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Road Trip 2017: Historic Downtown Wilmington, NC

After we checked out Kure Beach and Fort Fisher, we parked on a residential street in Wilmington and walked along Market Street to the city’s Historic Downtown district. It was beautiful. Enormous southern mansions and elaborate cathedrals lined the streets, punctuated by statues venerating Civil War heroes. At the end of Market Street sat the Riverwalk, along the Cape Fear River. That general area housed a multitude of interesting shops and cafes, and of course, plenty of touristy places. Lots of photo opportunities. Continue reading “Road Trip 2017: Historic Downtown Wilmington, NC”

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Road Trip 2017: Fort Fisher, Wilmington, NC

After we spent some time on Kure Beach, we went further south toward Fort Fisher, following the recommendation of our Airbnb host, Marsha. When we arrived at Fort Fisher State Historic Site, it was hot. Fry-your-eyes-in-your-skull hot. So we went into the visitor center to cool off and learn about the fort, which we discovered originated in the American Civil War but also played an important part in later U.S. wartime efforts. Being almost totally ignorant of the details of the Civil War (Over slavery? States’ rights?), we learned a lot. Continue reading “Road Trip 2017: Fort Fisher, Wilmington, NC”

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Road Trip 2017: Beaches of Wilmington, NC

During our stay in Wilmington, NC, we visited Kure and Wrightsville beaches. Both were beautiful, but they had their differences. Kure Beach, to the south of Carolina Beach, was less developed and had a small beach town feel. The sand was coarser there than at Wrightsville beach, which sported white, powdery sand that felt great on our tired feet. Wrightsville Beach area, to the east of Wilmington, was more developed and commercialized, with high rise hotels and loads of restaurants. The water at both beaches was warm, and neither were crowded. Our time here got us pumped to experience the beaches in Florida! Continue reading “Road Trip 2017: Beaches of Wilmington, NC”

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Road Trip 2017: Pit Stop in Alexandria, VA

After our stint in Washington, D.C., we stopped in Alexandria, VA. We found a quaint town with traces of its history visible everywhere. Beautiful houses and unique cafes lined the Old Town area, where we walked around in the blistering heat for a while. We spent a good chunk of time at the Torpedo Factory Art Center, which is a WWI-era Navy munitions factory converted into a hip studio and shop space for artists. In addition to hosting the Art Center, the Potomac River Waterfront area featured multiple restaurants and a fleet of docked boats. It’s our first choice for exploration next time we visit. Continue reading “Road Trip 2017: Pit Stop in Alexandria, VA”