Water Experiences

Scenic Cruises and Excursions

Wilmington's riverfront is home-port to a variety of river cruises. Take a sightseeing trip up the Cape Fear River with Bizzy Bee Water Taxi or step aboard the stately Henrietta with Cape Fear River Boats to tour the city's riverfront. Set out on a sunset cruise with Wilmington Water Tours or learn about the cypress-lined riverside on a narrated cruise through nearby estuaries.

Our island beaches are active with island-hopping excursions and nature cruises. Explore the tours offered at Carolina Beach to find adventures by kayak and canoe, explore the peaceful shores and nearby coastal reserves near Kure Beach, or head to Wrightsville Beach where sailing adventures, sunset cruises and active eco-adventures await.

Water Activities

Wilmington and our Island Beaches are also home to a number of watersports and activities. Learn how to hang ten with a surf lesson taught by certified instructors, paddle through area waterways on a stand up paddleboard or kayak, cruise atop boats or jump in a sailboat and learn to be your own captain to explore the coastal waterways at Carolina Beach, Kure Beach and Wrightsville Beach. Various outfitters provide rentals, lessons and excursions for you to embark on the journey that suits your interests.

In Wilmington, Jungle Rapids Family Fun Park is the perfect spot for a day filled with all that the name implies: family fun. Jungle Rapids features a waterpark with a million-gallon wave pool, speed slides, sidewinder, super bowl, lazy river, volcano mountain and a kiddie splash pool.

Fishing Adventures

Anglers visiting Wilmington will find numerous places to bait a hook and drop a line – whether from the surf, piers, fishing charters or head boats. Offering inshore, nearshore and offshore fishing tours, cruises and family adventures, Feel Good Fishing Charters & Adventures offers a variety of fishing excursions. Book a four-, six- or eight-hour charter for fly-fishing or deep-sea fishing or partake in an old-fashioned fishing adventure using Scarborough reels from days past to get a feel for how anglers used to hook their catches of the day. Hot Ticket Fishing Charters specializes in offshore Gulf Stream and deep-sea bottom fishing charters, with half-day Spanish and Blues trips. The company also offers a half-day dolphin watching charter for those looking to see the bottle-nosed sea creatures dive through the waves.

For more ways to cast a line, visit Carolina Beach Fishing Center and Marina or Carolina Beach State Park, Wrightsville Beach's Johnnie Mercers Pier and Crystal Pier or one of the oldest fishing piers on the Atlantic Ocean, the Kure Beach Fishing Pier, among other options at Wilmington's nearby island beaches.