NC: Outer Banks SC: Myrtle Beach

Does anyone have recommendations for where to stay in June?  We're planning a visit in 2003.

Don't know about Myrtle Beach, but your best bet while visiting the outer banks is Colington Park Campground in Kill Devil Hills, NC [(252)441-6128]. My husband, son and I stayed there for a week last summer, and it was great.

It was the only campground we saw that had any kind of shade. It's a mile off the main drag and that same distance from the beach and the Wright Brothers Memorial. They have electric and water hookups, and the office has a small store if you run out of anything. Best of all: it's a really peaceful setting in the middle of a very commercial area.

It was also the cheapest place we found, running about $20/night (last year, anyway). I would recommend getting reservations. If I remember correctly you will have to pay a portion up front to reserve your site.

Hope you enjoy your trip as much as we did. :)

Cape Hatteras KOA in Rodanthe, a few miles down from the above campground is really nice.  It doesn't have the shade, but it is right on the beach.  Just cross over the dune!  It's more expensive, but a very nice atmosphere.  My son worked there during the summer and we visited for a night.

[TNTrail]

We stayed at Camp Hatteras this past July.  It is about 1/8 mile above the KOA.  I preffered the concrete pads at Camp Hatteras to the sand spaces at KOA.  We enjoyed our stay.  There is no shade but with the wind it was not to bad.  Their web site is http://camphatteras.com

;)we just went to Myrtle beach in september.  check out "Myrtle Beach Travel Park" in south carolina.  It is close to the North Carolina border line.  It is a wonderful park right on the ocean between those big hotels. check out their web site at "myrtle beach travel park.com". we found this camp ground last year and we are going to make it our last  trip every year form now on.  We met so many wonderful people there. After 9/3 the prices go down to $32. a day. they have a laundry wonderful shower houses a grocery store , 2 pools, a lake and a nice breakfast spot and its reasonable also.  Just check it out, I think if you went there you would want to go back again and again.  We walked the beach every night and morning. chased sand crabs at night.  hope this helps.       betty :DTEXT

I am a cheapskate ;D, we like Myrtle Beach State Park. It is about half the price, has most of the same amenities, but it is a state park. The advantage/disadvantage is that is very near the airport so there are planes coming over most of the day and early evening when the wind is right. Haven't been yet but we have heard nothing but good reports about Huntington Beach State Park. Both of these are located at the southern end on MB off of US 17.

Aaron

[Happytrails]

With State parks though, first if you have pets be sure to find out if they allow them. We'd been planning for months to stay at assateague state park, drove 450 miles there, to see a sign that read "No pets allowed, Maximum fine $500.00"! Talk about dissapointed.......we had our dog with us of course...........The national park didn't have any hookups, so couldn't stay there, so just spent 4 days getting rained on in "Frontiertown".....(which wasn't too bad, but they limited our time there because of the "big" weekend they are having this weekend). Just as we were pulling out, of course the sun comes out......lol Web site at http://www.frontiertown.com

Happytrails...........

Most states have websites that list the regulations for their parks. To the best of my knowledge all of the state parks in NC, and SC allow pets on a leash. The other part of the regulation says they must not be left alone in the camp site. We saw the problems with this one at Kerr Resevoir. Someone left a dog tied up in the campsite while they were out on the lake fishing, for most of the day. The dog was miserable and barked and howled continously(sp). The rangers finally ran the people down and gave them their options, they left with and attitude. In most of the state parks in NC the rangers are trained law enforcement and do carry sidearms.

Aaron

[bbeckham]

Dan,

We spent 30+ years in NC. One thing to consider is the likelihood of undertows and riptides the farther north you get in NC along its coast. All it takes is a storm off the coast to stir up the ocean and make it dangerous to swim or wade on the ocean side of the NC outer banks. The beach drops of quickly and steeply. Closer to the SC border the beaches have a gentle slope.