Funny Farm Mobile Petting Zoo & Pony Parties 10121 Highway 210, Wilmington, NC 28457, 910-675-0829, Provides mobile petting zoos and ponies for birthday parties and any other special event. They also offer parties at their farm, and have a full range of farm animals. They offer affordable packages and price ranges, also offering animal rental for live nativities.  more... 

Jungle Rapids Family Fun Park 5320 Oleander Drive, Wilmington, NC 28403, 910-791-0666, Fun for the whole family can be found at this fun park that includes Grand Prix go-karts, laser tag areas, the largest indoor playground in Wilmington, an 18 hole miniature golf course, a climbing wall, and a waterpark that includes a lazy river, a million gallon wavepool, waterslides, and a children's pool. more... 

Ponderosa Farm Mobile Pony & Pettin' Zoo 609 North 23rd Street, Wilmington, NC 28401, 910-762-FARM, Ponderosa Farm provides a mobile farm and pony rides for all of North Carolina. Other services include trail rdies, beach rides, day camp, lessons, training, sales, & boarding. The animals are very kid friendly. more... 

Wilmington Children's Museum 1020 Market Street, Wilmington, NC 28401, 910-254-3534, A wonderful hands-on museum for children of all ages that features interactive play stations such as a Grocery Store, Pirate Ship, Medical Center, Dress Up Center, Theater, Water Play, and a Weather Station.  more... 

Bellamy Mansion Museum & Gardens (circa 1859) 503 Market Street, Wilmington, NC 28401, 910-251-3700, The most spectacular example of Antebellum architecture, this mansion is one of North Carolina's premier historic treasures. Beautiful Victorian gardens are also on the property and tours are available. The mansion contains changing exhibitions on history and design arts. more... 

Burgwin-Wright Museum House and Gardens (circa 1770) 224 Market Street, Wilmington, NC 28401, 910-762-0570, The oldest museum house in Southeastern North Carolina, this beautifully restored Georgian style house is filled with 18th and early 19th century furnishings. A formal garden, a terraced garden, and an orchard surround the house. Open hearth demonstrations of Colonial cooking are presented in the kitchen one Saturday each month. more... 

Latimer House (circa 1852) 126 South Third Street, Wilmington, NC 28401, 910-762-0492, A home of three generations of Latimers until 1963 when it was furnished into a historical museum, this beautiful Italianate style house houses The Lower Cape Fear Historical Society and features 14 rooms containing over 600 historical objects including furniture, jewelry, and tools. Beautiful gardens, enclosed in original stucco and lace brick walls, surround the house and are filled with flora authentic to the period. more... 

Poplar Grove Plantation 10200 US Highway 17 North, Wilmington, NC 28411, 910-686-9518, Featuring outbuildings and crafts typical of an 1800's working community, this beautiful peanut plantation features a Greek Revival style plantation house that is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, as well as a farmer's cabin, blacksmith's shop, and craft shops where you can learn about basket making and weaving. more... 

Battleship North Carolina 1 Battleship Drive, Wilmington, NC 28402, Eagles Island, 910-251-5797, One of the most visited sites in North Carolina, this ship is a very visible and powerful example of a capital ship. It received 15 battle stars in World War II. Self guided tours of the beautifully restored bridge are available. more...

Cameron Art Museum 3201 South Seventeenth Street, Wilmington, NC 28412, 910-395-5999, Cameron Art Museum houses a collection of fine arts, crafts and design by noted regional, national and international artists such as Romare Bearden, Mary Cassatt, Elliot Dangerfield, Minnie Evans, Ando Hiroshige, Ben Owen, Billie Ruth Sudduth and Donald Sultan among others.  more... 

Cape Fear Museum 814 Market Street, Wilmington, NC 28401, 910-341-4350, The oldest history museum in North Carolina, this 42,000 square foot museum is filled with interpretive exhibits that depict the history, natural history, and culture of the Lower Cape Fear area. Educational programs are also available. more... 

Racine Center for the Arts 203 Racine Drive, Wilmington, NC 28403, 910-452-2073, "Wilmington's premier marketplace for arts and crafts," this unique center features an artisan marketplace, a gallery filled with beautiful paintings, and a sculpture garden. Art classes and workshops for all ages in a wide array of media are available. more... 

