16 Top-Rated Tourist Attractions in Wilmington, NC

Bellamy Mansion, a pre-Civil War structure, is regarded as one of North Carolina's most spectacular historic antebellum homes.

For one of the best views of the North Carolina coast, hop aboard a sunset sail tour from Wrightsville Beach.

If you were wooed by Carolina and Kure beaches, you must make the short trip to Wrightsville Beach.

Visitors, and especially garden lovers, appreciate the beautiful scenery at these historical gardens that date back to 1886.

As well as attractions such as the Cape Fear Museum, the Children's Museum of Wilmington, and the view from the waterfront of the Battleship North Carolina, several streets are lined with beautiful old homes, many with their fascinating histories related on signs.

Downtown Wilmington is home to the state's largest National Register Historic District, which includes hundreds of 19th- and early 20th-century buildings.

Along its route are the shops of the Cotton Exchange, launching places for boat tours of the river, public artworks, cafes, shops, restaurants with riverside terraces, and benches for relaxing and enjoying the scenery.

One of the favorite - and free - things to do in Wilmington is a stroll along the Riverwalk that borders the Cape Fear River.

Address: 1 Battleship Road NE, Wilmington, North Carolina

The battleship also hosts a variety of events on the weekends, including re-enactments with living history interpreters and special behind-the-scenes tours that take visitors to areas not usually open to the public.