Mystery Tour of a Cultural District
By Wilson Tourism
08/11/2008
Whether you're looking for Southern hospitality, the East Coast's largest antique market, historic homes and sights, superb golfing, or the best plate of pork barbecue, Wilson is the place for your next group tour or reunion trip.
Contact Information:
t: view phone 800-497-7398
e: view email info@wilson.nc.com
w: view URL http://wilson.nc.com
i: view contact details
- Visit the Arts Council Building on the National
- Register of Historic Places Touring of the Barton Art Museum
- Shop at the East Coast's largest antique district
- Witness the beauty of the All American Rose Garden
- Explore the Imagination Station Science Museum
Tour Dates:
Number of Days: 3
Day 1:
Arrive at the Arts Council of Wilson to enjoy a beautiful venue of local artists, children’s artwork and other artists work in one of three galleries. Sip on a glass of lemonade with a homemade sweet from a local downtown bakery. The Arts Council Building is one of the many buildings on the National Registrar of Historic Places. The art deco style building is dated 1903. Later, visit Studio One to enjoy the local artist’s collection from murals, ceramic, pottery, acrylic and canvas pieces and more. Enjoy a visit to one of many interior decorator stores in Downtown Wilson and visit the Barton Art Museum located on the campus of Barton College. The museum houses three galleries. This afternoon, lunch is a must at one of four Eastern North Carolina Barbecue Restaurants, located in the middle of the Antique District off of Highway 301. Spending the afternoon at an estate auction can be thrilling for those who have never heard an auctioneer sell furnish¬ings at a quick pace. Wilson is home to the East Coast’s largest antique district with over 350,000 square feet of English antiques. There are 25 stores in Wilson and several are antique reproduction makers. Tonight, dinner will be elegant at one of our many fine restaurants before enjoying the accommodations at one of the 25 properties located throughout Wilson.
Day 2:
Wilson is home to an All America Rose Garden with over 220 vari¬eties of roses. A must see between the months of May and November. Weddings, reunions and casual groups all enjoy visiting this garden. There are numerous gardens that you can visit while you are here (to be scheduled ahead), The Wilson Botanical Garden at the Agriculture Center features a children’s garden, arbors, statues, fish pond and more. Lunch can be spent at Dick’s Hot Dog Stand. They have been around for over 100 years and have the best dogs in town. Cute and quaint and can accommodate your needs. This afternoon, spend time shopping at one of our fine malls, shopping Strips or pur¬chasing more antiques. Numerous groups can enjoy the afternoon vis¬iting North Carolina’s only baseball museum, complete with memora¬bilia from baseball players that started in North Carolina and went on the make it big in the major and minor leagues. A must see! Later, visit the Imagination Station Science Museum (children’s museum) with over 250 hands on experimental challenges. Vollis Simpson “Whirligigs” have been placed all over the United States and his folkart is featured in a park downtown. His work can be viewed on his farm by making arrangements with the Wilson Visitors Bureau. These sculp-tures are tremendous and move with the wind. Later, visit the African American museum called the Nestus Freeman Roundhouse. Truly a roundhouse made of stone depicting the artifacts of all the African Americans in Wilson County.
Day 3:
Other attractions that can extend your stay within the Wilson area are Wilson Tobs Baseball, the Boykin Theater that hosts numerous plays and an annual event called Theater of the American South, our annual Whirligig Festival downtown annually in November, church tours, porch and walking tours, plus Wilson has a 7 mile track of miniature railroads all together under one roof at Railroad Modelers Train. Wilson is a Unique Southern Experience. Come and see what we have to offer.
