Heed the Call of the Water.

Heed the Call
of the Water.
Where river and sea come together
for extraordinary settings and meetings
Historic Wilmington • Carolina Beach • Kure Beach • Wrightsville Beach
505 Nutt Street, Unit A, Wilmington, NC 28401 / NCCoastalMeetings.com / 800-650-9064
Official publication of the Wilmington and Beaches Convention & Visitors Bureau
On the river or by the sea, our extraordinary choices
will set your meetings apart from the ordinary
From our historic river district to three colorful island beaches, you’ll find Wilmington, N.C. to be
the ideal destination for your next meeting. Specializing in small-and medium-size meetings, we offer
some of the largest and most spectacular meeting and convention facilities on the coast, as well as an
exceptional range of attractions, personalized and professional service, and all the right elements for
increasing your meeting attendance at this favorite meeting and vacation destination.
Proud of its rich and colorful history, Wilmington offers an authentic visitor experience every season
of the year and extraordinary settings surrounded by water, history, culture and natural beauty. Our
friendly and inviting beach communities are no more than 25 minutes apart and are filled with endless
opportunities for fun and relaxation. Together, this dynamic port city and its neighboring beach towns
offer one incredible destination where your group can enjoy the business at hand from a fresh perspective.
The largest convention facilities on the North Carolina coast
W
ilmington & our
island beaches are
one of NC’s favorite
vacation destinations and a natural to become your
next favorite meetings destination.
We cater to small businesses, big
associations, large corporations,
family reunions or somewhere in
between. From state-of-the-art
wireless exhibit halls to the irresistible charm of a historic home with
soul-stirring porch views, our variety
of venues is unmatched and always
appealing.
Imagine brainstorming on the
deck of the mighty World War II
Battleship NORTH CAROLINA or
cruising along the scenic Cape Fear
River. Pondering is easy next to the
serene undersea world of the North
Carolina Aquarium.
Battleship NORTH CAROLINA
Want something a little more
traditional? The sleek, 107,000square-foot Wilmington Convention
Center is the largest convention
center on NC’s coast. Located
downtown, it features business
made casual with flexible meeting
spaces, some with riverfront views.
Other downtown facilities include
the historic Coastline Conference
and Event Center, which retains the
charm of its red brick railroad depot
days while offering modern amenities. Nearby, the Hilton Wilmington
Riverside offers 20,000-square-feet
of meeting space, plus an on-site
Ruth’s Chris Steak House.
Come and meet in Wilmington
and our island beaches, where getting down to business can be
an absolute pleasure.
Everything you value for extraordinary meetings
From our choice location and superb facilities, to all there is to do when your meetings adjourn, Wilmington & our island beaches
allows you to defy convention when planning your next meeting or event.
A D I s T I N C T I v e D e s T I N AT I O N
• Meeting facilities from riverfront to oceanfront and in-between
• Downtown Wilmington is a 230+ block National Register Historic
District, one of the largest in the U.S.
• A remarkable location with easy East Coast access via interstates
and non-stop flights
• The two-mile wooden Riverwalk, lined with shops and
restaurants, skirts the historic Cape Fear River.
• More than 400 film and television productions have been shot
here, earning Wilmington the nickname “Hollywood East.”
• The University of North Carolina at Wilmington is consistently
ranked among the top 10 public regional universities in the
South with an undergraduate marine biology program that is
ranked 5th best in the world.
• Three nationally recognized beaches within 19 miles
of Wilmington
e xC e p T I O N A L FA C I L I T I e s
• Largest convention center on the NC coast
• Meeting capabilities for 20 to 2,000 people
• 30 meeting facilities and over 40 unique meeting venues,
from riverfront to oceanfront
• Nearly 8,000 guestrooms and suites
I R R e s I s T I B L e AT T R A C T I O N s & R e s TA u R A N T s
• Over 54 parks, plantations and gardens
• Over 400 dining establishments, many locally owned and within
walking distance of the convention center
• Multiple championship golf courses within the area.
