The Grownup Guide To Wilmington, NC, and Beaches This Fall
11.09.2023 - 17:47
/ matadornetwork.com
Leave the daily grind at home and treat yourself to a grownup good time in Wilmington, NC, and its beaches this fall. Whether you’re looking forward to a solo getaway, a trip sans kids, a romantic retreat, a retirement adventure, or a friend meetup, this is an ideal destination for mixing the sun and sea with historic charm, coastal cuisine, and city sightseeing year-round — especially after Labor Day, when kids are back in school. Dive into live tunes by the water, ride the waves on scenic cruises, dig into authentic history and culture, and savor coastal eats all on one trip.
So get ready to unleash your inner explorer — with a historic riverfront city and three beaches at your doorstep, Wilmington is where it’s at this fall. Here’s why.
Photo: Wilmington and Beaches
Fancy a night out with a concert or live music? In Wilmington and its island beaches, there’s no shortage of shows on any given night. Live Nation brings in big-name acts like Maggie Rogers and Widespread Panic at Live Oak Bank Pavilion at Riverfront Park, where picturesque river views serve as the venue’s backdrop.
If you’re not looking to commit to a full-on show, pop by one of the area’s many bars and restaurants with live music. You can’t go wrong at the Reel Café, offering oysters and rooftop river views. Bourgie Nights features talented traveling singers, songwriters, and local musicians — it’s operated by the restaurant next door manna ave. 123, whose award-winning fine dining and basement cave of wine treasures make for an elevated date night. Or try Satellite Bar and Lounge, where craft beers and bluegrass jams flow amid the salvage-decor ornamenting the 1940s grocery store building it calls home.
And if you want to laugh until you cry, grab your travel companions and head to Dead Crow Comedy Room, Eastern North Carolina’s only full-time comedy club, for nationally acclaimed acts. Bonus: The venue’s spacious and lively beer garden is perfect for a cold pint.
Photo: Wilmington and Beaches
Wilmington has become one of the South’s most popular dining destinations, home to an abundance of notable chefs and foodie favorites. Chef Keith Rhodes (owner of Catch, James Beard Foundation semifinalist for Best Chef: Southeast, and “Top Chef” season 9 alum) is known for fresh, sustainable, and innovative seafood dishes like his grouper and shrimp and grits. Get a sense of place at Seabird, helmed by Chef Dean Neff, a James Beard Foundation Best Chef: Southeast semifinalist who turns to the local waterways for every sea-inspired creation that hits the menu. His seafood tower is an instant crowd-pleaser, often filled with local oysters and clams foraged by hand.
Pizza at the coast? Yes, please! Chef Vivian Howard, a James Beard Foundation Best Chef: