With a charming historic district, access to the beach and a number of fine restaurants and entertainment venues, Wilmington is a city of 120,000 that provides a tantalizing destination on North Carolina’s Atlantic coast. With its temperate climate and natural beauty, Wilmington makes an excellent refuge for those who enjoy the laidback beach lifestyle all year long.
The city’s history stretches back thousands of years to the Cherokee tribes that flourished here thanks to the abundant seafood and teeming forests. Its more recent history includes serving as a pre-Revolutionary War settlement for some of the first European immigrants to the area. The Cape Fear Museum of History and Science gives an excellent introduction to local wildlife, indigenous history and notable residents. Visitors can also tour aquariums, plantations and the Battleship North Carolina for insights into their respective histories.
Wilmington is also a center of culture. The Cameron Art Museum showcases local creative achievements, and the Screen Gems Studio offers tours of its facility that include sets for popular TV and film franchises. For fans of botany, the area’s range of carnivorous plants will prove fascinating, with the Stanley Rehder Carnivorous Plant Garden the ideal spot to view a collection of the species. The Wilmington Railroad Museum beckons to all ages of locomotive enthusiasts, and those with a historic or architectural bent will enjoy touring the Bellamy Mansion. Wilmington’s restaurants give visitors the opportunity to sample fresh seafood and Carolina barbecue. With all of the enjoyable activities and destinations, it’s easy to forget that Wilmington also has four unique beaches, each offering a chance to relax and enjoy the vast oceanic beauty.
Campgrounds Near Wilmington, North Carolina
Snow’s Cut RV Retreat is located right next to the beach and offers some pull-through spots for added convenience. All sites feature leveled gravel plots with a fire ring and a picnic table. The proximity to the ocean and the Intracoastal Waterway makes it ideal for an extended stay.
Wilmington KOA Holiday allows guests to beach camp to their hearts’ delight, with sites offering Wi-Fi, full electrical and sewer hookups, a swimming pool, a pavilion and cable TV. The campground is just 8 miles from Wilmington.
Castle Hayne Farm Park offers RV campers all the amenities they look for in a comfortable stay, like park-wide Wi-Fi, up to 50-amp electrical hookups, showers, restrooms and picnic areas with fire pits. The site is near the Cape Fear River and also offers quick access to downtown Wilmington.
State Parks Near Wilmington, North Carolina
Carolina Beach State Park delights the botanically inclined with several species of carnivorous plants. This 420-acre park is bordered by the Cape Fear River and has hiking trails, a marina, a visitors center and a picnic area. Visitors can set out on the Flytrap Trail for a chance to identify different plant species. There’s also fishing, boating and the chance to spot seabirds at Sugarloaf Dune. The Carolina Beach Campground is pet-friendly and has spacious RV sites with electric and sewer hookups.
Jones Lake State Park’s balmy climate makes it perfect for visits at any time of the year. The lush vegetation around the lakes includes huckleberry and blueberry bushes, cedar trees and species of bay and pine. Frogs, hawks, wild turkeys and deer offer a glimpse into how the Carolinas would have appeared to the Native peoples and first European explorers. Visitors can hike, canoe, swim and bird-watch throughout the 2,000 acres. There are six RV plots in the Jones Lake Campground, each with electric, water and sewer hookups, as well as a grill and picnic table. There are also bathrooms nearby.
Cliffs of the Neuse State Park has its own museum dedicated to the area’s geology, perfect for use as a jumping-off point for exploring this 1,000-acre park. The Neuse River offers fishing and a chance to spot wildlife in fascinating habitats along the banks that can be explored via the many hiking trails. There are 12 RV campsites at the camping area conveniently located by the park entrance. Each site has hookups for electrical, sewer and drinking water.
National Sites Near Wilmington, North Carolina
Cape Lookout National Seashore preserves 56 miles of North Carolina’s Outer Banks, and the area is a haven for seabirds, feral horses and sea turtles. Some parts of the site can only be accessed by boat, but all visitors should find something to enjoy, whether it’s exploring historic villages, visiting the atmospheric Cape Lookout Lighthouse, watching wildlife, sunning on the beach or splashing in the waves. Camping is primitive, but RV vehicles are allowed as long as they’re not parked on the dunes and are 100 yards from structures like docks.
Located at the entrance of Charleston Harbor in Charleston, SC, Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie National Historical Park commemorate events in both the Revolutionary and Civil Wars. Access to the forts is by tour boat only and includes informative historical exhibits at the Visitor Education Center. Howitzer cannons, thick brick walks and maritime defenses kept the forts operational until well into the last century. There’s no camping inside the site, but RV-friendly campgrounds abound throughout the Charleston area.
Cape Hatteras National Seashore encompasses 70 miles of the Outer Banks. The site offers opportunities for bird-watching, visiting the Wright Brothers Monument, exploring the Bodie Island Lighthouse and delving into the mystery of the lost Roanoke Colony at Fort Raleigh. Boardwalks at various points in the park make it easy to take in expansive sea views, but walking along the beautiful beaches for miles is perfect for those who can’t get enough of the fresh sea air. There are four campgrounds in the park.
National Forests Near Wilmington, North Carolina
Croatan National Forest is an excellent example of a coastal forest. It provides a home for both inland and marine creatures in a lush expanse filled with bogs, estuaries and species of pine. Alligators, black bears, eagles and bobcats roam the swamps and thickets. Visitors can come for the day to enjoy trails perfect for hiking, ATVs or mountain bikes. Extend your stay by camping in one of the campgrounds located within the forest. Some sites have flush toilets, drinking water and showers. Dispersed camping is also available in most areas.
Francis Marion National Forest is located around three hours from Wilmington and provides a scenic backdrop for hunting, fishing, biking, hiking, boating and riding ATVs. The ancient Sewee Shell Ring is part of a scenic 1-mile loop walk that showcases the 4,000-year-old ring of oyster shells made by local peoples. RV travelers will find several campgrounds within the forest, but services are basic, and some sites close during the winter months.
Sumter National Forest is over 370,000 acres in size. Its area is teeming with wildlife, and its topography is punctuated with pretty waterfalls and streams. With the many trails leading through tall stands of trees or winding along riverbanks, hiking or biking is the best way to experience its charms. There are RV-accessible campgrounds within the forest, most of them with available drinking water and vault toilets but lacking hookups for electricity or sewer. As some campgrounds are seasonal, guests will want to look for the Brick House Campground when visiting in the winter months.
