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Around Wilmington
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Airlie Gardens |
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Enjoy the pleasures nature has to offer — smell
the roses, admire the azaleas, gaze at the camellias and stand in the shade
of the 463-year-old Airlie Oak while visiting this quintessential Southern
garden. Wander at your leisure along curving paths and walkways in this lush
natural setting while admiring the majesty of the maritime forest of trees
native to the region — live oaks, cedars, pines and wax myrtles. Need a
rest? Sit and enjoy the beauty of the overlook and pier while gazing out on
shimmering Bradley Creek. In the early
1900s Airlie Gardens was designed to showcase plants for all four seasons —
azaleas in spring, magnolias and live oaks in summer and camellias in the
fall and winter. Statuary, pergolas and fountains grace the gardens.
Bordered by Bradley Creek and salt marshes, these beautiful 67 acres support
two freshwater lakes that attract swans, ducks, geese, herons, egrets and
more. From January 1 through March 15 the gardens are open Monday through
Saturday from 9 AM to 5 PM. From March 15 through the end of the year, the
gardens are open Monday through Sunday from 9 AM to 5 PM. Admission is $5
for adults and $3 for children 12 and younger. Admission is free for
members. Individual memberships cost $25, with family memberships starting
at $50, and each includes free admission to the gardens, the Airlie Concert
Series and Enchanted Airlie (see our
Annual Events chapter). New Hanover County residents are admitted free
the second Saturday of each month. |
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EUE/Screen Gems Studios Tour |
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Movie fans can take a one-hour walking tour of EUE/Screen Gems Studios,
the largest full-service production facility east of California. You'll see
the actual studio lot and stages where more than 300 film and television
projects have been produced, including Muppets from Space,
Idlewild, Domestic Disturbance, Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood, One
Tree Hill, Dawson's Creek and Matlock. Regular highlights of
the tour are visits to the sets currently in production, movie sets in
construction, the screening room, old movie sets and props as well as a
video presentation of the studio's history and a question-and-answer
session. Cameras are permitted in designated areas. From Memorial Day to
Labor Day, tours are offered Saturdays and Sundays at noon and 2 PM. The
rest of the year, they're offered on Saturdays at noon and 2 PM. Please call
in advance for current schedule information. Private group tours, for groups
of more than 20, are available by reservation anytime year round. Please
arrive at least 15 minutes prior to your tour to purchase tickets. Admission
is $12 for adults, $10 for students with a proper ID, $8 for seniors and $5
for children younger than 12. Greenfield Lake and Gardens In springtime the colors here are simply eye-popping. In summer the
algae-covered waters and Spanish moss are reminders of the days when this
was an unpopulated cypress swamp. In winter the bare tree trunks rise from
the lake with starkness. Herons, egrets and ducks are regular visitors, as
are hawks and cardinals. The 5-mile lake-view drive is a pleasure in any
season, and there's a paved path suitable for walking, running or cycling
around the entire lake. Greenfield Lake is 2 miles south of downtown
Wilmington along S. Third Street. In summer months, eco-tours of the lake
are available upon request through Cape Fear River Watch; call (910)
762-5606 for more information. (See more about Greenfield Lake in our
chapter on
Sports, Fitness and Parks.) |
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Jungle Rapids Family Fun Park |
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self-contained amusement magnet includes the only true water park in eastern
North Carolina plus more game attractions than a family could exhaust in a
week. The quarter-mile-long Grand Prix GoKart track features bridge
overpasses, banked turns, timing devices and one- and two-passenger cars.
Children less than 56 inches tall must ride with licensed adult drivers. The Waterpark includes seven excellent slides, including the half-pike Sidewinder, the four-tube slide called the Volcanic Express, The Super Bowl and the meandering Lazy River. Lifeguards are always on duty, and there are plenty of lockers, lounges, tables and umbrellas. Private cabanas can be arranged for an additional cost. Also worthwhile is the million-gallon wave pool, and the Kiddie Splash Pool (with four kiddie slides). In addition, there's jungle-themed miniature
golf, a rock-climbing wall, the adrenaline-pumping Alien Invader Laser Tag,
the high-tech arcade featuring more than 100 games ranging from the classic
to state-of-the-art, and the air-conditioned Kids Jungle (Wilmington's
largest indoor playground for children ages 8 and younger). Jungle Rapids
caters kids' parties on site. They offer on-site meeting and function rooms
(the largest accommodating 200 people with a minimum of 50). The Big Splash
Café and Pizzeria offers an ample menu during park hours. The Waterpark
opens Memorial Day weekend and is open daily from 11 AM to 7 PM. The Dry
Park attractions are open at 10 AM (not until 1 PM on Sunday in the
off-season). Call for off-season hours. Also see our
Kidstuff chapter. |
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Louise
Wells Cameron Art Museum Cameron Art Museum is located in a 42,000-square-foot
facility designed by renowned New York architecture firm of Gwathmey, Siegel
& Associates. Located on the corner of S. 17th Street and Independence
Boulevard, Cameron Art Museum presents changing, special exhibitions in each
of three exhibition areas; monthly family and children's programs;
interdisciplinary public programs (lectures, music, films, literature,
dance); and ongoing workshops and classes in ceramics at its unique Clay
