# East Coast Vacation Destination



## momech (Jun 29, 2011)

We're looking at taking a vacation to a beach on the east coast in early August. We're looking for somewhere besides Hilton Head Island and Myrtle Beach. We'd like to stay in a hotel or condo on, or very near, the beach for $125/night or less. Can anyone recommend such a place? Oh yeah, we have 2 adults and 3 small children.


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## wilheldp_PE (Jun 29, 2011)

If you are looking to stay a whole week, I would look into renting a house or condo from Sandbridge Realty in Virginia Beach. I've stayed there the past couple of years with a bunch of friends from college. It works better when you have more people (so that the rental is cheaper per person), but the condos are in the mid to low $1000's for a week.


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## momech (Jun 29, 2011)

Thanks wilheldp. We are looking at a whole week, but Sandbridge looks like they only have availability on larger condos for that time period. Everything available sleeps at least 8. But yes, that's the kind of thing I'm looking for!


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## Ble_PE (Jun 30, 2011)

Momech, there are a lot of islands along the NC coast that have homes and condos available for rent. Here are a few off the top of my head: Sunset Beach, Ocean Isle Beach, Holden Beach, Oak Island, Topsail Island, Carolina Beach, Emerald Isle, Atlantic Beach, and the Outer Banks, which includes Kill Devil Hills, Kitty Hawk, Nags Head, Hatteras Island, and Ocracoke. All of these are very family friendly and the first 3 or 4 that I mentioned are within driving distance to both Wilmington and Myrtle Beach, so you could make day trips to either place.

Let me know if you have any questions.


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## OSUguy98 (Jun 30, 2011)

We're headed to Hatteras in Sept.... The house we're getting is something like $950 for the week after all the insurance/etc... it's the first week of the off-season, so the rate is significantly less than now, or Aug... I've have good luck with Midgett Realty, I've personally rented off of them twice now, split rent with my brother and parents once, and went on my parent's dime back in the early 90s... Midgett's website has lots of pics of the houses/etc and will show you the rates per week and availability...

My only beach trips have been to Hatteras and Myrtle... and they are polar opposite... Myrtle is commercial, lots of shops, restaurants, night/day life... Hatteras, is the beach... it's quiet, calm... relaxing... there's one grocery store on the island... a handful of small restaurants and shops... but in general, it's just a bunch of beach houses... There are still lots of tourist-y things to do on the island (pick a light house... any light house), an aquarium, museums... you kinda have the best of both worlds, you get the surf on once side, and the sound on the other...


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## RIP - VTEnviro (Jun 30, 2011)

When you say East Coast, do you specifically mean coastal or just some state with a coastline on the Atlantic?


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## momech (Jun 30, 2011)

VTEnviro said:


> When you say East Coast, do you specifically mean coastal or just some state with a coastline on the Atlantic?


I don't completely understand your question, but we want a place where we can walk to an Atlantic Ocean beach.


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## chaosiscash (Jun 30, 2011)

Ble_PE said:


> Momech, there are a lot of islands along the NC coast that have homes and condos available for rent. Here are a few off the top of my head: Sunset Beach, Ocean Isle Beach, Holden Beach, Oak Island, Topsail Island, Carolina Beach, Emerald Isle, Atlantic Beach, and the Outer Banks, which includes Kill Devil Hills, Kitty Hawk, Nags Head, Hatteras Island, and Ocracoke. All of these are very family friendly and the first 3 or 4 that I mentioned are within driving distance to both Wilmington and Myrtle Beach, so you could make day trips to either place.
> Let me know if you have any questions.


X2.

The Brunswick NC area (Wilmington and south to the state line) is beautiful, family friendly, and very relaxing.


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## RIP - VTEnviro (Jun 30, 2011)

momech said:


> VTEnviro said:
> 
> 
> > When you say East Coast, do you specifically mean coastal or just some state with a coastline on the Atlantic?
> ...


Let me clarify: I grew up in NY, an east coast state. I like the Adirondacks, which are 5 hours away from the ocean. I was asking if you meant the region in general, or specifically a coastal trip. I see you mean on the coast.

One of my favorite coastal things to do around here is hang out in the Gloucester/Rockport area. Picturesque New England coastal towns, without the huge crowds on the Cape.


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## Road Guy (Jun 30, 2011)

have you looked at http://www.vrbo.com/ ?

depending where you decide to go these are people that have vacation homes they rent directly, we use this whenever we go to the keys and usually get a very nice house for way less than any hotel...

