Hometown Tourist

BE A TOURIST IN YOUR OWN HOMETOWN RESIDENTS' APPRECIATION DAY

HOMETOWN TOURIST ONLINE DRAWING

To register to win a Hometown Tourist goodie bag, you must be able to prove residency within New Hanover County. If you are a resident of New Hanover County, please email your full name, home street address, City/State/zip code and a working phone number to hometowntourist@wilmingtonandbeaches.com. Please put HOMETOWN TOURIST in the 'Subject' line. Please, no business addresses. Entry emails must be received by Friday, March 1, 2013 and winners will be contacted by Wednesday, March 6, 2013. [If your email is bounced back, please either try again or send it via snail mail to Wilmington and Beaches CVB, Attn: Hometown Tourist, 505 Nutt Street, Unit A, Wilmington, NC, 28401. Must be received by Thurs. Feb. 28.]

Gather your family and friends and become tourists for the day during the 18th Annual "Be A Tourist in Your Own Hometown" Residents' Appreciation Day for New Hanover County residents on Sunday, March 3, 2013. It is on this day that participating area attractions (see list below) open their doors to New Hanover County residents free of charge. It's a fun way for residents to find out more about our travel destination so they can become tourism ambassadors for Wilmington and our island beaches. It's also a rewarding way for the attractions to thank residents for their support. We hope to see you and your family and friends! A complete list of participating attractions and events follows. Please read descriptions carefully, as hours vary and restrictions may apply. A complete list of participants will also be published in ENCORE magazine during the week of the event.

"BE A TOURIST IN YOUR OWN HOMETOWN" APPRECIATION DAY

Sunday - March 3, 2013

Media Sponsors:

PRESENTING SPONSOR: WILMINGTON AND BEACHES CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU

“BE A TOURIST IN YOUR OWN HOMETOWN” RESIDENTS’ APPRECIATION DAY

Sunday, March 3, 2013

LIST OF PARTICIPATING ATTRACTIONS & EVENTS

SPECIAL GUESTS at Riverfront Visitor Information Booth: 12-3pm (weather permitting), Cape Fear Riverwalk (Water & Market Sts.), Wilmington, 341-4030. Stop by to meet the special guests, get a “Hometown Tourist” sticker, and a list of attractions/tours offering free admission! Team and event mascots will greet residents, hand out schedules/flyers, pose for photos, and sign autographs. Confirmed guests include “Sledge” (Wilmington Hammerheads pro soccer team) from 12-3pm; Azalea Belles (courtesy of the Cape Fear Garden Club) from 1-3pm; and storyteller/musician John Golden from 1-3pm.

Airlie Gardens, 9am-5pm, 300 Airlie Rd., Wilmington, 798-7700. Stroll through the winding paths of this century-old garden by the sea. Enjoy 67-acres of gardens, including the 468-year-old Airlie Oak.

Bellamy Mansion Museum, 1-4pm, 503 Market St., Wilmington, 251-3700. Visit the formal areas and kitchen in the basement of the mansion, hear the history of the original slave quarters and its restoration, and peruse the gift shop.

Burgwin-Wright Museum House, 12-5pm, 224 Market St., Wilmington, 762-0570. The house will not be open; however, visitors may tour the historic gardens and visit the Colonial kitchen and the former jail. A self-guided garden tour is available, with layout, historic facts, plant identification, etc.

Cameron Art Museum, 10am–5pm, 3201 S. 17^th St., Wilmington (corner of Independence Blvd and 17^th St.), 395-5999. Southeast NC’s premier art museum. Cameron Art Museum celebrates 50 years! Visit the Museum Shop and view three exhibits: From Gatehouse to Winehouse: Inside the Artist’s Workplace, Sometimes Madness is Wisdom: The Artwork of Zelda Sayre Fitzgerald and The Transformative Power of Friendship.

Cape Fear Museum of History & Science, 1-5pm, 814 Market St., Wilmington, 798-4350. Discover the history, science and cultures of the Lower Cape Fear. Visit the Museum's newest exhibits – Shopping Around Wilmington, Collection Selections: Breakfast, and the award-winning Fragments of War exhibit combines the stories of wartime symbols with the more intimate histories of some local men who served in the Confederate military.

NHC ID & ADVANCE TIX Ghost Walk of Old Wilmington, Meets at Cape Fear Riverwalk at Market & Water Sts., Wilmington, 233-7630. Guided tours start at 5:30pm only. ADVANCE TICKETS REQUIRED. Tickets MUST be picked up at the Black Cat Shoppe at 8 Market St. on Saturday March 2^nd from 11am-6pm. Tickets will be given out on a first come, first serve basis. NO TICKETS WILL BE GIVEN OUT THE DAY OF THE TOUR. Guide will take larger than normal groups and tour will be somewhat abbreviated. Space is limited. NHC RESIDENTS ONLY.

