Wilmington is a port city and the county seat of New Hanover County in coastal southeastern North Carolina, United States. City residents live between the river and the ocean, with four nearby beach communities just outside Wilmington: Fort Fisher, Wrightsville Beach, Carolina Beach, and Kure Beach, all within half-hour drives from downtown Wilmington. From Wilmington’s vibrant riverfront and scenic Riverwalk that winds around the storied Cape Fear River to three colorful island beaches, there’s something about the water here that surrounds, transforms, and enthralls visitors.

One destination with four unique settings creates a bounty of vibrant vacation experiences. Come explore North Carolina’s most accessible coastal destination flowing with energy and creativity. A variety of architectural styles and moss-draped live oaks line the city’s National Register Historic District, spanning more than 230 blocks. From horse-drawn carriage rides on the old brick-lined streets to the rhythm of live music along the riverfront, Wilmington embraces influences from the past and present. Stray off course with new experiences in a destination that’s flowing with culture and style. Whatever you choose, no two getaways here are alike. Check out our seasonal highlights, and book your vacation with a variety of lodging options from waterfront hotels to vacation rentals and historic B&Bs.

Location: New Hanover County, North Carolina, United States

Website: https://www.wilmingtonnc.gov/

Distance from Delaware: 456 miles

Travel time: 7 hours

TripAdvisor Review: 28,592 reviews

A world-renowned United States natural landmark with enormous chambers filled with towering stone columns of shimmering draperies and crystal-clear pools. It is the largest and most popular cavern on the east coast and has taken more than 4,000,000 centuries to make, and now you get to walk through it. The Luray Caverns are located at 101 Cave Hill Road in Luray, Virginia, approximately three hours, 40 minutes from Wilmington, and twenty minutes from Shenandoah National Park.

Visitors enter the cave via a path that curves down through the caverns, eventually reaching Dream Lake, The Saracen's Tent, The Great Stalacpipe Organ, and some large stalactites and stalagmites. The path proceeds to the Wishing Well and a war memorial honoring veterans from Page County. It then ascends to a small passage past the Fried Eggs rock formation and returns to ground level through a smaller passage to the entrance. The entire trek is 2.4 km long and can be completed in 45 minutes to 1 hour. Visitors can carry small pets on the cave tour, and leashed pets are permitted on the grounds outside the cave. The caverns now offer step-free access. While this extended pathway will allow for wheelchair access, the caverns aren't advertised as handicap accessible.

Location: Luray, Virginia, United States

Website: https://luraycaverns.com/

Distance from Delaware: 190.7 miles
Travel time: 3 hours 16 minutes

Tel: 1 540-743-6551

Fee: $10 per person

Hour: 9:00 AM - 19:00 PM

TripAdvisor Review: ‎4,778 reviews

With over 500 miles of scenic trails, the Shenandoah National Park takes you through cascading waterfalls, spectacular vistas, and quiet wooded hollows. This hiker’s paradise allows guests to explore and picnic throughout 200,000 acres of protected lands, filled with deer, songbirds, and a beautiful dark night sky. This weekend getaway has some in-park hotels, including, Skyland Lodge, Meadows Lodge, and Lewis Mountain Cabins, allowing you to get away from the hustle and bustle of Washington D.C. and surrounding areas and into the calm outdoors of nature.

Shenandoah National Park preserves and protects nationally significant natural and cultural resources, scenic beauty, and congressionally designated wilderness within Virginia’s northern Blue Ridge Mountains, and provides a broad range of opportunities for public enjoyment, recreation, inspiration, and stewardship. This place lies along the Blue Ridge Mountains in north-central Virginia. These mountains form a distinct highland rising to elevations above 4,000 feet. Local topographic relief between the Blue Ridge Mountains and Shenandoah Valley exceeds 3,000 feet at some locations. The crest of the range divides the Shenandoah River drainage basin, part of the Potomac River drainage, on the west side, from the James and Rappahannock River drainage basins on the east side.

Location: Virginia, United States

Website: https://www.nps.gov/shen/index.htm

Distance from Delaware: 167.1 miles

Travel time: 2 hours 50 minutes

Tel: 1 540-999-3500

Fee: $75 to $200 per person

TripAdvisor Review: 3,429 reviews

Bushkill Falls is a series of eight privately owned waterfalls, the tallest of which cascades over 100 feet, located in Lehman Township, Pennsylvania in the Pocono Mountains. This place is one of the best day trips from Delaware. The water of the Little Bush Kill and Pond Run Creek descends the mountain, toward the Delaware River, forming Bushkill Falls, Bridal Veil Falls, Bridesmaid Falls, Laurel Glen Falls, Pennell Falls, and three additional, unnamed falls.

