Hey friends! Long time no speak! 

If you follow me on Insta (@sophisticatedandsassy) you know that Chris and I took a small quarantine baecation to Wilmington, NC. 

We were originally supposed to spend a few days around the 4th of July in Puerto Rico but COVID eliminated that plan. So many people asked about our recommendations for places with good safety procedures in place so here goes! As a reminder, this is not meant to encourage you to travel or do anything you are not comfortable with. This is simply a guide for those who are interested. 

A few notes: 

-We chose a driveable distance in state on purpose. 

-We chose the days we were going based off of when we thought it would be least crowded. 

-We asked about hotel sanitation procedures before booking + still lysoled everything upon arrival.

-We social distanced + wore masks the entire trip (you should be doing this anywhere!) 

-Sanitize, sanitize, sanitize!! 

-I can only speak from our experience and what we personally witnessed with the places listed.

-Many places have modified hours and reduced days of operations so check their website or call to get the most up to date information. 

Lodging: 

We stayed at the Arrive Hotel and I could not recommend it enough! This adorable boutique hotel has a cute eclectic vibe. They have an awesome patio and gazebo area with a bar, a restaurant, multiple fireplaces, games and garden seating. They also have a secret confessional (yes, you read that right) but I can’t speak to this space since we didn’t go in it. 

We had drinks at the gazebo bar on our first night and they were great! We would have gotten a small plate but we had already made dinner reservations. The food looked super fresh and yummy. Everyone wore masks and socially distanced appropriately throughout the hotel grounds. 

We chose the mini room which was perfect for the two of us. There are small differences between this room and the suite which you can find on their website. You can check my Instagram highlights for videos of our room. We loved the full size toiletries they had in each room and the comfy bed. 

The location of this hotel was perfect because it was right downtown Wilmington, only a few minutes walking to the river. 

The customer service was also impeccable! We will definitely be back. 

COVID-19 precautions: 

-Hospital-Grade Electrostatic Disinfection

-All bath linens were wrapped in a sealed package 

-Guests were required to wear masks in all common areas and you could request masks at the front desk

-Optional housekeeping

-Sealed water bottles 

-bookings are fully refundable until the day before check in 

-delayed turnover, each room was unoccupied for 48 hours before the next guest stayed in it 

Activities: 

• Wrightsville Beach: We visited Wrightsville twice since this was the main reason for our visit. Our Sunday visit was a little more crowded than our Monday visit but on both days everyone was socially distanced. We stayed away from any family that looked like they weren’t social distancing and left before the beach got too crowded. I would recommend going early and going to further access points to avoid crowds. 

• Wilmington Water Tours: We did the 50 minute Eagles Island Cruise. We were all assigned seats 6 feet away from other parties. The seats, tables and window seals were all sanitized before we got on. All the staff wore masks. The bar had barriers between you and the bartender. The guide was knowledgeable and fun. The drinks were great and the ride was smooth. This was such a fun tour and we will definitely do it again!

Food/Drinks: 

-Tower 7: Tower 7 is our favorite place to eat on Wrightsville Beach! It’s a Baja Mexican grill and the food and drinks are great. They required masks unless at a table. All staff wore masks and tables and seats were sanitized before seating the next party. The tables were distanced appropriately and there was one entry point and one exit point. 

I had: Frozen strawberry margarita, Bikini shrimp 

Chris had: Dos Equis, Triple B quesadilla 

-Bluewater Grill: Good dinner spot right on the water. Mostly American food and seafood. They required masks unless at a table. All staff wore masks and tables and seats were sanitized before seating the next party. The tables were distanced appropriately. 

I had: Seafood linguine, Sinful sunset margarita

Chris had: BWG Cheeseburger (he said it was just okay and would get something different next time), Tropical Lightning IPA

-Beach bagels: 

Take out only. Mask required for entry. All the staff wore masks. One entry point and one exit point.

I had: Jalapeño business 

Chris had: The Jose 

-Indochine:

This is my favorite restaurant in Wilmington. It’s a blend of Thai food and Vietnamese food. Everything is so good!! 

They required masks unless at a table. All staff wore masks and tables and seats were sanitized before seating the next party. The tables were distanced appropriately with barriers in between tables. Seating outdoors and indoors. 

I had: red curry with shrimp 

Chris had: pineapple fried rice 

Kilwins Ice Cream:

Perfectly walkable from our hotel and so good! There was a makeshift takeout system set up in the door frame which was efficient and sanitary. 

We both had cake batter. 

Cloud 9 Rooftop bar and restaurant:

This was our final stop on our last night and it was perfect. We got to watch the sunset over the river. We had already had dinner so we only got drinks but our drinks were excellent and the view was exquisite. All staff wore masks and tables and seating were cleaned in between guests. The tables were distanced appropriately and they had a reduced capacity. 

Overall, we had the best time especially considering the circumstances. I’m grateful that we took the opportunity to rest and recharge and I can’t wait until we can visit again. Until then, stay healthy and sassy!