Wilmington, NC is a busy coastal town

By ALI MANGKANG
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Sunday, August 17, 2008

Wilmington, N.C. — Don’t worry if it has been some time since you’ve laced up your walking shoes. Outdoor options along North Carolina’s southern coast are suited for visitors of all abilities and inclinations.
An added bonus for budget-conscious travelers and families is the many free and low-cost activities. Here are some ideas:

Cape Fear Coast Convention and Visitor's Bureau
Trolley trips, horse-drawn carriage rides and themed walking tours all have starting points in downtown Wilmington.

DOWNTOWN WILMINGTON
Situated between the Cape Fear River and the Atlantic Ocean, Wilmington has been an important seaport for commercial and military operations since the Revolutionary War.
The downtown district borders the Cape Fear River on Water Street, where visitors can stroll the popular River Walk, a series of “pocket” parks connected by a wooden walking deck.
Here you can catch a glimpse of the decommissioned battleship “USS North Carolina” moored across the river or wander to one of the many eclectic shops, galleries and restaurants along adjacent streets.

Themed walking tours (including ghost tours and film location tours), horse-drawn carriage rides, trolley trips and riverboat tours all have starting points downtown.

Visitor information: Coastal highway U.S. 17 turns into Market Street downtown. Limited metered parking and three designated parking decks offer short- and long-term parking options. Wilmington/Cape Fear Coast Convention and Visitors Bureau, 24 N. Third St., 1-877-406-2356, http://www.capefearcoast.com/.

Noteworthy:
• Battleship North Carolina, 1 Battleship Road, 910-251-5797, http://www.battleshipnc.com/.
• Cape Fear Riverboats, 101 S. Water St. Unit 1, 1-800-676-0162, http://www.cfrboats.com/.
• Springbrook Farms/Horse Drawn Carriage, Market and Water streets,
910-251-8889, http://www.horsedrawntours.com/.
• Wilmington Trolley Company, corner of Dock and Water streets, 910-763-4483, http://www.wilmingtontrolley.com/.
• Black Cat Shoppe (themed walking tours), 11 Market St., 910-251-6663, http://www.theblackcatshoppe.net/.

CAROLINA BEACH, CAROLINA BEACH STATE PARK
On Pleasure Island, 10 miles south of Wilmington, this 761-acre park is home to several coastal ecosystems. Walkers can choose from six nature trails ranging from 0.5 to 3 miles.
Before you set out, stop by the visitors center and check out the interpretive gallery, which provides an overview of the biodiversity within the park’s boundaries.
Of particular interest are several varieties of carnivorous plants, including Venus’ flytraps, pitcher plants and bladderworts, identifiable on the appropriately named “Flytrap Trail.”
Park rangers offer free guided hikes and programs throughout the year. Nature lovers can enjoy an extended stay at one of the 83 shaded campsites, which can be reserved for $15 a night.
Visitor information: Carolina Beach State Park is accessible off
U.S. 421 on Dow Road. The visitors center is open 8 a.m.-5 p.m. daily. 910-458-8206, www.ncparks.gov/Visit/parks/cabe/main.php. Free parking and day use.
Noteworthy:
• Carolina Coastal Adventures. Guided kayak tours with an emphasis on ecological education. 103 Winner Ave., Carolina Beach. 910-458-9111, http://www.carolinacoastaladventures.com/.
• Carolina Beach Lake Park. This park has a .67-mile paved trail, great for a family bike ride or walk, that circles a 9-acre lake. Boat rentals available and facilities include restrooms, picnic shelters and a children’s playground. 400 S. Lake Park Blvd., Carolina Beach, http://www.carolinabeach.org/, 910-458-7416.

KURE BEACH: FORT FISHER
Drive a few miles past the Kure Beach pier on the southern end of Pleasure Island and you’ll notice grassy mounds that protrude well above the low-lying area.
The mounds are part of the original structure of Fort Fisher, the last major stronghold of the Confederacy during the Civil War.
Under the command of Col. William Lamb, who oversaw the improvement of fortifications that stretched 1.5 miles from the Cape Fear River to the Atlantic Ocean, Fort Fisher became a formidable obstacle to enemies and an asset to Confederate forces who relied on the port for supplies and munitions.
On Jan. 15, 1865, however, a well-planned second attempt by Union forces (also the largest land/sea battle in U.S. history until World War II) resulted in the fort’s ultimate seizure.
In 1958, North Carolina leased 187 acres of the original fort from the federal government to develop the area as a historic site.
The area now includes a museum, a recreation area and one of three coastal aquariums in the state.
The museum houses artifacts recovered from the site and surrounding areas (Fort Fisher also is home to the state’s Underwater Archaeology Unit) and offers guided tours of the historic grounds.
Visitor information: Fort Fisher Historic Site Museum is off U.S. 421 just south of Kure Beach. 1610 Fort Fisher Blvd. South. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Mondays-Saturdays, 1-5 p.m. Sundays. Guided tours at 9:30 and 11 a.m.,
1:30 and 3 p.m. Mondays-Fridays and 1:30 and 3 p.m. Saturdays-Sundays. Admission is free. 910-458-5538, www.nchistoricsites.org/fisher.
Noteworthy:
• Fort Fisher Recreation Area. Free public beach access, picnic facilities, wildlife exhibitions, special programs and off-road vehicle beach access ($10 fee required for vehicle access). 1000 Loggerhead Road, Kure Beach, 910-458-5798, www.ncparks.gov/Visit/parks/fofi/main.php.
• North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher. In addition to permanent exhibitions, the aquarium offers low-cost field trips including canoe tours, salt marsh hikes and surf-fishing workshops. 2201 S. Fort Fisher Blvd. 1-866-301-3476, http://www.ncaquariums.com/.

