Winter Things to Do

SEASONAL HAPPENINGS

Sip and savor the area’s craft coffee scene at Wilmington Coffee Fest Jan. 29. There is always something special happening for a Valentine’s getaway, including a festive race Feb. 12 in Wrightsville Beach. Lace up your running shoes and race through Wilmington during the Novant Health Wilmington, NC Marathon Feb. 26, a Boston Marathon qualifier. Celebrate Wilmington’s vibrant culinary scene during the Port City Taste Restaurant Week  Feb. 21 – March 6, where participating restaurants will prepare unique selections specifically for the festivities.

WHAT’S NEW IN 2022

Wilmington and our island beaches continue to expand, offering visitors more places to explore, adventures to go on and flavors to savor. Discover what's new in Wilmington’s neighborhoods, including Three10 and The Kitchen Sink, two new restaurants in the city’s Brooklyn Arts District. Or, head over to the Cargo District and raise a glass of wine at Bottles, a wine bar featuring organic and vegan wines. Venture to our nearby island beaches and take the whole family on an adventure with Wrightsville Beach Scenic Tour’s brand-new private family beach parties or cruise around Carolina Beach with Island Cruises' new seasonal family-friendly narrated sunset cruises or take your cruise fun to the next level with their moonlit cruises featuring dance music and strobe lights. Go under the sea at the North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher to check out their three new exhibits debuting this year: a Caribbean Corals habitat, a mega-sized jellyfish exhibit and a new habitat for two rescued owls.

EXPLORE CITY’S STORIED PAST

Spanning more than 230 blocks, Wilmington is home to one of the largest National Register Historic Districts in the South. Wander through historic house museums like the Bellamy Mansion Museum of History & Design, Burgwin-Wright House and Gardens or the Latimer House Museum or explore at your own pace with the Wilmington History eTours App. The first city in the country to be designated an American World War II Heritage City, Wilmington is also home to the WWII Battleship NORTH CAROLINA. Take a guided tour, offered daily, and learn the history of WWII’s most decorated battleship, one of U.S. News & World’s top 23 things to do in North Carolina. 

Explore African American history at Cameron Art Museum. Boundless, the museum’s newest public sculpture, sits on the site of The Battle of Forks Road, a significant Civil War skirmish where the United States Colored Troops defeated the Confederate Army. After walking the grounds around the bronze sculpture, venture inside to visit Voices of Future’s Past, a Stephen Hayes exhibition. In this exhibition, Hayes, who sculpted Boundless, explores the legacy of Black Americans.

ESCAPE TO THE BEACH

Bask in the feel-good glow of the sunshine at our nearby island beaches: Carolina Beach, Kure Beach and Wrightsville Beach. Enjoy a hike at Fort Fisher State Recreation Area's Basin Trail or one of Carolina Beach State Park's nine trails, two of which are wheelchair accessible. Stay on dry land and walk or jog along the 1.2 mile Island Greenway in Carolina Beach or 2.5 miles of The Loop in Wrightsville Beach. Plan a romantic getaway at full-service resorts with spectacular waterfront views. Find your zen with yoga classes on the beach or pier.

TASTE OF THE NIGHTLIFE

Spend an entertaining evening at The Wilson Center, the largest and most technologically advanced performance center in eastern North Carolina. Their lineup offers everything from Broadway shows to symphonies, concerts and more. This winter, catch Beautiful: The Carole King Musical Jan. 25-27, CATS Feb. 1-3 and more. Grab a local brew at Lush’s outdoor beer garden and then head inside to laugh the night away at Dead Crow Comedy Room. Indulge in craft cocktails with stunning riverfront views at Sauce’d in downtown Wilmington or the city’s newest rooftop bar, aView, located in Aloft Wilmington at Coastline Center. On the fourth Friday of every month, take a self-guided tour to view various art exhibitions across mediums including oils, watercolors, metals, ceramics and more during a Fourth Friday Gallery Night.

Get a Head Start on Spring

Triggered by colder temperatures and months of early sunsets, wanderlust is strong, and the sunshine, sand and sea are calling. Whether you’re looking to find a riverfront view in downtown Wilmington, an oceanfront or marina view in one of our island beaches, area lodging options are endless. Discover vacation rentals with all the conveniences of home or historic Bed & Breakfasts that embrace the tradition of days gone by. It’s not too early to get your spring and summer reservations made before they sell out so begin planning your coastal escape now.