FAQ

Yes! Please call us at (910) 341-4030 with your information questions and requests or you can request information.

The University of North Carolina Wilmington is located at 601 S. College Road, Wilmington, NC 28403. Find more information about the university including things to do on campus and places to stay nearby.

Yes! Please contact our Sales and Services team who can assist you with your questions and planning.  Find more information on Meetings & Conventions, Groups & Weddings or planning a Sports Event, including venues, services and more.

Sales and use tax on purchases, including food, clothing, and other retail are taxed at the rate of 7%, grocery store food designed to take home is 2%, and prepared food at restaurants is 7%. In addition to the 7% sales tax, there is a local county room occupancy tax at a rate of 6%.

The City of Wilmington has 800+ metered spaces downtown, four parking decks and two surface lots. Decks on 2nd Street are free the first 90 minutes. You can park free of charge at on-street meters after 6:30 p.m. daily and all day Sunday. Parking in metered spaces is $1.50 per hour and is enforced Monday - Saturday, 9:00 a.m. - 6:30 p.m. Metered on-street parking for those with properly displayed, valid handicapped placards is free of charge. Find more parking information including a map of city lots available.

One hour parking is available on some downtown residential streets. Be sure to observe all posted parking signs and time limits on residential streets in downtown Wilmington as some are permit-based only.

Bike Cycles Shop rents bicycles and provides delivery for a fee. Shore Break Bikes offers bicycle rentals for pick-up as do many outfitters at our island beaches. Find a full list of bicycle rental outfitters and more information about bicycling in the area including trails and self-guided bicycle tours.

The Gary Shell Cross-City Trail and River to Sea Bikeway are two of the major bicycle trails found in Wilmington. Find biking trail maps for the Wilmington area and information on biking and nature trails.

No, the Wilmington Riverwalk is designed for pedestrians. Find information about bicycling and nature trails in the area including trails and self-guided bicycle tours.

For information on free beach ability equipment and services, call Carolina Beach Parks and Recreation at (910) 458-2977, Kure Beach Fire Department at (910) 458- 2014, Fort Fisher State Recreation Area at 910-458-5798 and/or Wrightsville Beach Parks and Recreation at (910) 256- 7925. Find a list of handicap accessible hotels, restaurants and attractions. For more vacation and travel information for people with disabilities, visit ACCESS North Carolina.

The azaleas generally bloom in early spring. Experience the blooms at our parks and gardens. The North Carolina Azalea Festival is a celebration of Wilmington's exceptional artwork, gardens, rich history and culture during its five days of pageantry taking place annually in April.

Some museums are handicap accessible. Accessible museum sites include the upper deck of the Battleship NORTH CAROLINA, Cape Fear Museum of History and Science, Wilmington Railroad Museum, Cameron Art Museum and the NC Aquarium at Fort Fisher. Find a full list of handicap accessible museums.

From October 1 - March 31, dogs are allowed on the beaches and must always be on a leash. Dogs are prohibited on Kure and Wrightsville Beaches from April 1 - September 30. Carolina Beach allows dogs on the beach before 9 a.m. and after 5 p.m. from April 1 - September 30. Owners must always remove their dog’s waste. Find a list of pet friendly lodging facilities that allow pets in guest rooms or call (866) 534-0845 for local kennel information. 

Dog parks in the Wilmington area include:

• Empie Park, Wilmington
• Long Leaf Park, Wilmington
• Joe Eakes Park, Kure Beach
• Mike Chapell Park, Carolina Beach
• Ogden Park, Wilmington

North Carolina Jazz Festival, North Carolina Azalea Festival, Seafood, Blues & Jazz Festival, Carolina Beach Music Festival, Riverfest, Cape Fear Kite Festival, NC Holiday Flotilla and Festival in the Park, and Island of Lights Festival are just a few festivals taking place annually. Find a list of all festivals searchable by date and region.

A great way to see the Venus flytraps, and other carnivorous plants is at the Carolina Beach State Park or Stanley Rehder Carnivorous Plant Garden.

