Wilmington, NC

This charming port city, home to more than 95,000 residents, is nestled between the Cape Fear River and the Atlantic Ocean. Wilmington, NC has become a popular destination due to its moderate, four-season climate, historic preservation district, annual events and recreational opportunities.

Wilmington offers a multitude of activities for all age groups and interests. Almost everyone enjoys touring the historic district viewing the variety of architecture, unique shops and galleries and eclectic mix of restaurants. For history buffs, Wilmington boasts a wide variety of landmark sites and museums, including the WWII USS North Carolina Battleship memorial, the Bellamy Mansion and the Cape Fear Museum of History & Science. Art enthusiasts will enjoy the Thalian Hall Center for the Performing Arts, and many festivals that adorn downtown annually, such as Riverfest and the Azalea Festival. For the outdoorsman, lush green golf courses can be found throughout the area, several which are championship style courses. The city also has its own USL soccer team (Wilmington Hammerheads), beautiful parks and accessible beaches. The area's many miles of coastline, rivers and sounds offer a wide variety of fishing, water sports and boating activities, along with quite a few harbors, marinas and yacht clubs that are available.

Nearby Wrightsville Beach is a haven for sailors, surfers, sunbathers, and beachcombers alike. Surrounding area beaches include Kure Beach and Carolina Beach, just a couple miles down the coastline. Just beyond these beaches at the southern expanse of Pleasure Island is Fort Fisher, NC where you can take a step back in time at the Fort Fisher Civil War Museum, or discover the sea at the North Carolina Aquarium.

Wilmington is home to a University of North Carolina campus, a regional medical center, and Screen Gems Studios of North Carolina, one of the largest motion picture and television studios outside of Hollywood. The city continues to expand with recent developments such as the PPD headquarters building downtown, the opening of Verizon's Wireless customer call center facility, and new convention center expected to open 2010.