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Wilmington NC~The Perfect Family Destination!

By SCMK April 14, 2015

Like most port cities, Wilmington has a colorful past and has been preserved beautifully. It is easy to see the pride that local residents have in their city just by a quick drive around the local historic district. Staying downtown will cost you more but there are several good options right outside of the historic district. TownePlace Suites by Marriott-Wilmington/Wrightsville Beach is a great Marriott that offers a full kitchen and a free breakfast. If you want to stay closer in there are lots of good options in the historic district.

 

What to do in Wilmington

 

Wilmington offers a wide range of museums and ways to tour the city,

 

Battleship NORTH CAROLINA: This is sure to be a hit if you are in Wilmington. Commissioned in 1941, the U.S.S. North Carolina was considered the greatest sea weapon of her time. This battleship saw every major naval battle in the Pacific during WWII and is one of the highest decorated battleships from that time. The ship does involve a lot of walking and climbing but is worth every narrow set of stairs you go on. The ship has been restored perfectly; kids will love checking out the machinery, being able to sit upon the gunnery seats, the mess hall and more. Allow for at least 2 hours when you visit. 

                                     

Cape Fear Serpentarium: This is a not to be missed museum. If you have kids who love snakes (or even if they don’t they will be mesmerized) the Serpentarium is the place to be! With over 40 different types of venomous snakes, an alligator turtle, a 12 foot saltwater alligator and more. The Serpentarium is open 11-5 during the summer but hours can vary in the winter so you should call ahead before visiting. We were able to tour the museum in about 40 minutes. They only accept cash so plan ahead.

                                            

                                               

Children’s Museum of Wilmington: Geared more towards younger children, the Children’s Museum offers 3 floors of fun for your kids. We hit the museum on one of the rainy days we had in town. While my kids are a little older then the museum is geared towards, they still had a blast. We spent about an hour in the museum.

 

Other museum ideas for Wilmington:

 

Cape Fear Museum: North Carolina’s oldest history museum and interactive science center. 

Wilmington Railroad Museum: Indoor and outdoor exhibits that showcase Wilmington’s railroad history. When you check into the museum, ask for a scavenger hunt for the kids.

The Bellamy Museum: This antebellum house offers a glimpse into life 200 hundred years ago. My kids found it interesting to see not only what life was like in the big house but also gained some incredible perspective when seeing the slave quarters. The tour takes over an hour and the audio tour takes about 45 minutes.

 

Other ways to see Wilmington,

Take the trolley! The Wilmington Trolley Company offers fun tours of the historic district. The tours take 45 minutes and depart at the top of every hour from Market and Dock streets. 

Take a riverboat cruise on the Henrietta III. The riverboat is a fun way to see the city from the Cape Fear. The cruise offers a deli lunch and takes about 2 hours total.

If the kids are still not tired, check out Defy Gravity, the areas newest indoor trampoline place. This will wear the kids out! Kids will love that there is more to do beyond the trampoline, with agility activities, dodgeball and more you will want to jump with the kids too! 

We had dinner at Elijah’s, which was great! Right on the riverwalk (which is super fun to stroll with the kids also) and next door to the Pilot House (owned by the same parent company), Elijah’s food is fantastic! They offer a great kids menu so you will find something for your pickiest of eaters while you are there.
Don’t miss the shrimp bread, it is out of this world!


                                 

 On of the best parts of Wilmington as a family destinations is you can build out the vacation that works best for your family. From beach to history Wilmington is the perfect family vacation.