Murraysville - Wilmington, NC Area Guide

The neighborhood of Murraysville shares its history with the city of Wilmington on the southeastern coast of North Carolina. Founded in 1739, Wilmington became a major port city, responsible for trade goods coming in and out of the region and for supplies for the Confederate States of America during the Civil War. The port remains important to the city, but corporate businesses have moved in and are the major employers.

In the warm months, the Downtown Sundown concert series takes place Fridays at Riverfront Park on Water Street in downtown Wilmington. This free, family-friendly event features lots of tribute bands.

Movie theaters, performing arts theaters, bowling alleys and pool halls round out the options for night time entertainment that Murraysville residents can take advantage of if they venture just a little bit outside their neighborhood.

At night, residents of Murraysville can choose from all the city of Wilmington has to offer. Despite Murraysville's mainly residential nature, you find restaurants, movie theaters and other nightly entertainment near the city.

Flaming Amy's Burrito Barn keeps the locals full with specialty burritos, nachos, quesadillas and a bottomless basket of chips featuring nine different choices of salsas. All that Mexican food gets washed down with soft drinks or draft beer by the pitcher or the pint.

For more authentic Mexican, head to La Kumbala Lounge & Restaurant. Diners love the reasonably priced pupusas – small tortillas stuffed with beans, meat and cheese – paired with cold, imported Mexican beers. A dance floor, bar and pool tables turn La Kumbala into a nightclub in the evenings; the closest nightclub to the Murrasyville neighborhood in Wilmington.

For gourmet food without pretension, residents head to Sweet n Savory Cafe, which prides itself on its wine selection. Every Wednesday the restaurant opens up its wine collection to free sampling at happy hour. Free music from local North Carolina musicians turns the restaurant into a nightspot and a great place for dates.

On any evening of the week, residents like to stay around town and visit their local watering holes. At Beach House, you find something on the calendar every night of the week, from free pool to karaoke and trivia nights. A short drive outside the neighborhood takes you to Dig & Dive, which not only features 25 big-screen TVs but also has a great outdoor patio complete with a tiki bar and bocce, dodgeball, volleyball and cornhole courts.

Most nights of the week, residents also find plenty of nightlife in downtown Wilmington in the historic and business district on Front Street, Market Street and surrounding blocks. Pravda and Sputnick, nightclubs that share a space, fill with the younger crowd looking to dance the night away to DJ-played music.

While there is a trolley system in parts of the city of Wilmington, it does not run in the Murraysville neighborhood. Residents can call a taxi to pick them up, and Uber also operates the Murraysville neighborhood.

In Murraysville, most residents own a car and drive to work, shopping, and entertainment venues. About 12 percent of local workers choose to carpool together. Nearby access to highways and expressways make commuting in and out of the neighborhood easy.

Residents often choose to walk around the safe neighborhood when visiting others nearby. Some residents choose to bike, too, but designated bike lanes within the neighborhood are few. Within the city of Wilmington, the Gary Shell Cross-City Trail offers bikers and pedestrians an off-road, multi-use trail with access to many recreational, cultural and educational destinations in the city.

To get to other parts of Wilmington where many of the restaurants and shop are, however, residents usually choose to drive, since getting around in areas outside the neighborhood requires a car.

Located along the border of the neighborhood of Murraysville and the neighborhood of Ogden, Ogden Park is a free park where everyone can play. The park offers three lighted baseball diamonds and one lighted softball field. A dual-purpose lighted soccer/football field and tennis courts bring sports lovers to the park, too. Playgrounds, covered picnic areas, and public rest rooms make the park great for families, and seasonal concession stands mean you can picnic without planning ahead. An enclosed pet exercise area and plenty of walking and jogging trails round out the park's offerings.

The cost of living in Murraysville runs about 3 percent lower than that of nearby Wilmington.

The median monthly rent for a one-bedroom apartment averages $690, and many of those apartments are newly built with modern amenities. A beer at the local pub costs around $3 during happy hour and about $5 later in the evening.

Since most residents get around by car, they appreciate the fact that the price of a gallon of gas in Murraysville sits only 2 percent higher than the national average.

You won't find a lot of shopping within the mainly residential neighborhood of Murraysville. For groceries and other shopping, head to the Harris Teeter in the nearby neighborhood of Ogden or the Whole Foods Market a little further away on the opposite side of the city.

The independent Lovey's Market sells fresh, local and organic foods and features an eat-in cafe. Local foods can also be found seasonally at the Riverfront and Poplar's Grove farmers market within Wilmington.

Downtown Wilmington provides boutique, antique, jewelry, consignment and gallery shopping. The premiere shopping destination for upscale shopping is Independence Mall, located in the center of Wilmington. It's the only shopping mall within a 60-mile radius of Murraysville.