Back in 1904, Charles E. Peters first opened Bushkills Falls to the public and today it is recognized as the “Niagara of Pennsylvania.” These eight unique waterfalls are among some of the Keystone State’s most famous scenic attractions. Providing easy navigation are the many trails and bridges laced throughout the woods, taking you over waterfalls, along the streams, and over rocks, mosses, and fields of wildflowers. There are plenty of activities and family fun on hand at Bushkill Falls, including paddle boats, fishing, miniature golf, educational exhibits, a children’s playground, maze feature, “gold mining” adventure, and gift shops. Bring a picnic to enjoy at the pavilion or grab something from the snack bar and fudge kitchen.

Location: Lehman, Pennsylvania, United States

Website: https://www.visitbushkillfalls.com/

Distance from Delaware: 205 miles
Travel time: 3 hours 15 minutes

Tel: 888-287-4545

Fee: $8.5 to $17.5 per person

TripAdvisor Review: 1,860 reviews

Assateague Island National Park is located on a barrier island shaped by stormy seas and gentle winds along the coast of the Delmarva Peninsula. The island is approximately 37 miles long, yet never more than a mile wide. The park is divided into the Maryland District in the north and the Virginia District in the south. It is not possible to drive down the island from one district to the other. All automobile traffic must travel through the mainland to access one end of the island from the other.

It was established back in 1962, for the sole purpose of protecting Assateague Island in both Virginia and Maryland. Decades later it is a great vacation paradise for thousands of visitors every year. Assateague contains over 320 species of birds and more than 300 wild ponies, who all call over 37 miles of pristine beaches home. You can also enjoy hiking, biking, hunting, swimming, and walking up and down the coast as well as many other outdoor activities. The Assateague Lighthouse is also one of the most famous lighthouses in the nation. Enjoy nearby amenities at Chincoteague Island and Ocean City, such as many different restaurants - mainly seafood - and lodging in the form of hotels, cottages, beach houses, and campgrounds.

Location: Worcester County, Maryland & Accomack County, Virginia, United States

Website: https://www.nps.gov/asis/index.htm

Distance from Delaware: 57.1 miles

Travel time: 1 hour

Tel: 1 443-614-3547

Fee: $25 per person

Hour: All day

TripAdvisor Review:‎ 1,154 reviews

Bethany Beach is an incorporated town in Sussex County, Delaware, United States. Contributing to Bethany Beach's reputation as a "quiet" place is the presence of Delaware Seashore State Park immediately to the north of the town. Despite its small size, Bethany Beach contains the usual attractions of a summer seaside resort, including the short Joseph Olson Boardwalk, a broad, sandy beach, motels, restaurants, and vacation homes.

Driving into Bethany Beach you’ll be greeted by the intimate shops leading you to a quiet sense of calmness. You breathe in the ocean air, and you can suddenly feel that this is your coastal home away from home. Bethany is the kind of place that's perfectly suited to beach-house gatherings of extended families, who find their sunny days filled with an endless array of do-as-you-please activities - sunning or running on the broad beaches; shopping tax-free at the shops around town and on the Boardwalk, or lingering over a gourmet coastal meal. Along the Delaware beaches, you’ll find each town carries this gentle air of serenity but also boasts its own style. Listening, you hear the waves and wind, mixing softly with the songs of playful gulls. Soaking it in, you’re left with only a sense of calm.

Location: Sussex County, Delaware, United States

Website: https://www.townofbethanybeach.com/

Distance from Delaware: 46 miles

Travel time: 1 hour 6 minutes

TripAdvisor Review: ‎654 reviews

The legendary Pacific Coast Highway was first started in the 1930s and remains a marvel of human effort that hugs over 900 kilometers of California’s rugged and beautiful coastlines. It is one of the most astoundingly scenic roads in the world, meant to be traversed slowly while gasping at the mountains, towering trees, expansive beaches, and endless sky. It also affords travelers an unparalleled opportunity to dip into all the character California has to offer: pioneer outposts, surfing villages, farm-fresh foods, local wine, roadside kitsch, Hollywood glitz, and bohemia.

