Poplar Grove Plantation is a historic house and grounds north of Wilmington, set in the old peanut-farming country near Scotts Hill. The site is at its best when it treats the plantation story honestly: architecture, agriculture, family wealth, and the enslaved labour that made the place possible.
It works as a half-day excursion from Wilmington, especially for travellers exploring beyond the riverfront and beaches. Check tour times before you go, and leave space for the grounds and outbuildings rather than treating the main house as the whole story.