I dont have any experience north of Virginia, but the Outer Banks in NC is very nice. Amelia Island is a nice beach but its more for the over 40 golf crowd, not much for kids to do except the beach (as we found out once)

If you go to the Outer Banks, people are very obsessed with the Wright Brothers(Thats where we first flew) I almost got into a bar fight joking that it wasnt a really big deal, seeing how they only flew about 50 feet.....


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## RIP - VTEnviro (Jun 30, 2011)

Momech - another great MA vacation spot in Provincetown at the end of the Cape.


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## MA_PE (Jun 30, 2011)

^it makes for some great people watching.....especially after dark.

Some of the world's best scrapbookers summer there.


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## momech (Jun 30, 2011)

Road Guy said:


> have you looked at http://www.vrbo.com/ ?
> depending where you decide to go these are people that have vacation homes they rent directly, we use this whenever we go to the keys and usually get a very nice house for way less than any hotel...


Yes. And I agree. That's how I found our condo at HHI a couple years ago. This time around, I'm having trouble finding much in our price range.


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## NCcarguy (Jun 30, 2011)

So you're looking to spend a total of about $1000 for 7 nights? I'll be heading to Atlantic Beach this weekend I'm sure, so I'll look and see what's available. There are many,many options, I just don't know how much.


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## momech (Jun 30, 2011)

Correct.


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## DVINNY (Jun 30, 2011)

Road Guy said:


> If you go to the Outer Banks, people are very obsessed with the Wright Brothers(Thats where we first flew) I almost got into a bar fight joking that it wasnt a really big deal, seeing how they only flew about 50 feet.....


damn dude, WTF is wrong with you?

I suppose next, you're going to go to Plymouth Rock and tell them that it's only where they stepped on land and took a dump.


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## RIP - VTEnviro (Jun 30, 2011)

Plymouth Rock is pretty well covered over, and in a public place. The only here who might pull off that feat is the Fudgeman.


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## csb (Jun 30, 2011)

Old Orchard Beach, ME!


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## testee (Jun 30, 2011)

seaside heights. say hi to the gang!


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## envirotex (Jun 30, 2011)

Where ever you are headed, and like Road Guy suggested I would use vrbo.com or homeaway.com to find a place to stay...I've had luck with both, not on the east coast, but beach and lake rentals...


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## MA_PE (Jun 30, 2011)

DVINNY said:


> Road Guy said:
> 
> 
> > If you go to the Outer Banks, people are very obsessed with the Wright Brothers(Thats where we first flew) I almost got into a bar fight joking that it wasnt a really big deal, seeing how they only flew about 50 feet.....
> ...


you're only slightly off. Actually Provincetown claims the pilgrims landed there first ( :true: and there's a museum in P-town to that effect) and then moved further in on the coast to Plymouth. They may have left some men (no women) behind at P-town before they left to settle in and take a massive dump in Plymouth.


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## jeb6294 (Jul 1, 2011)

Ble_PE said:


> Momech, there are a lot of islands along the NC coast that have homes and condos available for rent. Here are a few off the top of my head: Sunset Beach....


I will heartily second Sunset Beach. It's just a quiet little island with basically just beach houses...also a couple little shops people like to walk to and the pier...but is also within easy driving distance of Myrtle Beach when you want a little more action. Although, I'll be interested to see if it is changing since they replaced the floating pontoon bridge with the causeway. Used to be you had to time when you were trying to get on or off the island to make sure you didn't get stuck at the bridge. It probably helped keep it as low key as it is. We're actually going down the last week in July after I get done here for our annual extended family trip, but I think this may be our last year because the 12 hour trip is just too much.


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## chaosiscash (Jul 1, 2011)

jeb6294 said:


> I will heartily second Sunset Beach. It's just a quiet little island with basically just beach houses...also a couple little shops people like to walk to and the pier...but is also within easy driving distance of Myrtle Beach when you want a little more action. Although, I'll be interested to see if it is changing since they replaced the floating pontoon bridge with the causeway. Used to be you had to time when you were trying to get on or off the island to make sure you didn't get stuck at the bridge. It probably helped keep it as low key as it is. We're actually going down the last week in July after I get done here for our annual extended family trip, but I think this may be our last year because the 12 hour trip is just too much.


I was there a few weeks ago. I'm not a fan of the new bridge, as I thought the old one had character. But so far no extra commercialization (sp?) has moved on the island.


