Living like a local: Making moves
There are many options for walking at Halyburton Park, including a boardwalk and a paved loop through the woods. (Photo courtesy of City of Wilmington’s Parks and Recreation department)
I have a smartwatch and I love it, but it’s a complicated relationship. You see, it has three activity rings that I am challenged to close every day by meeting certain exercise goals. When I close my rings, I feel very accomplished and I love my watch. There are days, however, when my watch will politely vibrate on my wrist to tell me to stand up! My husband and I both have these and sometimes we compete for our accomplishments or to see whose watch is snarkier.
The good news is it is easy to get outside and stay fit during the mild January winters in Wilmington. I have a few great spots to share.
Halyburton Park is a personal favorite of mine. When my daughter was little, she called it “Snake Park.” Do not worry, this is not due to rampant snakes slithering wildly throughout the area. This park has an awesome welcome center that houses terrariums with turtles and snakes and other wildlife indigenous to the region. The park has clean, large bathrooms, a yoga studio and lots of covered picnic areas. There's a nice paved, wooded loop for walking, running, biking or whatever is your passion with natural pathways through the woods within the loop. In addition to all of this, you will find a wooden boardwalk atop a marshland to view the protected natural habitat. If you still have energy after your walk, there are always the swings and slides!
If the weather is not to your liking, you can get your legs moving during a nice mall walk. The Independence Mall has undergone a number of updates in the past few years and has a lot of new stores and restaurants in and around it. The mall is a great place to stay indoors, get a lot of steps and be social! You can listen to music and people-watch while getting your steps in. You can also enjoy the delicious smells of freshly baked pretzels coming from the food court. Why not grab one while you are there? You are exercising, so you deserve it!
Another favorite spot of mine is Carolina Beach State Park. This state park offers campgrounds, a boat ramp, jet ski rentals and all sorts of fun that you can research on their website. Those things may get your heart moving, but we are here to walk, run, skip or whatever moves you on the trails. The trails along the river are so beautiful and fun for all ages. There are a few trails from which you can choose. One is named Sugarloaf Trail and it will take you up a dune to great views. This trail is primarily through the woods with lots of pine straw and some roots on the ground. When you get to the top, you are looking down over the Cape Fear River at all the boats – or not, depending on the weather – and it is a beautiful sight either way. Another trail I enjoy is Oak Toe Trail which veers off from Sugarloaf. This route takes you out to a point where you have a more panoramic view of the river, and it’s impressive. If walking a long distance isn’t your thing, you only need to go a short distance from the parking lot onto the trail to rest on the small beach and view the river from there. No matter your choice, I promise you will be glad you got outside!
Wilmington has a lot of opportunities to tick up the step count on a smartwatch, which means I have no excuse for mine to give me snarky reminders to stand up anymore! I hope you can enjoy these fine locations, and if you want to get a soft pretzel while exercising, you won’t get any judgment from me.
