Travel Guide
Cheap Flights & Coastal Delights: Discover America’s Most Underrated Summer Escape
May
Wanna know where to go on the cheap this summer? Me too!
I don’t know about you, but Tax Day had me seeing red. Call me stubborn, but fewer commas in my bank account won’t stop me from seeing the world.
As you know, many of the global icons we’ve all fallen in love with, such as London, Paris, and our very own New York City, come at premium prices, driving us to venture off to the lesser-known.
Skyscanner just released its ‘Smarter Summer Report‘—emphasis on “smarter.” The truth is many travelers waste their hard-earned cash with spur-of-the-moment decisions, like waiting until the last second to book a trip or not looking at alternative dates.
But Skyscanner has done all the research for us, revealing that one of America’s most underrated beach towns has the cheapest flights in the nation.
Better yet, once you arrive, you won’t have to break the bank either with affordable stays and fun, low-cost activities.
Wilmington, NC: Average Summer Airfare Is Only $105
You can barely have a nice night out anymore without hitting triple digits. My last date night totaled $86 with a tip, and that was just happy hour!
When it comes to traveling, it’s hard to believe round-trip airfare anywhere can average a smidge over $100, but that’s the case for Wilmington, North Carolina, not to be confused with another cheap East Coast city, Wilmington, Delaware.
North Carolina’s coastal gem flies under the radar from the busy hub of Charlotte, the epic comeback of Asheville, and perhaps the trendiest coastline in the country, thanks to the popular Netflix show of the same name, The Outer Banks.
Isolated from the vast space of map-dot towns making up a swath of barrier islands, Wilmington is not an Outer Banks beach. It offers a more charming aesthetic and city feel, and its own cluster of beautiful beaches within close reach.
According to Skyscanner’s ‘Explore’ feature, these 10 cities have nonstop flights under $125 round-trip in June before summer temps hit their peak in July:
- Washington D.C. ($70)
- Nashville ($74)
- Detroit ($78)
- Tampa ($97)
- Rochester ($105)
- Orlando ($108)
- Houston ($112)
- Minneapolis ($113)
- New Haven ($119)
- Providence ($120)
Downtown Delights: A Blissful “Riverwalk” & Historic Attractions
Unless much of the Outer Banks, Wilmington offers visitors a balanced mix of urban delights and quintessential southern hospitality, all while being a stone’s throw from vibrant blue-water beaches.
To be frank, Wilmington’s skyline is a little lackluster, but don’t let the drab colors deter you from experiencing the joys of downtown.
The Riverwalk is downtown’s heartbeat with a bustling pedestrian promenade and scenic waterfront views snaking down the Cape Fear River with sensational seafood eats, killer breweries, boat tours, and some unexpected thrills like the Museum of the Bizarre ($3 admission).
All in all, the buzzing Riverwalk is home to 200 shops, restaurants, and attractions.
Of course, with such splendid summertime weather, there are ample ways to enjoy the outdoors, but locals’ favorite to simply grab a patio seat at such popular hangouts like Elijah’s Oyster & Fish Camp to enjoy a fresh catch and sweeping waterfront views.
Wilmington is far from flashy, so don’t expect prices to be out of control. For example, even a Wine Tasting Cruise along Cape Fear only costs $45.
In fact, Wilmington is one of the most under-appreciated cities in the South in terms of all the fascinating historical sites, whether it be the 230-plus block National Register Historic District or Battleship North Carolina.
Wilmington’s Wondrous Coast
Downtown may boast the scenic river, but going east of the city are the real gems of lesser-known beaches and unheard-of islands.
Wrightsville Beach is arguably the most sought-after and easiest to reach, but surrounding Wrightsville lies barrier island sanctuaries and celebrity-favored hideaways, known as the “Hamptons of the South”.
Wrightsville is the best choice for a nice beachfront stay if you want to wake up to views of the Atlantic rather than cozy cafes dotting downtown. However, coastal prices are a far cry from downtown’s double-digit rates for chain hotels.
4-star Trailborn Surf & Sound is going for $375 this June and July, 3-star Holiday Inn Resort Lumina on Wrightsville Beach goes for even more at $431 per night, compared to downtown’s 5-star Hotel Ballast Wilmington, Tapestry Collection going for just $108 this summer.
Maybe Uber to the beach?
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This article originally appeared on TravelOffPath.com
Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.
