by Jim Morekis
the USS North Carolina
WILMINGTON RAILROAD MUSEUM
The Wilmington Railroad Museum (505 Nutt St., 910/763-2634, www.wilmingtonrailroadmuseum.org, Apr.-Sept. Mon.-Sat. 10am-5pm, Sun. 1pm-5pm, Oct.-Mar. Mon.-Sat. 10am-5pm, $8.50 adults, $7.50 seniors and military, $4.50 ages 2-12) explores a crucial but now largely forgotten part of this city’s history: its role as a railroad town. In 1840, Wilmington became the terminus for the world’s longest continuous rail line, the Wilmington and Weldon Railroad. The Atlantic Coast Line Railroad (into which the W&W merged around 1900) kept its headquarters at Wilmington until the 1960s, when it moved its offices, employees, and a devastatingly large portion of the city’s economy to Florida. All manner of railroad artifacts are on display in this great little museum, from timetables to locomotives. A classic iron horse, steam engine no. 250, sits on the track outside and has been beautifully restored.
Anoles of Carolina
During your visit to the Wilmington area, you’ll almost certainly see anoles. These are the tiny green lizards that skitter up and down trees and along railings—impossibly fast, beady-eyed little emerald beasts. Sometimes called “chameleons” by the locals, anoles can change color to camouflage themselves against their backgrounds. They also like to puff out their crescent-shaped dewlaps, the little scarlet pouches under their chins, when they’re courting, fighting, or otherwise advertising their importance. Explorer John Lawson was quite taken with them, as he describes in his 1709 A New Voyage to Carolina:
a female anole basks in the sun
Green lizards are very harmless and beautiful, having a little Bladder under their Throat, which they fill with Wind, and evacuate the same at Pleasure. They are of a most glorious Green, and very tame. They resort to the Walls of Houses in the Summer Season, and stand gazing on a Man, without any Concern or Fear. There are several other Colours of these Lizards, but none so beautiful as the green ones are.
Gardens and Parks
AIRLIE GARDENS
Airlie Gardens (300 Airlie Rd., 910/798-7700, www.airliegardens.org, Mar. 20-Dec. daily 9am-5pm, longer hours in Apr.-May, $8 adults, $3 ages 6-12, no pets) is most famous for its countless azaleas, but this 100-year-old formal garden park has many remarkable features, including an oak tree believed to be nearly 500 years old, and the Minnie Evans Sculpture Garden and Bottle Chapel. Evans, a visionary African American artist whose mystical work is among the most prized “outsider art,” was the gatekeeper here for 25 of her 95 years. Golf cart tours are available with 48 hours’ notice for visitors who are not mobile enough to walk the gardens.
HALYBURTON PARK
A more natural landscape for hiking and biking is Halyburton Park (4099 S. 17th St., 910/341-7800, www.halyburtonpark.com, park daily dawn-dusk, nature center Tues.-Sat. 9am-5pm). The 58 acres of parkland, encircled by a 1.3-mile wheelchair-accessible trail and crisscrossed by interior trails, gives a beautiful glimpse of the environment of sandhills, Carolina bays (elliptical, often boggy depressions), and longleaf pine and oak forest that used to make up so much of the natural landscape of this area.
ENTERTAINMENT AND EVENTS
Performing Arts
Thalian Hall (310 Chestnut St., 800/523-2820, www.thalianhall.com) was built in the mid-1850s and today is the last standing theater designed by the prominent architect John Montague Trimble. It is still a major arts venue in the region, hosting performances of classical, jazz, bluegrass, and all sorts of other music. Its resident theater company is the Thalian Association (910/251-1788, www.thalian.org), which traces its roots back to 1788 and has been named the official community theater company of North Carolina.
Also making its home at Thalian Hall is Big Dawg Productions (http://bigdawgproductions.org). They put on a variety of plays and musicals of all genres throughout the year and host the New Play Festival of first-time productions by authors under age 18. Another Thalian company for nearly 25 years, the Opera House Theatre Company (910/762-4234, www.operahousetheatrecompany.net) has produced one varied season after another of big-name musicals and dramas, as well as the work of North Carolinian and Southern playwrights.
There’s also a lot of theater going on outside the walls of Thalian Hall. One of the most critically acclaimed is Red Barn Studio Theatre (1122 S. 3rd St., 910/762-0955, www.redbarnstudiotheatre.com). Actress Linda Lavin of Alice fame and her husband, Steve Bakunas, moved to Wilmington several years ago and converted an old garage into an intimate 50-seat theater.
