Here we are in Wilmington, North Carolina. One of the few things to do with kids, that don't include food, is a carriage tour. We visited in early spring so activities most likely weren't in full swing but I was surprised how little there was to do for our family. Also Covid. So I take it all with a grain of salt. Anywho, I am a sucker for any trolley, carriage ride, or tour. Springbrook Farms Carriage Tours is an option in Wilmington. This is a home grown operation. It is pretty sweet in that the farm has all rescue horses and they are given a happy life to live out the rest of their days. Our tour guide gave us info about the farm and was very passionate about the horses. I digress. We arrived at around noon. There was a sign instructing folks to sit and wait for the next tour. There was no number taking or order system so we just sat and waited for the current tour to return. This left us talking to other people sitting around and trying to keep our own sense of a line. This was a bit nerve wracking since I am an anxious person who likes clear guidelines. They were only running one carriage (I don't think this is always the case). We could not fit in the next ride so the driver told us we would be in the ride after and he would remember our faces (eeekkk, stresss!). That meant we had a half hour to kill. I made Jon hold our place and the boys and I looked around at near by shops. There were some entertaining touristy shops for us to look at and some people bought ice cream while waiting from Kilwins nearby. Once it was our turn the driver did indeed remember us. We all snuggled in and were on our way. The tour basically took us around a few blocks. We learned a few things about Wilmington but mostly looked at houses. Wilmington has an extraordinary historical district. Almost every house is amazing. I can't say this was a thrilling adventure for the kids. But they found it pleasant enough. I like to offer a nice little bribe for who can answer the most correct questions about the information given. This usually keeps them more attentive. Overall, I'm not sure the tour is worth the price but as my husband said, what else were we going to do? Adults are $14 and children under 12 are $6.
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The highly technical information center
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| My crew and our sweet horse Pete (he just looks a bit grumpy but I think it's just an unflattering picture). |
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I always take pictures of signs in case I forget where we were in 20 years or most likely 2.
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| One of countless beautifully restored houses, minus the electrical pole. |
Pros and Cons By Us
Beth (Old)
Pros: Friendly tour guide, pleasant ride, beautiful houses.
Cons: The system to actually get on the carriage is tedious and a bit stressful
Jon (Oldest)
Pros: It is a very nice casual stroll to see some of the history of the city.
Cons: The intake system was poor. Expensive for half an hour.
Gus (12)
Pros: Got to take a picture with Pete.
Cons: It was hard to hear.
Lou (9)
Pros: I thought the guide was funny at the beginning and Pete was amazing.
Cons: It was hard to hear.
Ted (11)
Pros: I actually got to be in the carriage.
Cons: It was hard to hear the guide.
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