Pedals to Petals: An E‑Bike Journey to Airlie Gardens

Morning warms the bricks of Wilmington as you roll from S. 15th Street, the e‑bike humming beneath you like a friendly tide. The River to Sea Bikeway gathers you up, its painted lanes threading past porches and old-growth oaks, where shadows stretch long and easy. Traffic ebbs, live oaks bow in a slow greeting, and the coastal breeze noses you east toward the gardens. This is an urban ride with a wild heart—pavement giving way to magnolia scent, azaleas flaring at corners that feel plucked from spring postcards. The route is simple to love and satisfying to ride: a self-paced spin to Airlie Gardens, Wilmington’s 67-acre botanical refuge, then a mellow cruise back—with a celebratory stop at Flying Machine Brewing if the day calls for it.