Such a beautiful hidden gem at the Brunswick County government buildings. It is free to visit the…read moregardens, and even though it is not that big, there are multiple small gardens with different themes and provide wonderful landscaping ideas. It is also a great place to just come and relax and to meditate. The gardens are maintained and well kept by the volunteers.

The Cameron Art Museum (CAM) is located in Wilmington, NC. The museum has a free parking lot, but…read morethere is an admission fee if you are not a member or do not have museum reciprocity. The building itself is 42,000 square feet and features a neat architectural design. Charles Gwathmey designed it so that natural light floods into the space, which is a really nice touch. CAM houses a beautiful permanent collection and frequently rotates its exhibits, so each visit offers something new. The first painting I saw during this visit was by Elliott Daingerfield, whom I was already familiar with from the Blowing Rock Art & History Museum. Female artists are also heavily displayed here, well above the national 11% average seen in most museums. Mary Cassatt, Minnie Evans, Maud Gatewood, Judy Chicago, Elizabeth Darrow, and Fritzi Huber are just a few of the prominent names I remember seeing. The Andy Warhol: Silver Clouds room installation was absolutely mesmerizing. I didn't expect to like it and almost didn't go inside. It seemed a bit weird with the large, pillow-like metallic balloons floating around, but once I was actually inside the room, I didn't want to leave. It was incredibly peaceful watching them float and move, and just standing there being gently tapped by them as they drifted was a truly unique experience. While I wasn't quite as crazy about the other exhibit, "Fresh Air" inflatable sculptures exhibition, they were large and made for a quick stop. But that is the beauty of art--some works deeply appeal to you, and others not so much. Outside the building, there are nature trails and a sculpture park to explore. The museum grounds are historically located where the Civil War Battle of Forks Road took place. There is a monument called "Boundless" by artist Stephen Hayes to honor the US Colored Troops who fought on this exact property. This installation sits just a few steps away from the parking lot, so make sure to check it out before you head inside or after your visit. The CAM Café is also located right inside the museum layout, as well as an excellent gallery gift shop with locally made items.

I really enjoyed this museum. The staff was so nice and friendly. Everything was explained to…read moreus...price, exhibits, food, and other great information. The art was displayed very nicely throughout the gallery. I really enjoyed viewing the art and reading a little bit about each piece. There were pieces that were displayed outside as well. This was my 2nd time visiting and will continue to visit each time that I am in Wilmington.

After doing a "gaslighting" night tour which was interesting and informative we were instructed to…read moreexit by the front door. The long stairway was not well lit. I was not able to clearly see the last few steps and feel down them landing on my hands and knees. I suffered severe abrasions to my knees and hands. Beware if your tour is at night. The staff provided basic first aid. when I contacted the management they referred me to the board president. It took over a week for him to contact me back.

The Latimer House is located in Downtown Wilmington. Guided tours run on the hour and if you arrive…read moreearlier you can sit in the courtyard. This was my favorite of the three houses. It shows how the upper class lived with opulence. The house is not handicap accessible as the it was built in the 1852. The house was built by Zebulon Latimer and has three stories with a basement although not all areas are on the tour. The house is symmetrical as there are the same number of windows on each side. Three generations of the Latimers lived in the house before it became a museum and where the Cape Fear Historical Society is based. The iron water fountain in the garden used to be in a park in the middle of the road. The house has 14 rooms around 600 original items such as furniture, dishes, sculptures in fantastic shape as they had never been taken out of the shipping containers. The family tree was unique on the wall. You can even see where the original carpet was worn away. The house has a Victorian style decor with the marble fireplace, velvet curtains, and the intricate chandeliers. The walls in the foyer are painted to look like wallpaper. I enjoyed seeing all the photos. My docent was knowledgeable and friendly. She provided the stories of who lived in the house with empathy as some of the stories are sad. I highly recommend taking a tour of the Latimer House.

