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Exploring NatureThe most accessible, most affordable and most attractive
sources of fun for kids on the southern coast are the same ones that draw
adults in droves: the beaches and nearby waterways. So no matter what your
kids' ages, get them down to the water, from Topsail to Calabash. Try a
different beach now and then to pique their interest; there's a great
difference in character from beach to beach. Combining activities with beach
visits may also be worthwhile. Driving a four-wheel-drive vehicle on the
beach at the Fort Fisher State Recreation Area is a bouncy jaunt most kids
love. The area offers pristine surf, calm tidal waters on the inland side
suitable for toddlers, great fishing and, just minutes away, a fine Civil
War museum and historic site. (See the Off-Roading section in our
Sports, Fitness and Parks chapter.) North Carolina's southern coast
encompasses a wide variety of parks, giving kids plenty of room to run, play
and explore. Venerable pine trees surrounded by beautiful flora and
interesting fauna make these parks delightful places for families to spend
time together. (See the
Sports, Fitness and Parks chapter for a list of parks.) Buccaneer Cruises The Buccaneer offers great sightseeing
cruises that kids love. Cruises provide an opportunity to see dolphins,
osprey and other wildlife as you cruise by Blackbeard's old hideout. The
cost is $12 per person, with kids 8 and younger paying $8. Reservations are
not required, but if you would like to guarantee a space stop by the dock
at the Topsail Beach Assembly Building for advance tickets. |
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FarmsA farm visit can provide children with a
fascinating educational experience that's also a downright good time. From
picking fruits and vegetables to learning about the care and feeding of farm
animals, kids will enjoy the hands-on opportunities offered by the farms
listed below. Ashton Farm
Ashton Farm is 72 acres of historic plantation about 18
miles north of Wilmington. Owners Sally and Jim Martin provide children
ages 5 through 12 with down-to-earth fun. Kids participate in farm life,
sports with minimized competition and nature. Among the activities are
swimming, canoeing, horseback riding, tennis, hiking, crafts, animal
care, rodeos, nature walks, tractor rides and archery. (Also see the
Summer Camps section later in this chapter.) Holden Brothers Farm Market Bring the kids to pick strawberries and tomatoes in
season. It's a fun family adventure and they will learn that fruits do
not come only from the grocery store — and that they are yummier when
freshly picked. The fields and market are open from April 1 through
Christmas and are 3 miles south of Shallotte. Lewis Strawberry Nursery & Farms Picking berries can be almost as much fun as eating them. In late
spring, peaking in May, the strawberries at Lewis' Nursery ripen into
succulent concentrations of juicy, deep-red sweetness that almost defy
belief. Whether you and the kids pick them yourselves or buy them by the
quart, this is a treat you'll want to repeat. Lewis' Gordon Road
location is popular with locals for their strawberries, blueberries and
blackberries, with the added attractions of homemade ice cream, potted
plants and flowers for sale. Lewis Farms is open to the public only from
April through mid-July, Monday through Saturday from 8 AM to 6 PM and
Sunday from 1 to 6 PM. Gordon Road intersects Market Street (U.S. 17)
just south of the Military Cutoff Road intersection and N. College Road
near the junction with I-40. Or Pick-Your-Own at their other location
along Castle Hayne Road, near the General Electric facility; it's open
Monday through Saturday 8 AM to 6 PM and Sunday 1 to 6 PM.
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Getting PhysicalCheck our chapter on
Sports, Fitness and Parks for information on field and team sports for
children of school age. Included in this section are physical activities
that either apply specifically to young children or are not covered in the
sports categories. Carolina Beach Mini-Golf &
Batting Cages After school, weekends and vacation days are popular
times for youngsters and teens to spend a few hours perfecting their
batting skills, playing a few rounds of miniature golf or trying out
some of the many different arcade games at this beach town attraction.
