Skip Charleston and Savannah and head to this charming coastal city instead.
Wilmington , North Carolina is the kind of townsfolk one come to dear before ever setting foot in it . My idolisation started with the coastal city as a teenager , watching Tuesday instalment of the early 2000s teen dramaDawson ’s Creek . Of of course , at the time , I thought I was longing for the fictional townspeople of Capeside , Massachusetts , but the scene I admired is the material - life story North Carolina town residents endearingly call Wilmywood .
Wilmington has long served as an East Coast hub for some of Hollywood ’s finest production . Everything from the ’ 80s film classicDirty Dancingto the WB ’s dramatic seriesOne Tree Hillto parts of the movie trilogyThe Hunger Gameswere film there . It ’s sluttish to see whylocation scoutsprefer it ; Wilmington ’s quaint downtown seat along the Cape Fear River just before it attain the Atlantic . Its nearby beaches with soft , ointment - colored sand are idealistic for relaxation . The ocean currents are strong enough to pull in surfers from around the country .
Wilmington ’s vibe is fooling — it does n’t take itself so seriously — but it also happens to be a peachy blank space to inadvertently lean into one of your favourite celebrities when they ’re in town filming next year ’s blockbuster hit . So if you want to plunk in and explore Wilmington ’s film - suitable credentials for yourself , here ’s how you may do it in a couple days .
Photo by DenisTangneyJr/iStock/Getty Images
Travel time
3 hours , 30 minutes from Charlotte , North Carolina3 hours , 45 minutes from Charleston , South Carolina6 hours from Washington , DC6 60 minutes and 30 arcminute from Atlanta , Georgia
If you only do one thing: Explore filming locations in Wilmywood
Hollywood may have its famous Walk of Fame . Still , Hollywood East , aka Wilmington , puts visitors into the center of action with its 90 - minuteWilmywood movie and TV locating walk . This term of enlistment is the tight you’re able to get to walking on set ; you ’ll see the backcloth for some of Wilmington ’s most memorable conniption . Local actors usually lead the mathematical group term of enlistment and occasionally divvy up their lore of what it ’s like to form with some of LA ’s biggest stars . Plus , the term of enlistment is centered in downtown Wilmington , so if you tend to look up to historical homes , you ’ll have nearby opportunities to gawk at some beautiful Greek and Italianate Revival house .
Fill the weekend with
Beaches
You belike did n’t come this far tonotvisit the beach , and Carolina Beach welcomes you to convey your favorite pal anytime from October 1 to March 31 ( except on the boardwalk areas ) . If you ’re inspect during the busy months of April through September , andiron are allowed in the off hours , before 9 am and after 5 pm . To find your pet ’s next playmate , visitMike Chappell Park , a argue - in dog park in Carolina Beach .
Dog bars
lead back into Wilmington and take your pup to theRuff Draft Dog Park & Bar , a full - divine service legal community with an 11,000 - square - foot dog park bond . Or seize your whelp and visit one of the many pet - well-disposed breweries in townsfolk . Flytrap Breweryis a great place to start . The downtown brewery pays court to the Venus flytrap , which is native to this part of North Carolina . Enjoy a Hazy IPA or one of their ales .
Where to eat and drink in Wilmington
For a hearty breakfast : try - and - true breakfast dishes are the star atBrunches , but sweetheart that highlight regional flavour like an open - faced cooky with pimento high mallow and fried Gallus gallus are not to be missed . This topically possess eatery is such a strike with the community that it ’s expand into several positioning around town .
For a mid - day bite : Chef Joy ’s Grocerantin business district Wilmington is the pure place to pick up a fast sandwich and retain with your itinerary . Chef Joy Vunk makes it a decimal point to keep going local farms and artisan , and she restrain a few quirky items on hand , such as the glass shock full of pickled cherry beetroot egg and the coastal crab boil boiler poker chip to take home with you .
For a memorable meal : AtSeabird , James Beard - appoint chef Dean Neff render unforgettable dishes that pay homage to the North Carolina coast . Oysters are topically sourced and are served in delicious combinations , like the punch of heat energy , then the smooth conclusion of the broiled hollandaise oysters . hold out the urge to slurp the complex broth in the Eastern cioppino . It flux the tilefish , mussels and clams together in its hearty lather . Expect a few seasonal surprises on the menu , and bask it all on the outside patio .
For a few brew : lionise your favorite movie moment with a Wilmywood wit fromWrightsville Beach Brewery . Their outside terrace is pet - favorable , so wreak your doggie while you enjoy a trajectory and some astonishingly good grub . It ’s on the North Carolina huitre trail , so do n’t pass on without try some halfshells fried with kimchi - work collard greenness .
Where to stay
For a dress shop experience : Just a couple blocks away from the riverfront , ARRIVE Wilmingtonis a hit with its three historical building overlook a comfortable court . Its small but stylish mid - century modern room are pet - friendly and feature refined details such as Apple boob tube and Bellino Fine Linens .
On the riverfront : Overlooking the Cape Fear River , theEmbassy Suites by Hilton Wilmington Riverfrontputs you close to wherever you want to be , whether by the water , or within walk distance of downtown . Rooms are roomy with a mini kitchen and freestanding living way with a desk . The rooftop taproom is the perfect smudge for a nightcap .
Photo courtesy of Visit Wilimgton NC and Beaches
Photo courtesy of Arrive Wilmington
