Explore Endless Possibilities For Summer Fun In Cape Fear, North Carolina   by By Iris Dean, a Journalist for USA Travel Magazine where you can Explore America's Backyard: http://www.usatravelmagazine.com.

Each year we face the ultimate challenge; finding a vacation destination where everyone will enjoy themselves. We have one person wants to spend their time shopping, the kids want to visit amusement parks, and we just want to relax. In our search for the perfect family getaway we discovered the Wilmington/Cape Fear Coast offered everything we needed; family-friendly attractions like the Jubilee Amusement Park, plenty of shopping Downtown, and miles of pristine beaches where we could relax.

Let Your Imagination Run Wild In Wilmington With plenty of hotels close to all the attractions we had no problem finding lodging. Our only challenge was choosing what to do first. We decided to start with the children's attractions. The kids loved the interactive children's museum, presently located at 1020 Market St. The Wilmington Children's Museum will be moving to its new location at 114 Orange St, so call ahead for details at 910-254-3534. On the first Sundays of every month the museum offers FREE admission! Just a short distance away at the corner of Water and Red Cross St is the Wilmington Railroad Museum where we climbed aboard a steam locomotive and explored the hands-on area for kids. Of course, we couldn't forget a visit to see all the slithering snakes at Serpentarium located at 20 Orange St. in Downtown Wilmington. What an amazing collection of reptiles! The Serpentarium contains over 100 species of the world's most fascinating and dangerous reptiles; many which are not on display anywhere else.

The "Port of Progress and Pleasure" Taking a break for lunch we dropped by a Taste Of Country Buffet's location at 226 South Front Street for a wide selection of edible delights including BBQ, Fried Chicken, and Sea Food. The Country Buffet is just one of the many fine dining options available in Wilmington. We walked off lunch on a tour of Historic Wilmington. The Historic town, known as the "Port of Progress and Pleasure," has many beautiful antebellum-style homes and plantations to tour. We enjoyed a lovely tour of the town on a horse-drawn carriage that gave us a glimpse of many unique shops and attractions to visit later. With the Cape Fear Coast Guide Map you can take self-guided tours of the area. Call 1-866-534-0845 to order a map. We made arrangements to depart from Market and Water Street later in the evening on a ghost walk of Old Wilmington that explores the haunts of lost souls said to still roam the streets and alleyways of the city. Visit the Ghost Walk Of Old Wilmington website for prices and details. http://www.hauntedwilmington.com.

Surf, Sand, & The Venus Flytrap On a quest for adventure the kids wanted to try surfing, which was entertaining for us to watch while they tried to master the waves. The simple pleasure of relaxing on the shore while the kids splashed in the waves was great. We tried our hand at Surf fishing for red drum, flounder, puppy drum, and blue fish, available at the three area beaches before visiting the Carolina Beach State Park. It was here we found the only place in the world where four species of the carnivorous, Venus-flytraps thrive in their natural environment. the indigenous Venus-flytrap thrives. May through August is the prime time to view these unique plants, which should not be touch or removed. We had them as children and shared them with our children, but to see them in the wild are an amazing experience. The coast of Cape Fear offers many activities to keep families entertained including swimming, surfing, and parasailing to fishing and nature walks.

"Hollywood East"
Historic Wilmington and NC's Cape Fear Coast has become known as "Hollywood East" because of the numerous movies filmed on location in the area. The region's mild climate, pristine beaches and landscapes, diverse architecture and historic district are a favorite of Filmmakers like those who chose the location for filming Dawson Creek. Annual festivals and tours give visitors a behind the scenes glimpse of many locations. To find out more about the entertaining attractions and natural treasures available to explore in the Wilmington, Carolina Beach, Kure Beach and Wrightsville Beach area call the Cape Fear Coast Convention and Visitors Bureau at: 866-266-9690 or visit www.gocapefearcoast.com.

About the Author

Iris Dean is a Journalist for USA Travel Magazine. Discover places to dine, shop, and vacation destinations, check local weather, play Sudoku, read tidbits of News, book and travel product reviews, and order a Free State Vacation Guides at http://www.usatravelmagazine.com.