5 Itineraries for a Fun Fall Escape
From New York to North Carolina to Puerto Rico.
Index
Ithaca, New York | Niagara Falls, Canada | New Hampshire Wine Trail | San Juan, Puerto Rico | Wilmington, North Carolina
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For the TV and Film Buff: Wilmington, North Carolina
By Kaitlyn Murray
The Wilmington waterfront. Photo via IStock/Getty Images. Plus/ Hal Goodtree
I’ve been in love with Wilmington since I was young, even though I’d never stepped foot in North Carolina until now. This scenic Southern city has served as the idyllic backdrop for many a movie and TV series, from A Walk to Remember to the “Summer I Turned Pretty” and “Dawson’s Creek.” Being a giant film nerd and a beach fiend, I had always dreamed of visiting the waterfront town. Once I learned there was a direct flight from Rhode Island T.F. Green International Airport, I knew my time had come.
The Thursday morning flight was an actual “Breeze” (flybreeze.com). Even though the airtime is short, upgrade to Ascent if you can — you’ll board faster, enjoy more leg room and get a complimentary snack and drink. When we landed, navigating the small and charming Wilmington International Airport was just as quick and easy. My friend and I were in the rental car and on the road by 10 a.m.
One of the scenic trails in Carolina State Beach Park. Photo by Kaitlyn Murray
Hotel check-in wasn’t until 4 p.m., so we decided to take the forty-minute jaunt to Stoked in Carolina Beach for lunch (stokedrestaurant.com). There, we dug into island tacos made up of grilled salmon with cilantro-lime crema and mango salsa. Little did we know how much we would need the energy boost for our next activity: hiking through Carolina State Beach Park (ncparks.gov/state-parks/carolina-beach-state-park). The park features several trails and lots of eye-catching vegetation. Just be sure to pay attention to the trail markers, dress for the occasion and bring plenty of water.
By the end of our excursion, it was finally time to check in. We arrived at the Front Street Inn (frontstreetinn.com) in downtown Wilmington, a charming boutique-style inn where each room boasts a theme and private outdoor entrance. We were given a code to the second-floor Georgia O’Keeffe room and spent the next few hours lazing about among its desert chic aesthetic. That evening, we ate dinner at the nearby PinPoint Restaurant, lauded for its seasonal offerings from area farmers and fishermen (pinpointrestaurant.com). The menu changes daily, but that night I enjoyed a plate of Green Circle chargrilled chicken and summer squash. Following dinner, we had a dessert date planned at the Concorde Espresso Bar, located at our hotel (concordeespressobar.com). We grabbed seats at a lovely outdoor fireside lounge complete with a build-your-own s’mores kit and delicious espresso martini flight options.
The next day, we explored Wilmington’s picturesque Riverwalk across the street before meeting up with local historian Amanda Leese for a Wilmington History Walking Tour (wilmington-tours.com). Along the stroll, we took in stunning architecture and stories about the town’s various industries and claims to fame. The conclusion of the tour dropped us right by our brunch destination: the coastal-influenced Seabird (seabirdnc.com). We couldn’t decide if we were in the mood for sweet or savory, so we started with oysters doused in yummy housemade sauces before splitting a stack of ricotta pancakes and a plate of crab Bennys.
Next up was a catamaran cruise along the Cape Fear River (wilmingtonwatertours.net). The relaxing one-hour tour yielded gorgeous water views and scrumptious pina coladas. Later, following a quick respite at the hotel, we dined at Olivero, an upscale eatery known for its Italian and Moroccan flavors (oliveroilm.com).
Aboard the Battleship North Carolina. Photo by Kaitlyn Murray
Another adventure awaited us the next morning, so we checked out early and stopped by the bright and colorful Drift for a flash cold brewed coffee and slice of avocado toast (driftcoffee.kitchen). Then it was time to board the Battleship North Carolina, a storied vessel from World War II, and a constant sight during our time in Wilmington (battleshipnc.com).
We once again found ourselves getting (happily) lost as we discovered all the nooks and crannies above and below deck. Afterward, our first stop in Wrightsville Beach was at the Oceanic Restaurant (oceanicrestaurant.com), where we took in panoramic views of the piers and beaches. We also got a first glimpse of our stay for the night, the Trailborn Surf and Sound (trailborn.com), where a cozy, spacious room overlooked the resort’s beautiful pool area and the ocean. We spent a few hours relaxing there before heading out again.
The view from a room at the Trailborn Surf and Sound. Photo by Kaitlyn Murray
Docks next to where the sunset harbor cruise launches in Wrightsville. Photo by Kaitlyn Murray
Around 8 p.m. we boarded a forty-foot pontoon boat across from the hotel for a sunset harbor cruise, where we witnessed a spectacular sunset. Dinner was at Poe’s Tavern (poestavern.com), where American-pub fare menu items are named after the author’s writings (i.e. the Amontillado burger, topped with guac, jalapeno jack cheese and chipotle sour cream).
We then called it an early night because I was determined to take advantage of our eastward position to see the sunrise from the beach. The serene setting was worth my initial morning grumpiness. An avocado toast and lavender latte from the Workshop (theworkshopwb.com) down the road helped turned me into a functioning human, and afterward we returned to the beach for a few hours before checkout time.
As I reflected on the trip during my flight home, I couldn’t help but think Wilmington was well worth the wait.
Filming Sites
Here are just a few of the places — still visitable — where some iconic teen dramas have been filmed.
“One Tree Hill”
Fans will recognize Wilmington’s Riverwalk as the backdrop for many outdoor scenes. Most notably, the “Naley Bench” — known for being the spot where two main characters first felt a spark — can still be found here. *While the court itself is gone, you can still visit the “Rivercourt” area where many scenes were filmed throughout its nine-season run. The grounds’ gazebo is covered in Sharpie messages left by devoted admirers. *You can walk across the bridge (aka the Harry Forden 6th Street Bridge) where a hoodie-clad Chad Michael Murray famously dribbles a basketball to the tune of Gavin DeGraw’s “I Don’t Want to Be” in the opening credits of “One Tree Hill.” *Blue Post Billiards,
the bar where the teen characters often used their fake IDs, remains a popular nightlife spot.
“Dawson’s Creek”
The Airlie Gardens, which boasts “A century of gardens by the sea,” can also claim bragging rights as the location for Dawson and Joey’s (literal) dream wedding in season six. *Elijah’s Oyster & Fish Camp on Ann Street was renamed the “Icehouse” when it stood in for Pacey’s restaurant in the series finale. *Michael’s on the Waterfront, meanwhile, acted as the storefront for Leery’s Fresh Fish in the earlier seasons. *The brick wall Pacey gifted Joey in Season Three (has there ever been a more romantic gesture?) still stands tall on 100 South Front St. *Hell’s Kitchen on Princess Street sported the same name in the show in Season Six — in fact it was a set that was built for the show and sold as-is to a local restaurateur, who operates it to this day.
“The Summer I Turned Pretty”
Though Cousins Beach is said to be on the Cape, most of it borrows scenery from the stretches of sand in Carolina Beach. *In fact, most of the outdoor nighttime scenes were shot in the Fort Fisher State Recreation Area. *Aficionados will remember The Fat Pelican in Carolina Beach as the spot where the moms got drunk in season one. *The Fishers’ gorgeous beach house is actually a private, gated golf course community in Wilmington called Porters Neck Plantation. *Conrad and Belly’s iconic first kiss took place at Wrightsville Beach. *The Oceanic provided the fancy lunch setting for Belly and Jeremiah’s disastrous engagement announcement in season three.
