Wilmington travel guide

Wilmington Tourism | Wilmington Guide

You're Going to Love Wilmington

With a population of 70,851, Wilmington is the largest city in Delaware, United States by the number of inhabitants. It is among the most popular tourist destinations in the country. Wilmington deserves at least 2 full days for you to see its main sights.

Where to Eat in Wilmington

If you’re looking for affordable options, Domaine Hudson (1314 N Washington Street) and Moro (1307 N. Scott Street) are great picks. For delicious green meals, The Garden at Bardea (612 N Market St) and Apexx Lounge (913 N Orange St) are recommended spots to get vegetarian or vegan food in Wilmington.

When to visit Wilmington

Wilmington in December
Estimated hotel price
$140
1 night at 3-star hotel
Wilmington in December
Estimated hotel price
$140
1 night at 3-star hotel

Looking for warm weather? Then head to Wilmington in July, when the average temperature is 77 °F, and the highest can go up to 86 °F. The coldest month, on the other hand, is January, when it can get as cold as 24.8 °F, with an average temperature of 32 °F. You’re likely to see more rain in July, when precipitation is around 4.3″. In contrast, February is usually the driest month of the year in Wilmington, with an average rainfall of 2.9″.

Data provided by weatherbase
Temperatures
Temperatures
Data provided by weatherbase

How to Get to Wilmington

Plane

When flying to Wilmington, you’ll arrive at Greater Wilmington (ILG), which is located 6 miles from the city center. The shortest domestic flight to Wilmington departs from Fort Lauderdale and takes around 2h 43m.

Train

Amtrak is the only carrier operating train routes to Wilmington. The train journey from Wilmington to Newark takes 0h 57m and costs around $28 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Baltimore, expect to pay about $6 for a 1h 11m trip. The train station in Wilmington is called Wilmington, and is located 0.7 miles from the city center.

Car

Another option to get to Wilmington is to pick up a car rental from New York, which is about 108 miles from Wilmington. You’ll find branches of Sixt and Kyte, among others, in New York.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Wilmington, including Megabus, OurBus and Bus. From New York, the bus ride to Wilmington takes 110 miles and will cost you around $10. From Washington, D.C., the ticket costs about $6 for a journey of 175 miles.

Plane

When flying to Wilmington, you’ll arrive at Greater Wilmington (ILG), which is located 6 miles from the city center. The shortest domestic flight to Wilmington departs from Fort Lauderdale and takes around 2h 43m.

Train

Amtrak is the only carrier operating train routes to Wilmington. The train journey from Wilmington to Newark takes 0h 57m and costs around $28 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Baltimore, expect to pay about $6 for a 1h 11m trip. The train station in Wilmington is called Wilmington, and is located 0.7 miles from the city center.

Car

Another option to get to Wilmington is to pick up a car rental from New York, which is about 108 miles from Wilmington. You’ll find branches of Sixt and Kyte, among others, in New York.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Wilmington, including Megabus, OurBus and Bus. From New York, the bus ride to Wilmington takes 110 miles and will cost you around $10. From Washington, D.C., the ticket costs about $6 for a journey of 175 miles.

Airports near Wilmington

Airlines serving Wilmington

Lufthansa
Good (4,688 reviews)
KLM
Good (846 reviews)
SWISS
Good (951 reviews)
British Airways
Good (4,573 reviews)
Delta
Good (4,608 reviews)
Turkish Airlines
Good (2,280 reviews)
Austrian Airlines
Good (488 reviews)
Air France
Good (979 reviews)
Iberia
Good (1,597 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (2,113 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (4,953 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (2,441 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (5,925 reviews)
Brussels Airlines
Good (226 reviews)
Finnair
Good (864 reviews)
LOT
Good (681 reviews)
Singapore Airlines
Excellent (923 reviews)
TAP AIR PORTUGAL
Good (1,175 reviews)
Alaska Airlines
Excellent (5,712 reviews)
Etihad Airways
Good (834 reviews)
Show more

Where to stay in popular areas of Wilmington

Most booked hotels in Wilmington

Inn at Mendenhall
3 stars
Excellent (8.7, 408 reviews)
$136+
Sheraton Suites Wilmington Downtown
3 stars
Excellent (8.3, 478 reviews)
$166+
DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Wilmington
4 stars
Good (7.3, 498 reviews)
$155+
DoubleTree by Hilton Downtown Wilmington - Legal District
4 stars
Good (6.9, 469 reviews)
$163+
Best Western Plus Newark/Christiana Inn
2 stars
Good (6.6, 416 reviews)
$113+
SureStay Plus Hotel by Best Western Brandywine Valley
2 stars
Good (6.3, 846 reviews)
$99+

Renting a car in Wilmington

Renting a car in Wilmington costs $66 per day, on average, or $131 if you want to rent if for 2 days.

It’s generally cheaper to rent your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 8% cheaper than airport locations in Wilmington.

Expect to pay $3.90 per gallon in Wilmington (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between $46.79 and $62.38. Full-size (Kia Optima or similar) is the most popular car type to rent in Wilmington, while also 73% cheaper than other types, on average.

Renting a car in Wilmington costs $66 per day, on average, or $131 if you want to rent if for 2 days.

It’s generally cheaper to rent your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 8% cheaper than airport locations in Wilmington.

Expect to pay $3.90 per gallon in Wilmington (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between $46.79 and $62.38. Full-size (Kia Optima or similar) is the most popular car type to rent in Wilmington, while also 73% cheaper than other types, on average.