Whether you’re looking for a place with historic architecture, famous landmarks, museums, or something else, there are a lot of great day trips from Wilmington, NC.
Wilmington is a city with a lot of things to do, such as visiting the Battleship North Carolina, but there are also amazing places near the city that are a lot of fun to explore. From a beautiful small town where you can relax to a large city with many things to do and to see, there’s a fun day trip for everyone’s liking.
To help you find the best destination, I made this Wilmington day trips guide with a large variety of amazing places to visit for a day.
Day Trips from Wilmington, NC
Charleston, SC
Distance from Wilmington: 3.5 hours
You can reach the city of Charleston from Wilmington in less than 3.5 hours. Charleston, located in South Carolina, is its state’s most populous city.
The city dates back to the year 1670 and you can find many historic buildings in the city that you can see during a day trip.
The city’s downtown area with buildings with beautiful architectural styles and cobblestone streets is great to see during the day. One of the most iconic streets here is King Street, which is a street with many shops and restaurants.
Rainbow Row is a beautiful place to check out as well. This is a row of houses with all kinds of colors.
You can consider going to a museum during a day trip, and great museums are The Charleston Museum and the Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum.
In addition to that, you could go to the Dock Street Theatre at the end of your day trip to enjoy a live performance in a historic theater.
New Bern, NC
Distance from Wilmington: 1 hour and 45 minutes
New Bern, a small town that you can get to from Wilmington in about 1 hour and 45 minutes, is a place that used to be the capital of the state of North Carolina. It was the state’s first capital and was founded in the year 1710.
During a day trip from Wilmington to this town, you can check out some of the town’s historic buildings. For example, you can go to Tryon Palace, which was the official residence of the British governors of North Carolina.
New Bern is the place where the formula for Pepi-Cola was invented, and you can also go to the Birthplace of Pepi-Cola during a day trip to learn about the brand.
Furthermore, you can go to Brewery99, a brewery, to sample beer.
A great way to end your day trip is by seeing a show at the New Bern Civic Theatre.
Myrtle Beach, SC
Distance from Wilmington: 1.5 hours
Situated on South Carolina’s Atlantic coast is the city of Myrtle Beach. You can get to Myrtle Beach from Wilmington in less than 1.5 hours.
From fun attractions for all ages to performing arts theaters to places where you can enjoy views of the ocean, there’s a lot to do in the city.
One of the most fun sights in the city to check out during a day trip is SkyWheel Myrtle Beach. This is a very large Ferris wheel that is situated on the city’s oceanfront.
You can also go to Ripley’s Aquarium of Myrtle Beach to learn about marine animals.
Furthermore, the Carolina Opry Theater is a wonderful place to see a performance during your day trip.
Charlotte, NC
Distance from Wilmington: 3.5 hours
In about 3.5 hours, you can get to the state’s most populous city, Charlotte, from Wilmington.
There’s so much to see during a day making it one of the most fun day trips from Wilmington. From amazing museums to many different performing arts venues to great restaurants, there’s too much to fit in one day!
Some of the best museums in Charlotte include the NASCAR Hall of Fame, where you can learn about the popular race, Discovery Place Science, where you can learn about various aspects of science, and The Mint Museum, where you can see very diverse art.
Charlotte also has great venues for seeing sports. For example, you can see a game at the Bank of America Stadium to see a football game.
Optimist Hall is a wonderful food hall where you can choose from a wide variety of food options for dinner.
If you want to enjoy a performance, you can go to the Belk Theater at Blumenthal Performing Arts Center.
Alternatively, you can decide to go to Carowinds, which is an amusement park with many roller coasters that you can find in the city.
Cary, NC
Distance from Wilmington: 2 hours
You can get to the city of Cary, NC, in less than 2 hours. The city is a great place for a day trip because there are many things to do in Cary.
One of the best places in the city to go during your day trip is the Cary Arts Center, which is a place where you can see exhibitions of art and attend performances.
There are also many places where you can have a fun time. For example, you can go to Game On Escapes & More to play an escape game.
