Our next stops in NC and SC were full of things that go BOOM! But don’t worry, no people or things were harmed in the making of this blog. Our first stop after leaving the Outer Banks was Wilmington, North Carolina. With old cobblestone streets, stately Victorian homes (including the tourable Bellamy Mansion), old churches, and a fun 2-mile riverwalk lined with shops and restaurants, it made my heart go boom-boom with all its historic charm.
Originally settled in 1720 by Europeans, its port location on the Cape Fear River made it very important to the colonial South. It was also a strategic Confederate stronghold during the Civil War, until the Union lowered the BOOM on them at the end of the war. Directly across the river from downtown Wilmington is the Battleship North Carolina.
Before become a floating slice of history, Battleship North Carolina served in the Pacific Theatre during World War II and was awarded 15 battle stars during her service. After being retired In the 1960’s, the ship was in desperate need of restoration. Schoolchildren across North Carolina were asked to send in a single dime to save the ship. Over 700,000 kids raised over $330,000 to save the ship. BOOM: the power of the people!
You can do a self-guided tour of this 728-foot ship, but its well worth the few extra dollars to do one of the guided tours. Our “group” consisted of a guide (Fernando = fantastic Armed Services veteran) + two guests (us). Score: private tour!!
The ship has multiple levels and you can roam around everywhere, including the bridge, rotating turrets, and projective strongholds, plus all of the living quarters for the 2,200 personnel living here 24/7/365.
If there’s one industry that doesn’t have to endure boom or bust cycles, it’s movie and TV shows. Wilmington is called Hollywood East or “Wilmywood” for the hundreds of TV shows and movies that are constantly filmed and produced here. At any given moment, extras might be dangled over the water, local restaurants are closed because a scene is being filmed there, or BOOM — something is getting blown up. Stars are frequently spotted grabbing their morning java before reporting to set, and many of them leave their signatures behind.
We took a fun walking tour specific to this industry and saw many locations where the boom microphone was swung into place and scenes/seasons were shot for TV shows, including One Tree Hill, Dawson’s Creek, The Summer I Turned Pretty, and Netflix’s new show The Waterfront; and movies like Iron Man 3, Walk To Remember, the live-action version of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (which, just guessing, you probably haven’t seen) and hundreds more.
The world’s best RV movie EVER, obviously, is “We’re The Millers,” because we are. Except the part where we would use the RV to mule illegal drugs. Not that part. Anyway, We’re The Millers was filmed at EUE/Screen Gems Studio, one of multiple movie studios located in Wilmington, and all around town.
We stayed at Carolina Beach State Park, south of Wilmington near the town of Carolina Beach, a nice green tree-covered campground with a marina.
Here, we discovered carnivorous plants growing, happily trapping and eating insects for their main food group. If you don’t find carniverous plants fascinating, then you’re not looking close enough!
For example, the Yellow Pitcher Plant: the top of the plant has nectar glands, which tempt the bugs with sweetness but also contain a toxin found in hemlock which intoxicates them! It’s a sugar high mixed with a marijuana buzz! THEN, they dreamily tumble down, where it’s lined with short, stiff, downward-pointing hairs which provide a kind of one-way road. Once inside, the plant’s digestive juices and wetting agents turn the hapless insect into a delicious meal! BOOM … dinner is served!
Fort Fisher State Historic Site is south of Carolina Beach near Kure Beach, and has the remains of the confederate fort with nice dog-friendly walking trails. Until the last few months of the Civil War, Fort Fisher was the last remaining supply route to kept Wilmington’s port open to supply goods to Robert E. Lee’s Army. Fort Fisher fell after a massive U.S. amphibious assault dropped the BOOM in 1865, basically sealing the fate of the Confederacy.
In advance of upcoming National Dive Bar Day (July 7 annually), we ventured into the Fat Pelican.
This beachy, divey bar has a refrigerated 18-wheeler truck growing out of the side of the building. You go up the stairs and into the truck to pick your own ice cold beer from 400+ varieties.
Bring it to the bar and they’ll collect your money and open it for you. BOOM! You’re in business. The inside has all kinds of crazy decor and there is an outside patio where you can drink your beer while sitting in a rowboat.
A “BOOM“-based post could not possibly exclude the local homemade ice cream shop. BOOMballati’s has a few different locations, with unusual flavors like Fluffer Nutter Butter, Strawberry Pretzel Pie, Coke & Moon Pie, Beer & Pretzels ….. if you’re into weird ice cream combos, this is your place!
4th of July in LEXINGTON, SC
We try to find a way back to Lexington, South Carolina (just outside the capitol city of Columbia) at least once every couple years, boom or bust. Philip’s entire family lives here … a BIG, BIG family whom we adore.
Our daughter Taylor also flew into SC from Phoenix for the occasion, and when we went to the airport, we experienced the greatest invention of our time, perhaps! Each row in the parking garage had green lights indicating an empty parking slot, and red lights indicating full. You can scan an entire long row in an instant, without having to drive around looking for an opening. BOOM — my brain exploded. Why isn’t this everywhere?
Philip’s eldest brother, Dennis, and wife Janet live right on Lake Murray, an enormous man-made lake with 50,000 acres of water and 650 miles of shoreline. It’s a full 14 miles long and 5 miles across in its widest part, but full of lots of little fingers and coves for exploring.
Lake Murray was recently named the #1 Recreational Lake for Water Sports in the nation by USA Today, for its “unforgettable water sports experiences.” We agree!
Predictably, our Lexington stop included lots of family time! Dennis added a full RV hookup (water, electric AND sewer) to his front yard, so we were right in the heart of the action for a week. Besides gatherings in the RV ….
… we were also invited to visit various family in their homes. Michael and Kathy live in nearby Chapin, SC.
Tristan and Jon recently moved back to South Carolina from California, so we got to see their new home. And, their daughter GG happened to be home from art school in Montreal, Canada! We have two of her fabulous art pieces in our Arizona home. Check out her work at keptoveletter.com or on Instagram @keptloveletter! And don’t even get me started on Jack’s superfast skills with the Rubik’s Cube (19 seconds to completion, while I watched)!!!
The entire family had a BIG gathering for July 4th! The BOOM of fireworks echoed all around Lake Murray that night. Bada bing, bada boom, the whole week was a fabulous time with family.
DIVA ALERT!
Finn was just selected by Roadtrippers.com (one of the main sites I use for travel inspiration and planning) as the July Pet of the Month! Now she thinks she’s special. She is demanding rose-scented bubble baths, and a dusting of caviar on her kibble. Who is this monster?!?!
And that’s it, I am totally out of any more terrible “boom” puns to offer. OK maybe just one more: Boomshakalaka, officially an exclamation of great excitement or joy. So boomshakalaka, I’m excited you made it this far! I appreciate my readers!
You can never have too much fun at family gatherings, but it sure looks like all of you Millers gave it your best shot! Many memories made and treasured, that’s for sure. Congratulations, Finn!!! 🎉🎉🎉 (If you play your cards right, you can get a lot of mileage out of this. Just sayin’ . . . )