Historic Airlie Gardens encompasses 67 acres of beautiful Gilded Age gardens and lakes. Admire the azaleas, gaze at the camellias, stand in the shade of the 467-year old Airlie Oak, experience nature's most delicate and ephemeral creatures - butterflies - in the region's first permanent butterfly house. Location: 2 miles west of Wrightsville Beach.

Built as the city residence (c.1861) of a prominent planter, this is one of North Carolina's most spectacular examples of antebellum architecture.  This historic house is now a museum that focuses on history and the design arts with changing exhibits.  Tour the magnificent 10,000 sq foot home, visit the meticulously re-created gardens and walk through the recently restored slave quarters, one of very few preserved urban slave quarters in the country.

The Cameron Art Museum celebrates 51 years and is committed to arts education and presents exhibitions and public programs of both historical and contemporary significance, with 6-8 changing exhibitions annually, in addition to outdoor, site-specific projects on its park property which includes a historic Civil War site. This 42,000-sq.-ft. state-of-the-art museum functions as a cultural gathering place and features two centuries of NC and US art boasting one of the world's major collections of the romantic color prints of Mary Cassatt (periodically on view). The Museum School at Cameron Art Museum offers ongoing classes for adults and youth, workshops and demonstrations, including ceramic arts at the Clay Studio, overseen by resident master artist Hiroshi Sueyoshi. The museum also presents lively, ongoing family and children's programs each month; Alzheimers Connections tours for patients and their caretakers; ongoing interdisciplinary public programs (lectures, music, films, literature, dance). A full service cafe is located in the heart of the museum and serves lunch Tuesday through Saturday, 11am to 3pm; Sunday 10am to 3pm and Thursday evenings 5pm to 9pm. HOURS: Mon:Closed, Tues-Sun: 10am-5pm, Thurs: Open late until 9pm, Closed: Independence day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, New Year's Day ADMISSION: Adults: $8 Members: Free Seniors, Military, Students: $5 Children (2-12): $3 Guided Tour: $10Features:Motorcoach Parking on Site,Credit Cards Accepted

Explore the rich history, science, and cultures of the Lower Cape Fear region at the state's oldest history museum. Discover the past in Cape Fear Stories, where you can see a scale model of 1863 Wilmington waterfront and watch the Civil War Battle of Fort Fisher unfold before your eyes. Investigate coastal ecology in the hands-on Michael Jordan Discovery Gallery. Meet Wilmington's oldest resident, a 20-foot-tall Giant Ground Sloth. Enjoy educational programs for children and families every Saturday and programs for adults throughout the year. Changing special exhibits always on view. Check Out our Summer Camp Programs. Museum Summer Camps teach kids that science and history are FUN! FALL/WINTER HOURS: Mon: Closed, Tues-Sat: 9am-5pm Sun: 1pm-5pm SPRING/SUMMER HOURS ( Memorial Day-Labor Day ) : Mon-Sat: 9am-5pm, Sun:1pm-5pm ADMISSION: Adults: $7 Seniors: $6 College Students: $6 Military: $6 Youth (4-17) : $4 Children Under 3: FREE ** First Sunday of Every Month is Free for New Hanover County Residents***

This unique attraction features live exhibits of the world's rarest & most dangerous snakes, crocodiles, lizards, dragons and more in lush state-of-the-art dioramas designed by the NC Film Industry. There is an additional Africa Museum showcasing rare tribal African artifacts.

Carolina Beach and Kure Beach, NC, also known as Pleasure Island, offer pristine uncrowded beaches, sparking surf, quality family activities, affordable accommodations, watersports, fishing, shopping, delicious fresh seafood, and Southern charm. Carolina Beach and Kure Beach are very popular with visitors, residents, and newcomers seeking a quaint yet thriving beach town. Just a 30 minute drive from historic downtown Wilmington, this laid-back friendly island offers relaxation, miles of sandy beaches, and events and festivals to keep you entertained all year long.