This place is magical! Beautiful pond on the property, rows of blueberry plants to pick from, a big…read moreplayground, and farm animals. There is a sign for the Taylor Blueberry Farm upon entrance but if you feel like you made a mistake and are actually on someone's personal property - you are, but just keep going until you see the homemade wood signs to park. You'll cross a field and park next to a fenced pasture where beautiful horses, goats and a donkey will greet you. If you don't see the Taylor's right away just hang tight - they may be picking in the field. Ms. Taylor let us use her golf cart and directed us to the place in the field where we could find the ripest berries. We filled a bucket for only $13.60 and also bought delicious homemade blueberry slushees, syrup, and grape juice. We had to go, but Ms. Taylor told us to come back in the morning to feed/pet the goats, bunnies, horses, and other animals. My daughter can't wait! The Taylor's also host big events including a fall festival on October 30 that includes bouncy house, hay rides, etc.

I had a great time at Taylor Blueberry Farm today. I did an impromptu stop by with my sister and…read moreher two young boys, who where just ecstatic to see the farm life. Their cows and goats were a treat to go and see, and if we had time to stay, we would have had the pleasure of petting them We did not come equipped with time or any blueberry picking tools, haha, but the Taylor family was nice and helpful, offering us all that we needed to get take some of their precious blueberries off their hands. Definitely a family friendly place, so go here if you've got kids, and you'd like an awesome customer experience. I love supporting family owned businesses too, so this is a no brainier to me. The blueberries were delicious too plus the location is very secluded, so there isn't highway traffic polluting the air around the crops.

A great museum to learn about the Wilmington railroad system. You can learn about how it got…read morestarted and also about the people that worked for the railroad. There were lots of model trains to view. The entrance fee was very reasonable..only 12 dollars for an adult ticket. The fact that it was just a block away from the hotel that I was staying at was a plus.

It's a very cool railroad museum. Located right in downtown Wilmington. They do have parking but…read moreonly a few spots. Cost is reasonable. Kids under 2 are free. They do add 3% to the price if you use a credit card. From what I can tell from their website, you can't purchase tickets in advance. Just have to purchase at the front desk. There are two parts, inside and outside. Outside has a train engine and a caboose. You can go inside both. These two don't take long to see. Inside has a lot more, including large running model train sets. Kids can interact with the train sets by pushing buttons to start trains, control bridges and other things on the set. There is also a play area where kids can put on different hats and vests, and play with train themed toys. The model train sets span two different rooms. There is also a museum section showing historic railroad items, including discussing the railroad history in the Cape Fear region. It's differently worth a visit. Kids will love it.

I don't have much unique photos of this place, but it did intrigue all my family when we went here…read moreon a Wednesday afternoon! They were all surprised about a good museum down here on Topsail!

Missiles & More Museum was such a fantastic stop during our casual bike ride! As two adults just…read moreexploring, we were blown away by how much history this place packs into every corner. What truly makes the experience unforgettable, though, is the staff--they are incredibly knowledgeable, passionate, and make learning about the exhibits genuinely fun. It's obvious that the people who run this museum put an incredible amount of care and attention into every detail. From the displays to the stories behind them, everything feels thoughtfully curated. We left with a greater appreciation for the history and a huge smile--highly recommend stopping by if you're in the area, and it is kid friendly with engaging activites!

This is one of the most beautiful Coastal cities you will ever visit. We have been going here on…read morevacation since I was a little kid. My father actually grew up here and the city has certainly change over the years into a great tourist destination. Beautiful homes are everywhere in and around the city as well as some of the best dining you will find anywhere. You are just minutes to some of the best beaches in the state where you can still rent a "beach house" for a week and spend your vacation staying right on the water in a fully furnished house instead of cramped in a hotel room

What a great little family run farm. This is our second…read moreseason visiting for u-pick blueberries. They are SO good and pesticide free! The blackberries were starting to come in, too. This year they had u-pick flowers and they are gorgeous. They also had lots of herbs, jalapeños, bunch of other stuff to pick from.