Your go-to guide to a Southern-meets-coastal fall destination.
Fall leaves 🤝 coastal breeze. Soothe your seasonal depression with a slight chill from the river via a quick getaway to Wilmington, North Carolina’s largest coastal city. Bundle up and skip the saltwater rushing over your toes (never mind it’s too cold for that) and trade it for garden explorations, walking tours and historical sites galore—let alone the myriad bites and brews to refuel in between.
Not only does the vibrant riverside city offer an upbeat arts and culture scene, an array of locally owned restaurants and shops, and a World War II battleship, the Port City also touts a charming 230-plus-block historic district feat. moss-draped trees around every corner (it’s giving Savannah and we’re here for it…), ideal for a gorgeous autumnal stroll. Who says the coast isn’t fit for a cool-weather getaway?!
DO
Film and TV Locations Tour
Ready, set, action! Lace up some comfy shoes and stroll through this self-guided walking tour hitting all the city’s famous—and infamous—filming sites, including current productions in process. Dubbed “Hollywood East” and “Wilmywood,” the area has served as set locations for 400+ films and televisions shows, from One Tree Hill to The Summer I Turned Pretty to Iron Man 3 to a scad of indie productions. wilmingtonandbeaches.com
Wilmington Riverwalk
Just go with the flow. Stroll, sip and shop your way through a ~2-mile boardwalk along the Cape Fear River serving over 200 restaurants, bars, boutiques, art galleries and a concert venue—NTM the spectacular (and super-’Grammable!) views along the way. Don’t forget to make a pit stop at Conlon Pier to reel one in or catch a glimpse of the sunset. It’s all about the journey! wilmingtonandbeaches.com
Airlie Gardens
Keep things light and airy with a frolic through 67+ acres of green gardens, seasonal blooms, mighty oaks, Spanish moss and dozens of art pieces (do it for the ’Gram!). And get in the holiday spirit via Enchanted Airlie, an annual tradition starting Nov. 24 displaying holiday lights and music. We give it two green thumbs up! airliegardens.org
EAT
Kipos photo by Shannon Kelly
Kipos Hellenic Cuisine
It’s all Greek to us… especially when dining at Giorgios Bakatsias’ Hellenic eatery highlighting the sea, naturally, with ~80% of the seafood sourced locally (!). Inspired by Bakatsias’ Greek homeland, the menu is a celebration of the Karista village where he grew up. Mussel up for locally sourced pan-seared grouper, grilled whole fish and NC shrimp, to name just a few fishy selects—paired with Greek wines and an airy atmosphere. Pro tip: Spring for a table in the lush garden patio, from where the name Kipos (meaning “garden”) hails. kiposwilmington.com
Seabird
Land ho! For a literal taste of the Atlantic—think shrimp, oysters, crab and more—look no further than Dean Neff and Lydia Clopton’s celebrated sustainable seafood resto. Featuring weekend brunch and dinner, the rotating menu changes with the seasonality of seafood, sourced locally when possible. Pair with a craft cocktail (Cat’s Pyjamas, anyone?) or an espresso bev during the daytime for a meal worth sailing home for. seabirdnc.com
Olivero
Pickled shrimp, ribeye and a plethora of pasta picks? This flavorful joint has ~olive~ the above. Apart from the extensive menu of carefully curated Spanish- and Italian-influenced New Orleans dishes, the delicious brainchild of Raleigh’s own James Beard-nominated chef Sunny Gerhart concocts creative signature cocktails, moody lighting and kitschy nautical vibes—all the while paying homage to his mother’s family and the influence they’ve had on his cooking. Smooth sailing (and dining!) spotted ahead. oliveroilm.com
DRINK
The Maroon Monkey
The perfect morning stop to prepare for a day of monkeying around—found. Before going bananas around downtown, stop in for a cuppa at this locally owned/operated coffee shop starring a cozy atmosphere and bold menu. Pro tip: The bananas Foster latte and white hot chocolate are ape-solutely delicious. maroonmonkeycoffee.com
Front Street Brewery
