On our 3rd visit to historic Wilmington my daughter and I stopped by the

Black Beard wannabe

After some online research I figured it will take us little over an hour to go through all the exhibits.

Well 3 hours later we were still strong into it…

Admission is $8 (free for kids under 1).

The museum is located one block from the awesome Cape Fear Serpentarium and is open 9AM – 5PM (1PM Sundays).

What kids like to do at the museum

Get their hands dirty and create masterpieces. This is one of the better organized and supplied “Arts and Crafts” room I’ve seen.

Little Picasso

Be a rock star, play in the glow room and try on many cool outfits.

Lets dance!

Drive the magic school bus, climb the Spider Man’s web and play inside the little cottage.

Hop on in kids!

Put on your scientist hat and discover all the wonderful things of Mother Nature.

Future biologists under the miscroscope

and the list goes on… play doctor at the Teddy Bear Hospital, test your Circus skills, shop at the supermarket and go camping and kayaking.

More fun places to visit the family downtown

• Check out Southeast’s largest museum-quality model layout at the Railroad Museum ($7 adults, $3 children 2-12).

• Get a thrill at the Cape Fear Serpentarium, featuring the world’s largest collection of deadly venomous snakes like the black headed bushmaster, Gaboon viper, Tropical rattlers, Fer-de-lance, and King Cobra ($8 admission, live feedings in the weekends around 3PM).

• Be awed and inspired aboard the most decorated WWII Battleship, The North Carolina ($12 adults, $10 seniors and military, $6 children 6-11, free for children 5 and under).

There’s always something fun going on downtown Wilmington!

The Railroad Museum in Wilmington is one of the most pleasant travel surprises this year. It has everything! Large scale and intricate layouts, a “build it yourself” play room for kids, amazing historic artifacts and even ghost legends!

In front of the Railroad Museum

Outside you can climb aboard a real steam engine, wander through a red caboose, and experience the hobo lifestyle in a Atlantic Coast Line boxcar…

Best of all my daughter loved it!

Go Thomas! Go!

Hours and Ticket Price
The museum is open Monday to Saturday 10AM – 4PM and Sunday 1 – 5PM (except in winter when is closed). Closed on major holidays. Admission is $7 adults, $6 seniors and military and $3 children 2-12.

The Railroad Museum is located downtown Wilmington at 505 Nutt Street, right by the river next to the Chamber of Commerce and the Community College.

Let the train show begin!

Forever young at the Wilmington Railroad Museum!

If time permits visit the terrific Cape Fear Serpentarium, the world’s largest selection of venomous snakes (live shows on Saturdays and Sundays at 3PM) and the fun-packed Wilmington Children’s Museum. Both are located on Orange Street and admission is $8 for each.

Be awed, inspired and humbled aboard North Carolina, the most decorated battleship during WWII (admission is $12 adults, $10 seniors and military, $6 children 6-11 and FREE for children 5 and under).

“Twinkle, twinkle little star
How I wonder what you are!”

Reach for the stars at Ingram Planetarium in beautiful Sunset Beach NC. The fun packed observatory just half an hour away between North Myrtle Beach and Wilmington.

Admission is $8 for adults, $6 for seniors, $4 for kids 3-5 years old and free for those 2 and under. Ingram Planetarium is opened Friday and Saturday from 12:30 to 5PM and astronomy shows start at 1PM.

Ingram Planetarium

Fun things to play with at the Planetarium

• Race into Space! – Shoot water at astronauts toys to see who gets up faster.

• Nebula Ball – Watch the light respond to your touch and gather around your palm and fingers to create beautiful swirling formations.

• Bernoulli’s Lift Off – Make an airplane fly. Fast moving air over the wings creates lift causing an airplane to fly. Same is true on a race car, the faster the air, the faster the car drives.

• Gravity Machine – Let gravity draw art for you!

Grownups love it too!

• Hear sounds coming from Pan’s Pipes – Pan was half man half goat that entertained Gods by singing on a flute he made from hollow reeds. Sound is a form of energy that is transmitted by vibrations called sound waves. The pipes trap sound in the room and channel it to your ear. The shorter the pipe the higher the pitch.

