Wilmington & Wrightsville Beach, NC

Wilmington is our town and Wrightsville Beach is our beach. You drive or fly to Wilmington to get to Wrightsville Beach. Our town runs along the Intracoastal Waterway and is also on Cape Fear River, so there is a lot of water front to enjoy.  It is the perfect beach town with a fun downtown.

LET'S EAT:
Breakfast/Coffee Shops
Zekes. Big fat duhhh, this is our restaurant right in Wrightsville Beach! You’ll find great coffee, acai bowls, and breakfast pitas! It is also an amazing lunch spot if you love salads or poke bowls! Our Crepes and More is a fave of ours! The owners are our amazing neighbors from France and they make the absolute best crepes. Bespoke is my fave coffee shop downtown, such fun decor and great coffee! You'll end up leaving with a T-shirt, coffee mug, or bag as well.

Lunch
Mess Hall is such a cool spot located near downtown in the Cargo District. Great area for shopping, grabbing a beer/coffee and getting a yummy burger or if you’re like me a black bean burger and tots! Don’t forget to ask for their mess hall sauce! Savorez is one of our fave downtown spots. Great ceviche, vegan options, empanadas, tacos and homemade chips for salsa and or guac! Brasserie is my spot for girls lunch or a day date. Grab their quiche of the day and glass of white.

Dinner
Yosake/Dram & Morsal is a great Asian fusion restaurant. My go-to is the Tequila Katie and killer happy hour menu. PinPoint is Nick's and my date night spot. Hands down best cocktails in Wilmington, amazing bartenders, incredible food. I love that they change up the menu for the season. Just THE best! Block Taco serves the best tacos in town and sits right beside the most fun outdoor open bar. Indochine has been our fave Thai place for 10+ years. The back of the restaurant is a Thailand oasis. Truly an experience. We go once a week!

Drinks
Go to Rooftop Cloud 9 for sunset, downtown has the most stunning sunsets! Flying machine is definitely my favorite brewery in town. There truly are so many good ones though so make sure and seek them out! Dockside is right on the water, and my fave bar scene, great place to grab a drink with friends and best to get to by boat! EOD distillery is a really fun Gin spot! Satellite is a fave of ours that is right beside Block Taco. All open doors, just a really cool atmosphere to grab a drink and an easy spot when the kiddos are in tow.

LET'S SHOP:
Lilies & Lace has all the best swim suits, dresses, and everyday loungewear. Plus you can get a bra fitting! Airlie Moon is my absolute favorite home store. I say home but they carry decor to the most beautiful jewelry. Great place to find that baby shower gift to finding the perfect coastal light fixture. Sweetwater Surf Shop offers great swimsuits and clothes, including surf brands, including L Space and their own brand! You'll see me rocking their sweatshirt all the time! Surf City Surf Shop carries beach brands and Hallelu carries clothes from swim, to fun hats, to dresses, you'll find it all!
LET'S STAY:
Blockade Runner, Arrive, Midtown Tudor home, Hotel Ballast

LET'S EXPLORE:
If you want to pamper yourself, head to Lemon for an amazing massage and then head to Figgy & Co for the dreamiest facial! This is such a cool store for all your makeup, skincare, and facial needs! Explore the park, loop and beach in Wrightsville Beach. The South End is great for sunsets! Go to Carolina/Kure Beach, and on the way stop at Britt’s donuts in Carolina Beach. Grab a coffee at and then head to the Aquarium. Book your time slot so it's not crowded. There are also trails along the outskirts of the parking lot which are really cool areas for the kids to walk and explore with you! You could also take the ferry to Southport! So many movies have been filmed there and it’s a beautiful beach town.

In my opinion, the best way to truly take in this town is by water. Explore it! Go surfing, rent a kayak or paddle board, or go for it and rent a boat! If you get the chance to see Masonboro Island, do it! If you are looking for those crystal blue waters head up to the south end of Figure 8 island. So much to do and so little time!!

This blog post is brought to you by Jenna Cole of Living Colestal. She is an online marketing and social media consultant who lives in Wilmington, NC.