Belly up for smooth sippin’ on 485 bourbon and whiskey ops (NC’s largest whiskey selection!) and 14 beers on tap from the city’s longest operating brewery, established in a circa-1865 building that has housed everything from a dentist office to a dry goods store. When hunger hits, dig into Southern cuisine—paired with a beer or bourbon recommended by the bartender. Front-page newsworthy, indeed! frontstreetbrewery.com
Blue Post Billiards
Take the easy shot when imbibing at Water Street’s former sailor hangout and nostalgic billiards hall reputed for its array of pool tables, Skee Ball, darts, air hockey, arcade games and the like. Bust a move to a complete playlist of ’80s hits and keep your eyes peeled for any unusual activity—aka the ghost of an 18th century bartender said to roam around. Probably the effect of one too many drinks… right?facebook.com/bluepostbilliards
STAY
Hotel Ballast
When by the coast, snooze in nautical style. Catch classy Z’s at “Wilmington’s Favorite Waterfront Hotel,” a riverside retreat offering soothing undertones of sea blues and driftwood in spacious suites overlooking the river and Downtown Wilmington, also boasting a coastal kitchen and cafe downstairs for a quick bite on your way in or out. hotelballast.com
Verandas
Rest your head in quiet and timeless luxury at an award-winning bed-and-breakfast serving major coastal grandmother vibes—complete with four stories, two parlors, four verandas, a garden terrace and screened-in porch. Nestled a mere two blocks from the Cape Fear River, the location is ideal for days spent shopping, walking and sipping around the city. verandasbedandbreakfast.com
Taylor House Inn
Southern comfort never looked so good! Roll out of bed with the historical district at your doorstep, and end your day on a porch swing enjoying the coastal breeze—compliments of a stay at North Seventh Street’s welcoming boutique inn. Come nighttime, settle into one of the five grandeur rooms touting mahogany furniture and colorful wallpaper, and take a well-deserved soak in the clawfoot tub, then relax by the working fireplace. *Ahhh.* taylorhousebb.com
And we’ll never be royals… but we can romp around the Queen City.
Uptown Girls (and Boys)
Uptown (not to be called downtown—they’ll know you’re a tourist) is the beating heart of CLT, and it’s chock-full of fun things to do—from theNASCAR Hall of Fame to open-air shopping to museums to acclaimed restaurants and bars. Soak it all up…
For the Fanatics
Sports fans can get their fill year-round in Charlotte, thanks to the Panthers, Charlotte FC, the Hornets and the Knights(P.S. Stick around Truist Field after home games for fireworks!). Game on.
Savor the Asheville flavor during the two remaining weekends of culinary event series Chow Chow (Aug. 4–7, Sept. 8–11) feat. multiple food-focused events—including a handmade tamale workshop and a free Sunday super series. Chow down!
Jam Out
Live music fans are gonna wanna grab tix to a show at legendary music venue The Orange Peel—this summer hosting Rainbow Kitten Surprise, Spoon, Switchfoot and more. Ah, “the way we get by…”
Your ribs’ll be shaking from laughter after attending the Laugh Your Asheville Off Comedy Festival, aka the largest stand-up comedy event in the Southeast, with 40 comics performing at an array of Asheville venues.
Winston-Salem
Brunch is always a good idea. And the perfect day in Winston-Salem starts with brunch at Parisian restaurant The Katharine Brasserie & Bar, located in the The Kimpton Cardinal Hotel (Pro tip: Get the croque-monsieur)—where you should also absolutely lay your head after a day of adventuring. Post-noshing, stroll Winston-Salem’s Downtown Arts District and check out the breweries and ’cue joints on The NCBS Historic Barbecue Trail.
Boone
“Get your awe back” in the “high country”—from breweries and artastic attractions to the Tweetsie Railroad, Blowing Rock (whitewater rafting, wineries, spas!) and, of course, Grandfather Mountain, where you’re gonna wanna hike the highlands. Plus you can’t say you’re an NC’er until you’ve seen NC from the famed Mile High Swinging Bridge (aka America’s highest suspension footbridge—and, yes, it literally swings). Poetry in motion, really.