• Measure electromagnetic radiation using Crookes “light mill” – The radiometer is an airtight glass bulb containing partial vacuum. The vanes rotate when exposed to light. The more light the faster they go.

• Watch cool NASA movies. Did you know the Solar wind output is at 50 year low?

Look mom I'm flying into space!

Special Events at Ingram Planetarium (beware the planetarium will be closed May 1 through 22 as it goes digital!)
• March 14: Space and Pi Day
Celebrate the number 3.14 and other math games. Space Day activities.
• April 2 – 4: 100 Hours of Astronomy
Look through a telescope as Galileo did 400 years ago.
• 3rd Friday and Saturday of each month: Rock ‘n’ Roll Laser Shows

March 20 and 21 – 5PM Hypnotica, 6PM Laseropolis, 7PM Pink Floyd’s “The Wall”
April 17 and 18 – 5PM Pop, 6PM Beatles, 7PM Led Zeppelin

Here is a list with the songs played during each show.

Experience the sky legends at Ingram Planetarium!

Must see TV, entertainment it’s free for me! That’s the attitude of the Nile Crocodile, Cape Fear Serpentarium’s MVP.

We were told His Majesty is the zoo most intelligent resident. He loves to watch the weekend live feedings of his neighbor snakes.

It took some convincing but in the end the belly won and the crocodile accepted the “bribe”. Part of the show I bet

While in Wilmington visit the “The Showboat” North Carolina, the most beloved and decorated WWII battleship. It will lift your spirit!

If alligators, giant crocodiles, Galapagos turtles and green anacondas are your thing, then Alligator Adventure “The Reptile Capital of the World” is your answer. Best time to visit is April – October when the gators are “awake”.

For the past 2 years I’ve traveled up and down the Carolina Coast looking for great adventures, mysteries and memorable wildlife encounters. Here is a list of wonderful things – blessed my 4 years old – that you can do with your kids while vacationing in Myrtle Beach. All for under $10!

Fishermen unite at the outstanding Cherry Grove Pier, home to many record catches such as a 1780 lbs Tiger Shark and a 98 lbs Tarpon. Just bring your fishing talent as bait, tackle, and rods rentals are available at the pier shop. All day pass to the pier is $1.50 (free if you are lodged at the Prince Resort).

The fishing pier at Cherry Grove Beach

To get you started I’ve put together a nice Google Map with all the attractions.

Free things to do at Broadway at the Beach and Barefoot Landing
• Splash around at the water fountain. Don’t be shy, join in the fun, just remember to bring extra clothes

Water splashing fun at Broadway at the Beach

• Jump, slide, crawl at the playground, most likely the most scenic in the Carolinas!
• Sprinkle more laughs at the fish and duck feeding stations
• See up-close Bengal, Siberian, Royal White Bengal and the super stars Golden Tabby tigers playing in an outdoor environment at the remarkable T.I.G.E.R.S Preservation Station inside Barefoot Landing

Museums and amusement parks
• Let your kids imagination flourish at CMSC featuring a USS Coast Guard boat, an authentic X-ray machine, diamond mining, a magical school bus and a pizza delivery truck ($7)

Come on board!

• Climb on baby elephants and zebras at Jungle Safari mini-golf! Oh yeah when you really feel like it put that ball into the hole… “I like to move it, move it” ($8 admission)

• Test your wits and navigation skills at the mind-boggling Mirror Maze inside the Barefoot Landing shopping and entertainment center($7.99 for all day pass)

• Race into space, play astronaut, build your own constellation and learn all there is to know about planets at Ingram Planetarium in Sunset Beach. Grownups can rock on at the cool laser shows featuring songs from Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, Metallica, The Beatles and more (admission is $8 adults and $4 kids 3 to 5)

I'm flying mom!

