The Holiday Season is now officially underway with the kicking off the annual Holiday Flotilla in Wrightsville Beach,  NC.  This highly anticipated tradition is rated among the top 20 must see events by the Southeast Tourism Society and is held every year on the weekend following Thanksgiving. Thousands of viewers both visitors and locals jockey for position along the waterway in anticipation of the many boats decorated with animated characters and every color of twinkling light from stem to stern.  And this year was no different, especially with the perfect weather for this anticipated event. The themes this ranged from “Wizard of Oz” , “Christmas Shaggin” to  the winner “Santa’s Flight Over Twin Moonlights”.   

It was a wonderful event that ended with a fabulous fireworks display showcasing the great holiday spirit of the locals and serving as just another reminder why Wilmington is still one of the most desired places in North Carolina to live.  We hope your Thanksgiving was also a treasured family tradition and maybe next year you’ll consider joining us for the 27th annual North Carolina Holiday Flotilla.  Happy Holidays!

For complete details on all annual events and attractions in the Wilmington NC area, please visit my website at www.cbbaker.com.

Google Street View

Well, Wilmington NC has made the news again!  Google has added Wilmington NC  to their list of “Special Cities” for their new “Street view”.  Realistic  360*  views of streets  at eye level.  Last December the google truck was sited in our area, and one of the locals ran outside to take a picture of the truck with google logo and a camera perched on top, and sure enough he is in the google street view online. Read the rest of this entry

Wilmington NC

With Christmas approaching, the visitors are arriving. Wilmington NC has so much to offer visitors from the best shopping at Mayfaire to the many Christmas events and attractions. For starters is the Worlds Largest Christmas tree, an oak that is believed to be more than 400 years old and covered with 5,250 bulbs, which was lit last week at Wilmington’s Hilton Park at The 79th Annual Lighting!  Of course Santa & Mrs. Claus made an appearance. The Dolphins are out in Wrightsville Beach, & Pleasure Island is gearing up for their Island of Lights. The Historic Downtown Candlelight Tours, Enchanted Airlie, The Battle Ship Lighting and a Christmas Parade highlight some of the holiday festivities that Wilmington is famous for. And, this weekend, let’s don’t forget the Annual Christmas Choir & Orchestra at First Baptist Church, Christmas in the Country at Poplar Grove Plantation and Holiday Light Tours. Slow down and take time to enjoy and reflect during this busy time. Help others by putting a smile on their face. Need help with real estate, or have a question we might be able to help you with, please don’t hesitate to call us or visit www.cbbaker.com. Search by schools, map, zip codes, neighborhood and more.

The Holiday Season is now officially underway with the kicking off the 25th annual Holiday Flotilla in Wilmington NC.  This highly anticipated tradition is rated among the top 20 must see events by the Southeast Tourism Society and is held every year on the weekend following Thanksgiving.  Read the rest of this entry

1. Beautiful Beaches and Waterways

Wilmington NC is situated on the southeast coast of NC and is bordered on the east by the Atlantic Ocean and the west by the Cape Fear River. The beauty and charm of Wilmington and the surrounding beaches equal or surpass any on the east coast. The many pristine beaches that we have to enjoy such as Wrightsville Beach, Carolina Beach, Kure Beach, Topsail Beach, Oak Island and Ocean Isle Beach are sure to captivate your heart.

2. Boating

The area’s many miles of coastline, rivers and sounds offer a variety of  watersports, boating activities, and quite a few harbors, marinas, and yacht clubs.

3. Fishing

Being located within minutes of one of the most protected inlets on the east coast, Wilmington offers bountiful fishing opportunities within minutes. Masonboro Inlet is located between the Southern tip of Wrightsville Beach and Masonboro Island. Also, the many creeks and bays located off banks channel and the waterways are a fisherman’s dream. You will see them fishing for drum, trout, and  flounder in the fall of the year.

3. Masonboro Island

Masonboro Island is an 8 mile long uninhabited island on the southern North Carolina coast between Wrightsville Beach and Carolina Beach and is part of the National Estuarine Research Reserve. Masonboro Island, only accessible by boat, is enjoyed by campers, surfers, anglers, and bird-watchers alike. The reserve consists of about 5000 acres, which about 4400 acres are tidal marsh and mud flats. The most northern end at Masonboro Inlet is the most popular area with its sandy beaches and protected waters. Any summer weekend you will see many boaters and campers prepared for a few days on the beach with tents, grills and water toys in tow.

4. Historic Downtown Wilmington NC

Wilmington is blessed with a beautiful and extensive historic district with magnificent and stately oaks, azaleas and oleanders. 230 blocks of downtown are on the The National Register of Historic Districts. The city embraces a lot of history and is fortunate that so much has been preserved.

5. Wilmington NC Real Estate

I cannot speak highly enough about the real estate offered in and around Wilmington NC, from the River to the Sea! Wilmington offers many affordable neighborhoods such as Whitney Pines to move up neighborhoods like Covil Estates with amenities, to luxury gated communities such as Landfall, or golf course neighborhoods like Porters Neck, and waterfront neighborhoods with marinas and boatslips such as Turtle Hall or Shinn Point . The choices are all right here in our great port city of Wilmington NC. Read the rest of this entry

Azalea Festival Art Unveiling Party

The Art Unveiling Party for the North Carolina Azalea Festival was held Friday night at the Arab Shrine Club on College Road. The event was sponsored by Frame Works and Jim Quick and the Coastline Band was the entertainment for the evening.

62nd Annual North Carolina Azalea Festival

The commemorative art for the 62nd Annual North Carolina Azalea Festival was created by world renowned artist, George Pocheptsov. George is Ukranian, born in 1992 and actually starting painting at age 17 months, when he drew an antique car. George, a self taught artist,  starting painting  6 months before he could talk. George’s artwork is often compared to young Picasso and now sell for up to $100,000.

George presented the 2009 commemorative art and described his inspiration for the painting including an Azalea Festival back in 1948. This very special piece is a collection of many Festivals past.

The 62nd Annual Azalea Festival will be held in Wilmington, NC on April 2-6th. For more detailed information about the Wilmington Azalea Festival and other weekly events in Wilmington, check out my TGIF Scoop.

Thalian Hall Wilmington NC

Thalian Hall in Wilmington NC celebrated its grand opening October 12, 1858! 85 performances were presented that first year.  At the time, it was the largest Theater South of Richmond, Va. Thalian Hall was known by many names in its early days such as “The Wilmington Theater”, “The Opera House” and “The Academy of Music”. Thalian Hall today looks largely the same as it did in 1858, with its rambling ornate architecture.  Read the rest of this entry

Wilmington NC weekly cultural activities

In Wilmington NC, we enjoy a host of cultural events around the Cape Fear region including theatre, arts, music, history, even the USS Battleship NC and the Fort Fisher Museum. For all the local information about the area and a list of weekend events, check out my weekly TGIF Scoop.

Wilmington NC real estate weekly update

Good news for the real estate market this week, as contracts and showings continue to pick up, despite the negative comments from the news media. Read the rest of this entry