NHC ID & ADVANCE TIX Hollywood Location Walk of Old Wilmington, Meets at Cape Fear Riverwalk at Market & Water Sts., Wilmington, 233-7630. Guided tour starts at 12:00 noon only. ADVANCE TICKETS REQUIRED. Tickets MUST be picked up at the Black Cat Shoppe at 8 Market St. on Saturday the 2^nd from 11am-6pm. Tickets will be given out on a first come, first serve basis. NO TICKETS WILL BE GIVEN OUT THE DAY OF THE TOUR. Guide will take larger than normal groups and tour will be somewhat abbreviated. Space is limited. NHC RESIDENTS ONLY.

Haunted Cotton Exchange Tour, 10am, Meets at The Cotton Exchange next to the German Café. 409-4300.Take a 20-minute tour of the Haunted Cotton Exchange, one of the most haunted locations in Wilmington. Tour limited to 50 people.

Jungle Rapids Family Fun Park, 1-4pm, 5320 Oleander Dr., Wilmington, 791-0666. Choice of one (1) of the following activities to each participant: 1-game of Jungle Golf -OR- 1-free Grand Prix go-kart ride -OR- 1-free Sky Tower ride.

Tour Old Wilmington History Walking Tours, 1pm and 2pm, Meets at the foot of Market and Water Sts. 409-4300. Take a 30-minute tour of historic downtown Wilmington. Learn fun and interesting facts about Wilmington during the Victorian Era. Tours limited to 50 people.

Trip With Triplett-Oakdale Cemetery Guided Tour, 12pm; 1:30pm; 3pm, Meets at Oakdale Cemetery, 520 N. 15^th St., Wilmington, 392-6753. Stroll through tranquil Oakdale Cemetery with Robin Triplett, a retired Cape Fear History teacher, and learn about the lives of the people that rest there.

NHC ID Wilmington Railroad Museum, 1-4pm, 505 Nutt St., Wilmington, 763-2634. Railroad history and features for everyone, all in an authentic 1883 railroad building. NHC RESIDENTS ONLY.

Wilmington Trolley, 1-4pm. Downtown Wilmington, 763-4483. The trolley will offer free shuttle service between the participating attractions in the downtown area. This is shuttle service only, not tours.

NHC ID & ADVANCE TIX Wrightsville Beach Scenic Tours & Taxi, 12pm &1pm, Banks Channel across from Blockade Runner Resort, Wrightsville Beach, 200-4002. The Cape Fear Naturalist, Joseph Abbate, explores the tidal creeks of Masonboro Island. The 1-hour tour focuses on water bird and shorebird identification. Topics include shorebird identification, salt marsh function and water quality issues. ADVANCE RESERVATIONS REQUIRED. Space is limited.

FREE TODAY… AND EVERY DAY!

Arboretum at New Hanover County Co-op Ext., 9am-6pm, 6206 Oleander Dr., Wilmington, 798-7660. Explore 6+ acres of demonstration and trial gardens to discover the newest and best plants for area landscapes & gardens.

FREE EVENT Black Cat Shoppe, 1-5pm. 8 Market St., Wilmington, 251-6663. Aye, mateys, ‘yer looking for a bit of adventure in the Port City? Drop by to see some magic, hear some true Wilmington pirate stories or to have ye fortune told. Space is limited and we will entertain first come, first served.

FREE EVENT Blue Moon Gift Shops, 12-5pm, 203 Racine Dr., Wilmington, 799-5793. A Wilmington shopping destination that offers shoppers an eclectic mix of charming and diverse boutiques all under one roof! Tastings from various shops all day.

FREE EVENT Capt’n Bill’s Backyard Grill, Noon-9pm, 4240 Market St. (behind “17” North Shopping Ctr.), Wilmington, 762-0173. Free volleyball and corn hole. Grill will be open with food & drink specials.

Carolina Beach State Park, 8am-8pm, 1010 State Park Rd., Carolina Beach, 458-8206. Bring picnic, fishing supplies. Explore nature trails, visitor center, marina and more. (Boat ramp/campsite rentals not included.)

Federal Point History Center, 1-4pm, 1121-A North Lake Park Blvd., Carolina Beach, 458-0502. Enjoy exhibits & audio-visual presentations portraying periods in the Federal Point community, including pre-historic, colonial, Civil War and development of Carolina-Kure Beaches and Seabreeze as tourist attractions. Refreshments.

