade Session Sour Ale: Sour - Fruited | 4.2% ABV | 5 IBU
Strongman Coffee: Stout - Milk | 5.3% ABV
Cold Wave: Hazy IPA | 8.0% ABV
Cherry Parfait: Sour - Smoothie | 7.8% ABV
Hours
Monday to Thursday: 3 pm - 10 pm
Friday & Saturday: Noon-Midnight
Sunday: Noon - 9 pm
Large Bar Features Twenty-One Taps of Hi-Wire Beers
Food Trucks: Yes
Flying Machine Brewing Company
3130 Randall Pkwy, Wilmington, NC 28403
SAMPLE OF BEER MENU
Electronic Fog: Hazy IPA | 6.3% ABV
Boat Soda: Key Lime Cream Ale | 5.0% ABV
Escape From LGR MTN: American Rice Lager | 5.2% ABV
Ink Jet: Double IPA | 8.5% ABV
Bag Lunch: Peanut Butter Jelly Ale | 6.5% ABV
Monday: Noon - 9 pm
Tues to Thurs: Noon - 10 pm
Friday: Noon - 11 pm
Saturday: 11 am - 11 pm
Sunday: 11 am - 9 pm
Taproom Features Taps Taps of Beers, Cider, and Wine. Also Second Story Patio
Food Trucks: Yes
Again these are just few of my picks that fit my personality and interest. If you feel that I left one-off that may interest me or other people, message me on Facebook about the location. I value a person's opinion and never just discard the information. Always looking forward to learning about new places to add to my Google Map. ~ Shawn
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The Summary in Activities Uses OpenAI. (2024). ChatGPT (3.5) [Large language model]. https://chat.openai.com