I went to the Christmas lights festival tonight? It was beautiful for $10/person. There was a lot…read moreto do and it was decorate beautifully. You were able to tour the main house, too. They did a really great job for this! Food trucks, bar, photo ops, etc. beautiful place!

I had a nice visit at the Poplar Grove Plantation after figuring out where to park. What was…read morewritten on the ticket in great detail was not correct. They changed the parking to the next street and you aren't to enter at the flags like the ticket directions told you. I took a guided tour and learned about the Foy family that had a peanut and sweet potato farm. But the more important part of the story was about the Gullah Geechee people. I had first learned about them when I was in Beaufort SC. But there is a corridor that goes from Wilmington to St. Augustine, FL to protect the Gullah Geechee culture. Poplar Grove was built by the Gullah slaves who were very skilled. 59 lived on the property. They took care of the construction; lumber milling; brick making; tending to the livestock and crops as well as domestic chores. They need to be the focus of the tour.

Nice little NPS site. Good interpretative content. Grounds very well maintained. Friendly…read morerangers. Top tier junior ranger program. Probably a 90 minute stop. A place worth checking out.

(This visit was made during the times of Covidious. When things return to a look of normality -…read moreyour experience likely will vary.) We made our trek to Moores Creek during Covid which of course means that aside from the trails and the parking lot (restrooms reopened on 7/1/20 but our visit was a few days prior) everything here in terms of programming or the visitors center is closed until NC enters stage 3. From the NPS website: "The Battle of Moores Creek Bridge, fought between North Carolina Patriots and Loyalist militia forces, demonstrates the bitter internal divisions that marked the American Revolution. The Loyalists, mostly Scottish Highlanders wielding broadswords, charged across a partially dismantled Moores Creek Bridge. Nearly a thousand North Carolina Patriots waited quietly with cannons and muskets poised to fire. Expecting to find only a small Patriot force, the Loyalists advanced across the bridge. Shots rang out and when the smoke cleared, some 30 to 70 Loyalists lay dead or wounded. Among the dead was Lt. Col. Donald McLeod, who had led the charge. Stunned, outgunned, and leaderless, some of the Loyalists surrendered, while others retreated in confusion. Moores Creek is the site of the first Patriot victory in the American Revolution and the site of the last Scottish Highland broadsword charge. The victory ended British authority in the colony and stalled a full-scale British invasion of the South for nearly four years. This decisive victory spurred the creation of the Halifax Resolves on April 12, 1776, which instructed North Carolina's delegates to the Continental Congress to vote for independence. North Carolina was the first American colony to take such action. Less than three months later, the United States would ratify the Declaration of Independence." Nice. Neat. Clean. This is very much a C-List NPS stop which doesn't mean that it's not interesting, but it means that within the grand scheme of the Revolutionary War what took place here was a small one time affair that played a minor role in the eventual outcome. The below map shows the three trails that the site offers. The Tarheel Trail gives via placard an overview of the area and some backstory as to why the British were interested in the region (mostly for it's timber). www.nps.gov/mocr/planyourvisit/maps.htm The History Trail should be done counterclockwise simply because the placards tell the story of the battle in that direction. It doesn't make as much sense doing it in reverse, trust me. Off of the History Trail is a small boardwalk area that takes you over the top of Moores Creek itself. Swampy and buggy as all hell. The area floods often enough that the NPS has concerns about the long term viability of being able to interpret/use the grounds as they are currently laid out. www.starnewsonline.com/news/20200703/flooding-could-make-moores-creek-battlefield-inaccessible-in-20-30-years Overall the park is well maintained and easy to navigate. It's size also makes it something that can be explored and enjoyed in an hour or two. Valley Forge this is not, but it's still worth a visit to this hidden gem. (For the record, one of the rangers who seemed like he was really bored came out to meet us on his golf cart while we were on the History Trail and gave some very good info about the park. A+)

