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Outdoor winter adventures of many types make your vacation or residentsÕ time off in Wilmington, North Carolina, a truly memorable event. You can make all arrangements including expert knowledgeable guides, necessary equipment and other essentials, food supplies, sleeping accommodations, and more in order to be able to relax and enjoy the no-hassle activities of a lifetime.

SEE ALSO: 7 Ways To Get You And Your Kids Active This Winter

1. Fun Bird and Ecology Tour

This learning experience is a cruise of approximately three hours along the Lower Cape Fear River, Eagles Island and the Black River with birding experts, Audubon members, birding instructors, and local Birders often aboard. They can point out and identify between 25 and 60 or more different types of birds, answer questions, and tell about the areas such as the Black River having the oldest documented trees in the world. This is home to more than 200 species of birds throughout different times of the year. Live music is also often a feature on certain days.

2. Family Camping Adventure

You can choose a tour that provides the tents, basic camping gear, tarps, cooking gear, and even preparation of your meals as you eat around the warmth of a fire in the great outdoors. There are many camping locations in the area for you to choose from as you create a lasting and memorable quality experience for your family. Before camping, other activities can include hiking, kayaking, a day at the beach, or possibly white water rafting.

3. Wildlife Adventure

The Cape Fear region is abundant with wildlife all year round.  Coastal North Carolina is one of the United StatesÕ three major bird fly zones. Many of the rivers flow through large tracts of undeveloped land, where there are excellent opportunities to see a variety of birds and animals in their native habitats. You might see deer, black bears, river otters, alligators, beaver, ducks, pelicans, herons, egrets, and other wildlife.

4. Kayaking Adventure

Whether in the daytime or in the romantic sunset, an approximate two or three-hour leisurely kayaking tour on the lower Cape Fear River and the Fort Fisher Basin Area takes you to locations rich in wildlife such as pelicans, herons, egrets, dolphins, gulls, and more. There are numerous islands in the river with opportunities for exploring. On Sharks Tooth Island, you and your family can look for fossils and shark teeth along the shore. This adventure includes the kayak, paddle, all safety gear, basic kayaking instructions if needed, and usually a picnic dinner while you watch a beautiful sunset.

SEE ALSO: Top 3 Romantic Outdoor Activities In Wilmington, NC

5. Hiking

There are numerous excellent hiking trails near Wilmington whether you want a short one or an all-day epic. One of the most popular is the Sugarloaf Dune Trail at the Carolina Beach State Park. This hike of 2.8 miles starts from the trailhead, takes a quick warm-up lap on the Flytrap Trail and continues with a good deal of the trail being board-walked. Hiking clockwise, the trail takes you down to the wide part of the Cape Fear River, which is about to go into the Atlantic.

In less than a mile is Sugarloaf, there is a 50-foot-high forest which has live oak with hanging Spanish moss. When standing on the top of the summit, itÕs interesting to think about the dune’s history, which goes back to the very early 1700s when the dune became a seafarersÕ landmark and during the Civil War when the Confederacy used the dune to defend the port. Then return to the trailhead through a pine savannah carpeted with white sand.

Get out there and enjoy the beauty of winter in Wilmington, North Carolina!New Call-to-action