• Largest variety of water sports imaginable, including fishing,
scuba diving, kayaking, surfing, canoeing, stand-up paddle
boarding and kiteboarding
• Over 62 charter boats and fishing guides
• Over 45 diverse attractions and a wide variety of entertainment
North Carolina’s most accessible coastal destination
Wilmington is located between the Cape Fear River and the Atlantic
Ocean in southeastern NC. Just minutes away are three island beaches,
Carolina Beach, Kure Beach and Wrightsville Beach. Affordable and
accessible by car, plane or even boat. You’ll find it’s easy to get to, and
easily navigable once you’re here.
Boston
Detroit
Wilmington International Airport (ILM) provides the area and
southeastern NC with major commercial and general aviation
services. (910) 341-4333, www.flyilm.com
Chicago
Cleveland
Cincinna
Delta
US Airways
N O N - s T O p D e s T I N AT I O N s :
New York (LGA)
Atlanta (ATL)
Charlotte (CLT)
Philadelphia (PHL)
Washington DC (DCA)
New York
Washington D.C.
Greensboro
Raleigh
Richmond
Louisville
CARRIeRs
INCLuDe:
Pisburgh
Philadelphia
North
Carolina
Memphis
Charloe
Charleston
Birmingham
Atlanta
Wilmington
Montgomery
Orlando
Tampa
Miami
Downtown
Wilmington
Wrightsville
Beach
D I s TA N C e I N M I L e s
Wilmington & our island beaches are centrally located on the
East Coast, midway between New York and Florida. The major east/
west interstate artery I-40 leads to Wilmington, which is also served
by U.S. highways 17, 74/76, 117 and 421.
The area features convenient access via the state’s numerous
interstate highways to the following metro centers:
Carolina
Beach
Kure
Beach
Atlantic
Ocean
Asheville, NC
Atlanta, GA
Charleston, SC
Charlotte, NC
Greensboro, NC
North Myrtle Beach, SC
318
413
167
203
184
60
Norfolk, VA
New York, NY
Raleigh, NC
Washington, DC
Winston Salem, NC
Interstate I-95
250
599
123
360
210
73
The Wilmington Convention Center
at a glance
•
•
•
•
•
Future
hotel
space
Estelle Lee Dr.
N. Water St.
Marina
Coastline
Conference
and Event
Center
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Red Cross St.
Meeting and convention hotels
Historic
Downtown
Riverwalk
Hilton
Wilmington
Riverside
W
Walnut St.
N. Front St.
N.Water St.
Grace St.
ilmington & our island beaches offers outstanding
accommodations and meeting facilities at oceanfront
resorts and hotels (with up to 9,000 square feet), riverside
hotels (with up to 20,000 square feet) and Wilmington area properties
(with up to 5,300 square feet). The facilities listed represent
accommodations with seating for 200 (or more) people theater-style.
For a complete hotel list, visit www.NCCoastalMeetings.com.
Banquet Capacity
Best Western
Coastline Inn
30,000-square-foot Exhibit Hall
Full A/V, sound systems, lighting controls, concessions and Internet
30-foot ceiling height
Drive-in floor access suited for tractor trailers
5,784 square feet of additional meeting space with option to divide
into 8 separate rooms
12,000-square-foot Grand Ballroom with option to divide into
6 separate rooms
12,000 square feet of outdoor space at the Event Lawn
15,000+ square-foot pre-function space
Covered outdoor riverfront seating with spectacular river views
580+ space parking deck
LEED® certification
ILM International Airport four miles away
Classroom Capacity
Parking
O T H e R D e TA I L s :
Truck
Dock
Theater Capacity
Meeting
Rooms
Exhibit Hall
# of Meeting Rooms
Grand
Ballroom
N. Front St.
Event
Lawn
O
ffer your group more, with Wilmington’s spectacular
107,000-square-foot riverfront convention center and multiple
hotels, all connected by nearly two miles of riverwalk along the
Cape Fear River. All are located within easy walking distance of more
than 200 downtown shops, 40 restaurants and 10 attractions.
Hanover St.