Chandler's Wharf is an upscale shopping and dining complex with ample free parking. Unique shops and galleries are nestled in a beautiful warehouse building overlooking the Cape Fear River. All businesses are locally owned and operated.

The Children's Museum of Wilmington stimulates children's imagination, curiosity and love of learning. Our Museum celebrates the joys of childhood by providing magical and playful experiences for children of all ages. The Museum serves children ages 1-10 and their adult company. Our goal is for all our visitors to learn amazing things about themselves and the world where we live through informal, playful, hands-on and child-directed experiences.

The site of the largest cotton-exporting company in the world in the nineteenth century, this collection of eight buildings overlooking the Cape Fear River was converted into a shopping and dining center in the early 1970s. Its renovation marked the beginning of the restoration of downtown Wilmington. Shoppers can enjoy a bit of history as they stroll the mall's tri-level space where displays of cotton bales, weighing equipment and photographs tell the story of the center's evolution. Parking is free for visitors of the complex.

The Fort Fisher State Historic Site boasts scenic easements of both the Cape Fear River and the Atlantic Ocean. A half-mile tour trail surrounds the archaeological remains of the Confederate fort. Exterior exhibits, a reconstructed palisade fence and a partially restored gun emplacement enhance historic interpretation. The tour trail encircles the Western Bastion, including the partially restored Shepherd's Battery, which boasts a fully functional reproduction of a rifled and banded 32-pounder cannon.

With 250 acres, Greenfield Park is la lovely place for outside activities. Located next to Greenfield Lake it features 2 unlit tennis courts, the Greenfield Grind skate park, outdoor amphitheater, boat rentals, and a 5 mile biking/walking trail. Other park amenities include restroom facilities, water fountains, playgrounds, open space, shelters, picnic areas, grills, concession stand, lighted facilities, passive area, and of course planting beds.

Prepare to fall in love with this charming coastal city. Horse-drawn carriages still click along the downtown riverwalk and riverboats cruise its 300-year-old harbor, but the past is only part of the coastal city's story. What was once a busy port teeming with markets, warehouses and the world's largest cotton exchange has become a lively spot for arts, shopping, family activities, fine dining and nightlife.

A complete family Entertainment Center featuring Waterpark with a Million Gallon Wave Pool, Dual Lane Speed Slides, Side Winder, Super Bowl, Lazy River, Volcano Mountain, Tower of Slides, "Snack Shack" snack bar, and 7,000 sq. ft. Kiddie Splash Pool. Dry Park features Jungle Lagoon Golf, Alien Invasion Laser Tag Arena, Grand Prix Go-Karts, "The Rock" Climbing Wall, Kids Jungle Indoor Playground, over 100 Arcade Games, Big Splash Cafe, and Group Party facilities. Games and Activities not included in regular Waterpark admission. Meeting/Banquet Rooms available (largest accommodates 200 guests). HOURS: Off- Season (Early Sept.-Early June) Mon-Thurs:10am-10pm, Fri-Sat:10am-12am, Sun: 12pm-10pm Closed: Thanksgiving & Christmas In-Season: Sun-Th:10am-11pm, Fri-Sat: 10am-12am Water Park: 11am-6pm ADMISSION: No General Admission Charge -Pay for which activities you wish to play-prices range from $4.99-$8.99. For Water Park prices please call.

Located at the southern tip of Pleasure Island, Kure Beach invites you to unplug from the world in a beautifully natural, small-town beach unlike any other.  Kure Beach is filled with a lot of what you're hoping to find on a vacation or getaway: beautiful, natural surroundings with vistas of the ocean and the river; an aquarium and park; and the kind of local character that seems to have all but disappeared from coastal towns.

Welcome to Lumina Station, the shopping village by the beach. Here you will discover a charming collection of locally owned boutiques, distinctive restaurants and cafes that you won't find anywhere else in Wilmington or Wrightsville Beach, NC. Winner of Coastal Living magazine's first-ever award for contextual design, Lumina Station's beautiful landscaping, whimsical sculptures and storybook bridges make for a truly unique local shopping experience.

