Best Tours in Wrightsville Beach to Book Today

Looking for something to do while visiting Wrightsville Beach? Local tours are the best way to get acclimated with the area’s nature, history, wildlife, and nearby islands. Expert local guides help you plan the perfect tour designed for solo travelers, families, and groups.

Wrightsville Beach tours are perfect for any trip itinerary, regardless of whether you’re staying for a few days or more than a week. Half-day excursions leave plenty of sunlight to unwind afterwards at the beach. Full-day tours are for visitors keen on getting to know the coastal area. Most tours fall within five categories:

• History tours
• Boat tours
• Island tours
• Wildlife tours
• Eco tours

See what exciting tours await you at Wrightsville Beach.

History Tours

History lovers have centuries of history to uncover in the Wrightsville Beach area. The best history tours pack a lifetime’s worth of information into a fun, concise few hours. If you’re a war geek or colonial era fanatic, you’ll find yourself right at home.

Drive into Wilmington to explore the landmark-filled Wilmington Historic District with a guided walking tour by Tour Old Wilmington. Trade in your walking shoes for hooves and wheels with horse-drawn carriage tours by Springbrook Farms, trotting through Wilmington’s heritage. Docent-led tours at Battleship North Carolina let you quite literally walk in the shoes of the brave sailors who served on it during WWII. Immerse yourself in the lifestyles of locals who lived during colonial times with guided tours of the Bellamy Mansion and Burgeon-Wright House.

Explore further south along the coast, and you’ll run into a prominent Civil War site located in Kure Beach. Guided tours at the Fort Fisher State Historic Site followed a history-filled path to see a WWII-era bunker, preserved earthworks, and more.

Boat Tours

Set sail into a world of stunning views, coastal adventures, and unforgettable memories with Wrightsville Beach boat tours. Wrightsville Beach caters to boaters. After your first boat tour, you’ll be looking forward to chartering your own boat and planning a customized boat excursion. But with so many boating destinations, local boating guides know exactly where to take you for a good time.

Looking for family-friendly water fun? Turn the local waterways into your very own water park. Epic Excursions features amenities like a large float pad to relax, paddleboards, and surfboards to rip the ocean waves. A sunset cruise through the Wrightsville Beach Harbor with Soundside Adventures is perfect for sunset photos or a romantic date. Scenic boat tours by Wrightsville Beach Scenic Tours show off the picturesque North Carolina coastline and untouched barrier islands.

Island Tours

North Carolina’s barrier islands look very enticing as you’re sailing past them. They’re full of natural beauty and crowdless coasts. Make island-hopping a part of your vacation stories with local island tours.

There are approximately 18 barrier islands off the coast of North Carolina—many only accessible by boat. Masonboro Island (the area’s largest undisturbed island), Lee Island, and Figure Eight are some of the popular barrier islands to explore near Wrightsville Beach. Boat tours bring visitors to scenic sandy shores to enjoy a day at the beach, snorkeling, a beach picnic, and other activities. For unique island excursions near Wrightsville Beach, check out Sharks Tooth Island kayaking tours by WKC. You’ll kayak from Wrightsville Beach to Shark Tooth Island to hunt for shark teeth and fossil treasures. The Money Island kayak tour is an adventure see if “X” marks the spot for lost pirate treasure.

Wildlife Tour

Keep your camera ready! With so much stunning nature surrounding you, there’s a lot of wildlife you’ll encounter above and below the surface. The coastal location is the ideal habitat for everything from sea turtles to shorebirds, marsh creatures to marine life. Wildlife tours pair you with an expert who knows where to go and when to see all your favorite animals.

Explore the depths of the Atlantic Ocean with underwater journeys to shipwrecks and artificial reefs guided by Aquatic Safaris Scuba Center. Dolphin tours are one of the top Wrightsville Beach Tours for a chance to see these majestic, seafaring mammals. The Sunset Dolphin Cruise by Wrightsville Beach Scenic Tours is the best time to see bottlenose dolphins peeking above the water. Whales can also be spotted near Wrightsville Beach during the winter months, but many boating tours are seasonal and may not run during the colder months. Look up to see high-flying shorebirds with free birding tours hosted by the Cape Fear Audubon Society.

Eco Tours

Eco tours immerse visitors in the coastal landscape. The goal of these tours is to highlight the region’s natural characteristics that make the area special—from barrier-island exploration to spotting native wildlife and flora. These are one-of-a-kind tours you can only experience here, and they offer a variety of ways to explore for everyone. 

Navigate the coastal waterways with BlackBird Guide Services for sea shelling and sunset nature tours. WB Scenic Tours hosts a guided eco tour featuring an educational eco talk about Masonboro Island Reserve and its coastal ecosystem. Learn the ropes with Wrightsville Beach SUP before a paddleboarding tour through the Intracoastal Waterway.

Want to plan your own Wrightsville Beach eco tour? Check out some of our favorite hiking trails.

Sea Scape Properties guests can find tour discounts with our local tour partners. Check out available accommodations and enjoy your savings!