• Have a tea cup party ride at the nostalgic Pavilion at Broadway at the Beach ($3 per ride, less for bulk purchases)

Zoos, parks and historical sites
• Reward your nature loving spirit at Waccatee Zoo – The Beast Things to Do – featuring hundreds of exotic and wierd animals ($7)

• Visit the romantic Atalaya Castle inside the Huntington Beach State Park where the Wild Things Are! Beware of free roaming jaws snapping alligators! ($5 park admission, free entrance to Atalaya)

Mysterious Atalaya Tower

• Be amazed, awed and bewildered at Cape Fear Serpentarium in historic Wilmington NC home to the most venomous snakes in the world: bushmasters, Gaboon vipers, King cobras, Tropical rattlers and Fer-de-lance ($8, live feedings in the weekends at 3PM)

Enjoy your family vacation at the beautiful Carolina Coast!

North Carolina is one of the most decorated and beloved battleships in US naval history. During World War II North Carolina participated in every major naval offensive in the Pacific and earned 15 Battle Stars. She became the first of 10 fast battleships to join the fleet in WWII.

Military Highlights (courtesy of Battleship NC website)

The Showboat North Carolina

• The Battleship carried out 9 shore bombardments, sank an enemy troopship, destroyed at least 24 enemy aircraft, and assisted in shooting down many more. Despite its extensive combat North Carolina had only 10 men lost and 67 wounded.

• North Carolina was considered the world’s greatest sea weapon. Armed with nine 16-inch/45 caliber guns in three turrets and twenty 5-inch/38 caliber guns in 10 twin mounts, North Carolina proved a formidable weapons platform.

• 144 commissioned officers and 2,195 enlisted men, including 100 Marines had the privilege to serve on the Battleship. Here are some of the most intimate combat encounters and funny recollections about the life on the Battleship.

Despite all her accomplishments, she was almost scrapped in 1958. Luckily a statewide SOS campaign led by NC citizens saved her from destruction and on April 29, 1962, North Carolina became a state memorial to its WWII veterans.

Exciting Things To Do on the Tour

Battleship Stern Turret 3 with 16-inch Guns

• Discover the ship’s city-like lifestyle with diners, movie theater, church, post office, laundry, ice cream shop, newspaper, barber shops and repair shops.

• See one of the 7 remaining Vought Kingfisher floatplanes in the world.

• Make a Wish – You will see several ammunition loading trunks on the tour. A trunk is a series of openings for transporting supplies (projectiles, powder cans). One of them was turned into a Wishing Well. All coins go to the Restoration Fund.

Tips to Know Before You Go

• Wear very comfortable shoes. Get ready for steep walks and even crawls up and down the decks. Beware there is some construction going on the main deck. When in doubt, just pick-up and carry the kids to avoid any drama.

• The tour is well marked. You may end up going in circles but you can’t really get lost. Just follow the “Yellow Road” signs and you’ll be fine.

Checking Turret 2

• Spend time and read the inscriptions. The are touching stories and funny quotes from former Battleship seamen. This is when the ship really comes to life!

• The only handicap accessible area is the main deck. Accessibility to most of the exhibits should increase once Phase III of the Restoration Project is complete.

• You can spice up your trip and arrive at the Battleship by water (from downtown Wilmington) aboard the historic Maffitt River Taxi.

They also do sightseeing cruises on the Cape Fear River. Call 1-800-676-0162 for details.

Battleship Admission and Hours
Admission is $12 adults, $10 seniors and military, $6 children 6-11 and FREE for children 5 and under.

North Carolina is open daily year round. Memorial Day through Labor Day from 8AM to 8PM. All other days the ship is open 8AM to 5PM.

The self-guided tour usually takes 2 hours to complete. For the enthusiast, it can easily take 4 hours to fully experience the ship given the extensive signage throughout the ship.

Drive to Charleston SC to pay tribute to “The Fighting Lady”, the USS Yorktown Aircraft Carrier and to see the historic Fort Sumter National Monument where the Civil War started.

While in Wilmington visit the one and only Cape Fear Serpentarium featuring the world’s largest collection of deadly venomous snakes. It cost only $8 to get it and see the incredible live feedings.

Be a proud American aboard Battleship North Carolina!