Open seasonally every day from 10 AM until late evening, Carolina Beach
Mini-Golf is set in a beautiful tropical environment with waterfalls,
streams and mountainous terrain. Fit For Fun (910) 341-4630 This program, sponsored by Wilmington Parks & Recreation Department,
affords children from birth through 5 years the opportunity to play with
parental involvement. The cost is $4 per child. Hours are Monday through
Friday 9 AM to noon and 1 to 4 PM and Saturday 9 AM to noon. Jelly Beans Family Skating Center Roller skating can be family fun at its best and perhaps
simplest, and Jelly Beans appeals especially to kids and their parents.
Grown-ups may appreciate the Top-40 music on Thursday nights. The rink
is a clean, well-kept place with a well-stocked pro shop providing
rentals, sales and repairs. Also available is a snack bar and the Stuff
Shop, which sells toys and novelty items. Jelly Beans also hosts skating
birthday parties, an after-school program and a summer day camp. Jelly
Beans hosts its own in-line hockey league for kids 14 and younger (see
the
Sports, Fitness and Parks chapter for more details). It is near the
intersection of Oleander Drive and Forest Park Road, 5 miles from
downtown. The Martin Luther King Jr. Center
In the summer months, the Wilmington Recreation
Intervention Division sponsors basketball for kids ages 6 to 17, divided
into appropriate age groups. The center now offers Tae Kwan Do for kids as
young as six, all the way up to adults. Other activities include field trips
and games as well as a soccer league. The center has two 7-foot pool tables,
bumper pool, Foosball, Ping Pong and air hockey. During the school year, the
center is open Monday through Thursday for after-school homework time and
games. Every second Friday the center features live entertainment in the
afternoon. Pete-Eze Pete-Eze is packed with fun for the entire
family. You'll find roller skating, roller blading, skateboarding, pool
tables and arcade games. Tuesday nights are for Bluegrass Picking and
Thursday night is Open Mic. Tuesday and Thursday mornings are reserved for
Preschool and Mom time and there are tons of toys for kids to climb, crawl
and ride. The snack bar sells popcorn, drinks and pre-packaged sandwiches
and snacks. It is open year round and can be rented for parties. Scooter's Family Skating Center Scooter's is the current name for this classic rink,
founded in 1959. Once you pass through the door, however, you walk right
into the twenty-first century, complete with disco lighting show, sound
system, special glow-in-the-dark carpeting and black lighting throughout the
entire rink. Scooter's is a full-service roller-skating center with a
complete pro shop, snack bar and lots of video games to round out your night
of fun. Birthday parties and fund-raising events are more than welcome. The
rink is open Wednesday from 7 to 9 PM. On Friday night Scooter's is open
from 7 to 11 PM. Saturday the rink is open from 1 to 11 PM with an all-day
MegaSkate, an afternoon session from 1 to 6 PM and a night skate from 6 to
11 PM. On Sunday public skating is from 2 to 5 PM. For further information
or to book a party, call the number listed above. Topsail Beach
Skating Rink This old-fashioned, family-friendly rink
is located in the heart of Topsail Beach above the Post Office. During
April and May it's open on weekends from 7 to 10 PM and during the
summer it's open nightly. The cost for admission and skate rental is $5.
Inline and traditional skates are available. Drinks and snacks are are
sold at the concession stand. Wheel Fun Rentals Kids of all ages will love this. For a
reasonable rate, the whole family can spend an hour or even a day riding
Deuce Coupes, Choppers or Surreys. Popular anytime, and equipped with
lights, four-wheeled covered Surreys come in two sizes, the large one can
seat up to six adults and two children. Also available are cruisers,
mountain bikes and tandems. For the water enthusiast, rentals of surfboards,
boogie boards, kayaks, water bikes, paddle boats, beach chairs and umbrellas
are also available. Owners Duke and Tracee Hagestrom promise a fun ride, no
matter what you choose. There's also a location at Carolina Beach Lake Park,
corner of Lake Park Road and Atlanta Avenue.
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