If you’re on a budget, the free things to do in Wilmington, NC, are perfect.
Wilmington is a great city to visit with a lot of very fun things to do. What’s great is that if you don’t want to spend anything, there are still a lot of fun activities you can choose from. From visiting a museum to attending an event to seeing beautiful architecture, the activities that won’t cost you a penny will surprise you!
It may be hard to find something fun to do without spending anything and to help you out, I made this Wilmington free things to do guide with a lot of fun activities that are completely free.
Free Things To Do in Wilmington, NC
Visit the Cape Fear Museum for Free on First Sundays If You’re a Resident of New Hanover County
The Cape Fear Museum, or the Cape Fear Museum of History and Science, is a museum that was founded in 1898 and is located in downtown Wilmington at 814 Market Street. It is one of the best museums in Wilmington.
At the museum, you can find a large collection of items that relate to the Lower Cape Fear Region. Through the collection of more than 50,000 objects, you can learn about science, culture, and history.
You can see a variety of exhibitions at the museum, including permanent and traveling exhibitions.
One of the exhibitions focuses on the history of the region and is about the American Revolution, Native Americans, and lots of other topics.
Going to this museum is one of the best things to do in Wilmington. Residents of New Hanover County can visit the museum for free on the first Sunday of the month.
Address: 814 Market St, Wilmington, NC 28401
Go for a Stroll at the Historic Cotton Exchange
The historic Cotton Exchange of Wilmington is a place where you can find about 25 different stores and restaurants.
The Cotton Exchange of Wilmington consists of several historic buildings that date back to around the year 1900. The complex is named the Cotton Exchange because there used to be a large cotton company there.
The shopping complex is great for a stroll during which you can check out the historic architecture of the building and the offerings of the different unique stores that you can find here.
Address: 321 N Front St, Wilmington, NC 28401
Ride the Free Port City Trolley
The Port City Trolley is a trolley that you can ride for free in Wilmington. It connects the five districts of downtown Wilmington.
The trolley is a convenient way to get around the city and riding it is also a fun experience.
You can board the Port City Trolley at one of the 25 trolley stops that you can find throughout downtown, and you can tell the driver where you want to get off the trolley.
What’s convenient too is that you can ride the Port City Trolley every day of the year, except for a few holidays.
Attend a Free Event at the Bellamy Mansion Museum
The Bellamy Mansion Museum is a museum of history and design that you can find at 503 Market Street. The museum is housed inside the Bellamny Mansion, which dates back to the end of the 19th century.
The building is one of the finest examples of antebellum architecture in Wilmington, and it features a design that incorporates both Greek and Italian design elements.
A free activity at the museum is attending one of the free events that take place at the museum throughout the year. You can check out the museum’s calendar to find out when these events take place.
One example of a free event is the “Family Fun Day”. This is an annual community event during which you can listen to live music, do pony rides, see animals, and do much more.
Sometimes, you can also attend free lectures at the Bellamy Mansion Museum.
Address: 503 Market St, Wilmington, NC 28401
Visit the Butterfly House of the Airlie Gardens on First Sundays (Free For Residents of New Hanover County)
Airlie Gardens is a public garden that you can find at 300 Airlie Road in Wilmington, close to Wrightsville Beach. The garden has beautiful trees, flowers, and plants.
Besides that, you can find various exhibits at the Airlie Gardens. One of these exhibits is the Butterfly House, which is a 2,700-square-foot butterfly house where you can see butterflies that are native to North Carolina.
Residents of New Hanover County can go here for free on the first Sunday of the month. Keep in mind that the Butterfly House is open seasonally, so this is a free thing to do in Wilmington that you can only do during certain times of the year.
Address: 300 Airlie Rd, Wilmington, NC 28403
Get a View of the Cape Fear River at the Riverwalk
One of Wilmington’s most iconic sights is the Wilmington Riverwalk. This is a two-mile walkway along the Cape Fear River in Downtown Wilmington.
You can enjoy a leisurely stroll on the riverwalk for free. While you are at the riverwalk, you can enjoy great views of the Cape Fear River.
In addition to that, you can see the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge and Battleship North Carolina from here.
Along the Wilmington Riverwalk, you can also find a lot of local restaurants and other venues that are great to see while walking here. The Wilmington Riverwalk is also close to some of the best coffee shops in Wilmington, so you can have a cup of coffee after going there.
Go to the Free Wilmington NC Riverfest
The Wilmington Riverfest is an annual 2-day festival that’s perfect if you’re looking for free things to do in Wilmington. The festival is usually celebrated on the first full weekend of October, and it takes place in Historic Downtown Wilmington.
During the family-oriented festival, there’s much to do and see.
For example, you can enjoy live entertainment on several stages of the festival.
You can also see a great fireworks show during the festival, there are local arts and crafts vendors, there’s a children’s play area, and there’s much more.
For a few dollars, you can make your experience at the festival better by getting delicious food from the food vendors of Riverfest.
Check Out the Old Wilmington City Market
The Old Wilmington City Market is a historic building that dates back to the year 1880. It is a large building that stretches an entire city block. The building started as a farmer’s market and has served other purposes after that.
The historic design of the market makes it an interesting building to check out, and you can do so for free.
These days, you can find local specialty shops and local art galleries at the Old Wilmington City Market.
Address: 119 S Water St, Wilmington, NC 28401
Go to a Free Event of the NC Azalea Festival
The NC Azalea Festival is an annual community festival that has been taking place in Wilmington since 1948. The festival takes place in the month of April and many events of the festival are free to attend.
For example, there are live music events at the festival, such as the Tunes & Blooms Music Festival which takes place at the Greenfield Lake Amphitheater.
You can also explore the Street Fair of the NC Azalea Festival, which is a fair with more than 250 vendors along the streets of Wilmington’s historic downtown.
During the festival, you can also see a free fireworks show over the Cape Fear River.
See Historic Architecture in the Historic District
The Wilmington Historic District is a historic district that you can find in downtown Wilmington.
Throughout the district, you can find all kinds of buildings from the 18th and 19th centuries, and in total 875 historic buildings make up the historic district.
You can see the exterior of the buildings for free when you are in Wilmington.
One great example of a historic building is the Bellamy Mansion, which is a building that was constructed around 1860. It is one of the best examples of antebellum architecture in the state.
The historic Thalian Hall is another great example of a beautiful historic building in Wilmington. This is a two-story, stuccoed brick building that dates back to the year 1858.
Attend a Free Event at the New Hanover County Public Library
The New Hanover County Public Library is the public library of the city of Wilmington. The library has several branches in and near Wilmington.
Lots of events take place at different branches of the library that you can attend for free, so this is great if you’re looking for free activities in Wilmington. Going to an event here is also one of the most fun things to do with kids in Wilmington.
From family storytime events to fitness classes to workshops during which you can learn a new creative skill, there is a free event for everyone’s liking!
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Wilmington Free Things To Do Tips
With the activities on this list, you can have a great time in Wilmington without spending anything.
However, when doing the activities in this Wilmington free things to do guide I recommend also having food or drinks at a place near the place where you are going to have a much better time. There are many good restaurants in Wilmington that you can go to for this, and often there are cheap options.
Free Things To Do in Wilmington Map
Thanks for reading my guide. I hope you liked the free things to do in Wilmington, NC!