# of Guest Rooms
Wilmington
Convention
Center
Best Western Coastline Inn
47
5
950
500
700
Hilton Wilmington Riverside
260
15
800
400
500
Courtyard by Marriott Wilmington
Downtown/Historic District
119
3
80
48
70
Beau Rivage Golf & Resort
27
5
250
150
250
Hampton Inn Medical Park
120
3
200
100
100
Holiday Inn Wilmington
124
6
275
150
275
Ramada Conference Center
99
3
300
200
250
Blockade Runner Beach Resort
150
6
300
180
175
Holiday Inn Resort
184
10
500
250
300
Shell Island Oceanfront Suites
135
4
320
150
250
144
3
300
180
200
Meeting and
Convention Hotels
DOwNTOwN wILMINgTON
wILMINgTON
wRIgHTsvILLe BeACH
CAROLINA BeACH
Courtyard Marriott Carolina Beach
Our meetings and vacations have a lot in common
Meeting in Wilmington & our island beaches means variety for everyone! Attendees can
arrive early or stay late to enjoy our three beach communities or the historic charm of Wilmington.
The following is just a sampling of experiences.
uNIque OFF-sITe MeeTINg veNues
Want something a little different for your next meeting?
How about a battleship, aquarium or antebellum mansion?
Airlie Gardens
Battleship NORTH CAROLINA
Bellamy Mansion Museum
Cameron Art Museum
Fort Fisher State Historic Site
Hannah Block Historic USO
Henrietta III – Cape Fear Riverboats
NC Aquarium at Fort Fisher
Thalian Hall Center for Performing Arts
The River Room
Union Station
Winner Party Boat Fleet
wilmington
• Explore Historic Airlie Gardens, encompassing 67 acres of beautiful
Gilded Age gardens and lakes.
• The kids will love Jungle Rapids Family Fun Park, with water park,
go-carts, jungle golf, laser tag, climbing wall, arcade and more.
• Explore the Cameron Art Museum, a collection of fine art, design
and crafts.
Carolina Beach
• Slip back into simpler times on the Carolina Beach Boardwalk and at
the seaside amusement park.
• Hike through Carolina Beach State Park to see Venus Fly Traps
(indigenous to only a 100-mile radius of the area).
• Charter a deep-sea or in-shore charter from the Carolina Beach
Fishing Center and Marina.
• Kick up your heels on a Winner party boat.
Kure Beach
• Fort Fisher State Historic Site and Civil War Museum is the site
of the largest land/sea battle of the Civil War.
• Watch sharks swim right before your eyes in the 235,000-gallon saltwater tank at the massive North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher.
• Explore Fort Fisher State Recreation Area by foot, meandering
through the marsh and viewing sound-side flora and fauna.
Airlie gardens
p R e & p O s T vA C AT I O N I D e A s
Downtown wilmington
• History buffs should head to Burgwin-Wright Museum House
& Gardens, with its Colonial furnishings, 18th-century kitchen,
and an outstanding period garden.
• Explore the Victorian-era gardens and antebellum architecture at
the Bellamy Mansion Museum of History & Design Arts.
• Take a bus ride with American Heritage Tours through Wilmington’s
230+ block historic district.
• Ride along the brick paved streets of downtown on a Springbrook
Farms horse-drawn carriage.
• See real movie locations on the Hollywood Location Walk of
Old Wilmington.
• Tour the Battleship NORTH CAROLINA, former home to almost
2,000 men. She earned 15 battle stars for her distinguished service
during World War II.
• Cape Fear Museum of History & Science features the rich history,
science and cultures of NC’s southern coast.
• Thalian Hall, City Stage, Red Barn Studio and many other venues
offer a variety of live theater performance options.
wrightsville Beach
• Learn to paddleboard or surf at our surf camps.
• Rent a canoe or kayak at Wrightsville Beach and paddle over to
Masonboro Island to see endangered sea turtles and shore birds.
• Centuries old shipwrecks provide a haven for scuba divers.
• End the day with a chartered sunset cruise aboard the Wrightsville
Beach Scenic Tours and Water Taxi.
seRvICes
The Wilmington and Beaches Convention & Visitors Bureau will help
you plan the perfect meeting and find the best places for everything
from meeting, eating, and sleeping to plugging in, working out and
logging on.
C O N TA C T u s
Find out more about the area’s meeting hotels, facilities and
unique venues.
John Sneed
Director of Convention Sales
800-650-9064, ext. 125 or 910-332-8757
[email protected]
www.NCCoastalMeetings.com