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Arboretum
As Spring Break approaches for many local school systems, parents begin to think about fun things to do with their children. Keeping budgets in mind, it may be helpful to consider some of the following FREE options in our area.
- The Arboretum, which is located at 6206 Oleander Drive, offers almost 7 acres of beautiful educational gardens. There is a water garden with colorful Koi and lilies, a Japanese garden with an authentic tea house, a children’s cottage and a rose garden. The facility is open from sunup to sundown.
- Bluethenthal Wildflower Preserve, located on the campus of UNCW, is a nature preserve consisting of 10 acres of local plant species. Upon entering the preserve, make sure to pick up a pamphlet which describes many of the plants growing there. The preserve includes marked trails and benches and is open during daylight hours for exploration.
- Downtown Wilmington is a great place to walk and learn. Start with the Riverwalk which is a mile long scenic boardwalk beside the Cape Fear River. From the Riverwalk, you can see the Battleship NC and enjoy watching other boats and ships passing by. From there, check out some historic buildings such as the Cotton Exchange and Thalian Hall. Historic homes such as the Burgwin-Wright house are also fun to look at (there is a charge to explore the inside of many attraction).
- Parks- There are so many wonderful parks in our area that it would take more than a week to explore them all. Some of the larger parks such as Hugh McRae, Greenfield Lake and Halyburton offer nature trails and multiple play areas for children. If you have dogs, they’d enjoy a visit to the dog parks located at Empie and Hugh McRae Parks.
- Beaches- The beach is a great place to spend the day with the kids even if it isn’t quite warm enough to swim yet. Activities may include playing in the sand, collecting seashells, playing sports, picnicking, etc. Free parking is available at Carolina Beach, Kure Beach and Brunswick County beaches.
