Riverwalk

Wilmington's Riverwalk stretches 1.75 miles along the bank of the Cape Fear River in historic downtown Wilmington, running from the foot of Nun Street on the south of historic downtown to the Isabel Holmes Bridge on the north. It has been named in the top 10 riverwalks across the country by USA Today over the last decade.

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In spring 2025, contractors began a multi-year project to replace all the decking on the 1.75-mile-long Wilmington Riverwalk as part of the first phase of the Riverwalk Annual Maintenance Needs contract, approved by Wilmington City Council on January 21, 2025. Learn more about the project here.

In honor of the completion of all 1.75 miles of the Riverwalk, 30 years in the making, November 18, 2017 was officially proclaimed "Riverwalk Day"(PDF, 403KB) in the City of Wilmington.

Making of the downtown Riverwalk

City's No. 1 Tourist Attraction

  • Provides access to public parks, shopping, dining and museums, riverfront views of the Battleship NC, and historic interpretive signage along the route
  • Also connects with the River to the Sea Bikeway, East Coast Greenway and Cape Fear Historic (Scenic) Byway
  • Public parking available in nearby parking decks and on street
  • Public docking available for boaters
  • Named the top riverfront in the country by USA Today in 2015
  • Home to public art installations
  • U.S. National Parks Service has designated Riverwalk’s Orange Street Landing as part of its National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom Program

Guided Digital Tour of the Riverwalk

 Private VS. Public Dock Ownership (includes length of Riverwalk)(PDF, 3MB)

 

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Creating the Downtown Riverfront Guide(PDF, 3MB)

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