Wandering around Wilmington

For two nights we stayed in another 4 - Diamond AAA B & B called the Graystone Inn in Wilmington, NC. The house dates from 1905 and Frommer's refers to it as the grandest of Wilmington's Inns. The main floor is all common areas which includes a dining room big enough to seat Gym's entire family for Christmas Dinner, a music room, a front room and a library where wine is served at 6 PM. The second and third floors are connected to the main floor by a beautiful grand staircase carved from red oak. Each floor is 4000 square feet, so the whole mansion is 12,000 square feet. Our room was on the third floor so it was quite a workout getting all the luggage up and down those stairs.

The Graystone is right in the middle of the Historical District and we were three blocks from the riverwalk which runs for a mile along the Cape Fear River. All the good restaurants and shops are just a few blocks away from The Graystone.

Graystone front door

Our room

music room

Dining Room for 30ish; note 14' ceiling

parlor

library

 

Staircase built around fireplace back of front foyer

second floor foyer

the sign outside prooves Moore's have been a big part of North Carolinian society for centuries

Thursday was our only full day in Wilmington and we spent most of it touring the biggest attraction on the Cape Fear River. Just across the river from the historic downtown, is moored the WWII battleship, North Carolina. It was moved into its permanent mooring here in 1961 after the people of the State of North Carolina banded together and saved it from being scraped. It has been authentically restored and is a National Historic Landmark now and a memorial to the 10,000 North Carolinians of all branches of service that gave their lives in WWII. Retired USN officers manage the site today.

Boarding this highly decorated ship on the self guided tour - looking forward from the aft deck

This is actually the same type of floatplane that was used on the North Carolina, a Kingfisher; one heroic pilot from the North Carolina rescued 10 downed naval aviators in the Truk Island campaign

We climbed up and down this tub for 2 hours. It was a great workout! Inside the ship there were many pictures of the sailors that ran up and down these stairs dozens of times a day and they were young 18 year-old men. I'm sure that they had no issues but as a 50+ guy, I sure did.

dining room

bedroom

inside a turret

Capt. Gym on the bow

We have arrived safely in Charleston and we are staying in a very swank place that is right in the thick of the historical district. We had a nice, slow drive down here from Wilmington but I was very disappointed with Myrtle Beach. It was like the southeastern equivalent of the worst of Las Vegas. Having  said that the beach was nice, especially with Mrs. Gym on it.

Mrs. Gym on Myrtle Beach

Tomorrow we are going on a buggy ride and a boat trip!