There are various tours to learn about the area including Springbrook Farms horse drawn tours; river tours with either Cape Fear Riverboats or the Wilmington Water Tours. Take a Ghost Walk of Old Wilmington at night or Tour Old Wilmington with a Victorian tour guide. Find more information on guided and self-guided tours.

Tour Wilmington on a variety of informative tours, including History Tours, Arts Tours, Historic Homes Tours, Famous Film Sites, Haunted Tours and Food and Brew Tours, or set out on a cruise to explore Wilmington and our Island Beaches from the water. Find more information on guided and self-guided tours, including tours in Carolina, Kure and Wrightsville Beaches.

Follow the self-guided walking tour of One Tree Hill filming locations.

Follow the self-guided walking tour of Dawson’s Creek filming locations.

In downtown Wilmington you can fish the Cape Fear River at the Conlon Pier on the Wilmington Riverwalk. Our coastal destination is a fisherman’s paradise with both saltwater and freshwater options available throughout Wilmington and on our island beaches. Find more fishing opportunities including charters, piers, shore fishing and more.

For kayak rentals, please contact Kayak Carolina, Wrightsville Kayak Company or Pleasure Island Rentals. For boat rentals, please contact Nauti-Times Rentals or Carolina Beach Pontoon Rentals. Find more information on a full range of water activities, including rental outfitters.

Gift shops and boutiques offer a range of souvenirs to take home. Find a list of places to buy souvenirs or see a full list of shopping options.

Yes. All of our beaches are USLA Certified with lifeguards on duty every day from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend.

Yes! There are several restaurants located on the Cape Fear River. On the south end of the riverfront is Anne Bonny’s Bar and Grill, The George on the Riverwalk, Elijah’s Restaurant and the Pilot House Restaurant.  On the north end of the riverfront is Board & Barrel Coastal Kitchen (inside Hotel Ballast), Steam Restaurant & Bar (inside the Embassy Suites Wilmington Riverfront Hotel) and Marina Grill. 

Dixie Grill has been serving breakfast to Wilmingtonians since the early 1900s. You can also have breakfast at The Basics at the Cotton Exchange. Pick up to-go donuts from Wake n Bake or grab a bagel sandwich from Tugboat Tony’s, Beach Bagels. Restaurant options are plentiful downtown and throughout Wilmington and our Island Beaches. Find a full list of breakfast and brunch options.

There are numerous coffee shops in downtown including Bespoke Coffee and Dry Goods, 24 South Coffee House and Java Dog at the Cotton Exchange. Midtown’s Bitty & Beau’s is well known for their inclusive workforce and Port City Java is a local go-to found throughout the city. Find more coffee places to perk up your day.

Wilmington and our island beaches are known for fresh seafood. Downtown, midtown, along the coast, and everywhere in between, a variety of restaurants are serving up fresh-caught seafood dishes prepared sautéed, grilled, blackened, fried and in more creative ways — too many to mention. Savor fresh flavors at Catch prepared by a Top Chef celebrity, Seabird where a James Beard Best Chef nominee creates dishes using local seafood and artisanal ingredients. Seafood lovers of all ages enjoy the casual environments at Shuck n Shack Oyster Bar and Fish Bites Seafood Restaurant. Locals and visitors alike have been enjoying Hieronymus Seafood Restaurant & Oyster Bar and Boathouse Restaurant, both serving up Calabash style seafood for decades. Find a full list of seafood restaurant options including those on our island beaches.

Have rooftop drinks with a view at Cloud 9 Rooftop Bar located along the riverfront at the Embassy Suites Wilmington Riverfront Hotel, Reel Café or The Rooftop Bar at North Front Theatre. Relax riverfront at Board & Barrel Coastal Kitchen in Hotel Ballast or Elijah’s, Pilot House, The George on the Riverwalk, Marina Grill and Smoke on the Water or enjoy a drink on a floating barge at Anne Bonny’s Bar & Grill. Walk out to a tiki bar on the pier or settle in along the waterway with marina views at our island beaches. Find many spots to have craft cocktails with a great view.