North Carolina Index
Wilmington, North Carolina |
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Wilmington's downtown riverfront district is several miles of restaurants, cafes, historic buildings, art galleries, antique shops, bars, music clubs and is one of the most pedestrian friendly environments you will find anywhere. Wilmington's Nationally Preserved Historic District is over 230 blocks long. You can walk endlessly looking at some of the finest examples of nineteenth century architecture and the well kept gardens of these beautifully preserved houses and buildings. No wonder Wilmington has been such a popular location for films that take place in the south. According to a new poll from Public Policy Polling, Wilmington is North Carolina's favorite city. |
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The Wilmington Trolly Company provides a 45 minute narrated tour of the historic downtown district daily from April through October. There is also a tour done by horse-drawn carriage. See www.horsedrawntours.com |
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The Thalian Hall Center for the Performing Arts is in a restored historical building that also houses City Hall. It was built in 1858 and offers a season's worth of Broadway musicals, major concerts, dance, theater and more. For more info including schedules of performances see www.thalianhall.com |
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The North Carolina Aquarium at nearby Fort Fisher is a facinating collection of saltwater tanks where you can view sharks, grouper, barracuda, alligators, sea-turtles, skates, stingrays and giant moray eel. One tank called the Cape Fear Shoals is 200,000 gallons of seawater that you can view from various levels. Don't skip this place. See www.aquariums.state.nc.us/ff |
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You can spend hours if not days wandering through the historic district looking at houses. Some have been turned into B&B's. Others are now museums. Most are just people's houses. The Bellamy Mansion Museum of History and Design Arts was the Union Headquarters at the end of the Civil War and focuses on architectural history and preservation. The Latimer House Museum is a Victorian family home with gardens and also serves as the headquarters for the Lower Cape Fear Historical Society. |
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One of the most interesting museums is the Cape Fear Serpentarium at 20 Orange street just a half a block up from the river. It is a collection of the most scariest snakes, crocodiles and dragons from all over the world including the largest collection of Bushmasters. There are over one hundred species of snakes, some so rare they are not exhibited anywhere else. Take the time to read the descriptions of what has happened to people who have been bitten. |
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Wilmington is known as Hollywood East or Wilmywood. Since Dino DeLaurentis came here in the eighties over 400 projects have been filmed here. Screen Gems has narrated guided tours of their sound stages which you can find out about by calling 910 343-3433. The following movies have been filmed here: A Walk To Remember, Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood, Blue Velvet, Weekend at Bernie's, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Empire Records, Cape Fear, Black Knight, Super Mario Bros 28 Days, The Crow, Nights in Rodanthe, Firestarter, Maximum Overdrive, The Jackal, Sleeping with the Enemy, The Hudsucker Proxy, Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events, Message in a Bottle, Domestic Disturbance, Cat's Eye, The Road to Wellville, No Mercy and Hounddog. Also these television shows: Matlock, Surface, The WB's Dawson's Creek and One Tree Hill and the HBO series Eastbound & Down (my daughters favorite show). So even if you have never been to Wilmington chances are you have seen it. |
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If you are the type of person who does not go to the beach because you are afraid you will bored and spend the holiday in front of the television watching sporting events that you could care less about then my recommendation is to come to Wilmington, North Carolina and either stay in town and visit Wrightsville and the other beaches in the day, or stay on the beach and come in town at night for the fun. Or what the heck... just come to Wilmington and don't even go to the beach. Or if you are sick and tired of freezing your ass off every winter just move here. It's like the best of Long Island without traffic, high taxes and uptight neighbors. Information about Wilmington and the Surrounding Area
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For Hotels in the Wilmington Area with photos, reviews and on-line booking visit Booking.com See also: Kure Beach ,Southport ,The North Carolina Outerbanks and |
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Return to North Carolina Index |
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The city of Wilmington is one of the most historically interesting, culturally diverse and fun places, not only in the
state of North Carolina but in the entire eastern seaboard. Located
between the Cape Fear River and the Atlantic Ocean the city
provides nightlife, great dining, galleries, museums, unique architecture,
lovely gardens and some of the best beaches in the USA.
The island communities of 
For mariners there are public boat ramps, boat rental agents,
and over 20 marinas. The Greater Wilmington King Makerel is one
of several fishing tournaments. For bicyclists there is a 10 mile
route that will take you from downtown Wilmington all the way to 
The Henrietta III is the largest riverboat in the Carolinas and does narrated sightseeing cruises Tuesday through Sundays and on Fridays and Saturdays does dinner and dance cruises. The boat has three decks each with a dance floor and bar. It is also available for private parties and weddings and can carry 600 people. The smaller
Captain J.N. Maffitt can carry up to 40 passengers for private parties and also serves as a river taxi to the battleship North Carolina. For more info on both boats see 
The most popular museum in Wilmington is the restored WWII battleship North Carolina which served in every major Naval offensive on the Pacific with it's crew of 2,339. The ship is moored right across the river from downtown. For more info see the 
Wilmington's Historic Downtown features some amazing architecture and an interesting collection of bars, restaurants, cafes and shops. The Cotton Exchange are restored 19th Century buildings connected by brick walkways and courtyards that now house over 30 restaurants and shops. Coffee is a way of life in Wilmington and there is no shortage
of Coffee Shops downtown and around the city. In fact their local coffee company Port City Java, has 16 locations and counting, in and around Wilmington, each with a mission to roast and serve the finest coffee and espresso in a warm and inviting atmosphere. Or check out the Barrista Cafe and the Wilmington Tea Room which serves scones and English tea sandwiches. Or the unique Holy Grounds, a Christian coffee shop whose proceeds go to support the Holy Grounds Food Pantry, which serves food to the needy.
Arlie Gardens is 67 acres of freshwater lakes, azaleas, camelia's the 450 year old Arlie Oak and exotic plants from all over the world on the banks of Bradley Creek just off the Intercoastal Waterway near Wrightsville Beach. The gardens are over one hundred years old and are said
to be the finest on the east coast. Arlie Gardens are not the only show in town for botanists and horticulturists. Greenfield Park is 200 acres of lakes with a 20 acre garden and a walking and bike trail through a cyprus swamp as well as canoe and paddleboat rentals. 
There are hotels of all category from luxury riverfront and beachfront to your standard cheap-o highway motel variety as well as some beautiful historical houses and Inn's that have been converted to B&B's. The Hilton has a terrific view of the river and is the place to be during a hurricane
when they jack up the rates.
Among the Wilmington museums is the Louise Wells Cameron Art Museum which features North Carolina and American art from the 18th century to the present. The Cape Fear Museum features a Giant Ground Sloth and Michael Jordon who is the city's most famous celebrity. The Wilmington Childrens Museum at 1020 Market
Street is a center for exploring through inter-active play stations similar to San Francisco's Exploratorium. The Wilmington Railroad Museum exhibits the city's role as the center of railroad history in the southern United States. See 
A little-known fact that you won't find in the tourist brochures is a story told to me by Nikos Voulgaris, owner of the Olympia Restaurant in 
Wilmington has a large variety of restaurants and going out at night is a treat. There is something magical about sitting at a cafe on the river and suddenly seeing in front of you the massive shape of a tanker or freighter being guided down the river and out to sea by one of the Wilmington tugboats. It is romantic
to me. There is a lot of romance in Wilmington which is why someone even took the care to save the facade of the old theater which now hides a parking lot.