Day Two of our trip to Wilmington, North Carolina, started off with a drive to Riverfront Farmers Market, open on Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., April 15–Nov. 22. We perused the stands set up along Dock Street, where vendors sell locally made crafts, baked goods, produce and more. We enjoyed a cup of coffee and some homemade muffins as we walked around. Since we were there early in the morning, most of the shops downtown weren’t open yet. But I did find Cape Fear Spice Merchants open, so we shopped around for a bit. They had the biggest selection of spices and teas I have ever seen! Then we headed back to Trailborn Surf & Sound in Wrightsville Beach to enjoy an unseasonably warm day on the beach.

For lunch I wanted to try Indochine, a Thai and Vietnamese restaurant I found during a search of unique restaurants in North Carolina. We arrived at 11:45 a.m., knowing it didn’t open until noon. But I was surprised to see a long line of people waiting outside the door. I said to my husband, “This place must be really good if people are lining up to get in as soon as the doors open.” At 12 p.m. on the dot, everyone filtered in, filling all the tables in the outdoor courtyard. When you walk through the garden-like area, you feel like you’ve been magically transported to Thailand. The tables are all private, nestled in trees and foliage, some in little huts. There are even tables right next to a beautiful Koi pond.

I am a little embarrassed to admit I’d never eaten at a Thai restaurant before, so when I saw the appetizer sampler, I knew we had to try it, as it offered the most different foods to try. The sampler included cha gio, shrimp goi cuon, crab angels, pork dumplings, coconut shrimp, gold bags and chicken satay; and I enjoyed it all!

For my main dish I had Roasted Duck Red Curry, and my husband, Jim, had Happy Asian Melody with chicken, shrimp, beef and scallops. Jim feels he can’t go wrong when all protein groups are paired up in one meal! There was so much delicious food, we had to bring leftovers back to our room. I would definitely recommend getting there early if you want a prime spot out in the garden.

We had early dinner reservations at Pilot House on the riverfront, so after relaxing at the hotel for a bit, we headed to the riverfront to walk around again. The area really comes alive at night with cute, lit-up trees and a bustling crowd. We stopped in Cryptid Den for a drink and to listen to a band playing outside before heading to Pilot House for dinner. We started with baked crab dip and then asked our waiter what he recommended for entrées. He informed us the menu was new, and the chef raved the pork chops were the best thing on the new menu. So Jim got pork chops, and I ordered blackened redfish, because the waiter said it was such a popular item on the old menu, they had to keep it. My redfish was flavorful and served on a bed of Carolina gold crab-fried rice with bok choy. I said to my husband, “I’ve never heard of crab-fried rice, but now that I’ve tried it, I need more of it in my life; it was so good!” Jim’s pork chops were huge and perfectly fried — not greasy — and paired nicely with roasted shallots, apple farro and a delicious whole-grain mustard sauce.

With our large meals, there was no room left for dessert, so we finished up and headed down the river to the meeting spot for our evening adventure: Wilmington’s Haunted Pub Crawl. Our guide, Gina, was dressed up in what looked to me like a pirate costume to take us on a tour and share tales of haunted spots in Wilmington. As we walked from pub to pub around town, she regaled us with haunted tales — all of them true (well, mostly)! I don’t want to give away too much from her stories, but one was of local legend Captain Ellerbrock and his dog, Boss, who perished in one of Wilmington’s many fires and are buried together in Oakdale Cemetery. People say Boss’s spirit still walks the corner of Dock and Front streets at night. Gina told me each night they go to different pubs and tell different stories, so many people come back again and bring friends.

Wilmington, North Carolina, has so much to offer, from sunset cruises and horse-drawn carriage rides to a battleship tour and so many great restaurants, it’s difficult to fit it all in one weekend. I will definitely be back!

— Tracey Cullen, art director