“If you are bitten by a Bushmaster, it is better to just lie down under a tree and rest, for you will soon be dead”

The snake is in position

Admission is only $8 and live snake feedings occur every weekend at 3PM.

There are over 100 species like the spitting cobra, black mamba, green Anaconda, 20 foot reticulated python, Gaboon vipers, Tropical rattlers, giant Fer-de-lance and even a Nile crocodile!

My favorite was the incredible blackheaded Bushmaster to which I’ve dedicated this post. Enjoy!

Blackheaded Bushmaster Facts and Trivia
• One of the rarest animals on earth it can only be found on a small peninsula in southeastern Costa Rica.

• Only snake known to exhibit courtship ritual before mating: the male performs an “upside down sawing” on top of the female.

• Although the bushmaster is the world’s longest venomous snake it has the smallest swallow threshold!

• Its environment consists of elevated forests with cool temperature and continuous drizzle. The Bushmaster adapted so it’s only basking the head in the sunlight keeping the rest of the body concealed.

• Method of catching prey: “strike and hold on” as illustrated in this video below:

What it feels like to be bitten by a bushmaster?

Cape Fear Serpentarium’s founder Dean Ripa is among the few survivors of a bushmaster bite. Initially he felt a strange euphoria. “The room seemed to have grown enormously large, and myself shrinking away. I saw beautiful purple colors.”

It didn’t last long.

Trust in me!

• 15 minutes: nausea, uncontrollable drooling, intense throbbing and fast rising pulse

• 20 minutes: projectile vomiting and explosive diarrhea

• 25 minutes: chills, blood pressure drops, burning pain in the kidney area, rapid breathing

• 30 minutes: severe abdominal pain, continued vomiting and diarrhea, fluids oozing from swollen bite area

• 35 minutes: body numbness, inability to speak, undetectable blood pressure, feeble pulse

• 40 minutes: conscious but disinterest in fate, undetectable blood pressure and pulse.

You can guess what happens next…

Ready for the thrill of your lifetime?

Need some peaceful time at the beach, close to attractions and civilization yet away from the big city resorts crowds? Sunset Beach NC is your answer. The beach is located off highway 17 just 30 minutes drive from North Myrtle Beach and 1 hour from Wilmington NC.

Tips to know before you go
1. If you stay more than 3 nights then rent a house on the beach. I use Sunset Beach Realty ; their website has good search and filter capabilities and lots of photos for each available house. Otherwise try Sea Trail Golf resort.

2. Get a house on 2nd or 3rd row and skip the ocean-front. You’ll save hundreds of dollars and not miss on the view and distance at all. Sunset Beach is really narrow; all houses are very, very close to the beach. Most “back” houses are newer, taller and have better amenities. As you can see from the slideshow below the ocean views and sunsets are incredible.

3. For food, best thing to do is to get super-fresh mouth watering fish from Bill’s Seafood (located on the island) and cook it at the house. I’ve had the most delicious, sweet and tender scallops ever. And I don’t even like scallops!

4. There is only one old-fashion one-way bridge connecting the town (your best groceries option) and the beach. Every hour, 15 minutes exactly before the hour, the bridge closes to let the boat traffic pass thru. So plan accordingly…if you do get caught no worries the whole thing lasts for about 15 minutes and is quite entertaining to watch. Be mindful of the ongoing construction for the new four-lanes overpass bridge scheduled to open in 2010…that will bring lots more traffic, noise and commerce to Sunset Beach. So go now while it’s still peaceful and quiet!

5. Things to do for kids: At the beach: Body surfing on boogie boards (very popular with boys), biking, walk around the Bird Wildlife sanctuary and collecting shells (the beach is a shell Mecca, you’ll see full size beautifully colored oyster, clam, conk, and whelk shells); In and around town you can visit the Ingram Planetarium, the Museum of Coastal Carolina on Ocean Isle (10 minutes drive from Sunset) or go to Myrtle Beach and check out Alligator Adventure “The Reptile Capital of the World”.

If you’re brave enough take the 45 minutes drive to historic Wilmington to see the world’s largest collection of the rarest and most venomous snakes. It’s fierce and well worth the $8 admission price!