Festivals
Wilmington’s best-known annual event is the Azalea Festival (910/794-4650, www.ncazaleafestival.org), which takes place in early April at venues throughout the city. It centers around the home and garden tours of Wilmington’s most beautiful—and, at this time of year, azalea-festooned—historic sites. There is a dizzying slate of events, including a parade, a circus, gospel concerts, shag and step competitions, and even boxing matches. And like any self-respecting Southern town, it crowns royalty—in this case, the North Carolina Azalea Festival Queen as well as the Queen’s Court; a slate of cadets escort all the queen’s ladies in waiting, and there’s a phalanx of over 100 Azalea Belles. The Azalea Festival draws over 300,000 visitors, so book your accommodations well in advance. If you’re traveling through the area in early April but aren’t coming to the festival, be forewarned, this will be one crowded town.
Although Wilmington has become a magnet for Hollywood film production, there’s also a passion here for independent films. Over the course of 20 years, November’s Cucalorus Film Festival (910/343-5995, www.cucalorus.org) has become an important festival that draws viewers and filmmakers from around the world. Roughly 100 films are screened during each year’s festival, which takes place at Thalian Hall and at the small Jengo’s Playhouse (815 Princess St.), where the Cucalorus Foundation also gives regular screenings throughout the year.
Nightlife
Breaktime Billiards/Ten Pin Alley (127 S. College Rd., 910/452-5455, www.breaktimetenpin.com, billiards and bowling daily 11am-2am, lounge Mon.-Fri. 6pm-2am, Sat.-Sun. 11am-2am) is a 30,000-square-foot entertainment palace. It consists of Breaktime Billiards, with 24 billiard tables and one regulation-size snooker table; Ten Pin Alley, with 24 bowling lanes and skee ball; and in between them, the Lucky Strike Lounge, a full bar and snack shop with all manner of video games and that hosts soft-tip dart and foosball tournaments. Put in an order for a meal and a beer or cocktail, and the staff will bring it to you if you’re in the middle of a game.
Front Street Brewery (9 N. Front St., 910/251-1935, http://frontstreetbrewery.com, Mon.-Wed. 11:30am-midnight, Thurs.-Sat. 11:30am-2am, Sun. 11:30am-10pm, late-night menu from 10:30pm) serves lunch and dinner, but what is most special is their menu of beers brewed on-site. They serve their own pilsner, IPA, and lager, Scottish and Belgian ales, and their specialty River City Raspberry Wheat ale. The space has an attractive dark-paneled saloon decor, and plenty of seating areas to choose from.
SHOPPING
Shopping Centers
The buildings of The Cotton Exchange (Front St. and Grace St., 910/343-9896, www.shopcottonexchange.com) have housed all manner of businesses in over 150 years of continuous occupation: a flour and hominy mill, a Chinese laundry, a peanut cleaning operation (really), a “mariner’s saloon” (we’ll say no more about that), and, of course, a cotton exchange. Today, they’re home to dozens of boutiques, restaurants, and lovely little specialty shops selling kites, beads, and spices.
Antiques and Consignment Stores
Along Castle Street, at the southern edge of the historic district, there is a growing district of antiques shops, all within two or three blocks of each other. Castle Keep Antiques (507 Castle St., 910/343-6046) occupies an old church building and has an absorbingly varied selection, with a more rural bent than the surrounding shops, many of which specialize in fine furniture. Also be sure to stop in at New Castle Antiques Center (606 Castle St., 910/341-7228) and Maggy’s Antiques (511 Castle St., 910/343-5200).
In
the riverfront area, Antiques of Old Wilmington (25 S. Front St., 910/763-5188) and Silk Road Antiques (103 S. Front St., 910/343-1718) are within an easy walk of many restaurants and each other. An especially intriguing shop is J. Robert Warren Antiques (110 Orange St., 910/762-6077, www.jrobertwarrenantiques.com), which occupies an 1810 townhouse downtown. Warren specializes in fine and rare antiques from North Carolina, including furniture from the early masters, the work of colonial silversmiths, prints and paintings of early Carolinians and Carolina scenes, nautical hardware from old ships, and much more.
