Cool Trip Ideas for Hot Summer Fun in Wilmington, NC
Get away to Wilmington and Island Beaches this summer where you’ll find endless ways to escape the heat. Get out on the water with a variety of activities and excursions perfect for the whole family at a waterpark and three island beaches, or cruise your way to river and sea breezes. Dance the nights away with live music or concerts at one of the area’s many outdoor waterfront venues. Whether you’re looking to enjoy tours, state parks, or watersports, cool off indoors at the aquarium or museums, or just relax oceanfront, make the most of your coastal vacation with an abundance of all-ages activities and things to do.
There’s something special about our coastal destination. From listening to the sounds of a vibrant city to tasting island flavors, it’s easy to thrill your senses with a vacation to Wilmington and our island beaches. Press play for the trip of a lifetime and discover experiences from river to sea that will stir your soul.
Enjoy live music and fireworks on the Carolina Beach Boardwalk every Thursday night through Labor Day or for classic seaside family fun, leave time to stroll along the Boardwalk where you’ll find amusement rides, fresh seafood, Carolina barbecue and sweet treats, like the famous Britt's Donuts. Take a walking tour each Tuesday through Sept. 6 with Federal Point Historical Society and learn about our historic Boardwalk. Pack a picnic and bring the whole family for Free Movies at the Lake each Sunday through Sept. 4.
Hear live tunes seaside at Kure Beach’s Boogie in the Park, every first and third Sunday through October at Ocean Front Park & Pavilion. Learn about local nesting sea turtles from the experts at Pleasure Island Sea Turtle project at Turtle Talks each Monday at 7 p.m. at the pavilion. Go under the sea at the North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher and learn about marine habitats and animals. Or, join princesses and fairytale friends at Ocean Front Park & Pavilion for story time, games and crafts during Story Time By the Sea every Wednesday through Aug. 17.
Savor fresh-from-the-sea meals at Oceanic and Bluewater Waterfront Grill while enjoying their weekly waterside live music series. Dive for Megalodon teeth on an aquatic safari or hang ten with a surf lesson or camp. For other ways to get on board, try your hand at stand-up paddleboarding with lessons for the whole family. The kids will love to hunt for buried treasure aboard a pirate-themed cruise with Wrightsville Beach Scenic Tours and adults can relax with a drink in hand on a chartered sunset sail with Soundside Adventures at Wrightsville Beach.
Make a splash in Jungle Rapids Family Fun Park’s wave pool, speed slides or lazy river. Or, take a break from the sun to play laser tag or mini golf. Visit the Children’s Museum of Wilmington where kids can interact with exhibits like the Art Room, Toddler Treehouse and Animal Alley. Parents and kids alike will enjoy exploring the Cape Fear Museum of History and Science’s new exhibition, Fire! The little ones will love touring a life-size caboose and exploring more than 20 operating scale model trains at the Wilmington Railroad Museum, which received the Guinness World Records(TM) certificate for the world’s longest model train.
There’s nothing like fresh seafood, cool beverages and outdoor dining on a summer vacation. Savor locally sourced seafood at the award-winning Seabird in historic downtown. Sip on local brews at Wilmington's oldest craft brewery, Front Street Brewery. Make your way to the South Front District to indulge in mouthwatering burgers and steaks at True Blue Butcher & Barrel or a delicious cheesy slice of pie at Benny’s Big Time Pizzeria. Take in spectacular river views while sipping craft cocktails on the Riverwalk at Sauce’d or from the rooftop bar at aView. Cool down with a sweet treat from GelaRto right off the Riverwalk. Bring your four-legged friends to the pet-friendly outdoor beer garden at Hi-Wire Brewing. Find kid-approved eats at Anne Bonny’s floating bar and grill or indulge in a steamer pot of snow crab legs, shrimp and oysters on the deck at Smoke on the Water.