The USS Battleship in North Carolina is one of the largest & iconic attractions of Wilmington,…read moreNorth Carolina. It went beyond my greatest expectations and was quite a workout in the middle of July. We chose to go on the self guided tour, so we could explore at our own pace. History of the battleship: The Battleship NORTH CAROLINA participated in every major naval offensive in the Pacific theater of operations during World War II, earning 15 battle stars. This authentically restored National Historic Landmark proudly serves as her State's World War II Memorial to the 11,000+ North Carolinians who made the ultimate sacrifice.- (Source: https://battleshipnc.com) One of the highlights of visiting this battleship is that your ticket for the self guided tour allows you to leave and re-enter the battleship on the day you bought it (from 8 AM to 5 PM). Military discount is $10 an adult person - must have military ID. We spent about 3 or more hours exploring the ship and it was quite an exercise workout going up and down the stairs in the ship on a hot day. There are 9 levels to explore on the battleship. We were not able to finish exploring all the levels due to being exhausted by the heat and getting dehydrated. There are areas you can sit and take a break in the ship fortunately. We took a few breaks but not enough. There are some fans inside the ship yet not many. The battleship has a wealth of information to read at the entrance area and inside the ship at every area. It felt like going inside narrow passage ways in a labyrinth walking through the ship. They displayed information of life inside the ship - a floating home away from for thousands of men living there. If you love military naval history or have a curious mind open to seeing & learning a wide variety of information & history, you will find this battleship fascinating. The shops inside the ship, post office, dining & recreational areas, officer living quarters, pharmacy , and kitchens were fascinating to me. The view of the battleship is very impressive as well. I can only imagine what this battleship was like many years ago especially when the only communication people on the battleship could receive from loved ones was through mail coming into the post office on the ship. I should have brought water and take more rest & hydration breaks at the battleship. It gets really hot during summer and very cold in the winter. It was too exhausting to keep going past three hours on the ship in one day . Overall, I loved visiting the battleship and a little shocked at how difficult it must be living on that ship with thousands of people on it. Looking forward to visiting this battleship again in the future.

Come see the history and beauty while walking on, around, and within the halls of the USS North…read moreCarolina. These ships have typical tight spaces and steep ladders for those who have difficulties involving such movements. Plenty to see. Nice gift shop on grounds and friendly greeters at the door to welcome you on board. All photography shown were uploaded also to Instagram: @3spade7star_photography and Facebook ThreeSpade SevenStar

We did the self guided tour of the mansion and slave quarters. The original building that had the…read morespace for the slaves was quite remarkable. It gave a glimpse into how life for them really was. Very eye opening. The mansion was large and had very unique elements. It was interesting to go in all the rooms and see the lifestyle. The children's floor was interesting too. The kids were given a lot of space to live and play. We also enjoyed walking through the gardens. If you are in the downtown area, take in a visit. We went in August, and the top floor of the mansion and the building for the slaves was very hot. We couldn't stay in there long. It is worth a tour, admission is a little high, but it keeps the museum going.

I stopped in for a tour last week and unfortunately they were only having self-guided tours where…read moreyou had to scan each QR code with your phone for the details. But the history of the home, the Bellamy family and enslaved workers were fascinating. The home is beautiful. I want to return around Christmas time for a guided tour.

This site had escaped my notice on numerous visits to the area, but I found a reason to stop in…read more The weather was rainy, but it actually wasn't the worst decision to visit, as rain without wind was reasonably manageable with an umbrella and the precipitation was effective in suppressing the bugs and heat that I would have otherwise experienced. There were no alligators in sight though, so what I got out of it was a historical visit. And I have to say, it's an impressive historical site. It has both a colonial and a Civil War history. One distinction I find hard to explain is that I don't hear a ton about pre-Revolution America in a lot of places I visit in DC, Maryland, or Virginia, but the Carolinas emphasize this period a lot more in their sites. This place has a museum, which includes such artifacts as a confederate flag that was apparently presented to Abraham Lincoln as a trophy of Union victory, leading to some interesting turns in history. The outdoor experiences include a walk through some excavated ruins and around the old earthen fort, as well as a nature trail. Notably, a memorial to the Africans who were brought to the area was affecting. For those visiting the area from afar, North Carolina does not charge for entrance to state park sites, unlike most other states. The location is not terribly far in absolute driving time from Wilmington, but it will transport you to another time.

Went today and was disappointed! Seams several things are replicas and not the original artifacts!…read moreSigns were faded and some unreadable! Not really much there, but it made for a nice walk.

One Tree Hill bridge :) Safe & welcoming. Enjoyed reading all the signatures & notes left by fans.read more