Studio with resident master artist and educator Hiroshi Sueyoshi (see our
Arts chapter for more information). The museum features an on-site
museum gift shop and full-service restaurant. Museum hours are 11 AM to 5 PM
Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday and 11 AM to 9 PM on
Friday. Admission is $5 for museum members, $8 for non-members, $5 for
students with a valid student identification card and $3 children ages 2 to
12. |
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New Hanover Cooperative Extension Arboretum This 7-acre teaching and learning facility with 33 gardens is the only educational arboretum in southeastern North Carolina. The arboretum was formally opened in 1989 and is still in the midst of development. These gardens rank among the finer theme gardens in the area. Boardwalks and paths wind through a profusion of plants, grasses, flowers, trees, shrubs, herbs and vegetables, and there is plenty of shaded seating. Several sections, such as the Herb Garden with its variety of medicinal, culinary, fragrance and tea species, are sponsored by local garden clubs. Other themed gardens include the Rose Garden's Heritage roses, a hands-on Children's Garden and the Aquatic & Bog Gardens, some of the largest in the state. The arboretum also has an Ability Garden, which helps physically and/or mentally challenged individuals learn about and experience the joys of gardening. Working in cooperation with the N.C. State University Cooperative Extension, the arboretum also offers community services and educational programs on a variety of skill levels up to Master Gardener courses. The arboretum assists commercial and private horticultural enterprises and helps residents create attractive home landscapes. This last mission is served by their plant clinic and the Garden Hotline, (910) 452-6393, where volunteer master gardeners field questions about horticulture from 9 AM to 5 PM. The arboretum also sponsors and hosts seminars, classes and workshops. Some of the programs offer certificates upon completion. Need a special gift for a gardener? Don't miss the
delightful variety of gifts and gardening books (their specialty) available
at The Potting Shed gift shop, (910) 452-3470, in the Reception Center. The
shop is open from 10 AM to 4 PM Monday through Friday. Admission to the
arboretum is free. Donations are welcome and much needed. Funding is
primarily by individual and corporate sponsors, volunteers, fund-raising
events and local garden clubs. Volunteer docents lead tours on request
during extension office hours from 8 AM to 5 PM Monday through Friday.
Self-guided tours are permitted daily from dawn to dusk. (The gates are
closed but not locked during this time.) Enter the grounds from Oleander
Drive (U.S. Highway 76) immediately east of Greenville Loop Road and west of
the Bradley Creek bridge. And, yes, the arboretum is available for weddings. |
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Tregembo Animal Park |
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Tregembo Animal Park will delight and amaze kids
of all ages. Carrying on a family tradition that goes back more than 50
years, the Tregembos have expanded and updated the zoo to create habitats
for their animals from around the world. They have over 90 types of animals.
There are some of the familiar zoo favorites, like Jashan the white tiger, a
lion named Simba and Ben the bear, along with some exotic new additions,
including a giraffe, a zebra and a group of ring-tailed lemurs that reside
on their very own Lemur Island. Kids will have a great time exploring the
park, feeding the ducks and goats, and watching the amusing antics of the
monkeys. Tregembo Animal Park is a fun place to spend an afternoon with
kids. Their large gift shop is filled with educational animal-related toys,
T-shirts, plush items and nautical souvenirs. Tregembo Animal Park is open
from 10 AM to 5 PM daily and closes during the winter season. Ticket prices
are $8 for adults and $6 for kids ages 2 to 12. Group rates are available
for school groups, but please call in advance. |
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Wilmington Sea Dawgs |
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For the past two years, the Wilmington Sea
Dawgs have been "unleashing the excitement" of professional basketball
in the Port City. In both seasons, the team's record has awarded them a
place in the post-season tournament. Playing in the up-and-coming
Premier Basketball League and calling Cape Fear Community College's
Schwartz Center their home, the Sea Dawgs play an exciting brand of
fast-paced hoops that draws substantial crowds and makes fans of
first-time attendees. The team participates in many community outreach
events and provides discounted or complimentary tickets to most area
not-for-profit organizations. Also, each season the team holds open
tryouts, making it possible for local hoop stars to have a chance at
their dream of pro basketball stardom. Bring the entire family or the
neighborhood kids to a Sea Dawgs game and enjoy all the high-flying
dunks and sharpshooters this new league has to offer.
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Wilmington
Hammerheads |
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The Hammerheads were founded in 1996 and are
one of only two professional sports teams in southeastern North
Carolina. The team plays in the United Soccer League's (USL) Second
Division and calls Wilmington's Legion Stadium home. With a 13-year
history in the Port City, the team has developed quite a following and
enjoys more than 3,500 fans per match. Over the years the Hammerheads
have brought teams ranging from the New York Red Bulls of the
MLS, Sunderland and Sheffield Wednesday of England's Coca-Cola
Championship League, and the Washington Freedom of WUSA. A Hammerheads
game is a fun, affordable night out for the whole family. The season
runs from April through August. |
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