OAK ISLAND/CASWELL BEACH: ABOVE THE CLOUDS
Anchored at the northern tip of the Brunswick County Islands are the neighboring communities of Oak Island and Caswell Beach, home to the Oak Island Lighthouse.
Completed in 1958 and standing 169 feet above water, the lighthouse, distinguished by three alternating bands of pigmented concrete, never needs to be repainted.
The signal generated by the 2.5-million-candlepower lantern is visible as far away as 24 nautical miles and operates continuously with a uniquely assigned flash pattern.
Visitors who want to get a glimpse inside the structure can join one of the public tours offered by the Friends of Oak Island Lighthouse, whose members lead guests on a brief trip to the second floor of the lighthouse twice weekly through the summer months.
The group also arranges special tours to the top of the tower year-round, accessible by a series of 131 steps up ship’s ladders permanently positioned inside.
If that’s not enough time with your feet off the ground, stop by Brunswick County Airport, where two companies offer bird’s-eye views aboard a vintage biplane or strapped into a parachute on a skydiving trip.
Visitor information: About 33 miles south of Wilmington, Oak Island is accessible via N.C. 133. The lighthouse is beside the U.S. Coast Guard Station, 300A Caswell Beach Road. The Southport-Oak Island Area Chamber of Commerce, 4841 Long Beach Road S.E., Southport, 1-800-457-6964, http://www.southport-oakisland.com/.
Noteworthy:
• Friends of the Oak Island Lighthouse. Tours of the lighthouse’s second floor (ages 7 and older) run through the summer months on Wednesdays and Saturdays, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., with tours departing every half-hour. Top-of-the-lighthouse tours are available year-round with a two-week advance reservation (ages 10 and older) through the Friends of Oak Island Web site. All tours are free and depart at the lighthouse. There is limited on-site parking. http://www.oakislandlighthouse.org/.
• Suncoast Aviation. Jim Banky pilots aerial tours aboard the Carolina Belle, a 1942 WACO UPF-7 open cockpit biplane, year-round, 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Mondays-Saturdays, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sundays. Reservations recommended. 910-279-9476, www.42biplanerides.com. Tours are $125 per person.
• Skydive Coastal Carolinas. Skydiving instruction and trips year-round, ages 18 and older. 1-888-899-5867, http://www.skydivecoastalcarolinas.com/. Tours begin at $195 a person.

SUNSET BEACH: BIRD ISLAND
The southernmost beach along the coast of North Carolina, Sunset Beach is an unassuming 3-mile stretch of sand parallel to Main Street.
Construction of a new bridge connecting the mainland to the beach is underway after debate about the safety and longevity of the town’s unique one-lane wooden swing bridge built in 1961.
Remarkably in a town so small, it is not the first bridge battle to be waged. In 1992, a group of locals (notably Frank Nesmith, who served as both tour guide and historian during my walk to Bird Island) formed the Bird Island Preservation Society to stop proposed development, including the construction of a bridge and housing on what was then a privately owned island separated from Sunset Beach by Mad Inlet.
The bridge was never built, and in 2002, after several years of negotiations, North Carolina completed the purchase of 1,300 acres of beach, marsh and wetlands known as Bird Island, designating it a protected coastal reserve.
Because of the closure of Mad Inlet in 1997, the area is no longer its own island and is easily accessed by walking west along Sunset Beach.
At about the 1 1/2-mile mark, visitors can stop at the “Kindred Spirit” mailbox positioned atop a small dune. Inside the mailbox, dreams and prayers mingle with the revelations and thoughts of passers-by that fill several notebooks.
A little farther down, beachgoers can straddle the state line between North and South Carolina (where a pair of blue granite jetties jutting out into the sea serve as a turnaround point).
From here, you can see the sharply contrasted landscape of nearby Myrtle Beach, heavily developed with high-rises and attractions.
Before you go: Check out local photographer Jo O’Keefe’s Web site, where she documents her frequent encounters with the plants, animals and sea life in this area. http://www.okeefes.org/.
Visitor information: The town of Sunset Beach is about 45 miles south of Wilmington via Ocean Highway East/U.S. 17 South to N.C. 179. Beach access and parking are available at Sunset Boulevard South and Main Street. Closer access to Bird Island is at West Main and 40th streets, although parking is limited. To reach Bird Island, access the beach from either point, turn right and keep walking. Brunswick County Chamber of Commerce, 4948 Main St., Shallotte, 1-800-426-6644, http://www.brunswickcountychamber.org/.
Noteworthy:
• Ingram Planetarium. The 85-seat domed Sky Theatre offers a closer look at the universe with several presentations. The Village at Sunset Beach, 7625 High Market St., Sunset Beach, 910-575-0033, www.ingramplanetarium.org.
• Coastal Carolina Museum.
A natural history museum centered on the habitats, history and preservation of the coastal area with seven themed galleries, including exhibits and hands-on activities. 21 East Second St., Ocean Isle Beach, 910-579-1016, http://www.museumofcc.org/.