Wilmington, North Carolina

Wilmington has something for everyone, particularly water lovers – in mostly the right amounts – Amazing beaches and, a great Riverwalk along a delightful historic downtown. Charming old houses in tree-lined neighborhoods. New homes in subdivisions, open spaces in the middle of town (on purpose) Great mix of restaurants, with lots of outdoor space and an ever-evolving landscape. A very fun and eclectic art scene. It’s just the right size city to support a wide variety of bands and performers. The city encourages locally-owned businesses instead of chain stores and franchises. Small businesses are available at a higher density than in most other areas of the US.

A word of caution: Wilmington and the surrounding areas are in the hurricane zone. For the most part, people here take those warnings very seriously. The level of mayhem varies from storm to storm, but the resilient folks of the port city handle these situations about as well as any place in the world.

Of the colonial cities (Savannah, Charleston, and Wilmington), Wilmington is the most affordable, offers almost as many amenities, and better beaching, as the other cities for less money. The entertainment (movies, TV, and commercial) business is making a comeback, and many Research Triangle tech businesses are creating outposts in the Port City. Folks here welcome new people and visitors in a very friendly manner and with a high degree of sincerity.

Typical Day Here:

Overall Vibe: Fun city – looking to the future, while appreciating its history.

For the most part, there is almost no hustle and bustle. Your morning starts with a dog walk then in the car to work, stop for a coffee at your favorite neighborhood place, Fish tacos for lunch, note: you may be a bit bummed you can’t take the afternoon off. After work, someplace outside on a patio or deck with friends and a water view, stroll along the Riverwalk or Intercostal waterway watching the boats cruise by and enjoy the ocean breeze.

On weekends first stop is a farmer's market and then meet up with friends or family for some type of outdoor fun activity. On Sunday most folks start the day with a trip to church. Then maybe some boat-related fun or some relaxing front porch sitting. Which is a staple in Wilmington.

To see what locals get up to for fun in Wilmington, check out the calendar of events.

We highly recommend visiting Wilmington and staying in the community in a VRBO rather than a hotel to get a feel for living among the locals. You can also receive discounted travel fares via our partnership with Expedia.

Diatomahawk
1y ago
🦉🦉🦉🦉

Wilmington is an amazing place to live, but it might not shine through as much on a subreddit that mostly exists for shitting on the town.

Some positives:

-UNCW is an excellent college, one of very few that is not losing enrollment right now

-Music scene is growing, with Greenfield Lake Amphitheater being a beautiful venue right on the water. Lots of indie music/record stores

-Bike paths / public transportation expanding

-Three distinctly different areas with downtown, university area, and beach area.

-Don't like Wrightsville Beach? Go down to Carolina or Kure Beach for a completely different speed

-Lots of spectacular parks: Greenfield Lake, CB State Park, Halyburton, Hanover Pines, etc.

-Some unique businesses that are thriving: Cape Fear Games, lots of breweries, that weird shipping area (if you're into that).

For more reviews of what living in Wilmington is like from locals, check out The Reviews.