Enjoying Downtown Wilmington with Kids
Coastal Carolina City Offers Plenty of Family Friendly Fun
Jul 26, 2009
Even the littlest vacationers can get in on the action in the heart of Wilmington’s compact historic district.
The Children’s Museum of Wilmington
A good place to start is the popular Wilmington Children’s Museum. This interactive discovery center on Orange Street features a pirate ship replica, an arts and crafts room, dress-up clothes with a lighted stage, and lots of space for creative pretend play.
The staff is friendly and the atmosphere is relaxed and family-centered. A hotline in the lobby even gives parents an easy way to order a pizza for delivery to the museum or a nearby hotel in time for lunch.
The Cape Fear Serpentarium
Just down the street, little snake lovers will be wide-eyed at the impressive collection of reptiles in the Cape Fear Serpentarium. In addition to a crocodile and a dragon-sized monitor lizard, the museum houses more than a hundred species of snakes, including the world’s largest collection of the rare and deadly Bushmaster.
Visitors get nose to nose (with safety glass between them) with a 23-foot long python, a 15-foot King Cobra, Black Mambas, Spitting Cobras, Gaboon Vipers, Tropical Rattlers and giant Fer-de-lance snakes. Dim lighting and exotic drum music enhance the experience. Though the collection is extensive, the museum itself is small enough to easily do in about 30 minutes.
Boardwalk along the Cape Fear River
When kids (or their parents) just need to work off some energy, the nearby boardwalk along the Cape Fear River is the perfect place to do it. The wide two-mile walk takes visitors past the docking point for a Coast Guard cutter and the region’s largest riverboat, Henrietta III.
Most shopping areas along the boardwalk contain boutiques and galleries and are not child-friendly. Opt instead for an ice cream cone at Kilwin’s on Market Street and enjoy it on a bench or stool by the water.
Riverboat Rides and Sightseeing Cruises
Although the Henrietta III offers sightseeing cruises up the river past the busy Wilmington port, the shortest is 90 minutes long and may not hold the attention of the younger set. Shorter cruises on one of the company’s smaller boats are less expensive and more likely to be fun for everyone.
These boats also serve as river taxis, shuttling visitors to the historic Battleship North Carolina on the opposite shore. Children under ten may not grasp much of the vessel’s history, but the maze of passageways and plenty of places to climb and clamber make the tour engaging for even the youngest visitors.
The Cape Fear Museum of History and Science
Founded in 1898, the Cape Fear Museum of History and Science on Market Street is the oldest history museum in the state. Fans of the prehistoric will love the 17-foot tall skeleton of a giant ground sloth, unearthed in Wilmington in 1991 and on display in the atrium.
Most of the museum is dedicated to Wilmington’s history, from its earliest Indian inhabitants, through its pivotal role in the Civil War and beyond. This museum is most enjoyable for older children and history buffs.
 |