You can also go to the Bond Brothers Beer Company, which is a brewery where you can also often find food trucks.
The Cary Theater is another one of the city’s highlights. This is an intimate art house movie theater where you can see independent films, enjoy live music, or attend another type of event.
Raleigh, NC
Distance from Wilmington: 2 hours
Raleigh, NC, the state’s capital city, is a city that you can get to from Wilmington in less than 2 hours.
There are many things to do in Raleigh, including visiting great museums, going to places with art, attending a show at performing arts venues, and seeing historic buildings.
During a day trip to the city, you can go to one of Raleigh’s museums. Two of the city’s best museums are the North Carolina Museum of Art and the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences.
You can also have dinner at one of the city’s two food halls. These are the Transfer Co. Food Hall and the Morgan Street Food Hall. Both of these offer many diverse options for food.
It can also be interesting to visit and do a tour of the North Carolina State Capitol.
Some of the best things to do with kids in Raleigh include going to Frankie’s of Raleigh and going to an attraction at Pullen Park.
Beaufort, NC
Distance from Wilmington: 2 hours
Beaufort, NC, situated in Eastern North Carolina like Wilmington, is a wonderful small town that you can reach by car from Wilmington in about 2 hours.
Beaufort, NC, was established in 1713 and is one of the oldest towns in the state.
From historic sites to places with great views, Beaufort is a wonderful place with many things to do.
One of the best things to do in Beaufort is to go to the North Carolina Maritime Museum in Beaufort to learn about maritime history.
The Olde Beaufort Farmers’ Market can be great to go to as well.
Furthermore, several annual festivals take place in the town, such as the Beaufort Wine and Food Festival, and it might take place when you are doing a day trip.
Durham, NC
Distance from Wilmington: 2 hours and 15 minutes
From Wilmington, you can get to the city of Durham in about 2 hours and 15 minutes.
There are many great things to do in Durham, NC, that you can check out when you are spending a day in the city.
The American Tabacco Campus, a transformed complex that used to be a tobacco factory and where you can now find restaurants, shops, and venues for entertainment, is a wonderful place to check out.
The city is home to Duke University, and several organizations in the city are related to the university. One of these is the Duke Lemur Center, which is a center dedicated to the endangered group of mammals, lemurs. You can do a tour at the center and learn about these animals during a day trip.
You can also go to one of the city’s museums, such as the Nasher Museum of Art or the Duke Basketball Museum.
Furthermore, you could see a show at the Durham Performing Arts Center or The Carolina Theatre at the end of your day.
Pawleys Island, SC
Distance from Wilmington: 2 hours
Pawleys Island, located in South Carolina, is a beautiful small town that makes for a very fun day trip from Wilmington. You can reach Pawleys Island from the city of Wilmington by car in about 2 hours.
The town is located next to the Atlantic Ocean and there are many great places with ocean views in the town.
You can find great golf courses, incredible restaurants, and much more in the town of Pawleys Island.
A great activity during a day trip is to go to The Hammock Shops Village, which is a shopping center that dates back to the year 1938.
Furthermore, the town has great restaurants, including restaurants that offer live music.
Columbia, SC
Distance from Wilmington: 3 hours
The capital of South Carolina, Columbia, is a city that you can reach in about 3 hours.
From doing a tour of the South Carolina State House to going to a museum to seeing historic sites, there’s much to discover in Columbia during a day trip.
One of the city’s best museums is the Columbia Museum of Art, which is an art museum with a diverse collection of art from all around the world.
You can also go to the weekly European-style street market, Soda City Market, when you are doing this day trip. At this market, there are about 150 different vendors each week.
Also, when there’s an event that you like to attend, you can go to the Colonial Life Arena, and you could also go to the Riverbanks Zoo & Garden to see more than 2,000 animals and beautiful nature.
Winston-Salem, NC
Distance from Wilmington: 3.5 hours
By car, it takes about 3.5 hours to get to Winston-Salem from Wilmington.
