Fodor's Expert Review Airlie Gardens
Wilmington
Garden
This garden's 67 lush acres feature azaleas, magnolias, and camellias that flourish near two freshwater lakes that attract waterfowl. This is not an ornate flower garden—it's more of a naturally beautiful place to take a stroll beside the river, enjoying native plants in bloom, trailside sculptures, and abundant birdlife. Take note of the greatest specimen in the gardens: a gargantuan five-century-old oak.
May through October you can flutter among 300 to 400 butterflies in the huge butterfly house.
The last tickets of the day are sold a half hour before closing. No pets (except service animals) are permitted.
