Airlie Gardens — Attraction in Wilmington

Beautiful gardens at a very reasonable price. Take your time and stroll around taking in the beautiful sights and sounds that this gardens has to offer. The live oaks are truly magnificent with the Spanish moss flowing from their branches. There are very colorful flower groupings that give inspiration for home gardeners. They have many benches to sit and reflect as well as tiered step gazebo that leads right down to the water where multiple turtles come to great visitors. The day that we visited, we saw the most beautiful birds fly in near the tiered steps and land on a branch a little ways away. The best we could tell, they looked pink but we had no idea what they were or if our eyes were playing tricks on us in the bright light. I took multiple pictures on my cell phone from different angles and zoomed in several times not knowing if I was actually capturing anything. When we got home I was looking through the photos and discovered that they were in fact pink and was able to see their flat wide bill well enough to identify them as Roseate Spoonbill. I have never seen these birds before and was astonished that we had been lucky enough to witness 3 of these beautiful creatures swooping in and landing on a branch! Just beautiful. There are many things to see and discover at Airlie Gardens and it is worth spending several hours walking, picnicking, and discovering the natural beauty of this part of North Carolina, so...

Airlie Gardens is hands down one of my favorite places in Wilmington. It’s perfect for a family day, a romantic picnic, a solo stroll, or even a photo shoot—there’s something magical about it in every season, but spring (March–April) is especially breathtaking when everything is in bloom.

There are tucked-away spots for quiet moments, statues, stone pillars, water features, a butterfly house, local sculptures, and a cobblestone maze that makes you feel like you’ve stepped into a fairytale. It’s even a popular wedding venue, and it’s easy to see why.

We bought the season membership (about $75 for a family of five), which was well worth it compared to paying per visit. It’s also kid-friendly, has a cute gift shop, clean bathrooms, and plenty of parking.

Whether you’re visiting, local, or looking for the perfect spot to propose—don’t skip this place. Airlie is rich with beauty, history, and memories just waiting to be made.

✅ Best in spring ✅ Romantic, kid-friendly, and peaceful ✅ Ideal for photos, picnics, and proposals 🎯 Tip: Grab the season pass if you plan to come...

The garden itself is beautiful, however the way employees treat customers are not. I came here to view the garden as a potential wedding venue. When I arrived at the counter inside the ticket office to ask about pricing and ceremonies, the staff was very dissmive of my questions. The wedding coordinator was sitting at the desk helping out for the day. I understand if someone is having a bad or off day, but how they treated my mother,grandmother and I was not professional. We asked questions about booking and pricing, she was very dissmissive of our questions. It’s like we were a bother and she wanted to get rid of us. She just kept saying “well we can’t do anything unless we know the date is available” all we were asking was if their was chair rental included in the ceremony pricing and any officiants they knew of. I was hoping the staff would answer our questions with professionalism and warmth regarding my...