Travelscapes: Coastal Carolina is Calling

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Parent Category: Travel Info

Category: Travel Feature

Published on Friday, 08 January 2016 17:42

Written by Lloyd Carroll

For a small charming city, North Carolina’s Wilmington has produced a lot of famous people. 

Among the names that can be found on the local Walk of Fame includes basketball legends Michael Jordan and Harlem Globetrotter Meadowlark Lemon; NFL quarterbacks Roman Gabriel and Sonny Jurgensen; tennis pioneer Althea Gibson; country music star Charlie Daniels; revered newscaster David Brinkley; actor Pat Hingle; and motion picture producer Frank Capra, Jr. 

Capra, who died in 2007, was the son of legendary film director Frank Capra. One of the reasons that Wilmington became known as Hollywood East was because of his tireless work bringing in productions. Tax credits and a rather balmy climate (it’s about as north as you can get and still find palm trees) also helped. 

Past CW Network television shows such as Dawson’s Creek and One Tree Hill were filmed there as well as the recent CBS’s summer primetime sci-fi soap opera, Under The Dome. Films that were shot here include Iron Man 3, We’re The Millers, and The Conjuring. A good way to learn about Wilmington’s place in the entertainment world is to take a 90-minute tour with Hollywood Location Walk. 

The film and television industry has also favored Wilmington because of zoning ordinances that have helped the town maintain its 19th century look. A 30-minute carriage ride with Horsedrawn Tours (they use rescued Percheron draft horses and don’t have to face the political scrutiny that Central Park operators have) is a great way to appreciate the city’s antebellum homes and other historic buildings.

Wilmington was settled by European Americans along the Cape Fear River. Its historic downtown has a one-mile-long Riverwalk, originally developed as a tourist attraction, and in 2014 Wilmington's riverfront — which was named the "Best American Riverfront" by USA Today — is minutes away from nearby beaches. The National Trust for Historic Preservation named Wilmington, North Carolina, as one of its 2008 Dozen Distinctive Destinations.

City residents live between the river and the ocean, with four nearby beach communities: Fort Fisher, Wrightsville Beach, Carolina Beach, and Kure Beach, all within half-hour drives from downtown Wilmington.

So Cape Fear figures prominently in many local institutions.

Although Wilmington doesn’t have a zoo or aquarium, it does have the Cape Fear Serpentarium which houses a very large collection of reptiles that include crocodiles, vipers, snakes, anacondas, and iguanas. Next door to the Serpentarium is the appropriately named Museum of the Bizarre which contains numerous film props and circus sideshow exhibits. 

The Cape Fear Museum of History details how Wilmington was affected by both the American Revolution and the Civil War. There is also a display case of Michael Jordan’s memorabilia from his days at both Laney High School and the University of North Carolina.

There is a touch of New York in Wilmington. The city’s Forest Hills section is named after Queens’ Forest Hills Gardens and there are many Tudor homes on its tree-lined streets.

There are plenty of reasonable places to stay in downtown Wilmington and the fairly new Courtyard by Marriott gives good value and has a great location. You can get a filling southern breakfast a block away at Basics restaurant.

Other eateries such as The Pilot House and Boca Bay are terrific fine dining seafood restaurants. If you prefer a more  informal setting, try Shuckin’ Shack which is obviously known for its oysters.

Wrightsville Beach, located on the Atlantic Ocean, is situated five miles east of Wilmington. There are plenty of hotels which aren’t operated by chains but are instead family-run businesses. A good example is the Blockade Runner Resort which opened just over 50 years ago and reminds you of those fun Catskills Mountains hotels from yesteryear particularly around breakfast time with its plentiful buffet. The Blockade Runner offers sailing and surfing lessons. Summer lasts a lot longer here and you can hit the waves without turning blue almost up to Thanksgiving. 

The boats from Wrightsville Beach Scenic Tours dock right across the street from the Blockade Runner and pretty much guarantee that you can see a few dolphins on its 90-minute cruise. Just down the road from the hotel is the Bluewater Grille where you can enjoy terrific cuisine on a pier that juts out into the Atlantic.

Brunswick County’s Sunset Beach is located 45 minutes south of Wilmington and it’s just a half-hour north of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. You can easily jog or ride your bike on Sunset Beach because of its tightly packed sand. There are also aviary and turtle sanctuaries here. 

The Sea Trail Resort located on the inland side of Sunset Beach has three championship courses but it also caters to the novice golfer thanks to the staff’s excellent instructors who are led by Raymond Reyes.

One drawback to Wilmington is that it has limited air service to our area. 

However, North Carolina’s capital, Raleigh, is an easy two-hour drive northwest on I-40 and there is JetBlue service between JFK and there. Raleigh is also a fun place to visit with its plentiful free museums. 

There’s a free bus route “(the “R-line”) that takes you to almost any place that you need to go. And Glenwood, a lively entertainment district situated there in Raleigh, features a lot of restaurants including the just-opened Raleigh Beer Garden. A fairly new Hampton Inn is located here as well.

For more info on Wilmington log onto wilmingtonandbeaches.com or call (877) 406-2356.

For more on Sunset Beach, try ncbrunswick.com or call 910-755-5517.

And to start exploring Raleigh go to: visitraleigh.com or call 800-849-8499.

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