Wilmington Riverwalk — Attraction in Wilmington

Nice walk, but the whole setup doesn’t make sense.

You’ve got this beautiful riverwalk and an epic battleship, which you can clearly see across the river from the riverwalk. Google even says the battleship is a three-minute walk from there — across the river. I thought there must be a bridge.

But despite what Google says … or what makes total sense to me as a tourist, there is no way to reach the battleship by foot from the riverwalk.

But thinking I could, I waited until 3:30 before heading to the battleship via Google’s imaginary bridge. It’s just a three-minute walk, Google says. It takes an hour to an hour and a half to explore, Google says. Perfect.

But it seems Google and I are silly. There is no cute bridge linking the two biggest tourist attractions of Wilmington together.

Instead of walking a lovely three minutes over the river, I had to get in my hot car, drive through a slow-moving downtown that had had a waterline break that week, up onto a ridiculously packed highway, and down to the battleship, which was sitting directly across from where I had just eaten lunch. Took me 52 minutes to go 3.8 miles. 🙄🙄🙄 Hello? Something is wrong with this picture.

I missed the battleship. It closes at 5, and the last tickets are sold at 4.

Parking in downtown is not easy or cheap....

​The serene riverfront of Wrightsville, NC offers a perfect escape from the bustling beaches. The downtown Wilmington Riverwalk, just a short drive away, is a major highlight. Spanning nearly two miles, it’s a beautiful boardwalk lined with boutique shops, diverse restaurants, and waterfront views. It's a fantastic spot for a leisurely stroll, particularly at sunset, providing stunning vistas of the Cape Fear River and the USS North Carolina Battleship. ​Beyond the Riverwalk, downtown Wilmington offers a rich historical experience. The cobblestone streets are filled with art galleries, unique boutiques, and a vibrant dining scene. Historic landmarks and museums are easily accessible on foot, making the area perfect for a day of exploring. ​For a different perspective, a river tour is highly recommended. Many tours are run by knowledgeable captains who provide engaging commentary on the local history, ecology, and wildlife. These cruises offer a relaxing way to see the area, with options ranging from historical tours to breathtaking sunset and dolphin cruises. The scenic boat rides are often praised for being informative, family-friendly, and a great value. Whether by foot or by boat, the river...

Giving it a "2" based on the other reviews since traffic was so bad we never got there...

The plan was to drive to Wilmington's River Walk Saturday around 10am, spend a few hours, then drive to the Carolina Beach Boardwalk and do the same. We spent 2 hours sitting in traffic trying to get to the Riverwalk. The traffic jam was due to a triathlon going on in the downtown area - but it really wasn't. We decided to escape the traffic and go to Carolina Beach 1st. What we saw along the escape route was a poorly planned and executed traffic management debacle. Signs were posted closing lanes and a few saw horses were set up to control the traffic flow but people largely ignored all of that because there was not a single law enforcement officer to be found.

Five hours later we tried again - it was even worse in the afternoon.

The rest of the city all the way Ft Fisher had light traffic. This year we have driven from the OBX to Death Valley, CA and back. This was the worst traffic "for no reason" we encountered.

Suggest all city management and LEO retake the entire block of traffic...