Wilmington, NC

[Sanfran327]

Any Wilmingtonians on the board? What can you tell me about the town? Fun place? Good place to live? Are the beaches nice? What's around restaurant and entertainment wise?

Even if you don't live there but have visited, let me know your impressions of the area.

Thanks!

[BRobinsonfan]

I went to undergrad at UNC-Wilmington and have been in love with the place ever since. When I was there in the mid 80's it was a smaller town but has grown quite a bit since then - then North End of Wrighsville Beach was completely undeveloped when I lived there - now it's almost completely built out. They've done it in a responsible way - IMO - so it doesn't seem like there's a water slide or a putt putt golf course every 20 yards.

Wilmington itself has a lot of cool places to visit... the Cotton Exchange... the battleship USS North Carolina... Bellamy Mansion... Fort Fischer is not far away either.

[shorebird22]

I also went to college at UNCW. If you're looking for beaches, Wrightsville is the place for those unafraid of crowds, but also had lots of bars (Loggerheads is my favorite). If you're visiting Wrightsville be sure to have dinner at The Oceanic at the north end of the beach, great on the beach restaurant with excellent ocean views and the best hot crab dip I've ever had.

If you're looking for a laid back beach follow I-40 as it turns into College Rd, and then Carolina Beach Rd. Part of Carolina Beach you can drive on if you're able (let some air out of your tired first!) Kure beach and Fort Fisher also have great beaches and friendly locals, with some great bars as well.

Wilmington itself has a great downtown area, lots of great live music, bars and restaurants. Be sure to take a stroll downthe river walk on Water St, and visit the shops on Market and Front streets.

Not a city ambassador, just spent 4 very good years there while in college

[DurbBird]

A new book for middle readers, Crow by Barbara Wright, is a historical novel about the Wilmington race riots of 1898. She was in town yesterday for school visits and a signing at Otowi Station Bookstore. The book has received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly, The Horn Book, School Library Journal, and Kirkus Reviews, which doesn't like anything. It's a really good book and will give you a historically accurate account of a significant but little known event in American history.