Wilmington's main sights cluster in the Historic District along the Cape Fear River — a compact area of Victorian and antebellum buildings that is one of the largest historic districts in the United States. The USS North Carolina battleship sits in permanent berth across the river and is the city's most visited attraction. The Cape Fear Museum tells the city's complex history, including the 1898 Wilmington massacre — one of the darkest events in American history, rarely discussed outside North Carolina.
Thalian Hall, the city's 19th-century theatre, is one of the oldest operating performance venues in the country. The riverfront Cotton Exchange has been converted into shops and restaurants. And the beaches east of the city — Wrightsville Beach and Carolina Beach — are easily reached by car.
Wilmington's film industry presence (the city is nicknamed Wilmywood) has left a visible mark: EUE/Screen Gems Studios, one of the largest studio complexes east of Los Angeles, offers regular tours.