There are many destinations for hosting sports events in the Carolinas, but only one offers the quintessential Carolina Coastal Experience: Wilmington, N.C., and Island Beaches.

Wilmington and our island beaches have hosted many diverse events filled with good times and record-breaking participation. Our welcoming year-round weather, breathtaking beaches, and bustling riverfront are fan favorites.

While Wilmington and Beaches offers a variety of facilities and venues to host sports events, its unique natural settings are what sets it apart. Here, race courses cut through beautiful sounds, rivers, and marshes. Water-based courses flow down the storied Cape Fear and across the Intracoastal Waterway into the Atlantic Ocean. Other exceptional venues include the Wilmington Convention Center (the only convention center on N.C.’s coast), Althea Gibson Tennis Complex (the largest tennis facility in Southeastern N.C.), and Olsen Park (featuring the handicap accessible Miracle Field). nCino Sports Park is currently under construction; when finished later this year, the park will have 11 full-size fields for soccer and other field sports (including one synthetic turf) and outdoor lighting. Tidewater Pickleball Park, a new 23-court facility featuring a restaurant, pro shop, locker rooms, and more, is slated to open later this year.

View the area's sports venues and facilities through the destination's Sports SkyNav™ Virtual Tour. The interactive 3D tour features aerial views of venues, including soccer fields, tennis courts, baseball and softball fields, and others. In addition to seeing the venues, you can interact with SkyTags to get more information about each facility's amenities. The tour also includes information beacons featuring images, videos, and more.

There are few other destinations in the coastal Carolinas that offer such an incredible array of outdoor landscapes and all-encompassing facilities, all in one place.

Top reasons to host a sports event in Wilmington, N.C.!