There's something a little bit sexy about Wilmington: the film industry. While nobody would confuse Market Street for Rodeo Drive, film and TV producers routinely use Wilmington's studios and streets for shows like Matlock and movies like David Lynch's eerie Blue Velvet. Wilmington basically provides a low-cost alternative to shooting in Hollywood and putting up with all that traffic, smog, and general haughtiness. Wilmington's residents seem relaxed and less impressed with themselves than can be the case in other similar cities. Nobody in Wilmington says, "I'll have my people call your people."

Wilmington's stature and history as a major port rivals that of Savannah (Georgia) and Charleston (South Carolina). While the latter cities may be larger and more publicized, Wilmington, especially downtown, boasts just as much character and charm. Massive homes built by 18th and 19th century commodity and transportation magnates peer down majestically at tourists and locals. Developers have turned former cotton and sugar warehouses into upmarket restaurants, all-day all-night coffee shops and heaving bars.

While Wilmington's suburban hinterland of fast-food outlets and cheap motels is no different from any other in the United States, its downtown and adjoining neighborhoods, draped in oak and magnolia trees, make it a delightful city that's remarkably unspoiled by tourism.

The biggest threat to Wilmington over the last few years of the 20th century arrived in the form of four sizeable hurricanes. Each of these monster storms rocked up the Cape Fear River, downing trees, flooding roads, eroding beaches and giving that old guy at The Weather Channel an excuse to say "Wilmington, North Carolina may be completely destroyed" a gazillion times. In his oh-so-droll way, John Hope helped put Wilmington on the map.

Thankfully, most of the coastal communities remained intact and relatively unharmed by the hurricanes. Places like Wrightsville Beach, Figure Eight Island, Topsail Beach, Kure Beach, Carolina Beach, and Oak Island are tremendously important for the local economy. Visitors from up and down the East Coast visit these wonderful seasonal retreats.

They also play golf.

Wilmington's seaside terrain and semi-sandy soil make for outstanding coastal golf. While Wilmington will never be confused with Myrtle Beach (just a one-hour drive to the south), the southern coast of North Carolina attracts more than its fair share of golfing tourists.

We included courses in parts of the Brunswick Islands, stretching south from the Southport area, in our Grand Strand chapter. These tracks, though found in North Carolina, align themselves with the Myrtle Beach area.