Durham
Staycation all I ever wanted. … Skip the heavy baggage and gas prices for a summer siesta in the Bull City. Whether you like it dirty or keepin’ it neat, Bar Virgile’s award-winning bar and resto’ll help you get in the spirit and kick it into #vacationmode with a craft cocktail via one of the largest liquor selections in the Triangle. Then keep it jamon at multi-Beard-nominated chef Matt Kelly’s Mateo for tapas that’ll straight transport you to Spain before a nightcap on the rooftop of bougee midcentury-modern boutique hotel The Durham (pro tip: Book the Night Out Package so your nightcap is mere steps from your swank sleep sitch).
Wilmington
Garden Variety
Stop and smell the flowers at the year-round Airlie Gardens, also home to the Airlie Luncheon Garden Party—Wilmington’s premier event during the annual spring NC Azalea Festival.
Flock Here
’Tis the season for seafood, and there’s no better spot to get your fill than Dean Neff and Lydia Clopton’s recently opened Seabird restaurant, which puts a spotlight on local seafood, natch, in addition to creative and seasonal breakfast, lunch and dinner dishes.
You’re not a true NC’er until you’re sporting a “Sanitary” tee from Sanitary Fish Market and Restaurant in Morehead City (indulge in its famed “deluxe shore dinner” while you’re at it). Or, if it’s your thing, fish the Big Rock (which is no rock at all)—a 35-mile hard-bottom stretch of agua southeast of Morehead in a “sweet spot of the Gulf Stream and the continental shelf” so famed for fishing that it hosts the annual Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament (one of the oldest, largest sporting fishing events in the country). Then there’s the rite of passage that is snacking on 70+ flavors of saltwater taffy from The Sweet Spotin Emerald Isle. And basking in the beauty ofBeaufort (NC = BOW-firt; SC = BEW-furd), from strolling its charming downtown to a sunset cruise to casting a line in the famed fishing town. Not to be left out, probably the most visited of all: Atlantic Beach, dubbed by Coastal Living Magazine as one of the “Best Beaches”—nuff said. And, of course, it wouldn’t be a trip to the Crystal Coast—aka the “Southern Outer Banks”—without a beach day, which is best spent lazing in the sun on its 85 miles of NC shoreline. Life’s a beach!
Carolina Beach
Welcome to Pleasure Island—literally. Situated at the southern end (with Kure Beach), this casz coastal town is known for its salt air, seafood, dives and doughnuts. Hit up SeaWitch Cafe & Tiki Bar (aka hidden paradise) for fab food and open-air live tunes—then nurse your hangover at cult-status Britts Donut Shop (dubbed best doughnuts in NC by myriad renowned publications) before tying on a lil hair of the dog at beach shack-meets-dive bar The Fat Pelican’s sandy picnic area.
Rocky Mount Mills
Situated among the falls of the beautiful Tar River, Rocky Mount Mills is a destination unto itself. Not your “run-of-the-mill” mill, the development breathes new life into the historic cotton mill with River and Twine, a collection of 21 boutique tiny houses; hoppin’ breweries likeHopFly Brewing Co.andTBC West Tacos & Taproom; top-notch restaurants likeTap @ 1918andThe Prime Smokehouse—plus a roster of ongoing events, from live music to trivia. So, in essence, plenty to keep you millin’ around.
Kure Beach
Located just 30 minutes from Wrightsville—and just south of Carolina Beach—Wilmington Beaches’ quietest beach town is worth the extra drive time for the parking alone (you’ll find a lot more open spots here!). But also for its oceanfront park oasis; fam-friendly, no-alcohol-allowed Kure Beach Pier(the oldest fishing pier on the Atlantic Coast); fresh local seafood restaurants; and its proximity to the North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher.
New Bern
This riverfront city near the coast (and, fun fact, NC’s first capital!) is a charming picturesque small town where “everything comes together”—i.e. over 300 years of history, waterfront eats and drinks at Persimmons Waterfront Restaurant, and lazy days by kayak via Stillwater Kayaks.