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## momech (Jul 1, 2011)

jeb6294 said:


> I will heartily second Sunset Beach. It's just a quiet little island with basically just beach houses...also a couple little shops people like to walk to and the pier...but is also within easy driving distance of Myrtle Beach when you want a little more action. Although, I'll be interested to see if it is changing since they replaced the floating pontoon bridge with the causeway. Used to be you had to time when you were trying to get on or off the island to make sure you didn't get stuck at the bridge. It probably helped keep it as low key as it is. We're actually going down the last week in July after I get done here for our annual extended family trip, but I think this may be our last year because the 12 hour trip is just too much.


Funny you should mention that Jeb. We're planning to stop in Cincinnati on our way to catch a Reds game.


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## jeb6294 (Jul 2, 2011)

chaosiscash said:


> I was there a few weeks ago. I'm not a fan of the new bridge, as I thought the old one had character. But so far no extra commercialization (sp?) has moved on the island.


Planning your day around the bridge schedule was kind of a pain, but I still liked the old bridge better (I'm assuming the new one is your standard concrete causeway).



momech said:


> Funny you should mention that Jeb. We're planning to stop in Cincinnati on our way to catch a Reds game.


I'll definitely be trying to get to a few games once I get home. Trying to follow things via the highlights on the Reds webpage just isn't the same. Every once in a while they'll play their games here, but with the time difference, they're on in the middle of the night. I'm hoping we'll get to go to a few games in the MIL's company suite this year too.


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## momech (Jul 20, 2011)

We settled on Ocean Isle Beach. I found a place on VRBO. I hope it's as nice as it seems!


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## csb (Jul 21, 2011)

MA_PE said:


> you're only slightly off. Actually Provincetown claims the pilgrims landed there first ( :true: and there's a museum in P-town to that effect) and then moved further in on the coast to Plymouth. They may have left some men (no women) behind at P-town before they left to settle in and take a massive dump in Plymouth.


I see what you did there.


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## RIP - VTEnviro (Jul 21, 2011)

Not that there's anything wrong with that...


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## jeb6294 (Aug 1, 2011)

momech said:


> We settled on Ocean Isle Beach. I found a place on VRBO. I hope it's as nice as it seems!


That should be pretty nice. I'm back in the country and just got back from several days at Sunset Beach. OIB is more developed than Sunset...they've had easy access for a while now, Sunset just got a new bridge...but it's still a far cry from the craziness you'd get at Myrtle.

We did the fishing thing out of Calabash...it sucked. Seas were rough and we only caught two small sea bass. Took the whole group to the Pirate Voyage at Myrtle one night...it's the old Dixie Stampede only a pirate theme now. The kids absolutely loved it, the wife got hammered and ended up in the show. The best thing we did was a place called Carolina Backwoods about 15 minutes inland in Ash, NC. It's an offroad park so you can take your own 4-wheeler but they also do guided tours on one of their machines which we did. It was $80 for the two hour tour (it actually ended up being about 2 1/2 hours), but it was well worth it. My wife and I had a ball and they have a couple of the longer wheelbase machines so we could take the kids along with us and they loved it too.


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## Supe (Aug 2, 2011)

Looks like you guys had a blast!


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## MA_PE (Aug 2, 2011)

that's not sewage I hope. If a couch floats by, throw it out.

Looks like a great time.

Q) Assuming that's you, the missus, and your kids. Who took the pictures?


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## Supe (Aug 2, 2011)

MA_PE said:


> that's not sewage I hope. If a couch floats by, throw it out.
> 
> Looks like a great time.
> 
> Q) Assuming that's you, the missus, and your kids. Who took the pictures?



I wondered that too, until I re-read "but they also do guided tours"


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## wilheldp_PE (Aug 2, 2011)

Supe said:


> MA_PE said:
> 
> 
> > that's not sewage I hope. If a couch floats by, throw it out.
> ...


We're engineers...reading comprehension isn't in our job description.


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## jeb6294 (Aug 4, 2011)

They were in the middle of a drought there, but it decided to start raining while we were there. The day we were out it started to downpour about 45 minutes in. The owner/guide was in a Polaris Ranger with a roof so he was fine and most of us were fine with it so we kept at it, except for Jack who decided who decided to hang out with Mrs. Owner back at the office. Didn't make much difference to us because we were getting dirty anyway, but it ended up being a lot more fun in the mud.

The husband/wife go out with you on the tours, except when she's hanging out with someone's kid, so they do pictures while you're out. It's just cell phone pictures, but they do them for free and they aren't too bad so it is a nice gesture. Just to clarify something if anyone decided to try it out...a 2 hour tour is actually $110 but they knock off $30 if you wash your machine down at the end.


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