On Market Street headed away from downtown is Cape Fear Antique Center (1606 Market St., 910/763-1837, www.capefearantiquecenter.com), which carries fancy vintage home furnishings, from bedroom and dining room furniture to desks and armoires in beautiful tones of wood, as well as a nice selection of antique jewelry.
Books
Wilmington has quite a few nice bookstores, both retail and used. McAllister & Solomon (4402-1 Wrightsville Ave., 910/350-0189, www.mcallisterandsolomon.com) stocks over 20,000 used and rare books, a great treat for collectors to explore. Two Sisters Bookery (318 Nutt St., Cotton Exchange, 910/762-4444, www.twosistersbookery.com, Mon.-Sat. 10am-6pm, Sun. noon-6pm) is a nice little independent bookseller at the Cotton Exchange, with an inventory covering all genres and subject matters, and a calendar full of readings by favorite authors. Also excellent is Pomegranate Books (4418 Park Ave., 910/452-1107, www.pombooks.net, Mon.-Sat. 10am-6pm), which has a progressive bent and a wide selection of good reads.
Galleries and Art Studios
New Elements Gallery (216 N. Front St., 910/343-8997, www.newelementsgallery.com, Tues.-Sat. 11am-5:30pm) has been a leading institution in Wilmington’s art scene since 1985. Featuring contemporary art in a wide variety of styles and media, New Elements has a special focus on artists from North Carolina and the wider Southeast.
An unusual retail art gallery is found between Wilmington and Wrightsville: The 23,000-square-foot Racine Center for the Arts (203 Racine Dr., 910/452-2073, www.galleryatracine.com) has, in addition to the sales gallery, art space for classes in pottery, stained glass, and other crafts, and operates the Firebird Paint Your Pottery and Art Studio. Visitors can show up at the Firebird without reservations and go right to work on their own pottery and mosaics with the help of staff.
Music
Finkelstein Music (6 S. Front St., 910/762-5662, www.finkelsteins.com) is a family business that has been at this site, a great old commercial building on a busy downtown corner, for over 100 years. It began as a dry goods store but gradually evolved into today’s music store, which carries a great selection of guitars, electric basses, and percussion.
For Dogs
Coastal K-9 Bakery (5905 Carolina Beach Rd., Suite 9, 866/794-4014, www.coastalk9bakery.com, Mon.-Sat. 10am-6pm, Sun. 1pm-5pm) sells fresh-baked gourmet dog treats, including various organic and hypoallergenic goodies, Carolina barbecue biscuits, liver brownies, and even vegetarian bacon bits.
SPORTS AND RECREATION
Masonboro Island
A half hour’s boat ride from Wrightsville Beach is Masonboro Island, an undeveloped barrier island that is a favorite spot for birding, shelling, and camping. Wrightsville Beach Scenic Tours (910/200-4002, www.capefearnaturalist.com) operates the Wrightsville Water Taxi, which docks across the street from the Blockade Runner Hotel (275 Waynick Blvd.) and offers daily shuttle service ($20 round-trip) to the island in high season. The boat leaves the dock Monday-Saturday at 9am and returns at 3pm. Call ahead for reservations.
Surfing
Wrightsville Beach is a very popular destination for East Coast surfers and is home to several surfing schools. Surf Camp (530 Causeway Dr., 866/844-7873, www.wbsurfcamp.com) is probably the area’s largest surfing instruction provider. They teach a staggering number of multiday camps; one-day courses; kids-only, teenagers-only, women-only, and whole-family offerings; and classes in safety as well as technique. Crystal South Surf Camp (Public Access No. 39, on the beach, 910/395-4431, www.crystalsouthsurfcamp.com) is a family-run operation that gives group and individual five-day instruction for all ages.
Spectator Sports
Wilmington has its own professional basketball team, in the Continental Basketball League. The Wilmington Sea Dawgs (910/791-6523, www.goseadawgs.com, $8 adults, $5 children) play downtown in the Schwartz Center at Cape Fear Community College (601 N. Front St.). In baseball, the Wilmington Sharks (910/343-5621, www.wilmingtonsharks.com, box seats $8, general admission $5), a Coastal Plains League team, play at the Legion Sports Complex (2131 Carolina Beach Rd.).
