Downtown Wilmington is an enchanting and eclectic blend of unique coffeehouses, shops, and places…read more Foodies & coffee lovers will love the unique cuisine and indie coffee places. Every place we explored seemed a short walk from our hotel or a short driving. Parking can be expensive yet there are parking garages with stellar prices in downtown. Wilmington is the Hollywood of the South with a history & future of being a hot location for movies and film. We kept ending up places filmed in a movie or television series. Some of the places we explored in Wilmington: Papercut Books, Hidden Grounds Coffee, The Cotton Exchange, The Copper Penny, The Museum of the Bizarre, and The Black Cat Shoppe. For beach lovers, Wilmington has Carolina Beach and the views are spectacular. We chose to explore Wilmington in the winter when it was off season and had few to no tourists especially on the beach. We didn't get to go to all the places we wanted to see but we plan to in the future.

Did you know that Dawson's Creek was filmed in downtown Wilmington, North Carolina? It was! I…read moredidn't know that little nugget of information about one of my favorite WB teen dramas until a friendly local let me know. And not only was Dawson's Creek filmed in downtown Wilmington, but you can go on a tour of all of the filming locations! So, you too can walk on the Wilmington Riverwalk and reminisce about the first time Andie and Pacey kissed. Or visit the original "Icehouse" where Joey worked. Yes, it's all here in downtown Wilmington. Even if you're not into Dawson's Creek, this area is a really neat place to explore. Definitely walk along the Riverwalk / boardwalk and pop your head into some of the many shops and restaurants that are around. This area is right by the water, and in the distance, you can see the USS North Carolina battleship. There is also a horse-drawn carriage that you can hop onto, and many different tours that explain the history and architecture of the area. We visited during the peak summer months, and there were lots of people around. This is definitely a popular tourist spot.

The boardwalk was about a block from our AirBnb location. Its changed a lot since I was a kid and…read moreit used to be much more of a dive. Now its pretty family friend and aimed at day drinkers and families. It's got a slew of bars, an arcade thats more win prize type games not arcade games, lots of places for sweets like fudge and ice cream. There's parking nearby and easy beach access and restrooms. There's some carnival style games and rides that are typically closed on the off season.

The Boardwalk was beside our hotel and a short stroll. We were sad to see the iconic Ferris wheel…read moreby the Boardwalk was taken away. Despite the cold weather and construction, it was good to see the beach and walk the boardwalk that morning. Most of the businesses were closed and we spent very little time there. Still a nice walk.

When I came across the Tribute to Carolina Shag mural while I was visiting Carolina Beach, it…read moreinstantly became my favorite. There are many murals in this area of town, but this one was notable to me because of one thing in the mural: white loafer dress shoes, which look almost exactly like the kind of shoes my late grandfather used to wear. Was my abuelo a fan of the Carolina Shag? Or maybe just cool old guys who like dancing also like penny loafers? I'll probably never know the answer to these questions. This piece of public art is a celebration of Shag dancing and a tribute to Malcom Ray "Chicken" Hicks, who, according to my brief internet research, was a member of the Shaggers Hall of Fame and one of the people who invented the dance known as the "Shag." Chicken helped introduce R&B music to Carolina Beach in the 1940s, and was active in getting young people involved in shagging. Yeah, baby. The mural was completed in 2023 by graffiti artist JEKS (aka Brian Lewis), a self-taught member of the street-art scene in Greensboro, N.C. Knowing this info about the artist makes me love the mural even more, because I love street art and especially people who make street art without formal training. This artwork is incredible. It's located on a south-facing wall of a storefront on Lake Park Boulevard, so you should go admire it yourself in you're in the Carolina Beach area.

Visit d this location during a vacation in Wilmington. Not only does it have a park for kids to…read moreenjoy, the location has pickleball courts, kayaks, paddle boats and a walking trail that circles the beautiful lake. We hoped to see gators but missed them all. Tons of turtles though. The walking trail is 5 miles around the lake and easy with shaded spots, and various lookout locations with benches to rest or simple zen out. I wish I lived closer so I could walk this look weekly!

This is such a nice park. Wilmington has done a nice job up keeping this park. I love the 5 mile…read morewalk around Greenfield Lake, especially during azalea season. My kids enjoy the skate park and playgrounds. The trials are well kept. Lock your car and keep items out of view. This park is known for vagrants and we did see one person approach our car and try the doors. They scurried away quickly when they noticed we saw them. This could be because we have out of state plates but locals say this park is known for crime.

Such an amazing idea at such a peaceful place! Perfect for writing a letter to God or that loved…read moreone in heaven!

Sweet little place to visit and sit. Also a great place to…read moretake visitors. Not a bad walk if you park at access 4, there is bench nearby.

The Beach Breeze mural is located on the outer walls of CB Arcade, and is one of the murals that…read moregreets you as you pull up into the Carolina Beach boardwalk. The mural depicts lots of sea-animal-shaped kites floating in a sky, and it's supposed to celebrate the Cape Fear Kite Festival, which takes place in the fall and wraps up the kite-flying season. This piece of public art was painted by artist Jenna Rice, who is based in Greensboro, North Carolina. It was completed in 2022. It's a really awesome mural, and it makes me wish I had visited Carolina Beach when the kite festival was happening! That's neat that the beach town now has a piece of its history on the walls of its local buildings.

Magical, dreamy little town. If I could move there tomorrow I would. Great little restaurants…read more Charming downtown, I see why movie are filmed in this town. Golf carts abound and they decorate them in such cute ways. If near, stop by and get a dose of happiness just driving through the town if you can't stop. But stopping is suggested.

Tucked away on this very hard to reach tiny sea side town you will happily find small shops…read moreChristmas all year long amazing 4 Star restaurants friendly people mild weather and very low taxes that make this a place I call my second home come and stay away. Even on a rainy summer night dozens of people will venture out to the swings and stay for a while. The best July 4 fireworks in the south great beaches and shopping old and new treasures including art galleries this tiny town is a treasure.

And the grass don't get much greener, and life can't get no sweeter...at Big World Photo! Coolest,…read morecreative photography ever. Come get some!