Wrightsville Beach
The shortest drive to the coast from the City of Oaks, Wrightsville is a local fave—from fam-friendly Johnnie Mercers Fishing Pierto beachside bites at Bluewater Waterfront Grill, or go-to beachfront boutique resort Blockade Runner and its EAST Oceanfront Dining resto (NTM poolside bevs, surf lessons and more). But you haven’t really done Wrightsville “wright” until you’ve been tipsy in casual watering hole Jimmy’s, wrecked at Red Dogs, or drunk in dive bar-meets-beach bar Lagerheads Tavern. And add King Neptunes (aka a WB staple and the oldest resto in New Hanover County) back to your beach bucket list when it reopens later this summer.
Kinston
Sip + Stay
Peace, love and beer is Mother Earth Brewing’s MO, and you’ll find all that and more—including a literal devotion to the Earth!—at its 100% solar-powered Gold LEED-certified taproom (NTM all the old brick, wood, metal and steel were reused from the original structure) and beer garden—and at the Mother Earth Motor Lodge, a kitschy motor lodge reminiscent of the ’60s. So groovy!
Get Pumped
Drink up at Social House’s speakeasy-style cocktail bar, The Pumphouse 1906, where edgy housemade cocktails showcase small-batch collections of craft spirits, infusions, syrups and bitters. And while you’re at it, take a tour of the Social House distillery too.
This treasure trove of sun, sand and seafood makes for an altogether blissful beach vacay. Get your seafood fix at the unassuming—yet legendary—Capt. Nance’s Seafood Restaurant, which boasts some of the best Calabash-style eats in the “Seafood Capital of the World.” Thirsty? Hit up Lonerider’s newest waterfront outpost on Oak Island for beer, spirits and snacks. And for those with a sweet tooth, you’re not gonna wanna pass up a homemade ice cream cone from Calabash Creamery. Cowabunga!
Life is better on a sandbar… and if 100+ miles of wide-open shoreline is wrong, we don’t wanna be right.
Kites
More than just lighthouses, history and home to the first flight, this mix of charming seaside villages and towns that is OBX is also a great place to get high—with kites that is. Its famed Jockey’s Ridge State Park is the tallest living sand dune on the Atlantic Coast—perf for kite-flying, sunsets and ocean vistas. (Huge kite fans, be sure to “fly” in for the Outer Banks Kite Festival in September).
Surfing
Aloha, OBX? Move over, Hawaii and Cali, on the East Coast, surf’s up on the Outer Banks’ big waves—renowned as the best surfing destination from Florida to New York—where surfers from all over the country flock to hang ten for the annual ESA Easterns Surfing Championships.
Sand
If “feet in the sand” is your vibe, the OBX is your oasis. Because these barrier islands (which separate the Atlantic Ocean from the NC mainland) are a chain of ever-shifting sandbars—and OBX has a lot of sand. Translation—wide beaches. Perf for long walks—or four-wheeling in Corolla where the road “ends,” either in your own vehicle, ATVs or via private tour. Added bonus: the wild horses. Oh, hayyy!
Sunsets
Duck never disappoints—case in point the pink haze and perfect “daze” on the Sunset Grille & Raw Bar patio. Go for the Caribbean-style seafood and waterfront setting. Stay for the Picasso-esque painted sky. (And, if you’re forever chasing sunsets, in Nags Head, head to Miller’s Waterfrontfor quite the golden happy hour.)
Seafood
When it comes to seafood, OBX is “shrimply” the best. But one can’t-miss craving is, well, Cravings in the heart of Duck—Guy Fieri agrees, hence its spotlight on Diners Drive-ins and Dives. Besides the famed fresh-caught indoor/outdoor breakfast, lunch and dinner, the steamer pots to-go are also hot. If you’re feelin’ a lil white tablecloth, the award-winning Four Diamond fine dining Kimball’s Kitchen—housed in the famed Sanderling Resort—serves up stunning Currituck Sound and sunset views to match its Wine Spectator Award-winning vinos, handcrafted sips and fresh-caught local seafood.
Scenic Byway
Two ferries, 21 coastal villages and miles of stunning scenery in all directions? Yes, please. Dubbed one of the “most beautiful stretches of pavement—and water—in NC,” this Outer Banks Scenic Byway is made for the quintessential road trip—from lazy day adventures and weekend escapades alike.
