My recent journey to Wilmington, North Carolina, was not just about exploring a new destination; it was a heartwarming reunion with my beloved daughter, Kate, who turned 26 and was the reason for my visit. Join us as we share the highlights of this special trip filled with beachside bliss, delicious dinners, and joyful celebrations.
Reunion in Wilmington Left early on a Friday morning and headed to Charlotte, NC to catch my connection to the Wilmington Airport. After an unexpected delay in Charlotte, I boarded my flight to Wilmington. Kate picked me up and we headed straight to Kate’s cozy apartment. Hugs and laughter filled the air as we reunited, as I had not seen her since May, when we drove the 2.5 days across country to get her to North Carolina with Murphy in the back seat.
A Day of Shopping and the Movies Our second day began with the plan to head to the beach, however parking was non-existent, so we revamped our plans and headed out for some shopping, and a movie. We bought tickets for Sound of Freedom, and headed to the pub for a drink and some food as we had some time to kill before our show began. There is something about sitting in a bar with your adult child, who is living her best life, to celebrate her on her special day. The movie was intense, as I am sure you would agree if you have seen it. After the movie, we stopped at this Greek restaurant for salads to go, and headed back to her apartment to chill.
A Day at Wrightsville Beach We spent our third day together at Wrightsville Beach, just a short drive away from Wilmington. Kate’s love for the beach was evident as we soaked in the sun and sea breeze. We enjoyed swimming in the ocean, and just taking some time to rest and relax. In the afternoon, Kate had signed us up for a paddleboarding excursion, and we enjoyed paddling through the inlets of Wrightsville Beach. Having spent many years in the beach town of Ocean City, New Jersey, Wrightsville Beach brought back a lot of happy beach memories from my teenage years.
Exploring Wilmington’s Culinary Scene Our fourth day began with a lazy morning with a quick trip to Dunkin Donuts for coffee. As today was her birthday, we explored Wilmington’s culinary scene, trying a seafood restaurant known for its fresh catches. Afterward, we took a leisurely walk on the beach, allowing us to appreciate the shores natural beauty and enjoy quality mother/daughter time. Kate’s birthday celebrations continued with a fancy dinner at a waterfront restaurant, with a stop at our favorite ice cream shop at the beach for a Chocolate Caramel Swirl cone to go.
As I headed home on an early flight the next day, I was so happy that I had made the trip east as we had such a great long weekend together! I love my daughter to the moon and back and cherish all the time we spend together. Although it is hard with her so far away, I knew that I was one of the lucky ones who had almost 26 years of her being close by when she lived in Phoenix after graduating from Arizona State University. It her her time now to fly and I can’t wait to see where her life takes her.
