The historic port city of Wilmington affords all the unique opportunity to enjoy an exciting area rich in shopping, dinning, culture and the arts, while being only minutes away from white sandy beaches.

An architecturally unique historic district highlights the downtown area with a scenic riverfront park overlooking the Battleship North Carolina. Numerous museums, galleries, historic sites and plantation homes and gardens lie nearby. Meeting facilities for large and small groups accommodate conferences from 10 to 1000.

Wrightsville Beach, 12 miles east of Wilmington, is a year-round island resort. Wide uncrowded beaches, over 30 marinas, and a variety of accommodations are complimented by excellent seafood restaurants, specialty shops and a touch of nightlife. Carolina Beach and Kure Beach, just south of Wrightsville, offer pier fishing, charter boat cruises, amusements, fine restaurants, festivals and beautiful beaches. Relive the Civil War at historic Fort Fisher, or visit the North Carolina Aquarium shark tank and sea turtle exhibits.

Midway between New York City and Miami, the Cape Fear Coast enjoys four distinct yet mild seasons. The area offers year-round golf on .nearly 150 golf courses within 90 minutes of Wilmington. Just over the state line, within an hour’s drive, is the Myrtle Beach coast - a Mecca for golf, shopping and night life.

As the eighth largest hospital in the state, NHRMC specializes in many areas of health care including cardiology, neurology, community wellness, and rehabilitation. As a division of the nation's largest hospital corporation, CCFMH holds the distinction of having the longest standing accreditation by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Health Care Organizations of any hospital in southeast North Carolina. Specialized areas of care at CCFMH include magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computerized tomography (CT), interventional neuroradiology, and occupational therapy. For further information on New Hanover Regional Medical Center, call 910-343-7095. For information about Columbia Cape Fear Hospital, call 910-452-8100.

Cape Fear Academy
Cape Fear Academy is the only college-preparatory day school in the Greater Wilmington area. It serves students from grades PK-12 with a mission emphasizing community, respect, integrity, and academic excellence. The school was established in 1967 and has a student body of about 530 students. Average class size in the Lower School is 19 students with at least a part-time teacher assistant. Middle and Upper School classes usually have 15-20 students in an academic class. Facilities include several new and newly renovated classroom buildings, as well as a gymnasium, fitness center, dining hall, art studio, athletic fields, and music and drama performance areas. Athletic offerings for grades 7-12 include soccer, basketball, cheerleading, cross country, field hockey, volleyball, swimming, tennis, softball, golf, and lacrosse. Drama, music, visual arts, and community service are also strong elements of their program. The average SAT score for Cape Fear Academy graduates is about 1200. Advanced Placement classes are offered in the Upper School and 100% of their graduates attend four-year colleges and universities.

For further information, call 910-791-0287 or visit the Cape Fear Academy web site at www.capefearacademy.org.

Daycare Centers
Over 50 daycare centers and pre-schools are located in the Greater Wilmington Area. For detailed information call the Child Advocacy Commission at 910-763-7430.

Colleges and Universities

University of North Carolina at Wilmington
The University of North Carolina at Wilmington (UNCW) was established as Wilmington College in 1947. Approved as a constituent school of the University of North Carolina system in 1969, UNCW today has an enrollment of 9,500 students and offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in nearly 60 areas of study. As the only public university in Southeast North Carolina, UNCW is committed to lifelong learning opportunities, assisting with the improvement of public school education, and enhancing the personal, cultural, and economic health of the region. UNCW is listed in the top 20 regional universities in the South, according to U.S. News & World Report's 1999 ranking of America's Best Colleges. UNCW has become a leader in the use of technology and employs distance learning and hypermedia in the teaching of its classes. The university is also committed to lifelong learning and offers a wide array of enrichment opportunities. For more information contact the UNCW Admissions Office at 910-962-3243 or the Division for Public Service and Extended Education at 910-962-3192. You may also browse UNCW's web site at www.uncwil.edu.

Cape Fear Community College
As one of 58 institutions in the North Carolina Community College system, CFCC is committed to vocational and technical education. With a student enrollment of approximately 4,500 students, CFCC is the fastest growing community college in the state. Over 35 different programs are offered with classes taught at three campuses. Focused Industry Training (FIT) is a core part of CFCC's mission. FIT provides for the development and delivery of customized training programs for existing industry for skilled and semi-skilled workers employed in industrial occupations. Training can be held at CFCC, the firm's site or another appropriate location. Apprenticeship training is also offered as is cooperative education which provide job experience in a field related to the student's area of study. For further information about the school contact CFCC at 910-251-5100 or browse www.cfcc.net.

Miller-Motte Business College
Miller-Motte Business College offers business, allied health, and technical training to its 300-plus students who have access to the most modern office and laboratory equipment. Founded in 1916, Miller-Motte is accredited by the Commission on Occupational Education Institutions of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. For more information, call 910-392-4662.