Points West

In Whiteville, the county seat of Columbus County, you'll definitely want to visit the North Carolina Museum of Forestry at 415 S. Madison Street, (910) 914-4185. Housed in a 17,226-square-foot former bank building, the museum even has a drive-through window! Exhibits feature curiosities of the forest, including 65-million-year-old petrified wood, 800-year-old cypress tree cookies, giant wood specimens, interactive displays, large murals and a Tool Room. Enjoy the North Carolina Tree Trail on the museum grounds. Hours are Monday through Friday 9 AM to 5 PM, Saturday 1 to 4 PM and Sunday 2 to 5 PM. Admission is free and the facility is handicapped accessible.

A popular railroad museum is located in Chadbourn, easily accessed from U.S. 76 south on N.C. Highway 410. The Chadbourn Depot Museum, at Colony and Railroad streets, was originally a passenger railroad depot. Built in 1910, the railroad was used for many years by travelers going north, south, east and west. Today, the museum tells the history of railroading. Also offered are historical displays and information about North Carolina's strawberry industry, which originated in Chadbourn. Every year on the first weekend in May, the town draws thousands of people to its annual N.C. Strawberry Festival, and the museum offers train rides (reservations required). The museum  is open to the public at no charge. Hours are Tuesday 10 AM to 5 PM, Friday 10 AM to 4 PM and Sunday 2 to 5 PM. For information, call (910) 654-4590.

Railroad buffs can travel a bit farther down U.S. 76 to N.C. Highway 904, where they can check out the Fair Bluff Depot Museum, 339 Railroad Street. The depot was built in 1897 as an Atlantic Coast Line passenger and freight depot. This is the home of the Greater Fair Bluff Historical Society, which was founded in 1990 for the purpose of collecting and preserving records of the Fair Bluff area. On display are many artifacts from the early 1800s to the 1940s, railroad memorabilia and an electric train that travels through a replica of 1930s Fair Bluff. Here is a great place to research local family genealogies, too. Admission is free. Hours are Tuesday 10 AM to 4 PM and Sunday 2 to 4 PM and at other times by special arrangement. For information call (910) 649-7707 or (910) 649-7415.

If you feel the urge for a change of scene, the Lumber River State Park is a great place to go, particularly if you're into paddle sports, as the river invites adventure and exploration. How about a quiet walk along the river or a picnic under Spanish-moss covered oaks? Come all you nature lovers and feast your eyes. Discover rare plants, watch wildlife, breathe fresh air and just enjoy being here. They say the fishing is great, too. The river flows through south-central North Carolina into South Carolina. The State Park itself comprises 7,936 acres of land and 115 miles of river, of which 81 miles are designated as national wild and scenic. The remaining 34 miles are regarded as state natural and scenic.

Recreational activities are primarily at the Princess Ann Area near Orrum. There you'll find a visitor contact station within the park office, a small boat ramp, canoe camping, trails, a picnic area and a picnic shelter. This is a fairly small, remote kind of park and is definitely not commercial. You'll need to bring your own food, drinks (no alcohol) and comfort items. Additional primitive canoe camping is available at the Piney Island area. Three small sites and a large group site are located along an easy overnight section of the Lumber River.

The Lumber River State Park headquarters is located in Robeson County, 12 miles east of Fairmont off N.C. 130. From I-95, exit onto U.S. 74 east, from Wilmington take U.S. 74 west to S.R. 2225 (approximately mile marker 373). Turn south onto S.R. 2225 and travel to S.R. 2246, where you'll travel east for two miles to the park entrance. Hours are November through February 8 AM to 6 PM; March and October 8 AM to 7 PM; April, May and September 8 AM to 8 PM; June through August 8 AM to 9 PM. For information call (910) 628-9844.

You have to see it to believe it . . . South of the Border at I-95 Exit 1 at U.S. 301-501 is in Dillon, South Carolina. Self-proclaimed to be "world famous," Pedro's province lures travelers with clever signs for hundreds of miles along this busy highway. Anyone with an ounce of curiosity turns off to see what South of the Border is all about. Whoever Pedro's marketing agent is, he or she must be one of the most creative on this planet. You'll find Pedro's Campground, Pedroland mini theme park, Pedro's 22-story Sombrero Tower with glass elevator, Fort Pedro & Rocket City, El Drug Store, Mexico Shops, Club Cancun and eateries with names like The Hot Tamale, Ice Cream Fiesta and Sombrero Restaurant. Oh yes, you can sleep here, too, at Pedro's South of the Border Motel, which includes 20 honeymoon suites.

One of our favorite places to go is the Southeastern North Carolina Farmers Market on N.C. 74, 1 mile east of I-95. Open Monday through Saturday 8 AM to 6 PM and Sunday 1 to 6 PM, this is the place to find beautifully fresh produce, country hams, plants, quilts, dolls, pottery, gift baskets and crafts. It's operated by the North Carolina Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services, and you can get information on special events or what's available seasonally at www.ncdamarkets.org or by calling (910) 618-5699.

Exploration Station is well worth the trip if you've got young children (ages 6 months to about 5 years). This is a super place for children to explore and learn through creative role-playing and interactive experiences. The center provides lots of fun activities and gives kids the opportunity to milk a cow, play in the castle, pretend to be a fireman, shop in a grocery store and examine real X-rays in a make-believe hospital. Exploration Station is at 104 North Chestnut Street, Lumberton. Hours are Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday 10 AM to 5 PM, Thursday 10 AM to 8 PM and Saturday 10 AM to 4 PM; closed Sunday and Monday. Adults must accompany children. Call for information, (910) 738-1114.

Take a self-guided walking tour of Lumberton for a new kind of adventure. Stop by the Lumberton Area Chamber of Commerce, 800 N. Chestnut Street, (910) 739-4750, to pick up a brochure and maps. Learn about Lumberton's fascinating history, and view all the interesting buildings, churches and significant structures. Stop along the way to visit places like the African-American Cultural Center.

The Robeson County Museum, 101 S. Elm Street, is housed in a former railway express station built in 1908. The museum has a rotating historic display and artifacts that recount Robeson County life from the earliest inhabitants to more recent past. Admission is free. Hours are Monday and Tuesday 9 AM to 1 PM, Tuesday and Thursday 1 to 5 PM, Saturday 10 AM to 2 PM. Phone for information, (910) 738-7979.