Just 5 minutes from Wilmington KOA, Mayfaire is a wonderfully unique place to shop and dine! Designed to emulate the sense of community and friendly commerce found at the center of town, this shopping haven is one of those rare places where you can go with a diverse shopping list and find everything you're looking for in one shopping center. There are more than 80 merchants featuring specialty retailers, salons, and restaurants at Mayfaire Town Center.

Masonboro Island is the largest undisturbed barrier island along southern NC's coast. Explore nature trails and see inhabitants such as endangered loggerhead sea turtles and shore birds. Located at the southern tip of Wrightsville Beach.

The New Hanover County arboretum is almost 7 acres of beautiful educational gardens, including a 3/4 acre water garden with colorful Koi and lilies, a Japanese Garden with an authentic tea house and numerous Japanese maples, a children's cottage with fantasy characters painted inside and a rose garden.

Stunning exhibits of aquatic environment and wildlife connect you with the natural world.   Explore marine life from salt marshes and tidal pools to a two-story open ocean exhibit featuring sharks, rays and eels. Meet Luna, a rare albino alligator, and a rescued bald eagle.  Feel the smooth skin of a gliding stingray and come face-to-face with a loggerhead sea turtle.  Stroll through the Aquarium's outdoor garden and discover aquatic wildlife at daily dive shows and animal encounters. Explore more with behind-the-scenes tours, outdoor adventures and camps. The gift shop carries a variety of puzzles, games, shirts, sweatshirts, collector's items, stuffed animals, souvenirs, posters, toys, and much more. Visit one of North Carolina's most popular attractions located 15 miles south of Wilmington on U.S. 421, south of Kure Beach and less than a mile from the Fort Fisher Ferry terminal.

One of the oldest existing peanut plantations in North Carolina , Poplar Grove Plantation was in the same family for over 6 generations. The Foys originally purchased the land in 1795 and kept it until the mid 1970's. The preserved homestead of a successful farming family, offers daily tours of the 1850 manor house, live craft demonstrations typical of 1800s working plantation, farm animals and exhibits. HOURS: Mon-Sat: 9am-5pm, Sun: 12pm-5pm, Closed: Easter, Thanksgiving * See website for tour hours* **The Plantation is closed during the winter from December 21 - March 4, 2013** TOUR ADMISSION: Adults: $10 Senior/Military: $9 Students (6-15): $5

One of the oldest and most beautiful theatres in America. Thalian Hall Center for the Performing Arts has been in continuous use since it opened in 1858. Forming the east wing of Wilmington's magnificent City Hall, the facility hosts over 250 performance events annually. The complex houses three performance venues, the Main Stage, the Grand Ballroom, and the Studio Theatre.

The Riverwalk is a scenic boardwalk along the Cape Fear River in downtown Wilmington. Stroll along the water and enjoy the amazing views or venture off into one of the many boutique shops or restaurants.

Without question, the Battleship NORTH CAROLINA is the centerpiece of the Wilmington Riverfront. A majestic symbol of this country's hard-earned naval victories in World War II, the battleship is a must-see attraction.

The Wilmington Railroad Museum is dedicated to preserving the history of the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad and the history of railroading in the southeastern United States. The Wilmington Railroad Museum has an eclectic collection of displays, which you and your children should find fun and educational. HOURS: October 29, 2012 - March 1, 2013 Mon-Sat: 10am-4pm, Sunday: Closed Closed Holidays: Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Years Eve, New Years Day, Easter *** Hours are subject to change - Please call 910-763-2634*** ADMISSION: Adults: $8.50 Seniors/Military: $7.50 Children (2-12): $4.50

Wrightsville Beach is just minutes from the Wilmington KOA. Surrounded by the Intracoastal Waterway and the ocean, it is the picture-perfect beach community with lots to see and do. Explore the island's winding creeks and waterways by standup paddleboard or kayak. Named as one of the world's best surf towns, you can catch some waves on the ocean side then venture over to the Intracoastal Waterway for boating, sailing or waterfront dining.