From seeing art at the Reynolda House Museum of American Art to learning about history at Old Salem Museums & Gardens to seeing a baseball game at Truist Stadium, there are many fun things to do in Wilmington.
The city also has great restaurants where you can have delicious food. For example, you can go to Sweet Potatoes and enjoy delicious Southern food.
You can also find various good performing arts theaters and movie theaters in the city. For example, you can go to a/perture cinema to see independent movies, foreign language films, and other types of movies.
Southport, NC
Distance from Wilmington: 45 minutes
Southport, NC, is a small town in Brunswick County that is located near Wilmington. By car, it takes you only about 45 minutes to reach the town.
Southport is a historic maritime town with beautiful historic houses and a history that dates back to the 1500s. The town was featured in lots of movies and TV shows.
During your day trip to the town, you could go to an art gallery or antique store and explore the town’s art scene.
You can also go to the North Carolina Maritime Museum at Southport to learn about maritime history.
Richmond, VA
Distance from Wilmington: 3 hours and 45 minutes
Richmond, VA, the capital of Virginia, is a city with many things to do and see.
Whether you want to see historic sites, go to a museum to learn new things, or attend a show at a historic theater, you can do so in the city of Richmond.
Getting to the city of Richmond takes you about 3 hours and 45 minutes, which is a bit more than other day trips on this list, but the city is worth it!
One of the best sights to check out is the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, which is one of the largest museums in the country. You can find art here from all around the world.
You can also check out Maymont, The Poe Museum, or the White House of the Confederacy during your day trip.
Furthermore, the Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden, a large botanical garden in the city with beautiful nature, is a great place to go to attend an event. Lots of events take place here, including art exhibitions.
Fayetteville, NC
Distance from Wilmington: 1 hour and 45 minutes
The city of Fayetteville, NC, can be reached by car in about 1 hour and 45 minutes from Wilmington.
There’s a lot to do in Fayetteville, making the city one of the best day trips from Wilmington. The city is home to historic sites, such as the 1897 Poe House where you can do a free guided tour, and the Market House, great museums, such as the Museum of the Cape Fear, and great theaters.
There are also many great things to do with kids in Fayetteville. For example, you could go to the Fascinate-U Children’s Museum, which is a museum with interactive exhibits where children can learn while playing.
In addition to that, a great way to end your day in the city is by seeing a show at the Cape Fear Regional Theatre or by seeing a movie at the Cameo Art House Theatre.
Hillsborough, NC
Distance from Wilmington: 2.5 hours
From Wilmington, you can get to the small town of Hillsborough in about 2.5 hours by car.
Hillsborough is a lovely town that was founded in the year 1754. The town is situated on the banks of the Eno River.
The downtown area of Hillsborough is great to explore during a day trip. You can find many art galleries, unique boutiques, and local restaurants here.
Furthermore, you can see interesting historic architecture in Hillsborough and lots of annual events take place in the town.
Greensboro, NC
Distance from Wilmington: 3 hours
A day trip to the city of Greensboro is a great idea as there are many things to do in Greensboro to explore during a day trip.
For example, you could go to the Greensboro Science Center, a museum that was founded in 1957, to learn about science and see animals. Other museums that are worth checking out in the city are the Greensboro History Museum and the Weatherspoon Art Museum.
Furthermore, if you want to learn about history, you can go to the Guilford Courthouse National Military Park, which is a military park that commemorates the Battle of Guilford Court House, which was an important event during the Revolutionary War.
To make your day trip amazing, you can end it with seeing a performance. There are great places for this in the city, such as the historic Carolina Theatre and RED Cinemas.
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Day Trips from Wilmington Tips
Some of the destinations that I recommend in this article about Wilmington day trips are near each other. For example, the city of Cary is very close to the city of Raleigh. You could combine two places during one day trip and spend a morning in one of the places, and an afternoon and evening in the other. I do recommend to leave early when you want to do this to ensure you have enough time.
Wilmington Day Trips Map
I hope you liked these day trips from Wilmington, NC! As you see, there are many great places to visit.