Before you get started on your road trip, some helpful tips: Without stopping, it takes approximately 10 hours to drive the entire length of the Pacific Coast Highway, but on this route, it’s recommended to take your time to see the sights and stay overnight along the way, stretching your vacation out to at least six days. Keep your eyes peeled for nesting turtles, pelicans, and more as you explore the seven miles of park beach. Thanks to California’s mild weather, you can drive the Pacific Coast Highway at any time of year. The best weather is expected from late spring through fall, with the busiest travel season in July and August.

Location: California, United States

Website: https://www.visittheusa.com/trip/pacific-coast-highway-road-trip

Distance from Delaware: 28 miles

Travel time: 40 minutes

TripAdvisor Review: 344 reviews

In 1841 Swindon was chosen by the Great Western Railway as the site for its locomotive repair facility. Old Swindon did not have enough accommodation to cope with the large influx of skilled industrial workers from Scotland, Wales, London, Bristol, and the north of England who came to the town for employment at the GWR Works. As a result, the GWR built the ‘Railway Village’ - an estate of 300 houses – for its workforce in the lowland area of New Swindon, near the canals.

The cottage that became the Railway Village Museum was lived in by families from around 1846/7 to the late 1970s. In 1966 Swindon Borough Council began renovating many of the properties in the Village, having bought them from British Railways. Given the importance of the railway industry in Swindon’s development, it was decided to turn one of the cottages into a ‘Living Museum’ and in March 1980 34 Faringdon Road welcomed its first visitors. In 2000 the Railway Museum closed, but following renovation, it reopened in 2017, now managed by the Mechanics’ Institution Trust. Hundreds of children came together on the Village Green to celebrate a day that was designed all around them!

Location: 586 Wiscasset Rd, Boothbay, ME 04537, USA

Website: https://railwayvillage.org/

Distance from Delaware: 300 miles

Travel time: 5 hours

Tel: 1 207-633-4727

Fee: $8 to $12 per person

Hour: 10:00 AM - 17:00 PM

TripAdvisor Review: 245 reviews

New Castle County is the northernmost of the three counties of the U.S. state of Delaware. This county has the highest population and population density of any Delaware county, and it is the smallest county in the state by area. It has more people than the other two counties, Kent and Sussex, combined. New Castle County is also the most economically developed of the three. Historic New Castle, Delaware is located just 10 minutes south of downtown Wilmington with easy access from I-95 and I-295.

Overlooking the Delaware River, Historic New Castle is the oldest continuously occupied town in the Delaware Valley. And, thanks to preservation efforts, this vibrant, fully occupied community remains one of the most important Colonial/Federal villages in America – second only to Williamsburg, Virginia in the number and authenticity of its historic structures. The New Castle Court House Museum is part of the First State National Historical Park. Take a drive northwest of Wilmington, and you’ll notice how the scenery seems to quietly become that much more enchanting. This is “Chateau Country,” Delaware’s most exclusive region and for generations the home of the DuPont family and its grand mansions. Today, many of those spectacular homes and their stunning gardens are open to visitors.

Location: Delaware, United States

Website: https://www.newcastlede.gov/

Distance from Delaware: 54 miles

Travel time: 1 hour 8 minutes

TripAdvisor Review: 195 reviews

In the shadow of the tall observation towers that line the Cape, Henlopen Coast lies abandoned World War II ruins at Fort Miles Historic Area, which is open for exploration year-round. Visit 1940s bunkers and batteries, see machine guns up close, and even climb a tower to relive the area’s involvement in the Second World War. It’s truly an incredible experience for anyone interested in the history of the Delmarva region. Although funds to build the fort were approved in 1934, it was 1938 before construction began on the fort.

As the primary fort of the Harbor Defenses of Delaware, it was built to defend Delaware Bay and the Delaware River and to protect domestic shipping from the enemy fire between Cape May and Cape Henlopen, particularly from the German surface fleet. The fort also operated a controlled underwater minefield to prevent ships from entering the Delaware River estuary. Walking tours of the bunkers and other facilities currently being restored are available during the summer. The project falls under the purview of the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control. Historic interpreters can be seen at the park during special events. These events are designed to give the public a demonstration of military life at Fort Miles when it was still in operation.

Location: 15099 Cape Henlopen Dr, Lewes, DE 19958, USA

Website: https://fortmilesha.org/

Distance from Delaware: 35 miles

Travel time: 1 hour

Tel: 1 302-644-5007

Fee: $10 per person

Hour: 10:00 AM - 16:00 PM

TripAdvisor Review: 182 reviews