ACCOMMODATIONS
Under $150
Affordable options are plentiful, especially on Market Street a couple of miles from downtown. Wilmington’s Holiday Inn (5032 Market St., 866/553-0169, www.wilmingtonhi.com, $65-135) is clean and comfortable, and just a few minutes’ drive from the historic district. Nearby is the Jameson Inn (5102 Dunlea Court, 910/452-9828, www.jamesoninns.com, from $65), another fine choice. The Jameson Inn is a little hard to find, hidden behind other buildings. From Market Street, turn onto New Centre Drive, and look for the sign across the street from Target.
$150-300
Wilmington overflows with historic bed-and-breakfasts. S Front Street Inn (215 S. Front St., 800/336-8184, www.frontstreetinn.com, $139-239) is a tiny boutique hotel in the historic district, one block from the Cape Fear River and easy walking distance from the restaurants and shops at Market and Front Streets. The Inn occupies the old Salvation Army of the Carolinas building, an attractive brick city building with arched windows and bright, airy guest rooms. For comfortable and classy lodging in the heart of the historic district, the Front Street Inn is a best bet.
The Wilmingtonian (101 S. 2nd St., 910/343-1800, www.thewilmingtonian.com, $87-325) is a complex of five buildings, four of which are renovated historic structures, from the 1841 De Rosset House to a 1950s convent. The De Rosset House is an utterly fabulous Italianate mansion, one of the most recognizable buildings in Wilmington. For $325 ($250 off-season), you can stay in the Cupola Suite, a spectacular aerie with a panoramic view of the port. The Rosehill Inn (114 S. 3rd St., 800/815-0250, www.rosehill.com, $90-200) occupies a pretty 1848 residence three blocks from the river. The flowery high-B&B-style decor suits the house well, making for elegant but comfy quarters. The Taylor House (14 N. 7th St., 800/382-9982, www.taylorhousebb.com, $125-140) is an absolutely lovely 1905 home—rather subdued in design when compared to some of the architectural manifestos nearby, but in a very attractive way. The pretty, sunny guest rooms promise relaxation. The famous S Graystone Inn (100 S. 3rd St., 888/763-4773, www.graystoneinn.com, $159-379) was built in the same year as the Taylor House, but its builder, the widow Elizabeth Bridgers, had a very different aesthetic. The splendor of the palace first known as the Bridger House reflects the fortune of Mrs. Bridgers’ late husband, a former Confederate congressman and one of the most influential figures in Wilmington’s days as a railroad center.
These are by no means the only excellent bed-and-breakfast inns in Wilmington; the city is full of them. Check in with the Wilmington and Beaches Convention and Visitors Bureau (www.wilmingtonandbeaches.com) for comprehensive listings.
A plush place to stay in the downtown area is the Hilton Wilmington Riverside (301 N. Water St., 888/324-8170, www.wilmingtonhilton.com, $180-200). Located right on the river, many of the guest rooms have a great view. The shops, restaurants, and galleries of the riverfront are right outside the front door, making this a great place to stay if you’re planning to enjoy Wilmington’s downtown.
FOOD
Continental
Caprice Bistro (10 Market St., 910/815-0810, www.capricebistro.com, Sun.-Thurs. 5pm-10pm, Fri.-Sat. 5pm-midnight, bar until 2am, entrées $13-22) is an absolutely wonderful little café and bar hosted by Thierry and Patricia Moity. The French cuisine here is delicious and the wine list is extensive. This is one of the best restaurants in town and well worth a visit.
Le Cata
lan French Café (224 S. Water St., 910/815-0200, www.lecatalan.com, fall-spring lunch and dinner Tues.-Sat. from 11:30am, summer Tues.-Sun. from 11:30am, $10-20) couldn’t have a nicer location, on the Riverwalk in the old downtown. They serve wonderful classic French food—quiches and feuilletés, beef bourguignonne on winter Fridays, and a chocolate mousse for which they are famous. Their greatest draw, though, is the wine list (and the attached wine store). The proprietor, Pierre Penegre, is a Cordon Bleu-certified oenologist, and is frequently on hand to make recommendations.
Seafood
Wrightsville Beach’s Bridge Tender (1414 Airlie Rd., Wilmington, 910/256-4519, www.thebridgetender.com, lunch daily 11:30am-2pm, dinner daily from 5pm, $20-35) has been in business for over 30 years and is an icon of the local restaurant scene. The atmosphere is simple and elegant, with a dockside view. Entrées focus on seafood and Angus beef, with an extensive à la carte menu from which you can create delicious combinations of your favorite seafood and the Bridge Tender’s special sauces. A sushi menu rounds out the appetizers, and a long wine list complements everything.
