Two Days in Wilmington, NC

When we arrived in Wilmington, our first stop was at Greenfield Lake/Park. When I was a child, the lake had alligators, but they are no longer there. The park was full of rides and refreshment stands and kids were everywhere. Now the rides are gone but the park is still enticing — green and full of trees, Spanish moss and lizards. The lake is currently covered with yellow pollen but that didn't stop anyone from renting the boats and paddling around. The day was warm and we spent an hour or so walking around and enjoying nature.

Next, we drove to Stanley Rehder Carnivorous Plants, which is now considered a city park. I think most people are familiar with the Venus Flytrap — a plant that eats insects. What many may not know is that these plants are only found in southeastern North Carolina. At one time they were everywhere around Wilmington but no longer. There is apparently a black market in transporting them elsewhere. The Park had cameras — the better to apprehend plant nappers.

The next day, we headed towards Carolina Beach. It was quite hot and the beach was full of people desperately looking for a parking space. We decided to just drive on through town. The road ended at Fort Fisher — the site of a Civil War battle. I had relatives who fought for the South in the Civil War and this place always made me think about those long-ago soldiers and wonder what kind of people they were. This area also has the NC Aquarium, an interesting place that we chose not to enter as we had been there several times before. If you have not seen it, I would suggest taking a look. The experience that I enjoy most in this area is the ferry that transports you from Fort Fisher to Southport. It's a fun ride and Southport is a great place to walk around and enjoy an old southern town with good restaurants and friendly people.

Other interesting places I would encourage you to visit include the river walk in downtown Wilmington. This is a historic area filled with shops, B&Bs and riverfront hotels. The Cotton Exchange is a small bricked-in area filled with restaurants (including a great German place) You can stand at the rail and look across the Cape Fear River at the Battleship North Carolina, an explorable ship from the Second World War. It was too hot to even think about visiting it that day!

Day Trips:

No real day trips. The beaches are reachable with a 15-minute drive.

• Breakfast - Dixie Grill in the River District serves a varied menu with huge portions.

• Goody Goody Omelet House - Long standing breakfast spot with a side of nostalgia.

• Lunch - Dixie Grill also serves great lunches.

• Elijahs - Delicious sandwiches as well as heavier fare.

• Blue Surf Cafe - Good place for a quick bite. Counter service restaurant gets you in and out quickly.

• Havana's in Carolina Beach - jerk chicken (yum!) as well as Cajun fare.

• Dinner - Prost Biergarten is a downtown restaurant with great German food, as well as a large selection of imported and domestic beer.

• Saltfish Restaurant and Tiki Bar - Carolina Beach - EXACTLY what the name says!

• Indochine - Celebrated with good reason. Beautiful restaurant with fantastic Thai food. Wonderful appetizer selection. You will need to plan to eat here. They do not take reservations and wait times can stretch out to two hours.