Coast Region

Aurora Fossil Museum - Learn about great geologic forces over millions of years that created the Coastal Plain. Explore two rooms of fossilized bones, teeth, shells, and coral on display.

Core Sound Waterfowl Museum - The Core Sound Waterfowl Museum preserves the waterfowling heritage of Core Sound through exhibits, demonstrations and events. The museum's collection is the region's largest of waterfowl art and local decoys.

North Carolina Maritime Museum - The North Carolina Maritime Museum, an agency of the Division of Archives and History, Department of Cultural Resources, is driven by its mission to preserve and interpret all aspects of North Carolina's rich maritime heritage through educational exhibits, programs and field trips.

Airlie Gardens - Designed in the early 1900's, Airlie Gardens encompasses 67 acres of post-Victorian European style gardens with 10 acres of freshwater lakes. Features include azaleas, camellias, statuary and the historic Airlie Oak.

Cowan Museum - A collection of the rare, the unique and the unusual can be discovered at Cowan Museum. A multitude of artifacts fill the restored 1848 Kelly-Farrior home depicting the early rural heritage of North Carolina and Duplin County.

Orton Plantation Gardens - Orton Plantation Gardens offer a self-guided, walking tour through an impressive set of formal and informal gardens covering 20 acres.

North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher - The North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher is situated on 24 acres of property within the Fort Fisher State Recreation Area. The 30,000-square-foot building houses aquariums ranging from 100 gallons to 17,000 gallons, a touch tank, interactive exhibits, classrooms, meeting rooms, a large auditorium and a gift shop.

Thalian Hall Center for the Performing Arts - THCPA has been in continuous use since it opened in 1858. Forming the east wing of Wilmington's magnificent City Hall, the facility hosts over 250 performance events annually. The complex houses three performance venues, the Main Stage, the Grand Ballroom, and the Studio Theatre.

Tryon Palace Historic Sites and Gardens - Tryon Palace was the 18th-century residence of the governor of the colony and state of North Carolina. The site also includes 14 acres of beautiful period gardens, three historic homes from the 18th and 19th centuries, and the New Bern Academy Museum.

Frisco Native American Museum - Located in a building with a hundred years of history, the Frisco Native American Museum & Natural History Center contains a nationally recognized collection of Native American artifacts, exhibits, and natural history displays.

North Carolina Aquariums - Located on Roanoke Island, at Pine Knoll Shores and Fort Fisher, the Aquariums were established in 1976 to promote an awareness, understanding, appreciation, and conservation of the diverse natural and cultural resources associated with North Carolina's ocean, estuaries, rivers, streams, and other aquatic environments.

Day At The Farm - Day At The Farm is the site of a 150 year old Craven County farm. The farm offers picnic areas, nature trail, animal feeding, an ice cream parlor, maze, guided tours and more.

Buckner Hill Plantation - One of the largest antebellum plantation houses in North Carolina, recently restored Buckner Hill House (1855), still surrounded by hundreds of acres of cotton, corn, and tobacco, provides visitors with a rare view of original, mostly undisturbed Greek Revival plantation architecture.