History, hospitality, and cosmopolitan flair meet in Wilmington, the conch shell’s hot pink center. The colossal World War II Battleship NORTH CAROLINA sits across the river; spend an afternoon investigating this 45,000-ton warship. The ship resembles something from a movie, which seems no accident here in “Hollywood East.” “Nights in Rodanthe” and “One Tree Hill” are among more than 400 productions shot here. Tour the area’s 20-year film history at the EUE Screen Gem Studios.
Enjoy Wilmington’s natural beauty. Cruise down the Cape Fear aboard the Henrietta III Riverboat, stroll the gardens at a historic home (the Burgwin-Wright House has seven unique gardens), or pedal boat your way around Greenfield Lake Park’s mighty cypress trees. Wile away the afternoon learning to blow glass, exploring a museum, or discover downtown by foot, boat or trolley tour. For thrills, visit a serpentarium full of exotic creatures.
Let award-winning chefs handle dinner, and then relax on a Springbrook Farms horse-drawn carriage ride. Time for bed? Hardly! See a play at 154-year-old newly renovated Thalian Hall Center for the Performing Arts, or join crowds on pulsating dance floors. Slip into your cozy bed-and-breakfast to rest up before tomorrow’s brand new tour.
Raise the conch shell to your ear and you’ll hear the ocean 15 minutes due east in Wrightsville Beach. Water, water everywhere could be Wrightsville Beach’s motto, and there’s so much more to do than swim. Hang 10 at one of several surf camps and schools for all ages. Soar high over the sea by kite boarding or parasailing. Rent kayaks for tranquil marsh tours, hunt shells on unspoiled barrier islands, book a bird-watching hike or walk on water as you stand up paddleboard through the channels.
Poke around Wrightsville Beach Museum of History, an early-1900s cottage with vintage furnishings and a scale model of the town in 1910. Browse for sunglasses, antiques, and everything in between, at beachside shops or just over the bridge at upscale stores — in Lumina Station, The Forum, or Mayfaire Town Center, just to name a few. A stroll through nearby Airlie Gardens reveals more than 100,000 azaleas and an almost 500-year-old giant live oak.
Dusk brings Wrightsville’s second wind, and it seems everyone is out and about. Join friendly folks on the Loop, a fitness trail that circles the inner island. Come sundown, unwind aboard Wrightsville Beach Scenic Cruises and Water Taxi. Then, it’s off to dinner at a waterfront restaurant serving fresh, local seafood.
Along the conch shell’s lower lip, just south of Wilmington, sit Pleasure Island’s Carolina Beach and Kure Beach. Here you’ll find nostalgic charm, family fun, and great fishing along this 11-mile coastal stretch. When the sun rises, it’s time for glazed doughnuts hot from the fryer at Britt’s, a 70-year-old Carolina Beach boardwalk institution. Get an order to go and head to the Carolina Beach Marina and Fishing Center, where charter captains will take you to the Gulf Stream for deep-sea fishing.
Rather stay close to the shore? Rent a paddleboat large enough for the whole family at nearby Carolina Beach Lake Park. Refuel at one of Pleasure Island’s homey restaurants – don’t miss Michael’s seafood chowder, deemed America’s best by judges at the Great Chowder Cook-Off.
Let everyone choose their own favorite mid-day activity. At Carolina Beach Park, hike a scenic white-sand trail leading to an overlook with gorgeous views of the Cape Fear River. Stroll the wooden planks along the dunes or cast a line from Kure Beach Fishing Pier, one of the oldest piers on the East Coast. Watch a shark swim right in front of you — in a 235,000-gallon saltwater tank at the North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher. For the history buffs, nose around the Civil War’s largest land/sea battle site at Fort Fisher State Historic Site and Civil War Museum.
After dark, hit the newly made over Carolina Beach Boardwalk for arcade games and hot butter fudge. Kick up your heels on a Winner Boat moonlight dance cruise, all the while floating back to simpler times.