Fort Fisher State Historic Site-Civil War Fort, 1-5pm, Hwy. 421 Kure Beach, NC, 458-5538. Visitors to the site will enjoy our scenic quarter-mile tour trail, wayside exhibits, a reconstructed palisade fence, and a partially restored gun emplacement. The visitor center offers audio-visual programs and artifacts from blockaders and blockade runners, as well as a fiber optic map that shows the final battle for the fort.

NHC FREE 4WD Access Ft. Fisher State Recreation Area, 8am-5pm, 1000 Loggerhead Road-off US 421, Kure Beach near Aquarium, 458-5798. Visitor center, free access to the 4WD beach and 4-mile stretch of undeveloped beach for shell-seekers, bird-watchers. Must display valid NHC driver’s license. 4WD access free to NHC RESIDENTS ONLY/NHC EMPLOYEES WITH ID.

FREE EVENT Hannah Block Historic USO/Community Arts Center, 1pm-5pm. 2^nd & Orange St., Wilmington. 793-6393. Listed on U.S. Register of Historic Places. Spend a WWII History afternoon at one of the few remaining USO buildings. Tour the restored building, theatre, and mini-museum of the home front in Wilmington, “America’s World War II City.” Visit the HBHUSO/CAC Community Art gallery exhibiting works from local established and emerging artists.

Halyburton Park, park open all day. 4099 17^th St., Wilmington. 341-0075. Walk the handicap-accessible 1.3-mile hike/bike trail circling the perimeter of the park and natural hiking trails that delve into the heart of the parks natural areas.

Hugh MacRae Park & Nature Trail, 8am-10pm, Oleander & S. College Rd., Wilmington, 798-7181. Playgrounds (5-12 year old playground is lighted), lighted tennis courts, athletic fields, picnic areas, nature trails, etc. Free every day (except for shelter, horse ring, baseball fields and garden rentals). Baseball fields must be reserved in advance. Walk the 1.55 mile trail right in the park or visit the Hugh MacRae Nature Trail located across the street behind the NHC Senior Ctr.

N.C. Military History Museum, Noon-4pm, 116 Air Force Way, Kure Beach, 477-0499. Artifacts, memorabilia, displays from WWI through Desert Storm, w/photos, documents, letters, uniforms, field gear, hats, helmets, gift shop.

Wrightsville Beach Museum of History, 1-5pm, 303 W. Salisbury St., Wrightsville Beach, 256-2569. Visit this 1909 beach cottage and feel what life at the beach was like 100 years ago. Step back in time as you walk through a 1930’s kitchen, see our model of Wrightsville Beach in 1910, and rock on the shady porch.

NEW HANOVER COUNTY I.D. REQUIRED FOR LISTINGS INDICATING “NHC RESIDENTS ONLY”. SOME ATTRACTIONS/TOURS REQUIRE ADVANCE RESERVATION. PLEASE READ DESCRIPTIONS CAREFULLY FOR HOURS AND RESTRICTIONS. FOR MORE INFORMATION ON HOURS OF OPERATION AND RESTRICTIONS, PLEASE CONTACT THE INDIVIDUAL ATTRACTIONS. IN CASE OF RAIN, CALL ATTRACTIONS TO CONFIRM OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES. LIST OF PARTICIPANTS CAN BE DOWNLOADED ONLINE AT www.wilmingtonandbeaches.com/hometown

Thank you to our Media Sponsors: Encore Magazine & NHC-TV

and to travel partners that made donations to the Hometown Tourist Giveaway.

Many of the participating attractions listed above have made donations for the Hometown Tourist giveaways.

We would also like to recognize and thank the following businesses for their generosity.

Battleship NORTH CAROLINA

Bellamy Mansion Museum

Burgwin-Wright House Museum

Cameron Art Museum

Cape Fear Museum

Cape Fear Riverboats, Inc.

Capt’n Bill’s Backyard Grill

Carolina Beach State Park

CATCH Modern Seafood Cuisine

Children’s Museum of Wilmington

Days Inn - Wilmington

Firehouse Subs

Ghost Walk of Old Wilmington

Golden Corral

Holiday Inn Wilmington

Hollywood Location Walk

Island Passage

Jungle Rapids Family Fun Park

NC Aquarium at Ft. Fisher

Poplar Grove Plantation

Thalian Hall

The Golden Gallery

Trip with Triplett

Wilmington Trolley Company

Wrightsville Beach Scenic Tours & Taxi

Wrightsville Beach Surf Camp

Yosake