Wilmington

In spring, wander past thousands of bright azaleas at this 67-acre wonderland, also home to bewitching formal flowerbeds, seasonal gardens, pine trees, lakes and trails. — Lonely Planet

This museum showcases the history, science, and culture of the lower Cape Fear region from prehistoric times to the present. — Frommer's

Take a tour of what was once a major peanut and sweet potato farm in North Carolina, with an 1850 Greek revival manor house and its outbuildings. Watch a blacksmith at work, admire the farm animals — Fodor's

A curious collection of oddities including a lock of Alexander Hamilton's hair and Harry Houdini's ouija board.   — Atlas Obscura