St. John's Museum of Art 114 Orange Street, Wilmington, NC 28401, 910-763-0281, One of the major collections in the world of romantic color prints by renowned 19th century American artists, Mary Cassatt, is on display at this museum that also offers educational programs for adults and children including lectures, films, tours, art classes, and workshops. A gift shop is on site that features arts and crafts from over 80 contemporary North Carolina artists and craftspeople. 

Wilmington Railroad Museum 501 Nutt Street, Wilmington, NC 28401, 910-763-2634, This museum recaptures the essence of the steam locomotive railroad days and features Wilmington and Weldon railroad artifacts dating from 1840, as well as a model exhibits of the Atlantic Coastline's North Carolina-South Carolina regional routes of the 1940s and 1950s. more... 

Airlie Gardens 300 Airlie Road, Wilmington, NC 28401, 910-452-6393, Filled with azaleas, statuary, and camellias, this magnificent 67 acre quintessential Southern garden includes the historic Airlie Oak and ten acres of freshwater lakes. more... 

New Hanover County Arboretum 6206 Oleander Drive, Wilmington, NC 28403, 910-452-6393, The only arboretum in Southeastern North Carolina, this arboretum offers visitors a chance to study native plants and their environment, observe a variety of landscape themes that are particularly suitable to the coastal area, and take part in a wide variety of educational programs. more... 

Orton Plantation Gardens 9149 Orton Road Southeast, Wilmington, NC 28479, 910-371-6851, Enjoy a leisurely stroll through 20 acres of gardens on the grounds of a colonial rice plantation, dating from the early 1700's. Centuries-old live oaks frame the vistas of azaleas, dogwoods, camellias, magnolias, oleanders, crepe myrtles, and seasonal annuals & perennials are featured.

Tote-Em-In-Zoo 5811 Carolina Beach Road, Wilmington, NC 28403, 910-791-0472, Situated on five acres that includes a wide variety of trees and flowers that create a forest-like atmosphere, this zoo features walkways that allow closeup observation of over 100 exotic birds, mammals, and reptiles. Two museums that contain exotic mounted specimens and artifacts from around the world are also on site, as well as a spacious gift shop. more... 

Cape Fear Riverboats 101 South Water Street, Unit 1, Wilmington, NC 28402, 910-343-1611, 800-676-0162, Cruise the scenic Cafe Fear River aboard the beautiful Henrietta III, a favorite for special occasions such as family reunions, weddings, birthdays, and receptions. Tours are also available for sightseeing, dinner, and fall nature cruises. Tours depart from the foot of Dock Street at South Water Street and public cruises are available April through December; private charter cruises are available year round. more... 

Cape Fear Segway Tours 106 North Water Street, #108, Wilmington, NC 28401, 910-251-2572, Cape Fear Segway provides guided tours of historic Wilmington. Reservations are advised.

Ghost Walk of Old Wilmington Riverfront at Market & Water Streets, 910-602-6055, The first and only locally owned authentic ghost walk in Wilmington, this 90 minute journey takes you into the depths of Old Wilmington and includes locally renowned actors and ghost hunters. There are 20 active sites featured and the tour varies nightly. more...

North Carolina Studios Tours 1223 North Twenty-Third Street, Wilmington, NC 28405, 910-343-3433, Take a one hour guided walking tour of a real working studio that is located on 32 picturesque acres and has been home to over 300 productions. The tour includes a visit to the Dawson Creek sets and tours are available on Saturdays and Sundays at 12:00 noon and 2:00 p.m. more...

Wilmington Historic District Water & Marker Streets, 910-341-4030, One of the largest districts in North Carolina, this historic district offers visitors year round tours by horse drawn trolleys or carriages, riverboats, trolley cars, or on foot. Tours are available that include haunted sites, historic homes, gardens, churches, and much more.

Wilmington Trolley Company Corner of Dock & Water Streets, 910-763-4483, This eight mile sightseeing trolley tour allows visitors to experience the charm of Old Wilmington and includes beautiful mansions, haunted homes, birthplaces of famous natives, and African-American historical sites. more...