See below for information on activities included in spouse/guest program registration.
9:45am – Downtown Wilmington Carriage Tour
Experience horse-drawn carriage travel enjoyed more than a century ago when life moved at a slower pace. Your friendly, knowledgeable, uniformed guide describes the history of Wilmington and the famous personalities who have lived and visited here as you leisurely ride past the stately mansions and homes of elegant downtown Wilmington. Your unique adventure is drawn by beautiful rescued Percheron draft horses. Saving horses since 1987, Springbrook Farms has been committed for more than 35 years to rescuing and caring for these magnificent animals. (horsedrawntours.com)
The tour meeting location is about a 6-minute walk from the Hotel Ballast. Please contact the Local Arrangements Transportation Committee if you require alternate transportation accommodations to the tour meeting location.
11:00am – Dutch Treat Lunch Downtown
1:00pm – U.S.S. North Carolina Battleship
The USS North Carolina Battleship is an unmistakable site just across the Cape Fear River from Downtown Wilmington. Moored in quiet dignity and majesty along the Cape Fear River, this historic World War II landmark is a must-see for Cape Fear vacationers. The self-guided tour will allow you to explore nine levels, climb inside gun turrets, marvel at early computers, and see where the crew ate, slept, and worked. Crew stories throughout the Ship introduce you to the 2,000 young men who called the Showboat home. (https://battleshipnc.com/)
The water taxi to the Battleship museum picks up at Market Street landing, about a 4-minute walk from the Hotel Ballast.
9:30am – Bellamy Mansion Tour
The Bellamy Mansion, built in the mid-1800s, is a mixture of Neoclassical architectural styles, including Greek Revival and Italianate, and is located at 503 Market Street in the heart of downtown Wilmington, North Carolina. It is one of North Carolina’s finest examples of historic antebellum architecture. It is a contributing building in the Wilmington Historic District. Guests can explore the mansion from basement to belvedere as the entire mansion is accessible on self-guided and guided tours of the site. Touring the mansion does require climbing multiple flights of stairs and is not handicapped accessible. The museum does offer a 30-minute video tour of the mansion for those with limited mobility. The mansion and carriage house visitor center are both air-conditioned. (https://www.bellamymansion.org/)
The Bellamy Mansion is about a 15-minute walk from the Hotel Ballast. Please contact the Local Arrangements Transportation Committee if you require alternate transportation accommodations to the Bellamy Mansion.
12:00pm – Lunch Downtown
2:00pm – Shopping Spree/Brewery Walk
Shopping Spree – Discover new treasures in old buildings, including the 19th-century Cotton Exchange’s eight restored buildings with 30 specialty shops and restaurants connected by open-air courtyards. The century-old Chandler’s Wharf building is home to several boutiques. Walk along Front Street, Market Street, and the Wilmington Riverwalk for an eclectic mix of locally owned shops with everything from one-of-a-kind gifts and vintage or designer clothing to art and antiques. (https://www.wilmingtonandbeaches.com/things-to-do/shopping/)
Brewery Walk – Drink Wilmington NC beer! From hopheads to lager lovers and every beer drinker in between, Wilmington has all palates covered. Stroll through the Wilmington Historic District to discover the many brewery offerings. (https://wilmingtonaletrail.com/ and https://www.wilmingtonandbeaches.com/restaurants/drinks/breweries/)