As excited as we are for the baby’s arrival, the idea that we’ll soon have a little human to
keep alive is a daunting one. And the thought of another vacation seems a lifetime away. While we still plan to embrace our love of travel after she arrives, we’re not oblivious to the fact that the agendas will look really, really different. A whole new type of bottle will be added to the list we're poppin' on the trips to come.
We wanted to sneak in one more small adventure but weren’t without the obvious concerns over the virus. We opted for a location within a few hours of driving - both because we of course would not fly and because the increasing need for stops these days (yay, third trimester). Just 4 hours away, the coastal college town of Wilmington, NC was an easy choice.
There were a few moments of hesitation in the weeks leading up to the trip where we considered cancelling due to the rise in Coronavirus cases throughout NC. But, we knew the risk would remain low if we took the right precautions and thankfully as we learned, the state is taking things pretty seriously, too.
Where to stay
We opted for an Airbnb instead of a hotel. While I’m sure the majority of hotel chains are
taking all the steps to ensure the safety of guests, we didn’t feel comfortable being in a
location where common areas like elevators and lobbies are unavoidable.
We found the perfect hideaway in a condo overlooking the Cape Fear River, situated right
above the River Walk. We talked our concerns over with the owner in advance and he walked us through all of the safety and sanitary precautions taken. Our peace of mind was confirmed upon entering the clean unit, which had sanitizer and wipes readily available.
What to do
There is still plenty to see and do in the city and surrounding even at a safe social distance.
Sit a spell, seaside
You’ve got your choice of Carolina beaches and islands just a short distance away. Knowing that crowds would find their ways to the water over the weekend, we made Wrightsville Beach the first stop of our trip on Thursday afternoon. There was plenty of space to post up away from other parties and take in a few hours of sunshine.
Other nearby options include places like Carolina Beach, Carolina Beach, Kure Beach or Oak Island.
Look at the local landmarks
There is a lot of historical significance to the port city of Wilmington and much of its past is still preserved today.
Here are a few highlights to check out:
Bellamy Mansion - museums in NC are currently closed due to the Coronavirus but that doesn’t mean you can’t take in the beauty of this antebellum architecture from outside.
Riverwalk - lining the Cape Fear River is miles of walkways, adorned by restaurants and impeccable views.
Historical district - the magic of the past comes alive as you walk the cobble stone streets of Wilmington’s historic district. I wanted so badly to approach some of the folks sitting on their wraparound, 19th century porches just to hear their stories and sip sweet tea but Travis was not really on board with that plan. But hey, a girl can dream!
Airline Gardens - a short 15 minutes away from downtown is Airline Gardens, acres of natural preserves filled with impressive Southern Live Oaks and surrounded by water. Pro tip: bring your beach gear as it’s a good stop on your way to Wrightsville Beach.
Other things to do are: take a tour with Ghost Walk of Old Wilmington (they have a pub crawl version of this too, though it is temporarily paused with the pandemic), shop the local boutiques along Market Street, visit Battleship NC (we did not do this but will for sure on a future visit) or take a road trip to nearby coastal gem, Southport. Here are a few photos from this picture perfect little community. On every corner of the small downtown district right now you will find a hand sanitizing station.
Where to Eat / Drink / Indulge
You can’t go wrong eating and drinking your way through this city. Though we skipped the latter this time around due to multiple obvious factors.
Jester's Cafe - located in the electric arts & antique district, Jester's offers a quaint way to start off your morning. We took our brunch to go but guests can enjoy their first meal of the day out of the porch in the company of friendly staff.
Elijah’s - this is just one of many outside dining establishments. Located right on the River Walk (and steps from our AirBnB), it’s the perfect spot to indulge in local seafood delights (side note: I do not eat seafood which is unfortunate given where I live and my career in boating). It’s clear they put the safety of staff and guests at the highest of priorities.
Sweet & Savory - even at half capacity, this place was popping. We gave the local gem a try with takeout, enjoyed from the comfort of our AC'd car.
Rooster & The Crow - the BEST customer service. I'm only judging this based on the five minute chat I had to order our takeout dinner but still. The southern flair food was fantastic, too. It's no wonder this place earned the title of best new restaurant in the city in 2019.
Coffee
Port City Java - this is a local chain that you'll see quite a bit of throughout the area. It's also another place taking precautions seriously, only allowing in one guest at a time.
Bitty & Beau's - one of my favorite things about Wilmington. The shop is ran by individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities. Their owner was even named CNN Hero of the Year. It's an incredible business model that truly empowers employees (and really warms the heart).
Ice Cream
Boombalatti's - no vacation is complete without ice cream. While most people would probably refer you to the next shop on the our list, we really preferred this local homemade ice cream parlor - located just a few blocks away from the thick of downtown. It was far less-touristy and even more tasty in my opinion.
Kilwins - you still can't go wrong with Kilwins. It's easy to spot, just look for the long line (especially during these COVID times). The ice cream is great, but I'm always a fan of supporting the local spots when we can.
We found three full days to be just the right amount of time to spend here - giving us the chance to mix some much needed relaxation in with the gallivanting while we will still can! Here's to the last 9 weeks of sleeping until 8:00 a.m.!
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