For Recreation links click here.
One of only nine cities in the state given the “Fit City” title, Wilmington is a regional epicenter for the physically fit and active, a reputation surely helped out by the wide range of outdoor recreational activities and venues available to residents and visitors year round.
Some of the region’s most popular outdoor activities, of course, take place in or around the water. Spring through fall, tan, brawny surfers meet at places like Wrightsville Beach and Carolina Beach to brave waves in the Atlantic. Hours they spend floating and swimming in sun-kissed waters positioning themselves for the perfect wave.
Nearby, recreational boaters and jet skiers zip in and out between small barrier islands that freckle the Cape Fear coast, while fisherman anchor off known shipwrecks and other underwater habitat in hope of flounder, red drum, and Spanish mackerel. Occasionally, red “diver down” flag buoys warn of wetsuit-clad divers deep below.
For those who prefer activities of the more terrestrial type — as in the very green terrestrial type — Wilmington and surrounding areas are home to dozens of public and private golf courses, including the Wilmington Municipal Golf Course, Land Fall Golf Course and the multi-course Ocean Ridge Plantation in nearby Brunswick County.
Walkers, joggers and cyclists will no doubt enjoy Wilmington’s many parks and recreational areas, among them the new Halyburton Park, a 58-acre tract of land with a 1.3-mile walk and bike trail.
Meanwhile, the nearby 2.5-mile loop at Wrightsville Beach is the perfect place to stretch the legs and take in cool breezes after a long hot day sitting in the sun. And if you just happen to be a proud owner of “man’s best friend,” there’s Empie Park, home to the first functional off-leash dog park in Wilmington.
Site of the Beach2Battleship full and half Ironman distance triathlons in November 2008, Wilmington is home to growing numbers of competitive triathletes. And while facilities like the YMCA and Wilmington Athletic Club (WAC) provide athletes year-round pool training, the region’s rural roadways promise plenty of endurance running and non-stop cycling every day of the year.
For persons interested in the region’s flora and fauna, the maritime forests of Fort Fisher State Park at Carolina Beach are home to dozens of bird and animal species, some endangered. Fort Fisher also happens to be home to a massive Civil War fort and defensive earthwork turned museum that is daily open to the public.
With a mild year-round climate and a wide range of outdoor activities and recreation, it’s no wonder why more and more visitors are beginning to call Wilmington home.
For Recreation links click here.