I knew that the famous portrait of Whistler's mother is really a portrait of a real person, but I…read morenever really thought about where she might have lived or where she was born. I've seen the picture. It's in the Musee D'Orsay in Paris https://www.yelp.com/biz/musée-d-orsay-paris-3?hrid=n7kuhIp1EPKNNsk-IJFd7g. So now I know a bit more of the story. The marker reads, "Anna McNeill Whistler, the mother of James Whistler, artist, was born in a house which stood one block east." Online, "James Abbott McNeill Whistler, the son of George Washington Whistler and Anna McNeill Whistler, was a prominent nineteenth century artist who spent his adult life in Europe. Whistler's mother, Anna McNeill, was made famous in renowned painting, "Arrangement in Grey and Black: The Artist's Mother." The work, referred to colloquially as "Whistler's Mother," was painted in London in the early 1870s. Anna McNeill, the subject, was born in Wilmington in 1804." "Anna McNeill, born on September 27, 1804, to Martha Kingsley and Dr. Black Daniel McNeill was the fifth of six children, and was influenced heavily throughout her life by her older brother William Gibbs McNeill." "Anna Whistler moved to London in 1863 to live with her son, and in 1871 he painted her as the figure in "Whistler's Mother." The painting was first shown in 1872, extending Whistler's reputation, but it has received mixed reviews throughout much of its history. "Whistler's Mother" now hangs in the Musee D'Orsay in Paris, and has rarely been exhibited in the United States." [Review 14009 overall, 1331 of 2020, number 2649 in North Carolina.]

July 2026 - The Fort Fisher Historic Site was on my list of places to see near Wilmington, North…read moreCarolina . Ft Fisher,an ancient fort during the Civil War in the 1800s, is a preserved historic site with a visitor center. The remains of the fort with walking trails are by the visitor center and both are opened to the public. The visitor center is a fairly new building has exhibit galleries, a movie cinema room, the Friends of Fort Fisher Gift Shop, an Activity Hall, and public restrooms. Ft. Fisher has a fascinating history. It was a vital port of Wilmington during the Civil War & supplied necessary goods to Confederate armies inland. The museum on the second floor has an outdoor balcony to view the remains of Ft. Fisher and the trails. It also has exhibition galleries and areas with displays of ancient artifacts, photographs, and information about Fort Fisher and the people who lived in the area & created the Fort, and its role in the Civil War and its history throughout the years. I stayed in the visitor center about 30 minutes and wished I could stay longer. I was able to see all the exhibits and see some of the videos about the fort in the cinema room. If you want to engage completely in the exhibits, go on the scavenger hunt, history, walk the trails, and see the remains, plan your visit accordingly to stay for a few hours. This would have been ideal for me. I plan to visit again and walk the trails to see the remains next time.

A stroll outside of the museum is very nice. Lots to walk through, explore, and learn for the…read morekiddos. Beautiful scenery and very clean. Across the street is the Oceanside that also has paths to walk. Walking over the marsh is probably my favorite.

The World's Largest Frying Pan can be found in Rose Hill Town Square, in Rose Hill, NC. (next to…read morethe fire department) It is located under a gazebo to protect it from the elements. There was plenty of street parking, making this an easy stop. The frying pan is 15 feet wide and weighs two tons. It was built in 1963 by employees of the Ramsey Feed Company to pay tribute to the town's poultry industry. The handle is six feet, but it is not functional. It makes it look like a skillet, though. The frying pan, on the other hand, actually works and can hold 365 chickens at a time for the North Carolina Poultry Jubilee, held in November. It has eight pie-shaped wedges and holds 200 gallons of cooking oil. 40 propane burners heat the surface, and volunteer firefighters use pitchforks to turn the chicken. Besides the Jubilee, they sometimes use the frying pan for their fundraisers. I might need to make a return trip to see the frying pan in use and enjoy some chicken. It is a short drive from the World's Largest Adirondack Chair, if you are looking for another roadside attraction. The Duplin Winery is close by, too.

We stopped by while traveling through the area. I wasn't aware that the pan was still used…read moreoccasionally. I'm sure that is a sight to see. When not in use, it's a little underwhelming but a fun stop.

I was here thirty years ago and don't remember this. Probably the swing bridge then. Anyway, this…read moreone is tall- ships have to get through here. Tall enough that Sweetie and Kid K were not at all happy to cross it repeatedly... There's a walking path, that gets used a lot. Roundabouts at either end. A nice view from up top. Obviously a useful thing for the island.

As recently as 2018, the only road access to Surf City was via the Topsail Island Swing Bridge that…read morewas build in 1954. Construction on this replacement bridge started in 2016 and completed in 2018. It is a fixed-span high rise bridge with a vertical clearance of 65 feet. It is 50 feet wide which means there's enough room for two lanes of traffic and shoulder lanes for bicycles. The bridge carries State Road 50 over the Intracoastal Waterway and joins the communities of Hampstead with Surf City Island. There is no toll to cross the bridge and unfortunately, no stopping. So you really don't get a chance to look and see the amazing view. But... if you park elsewhere and walk across the bridge you absolutely can! [Review 18881 overall - 3366 in North Carolina - 2404 of 2022.]