Best beach for family rental in the Carolinas?

[mazeroth]

Us and another couple would like to rent a beach house this summer (has to be the week of June 23). They wanted to go to Myrtle Beach but my brother and his family have rented in Atlantic Beach/Emerald Isle NC a few times and really like it. We both have kids that are 4 and 2 and we're not looking for something touristy and for partying but rather just a relaxing place with a beautiful beach that the kids can play at. Any suggestions and why you suggest it?

Thanks!

 

[rcpratt]

Outer Banks. You pretty much described it.

 

[boomhower]

Outer Banks. You pretty much described it.

Agreed. MB seems to be filled with drunks every night.

 

[purbeast0]

i would suggest going further south than the outer banks if you want to have a less crowded beach. obx is pretty main stream now, although it still is very relaxing. i've also been to emerald isle and it is very relaxing as well with nice beaches.

you want to go to a place where there is literally nothing to do at night other than just relax? i went to holden beach last summer and it is just there. there is literally 1 bar to go to if you really want to. but other than that, absolutely nothing to do there as far as night life. we had about 5 houses rented with all family and all just hung out all day and night. it was great.

 

[Sho'Nuff]

Outer Banks. You pretty much described it.

Outer banks is awesome. Population goes down as you go further south (from duck to ocracoke) so you can pick how city like you want your vacation to be. I recommend staying in hatteras or ocracoke if you want peace and quiet. Bring a fishing pole, as the fishing is awesome. Not what it was 20-30 years ago, but still good.

 

[IronWing]

Look into renting at a cottage court (there are still a few around). The older ones are generally right behind the dunes so you can just step out your door and walk to the beach. They generally attract families and retired folks. With a kitchenette you can save a bundle on eating out and it is very relaxing.

 

[xSauronx]

Outer banks is awesome. Population goes down as you go further south (from duck to ocracoke) so you can pick how city like you want your vacation to be. I recommend staying in hatteras or ocracoke if you want peace and quiet. Bring a fishing pole, as the fishing is awesome. Not what it was 20-30 years ago, but still good.

this....but expec to pay through the nose. friends and i just rented a house in hatteras over new years, oceanfront, for a week...7 bedrooms: $3500.

during the summer i think its more like 10k. obviously not everyone needs a place that big, but book in advance and be prepared to shell out some dough. gorgeous place, though. honestly in the offseason its not crowded so we prefer going during that time.

if you have special medical or dietary needs plan in advance...youre a long way from specialty clinics and stores for that sort of thing when you are down there.

be prepared to stop at, or go visit Pea Island if you go. its a reserve so nothing is built there but a very small visitor center...really fantastic.

 

[kranky]

Holden Beach fits what you're looking for. And Myrtle is not far if you want to do the tourist stuff.

 

[PsiStar]

Ocean Isle, NC ... get a house across the road from the beach side. Beach side view are much more expensive.

 

[xSauronx]

Ocean Isle, NC ... get a house across the road from the beach side. Beach side view are much more expensive.

thats fair...oak island isnt much farther away and is within driving distance of wilmington, which is a nice place to hang out some

 

[BrokenVisage]

OBX

 

[rcpratt]

Outer banks is awesome. Population goes down as you go further south (from duck to ocracoke) so you can pick how city like you want your vacation to be. I recommend staying in hatteras or ocracoke if you want peace and quiet. Bring a fishing pole, as the fishing is awesome. Not what it was 20-30 years ago, but still good.

Avon is our spot. Beautiful beach, but not too crowded.

 

[edro]

Hilton Head

 

[Sho'Nuff]

this....but expec to pay through the nose. friends and i just rented a house in hatteras over new years, oceanfront, for a week...7 bedrooms: $3500.

during the summer i think its more like 10k. obviously not everyone needs a place that big, but book in advance and be prepared to shell out some dough. gorgeous place, though. honestly in the offseason its not crowded so we prefer going during that time.

if you have special medical or dietary needs plan in advance...youre a long way from specialty clinics and stores for that sort of thing when you are down there.

be prepared to stop at, or go visit Pea Island if you go. its a reserve so nothing is built there but a very small visitor center...really fantastic.

Yeah, it is very expensive. I was very lucky in that my parents owned a tiny cottage in frisco when I was growing up. I got to spend 2+ months in the OBX each summer until I was about 20. They sold that place in 2003 for 160k, and it was basically a tear down. The big places are easily 2-3 million dollar homes.

 

[WackyDan]

i would suggest going further south than the outer banks if you want to have a less crowded beach. obx is pretty main stream now, although it still is very relaxing. i've also been to emerald isle and it is very relaxing as well with nice beaches.

you want to go to a place where there is literally nothing to do at night other than just relax? i went to holden beach last summer and it is just there. there is literally 1 bar to go to if you really want to. but other than that, absolutely nothing to do there as far as night life. we had about 5 houses rented with all family and all just hung out all day and night. it was great.

Agreed... Outer bank is no where near as crowded or a tourist trap... You can travel just a few miles to have a beach more to yourself... Or all to yourself a few more miles down.

 

[Codewiz]

As someone who lives in Charleston and have visited MANY MANY beaches on the coast of NC and SC, I would say Edisto Beach.

Edisto is small, relatively undeveloped commercially, and family oriented.

 

[xSauronx]

Avon is our spot. Beautiful beach, but not too crowded.

i work for an IT consulting firm and we do service for the medical group that has a clinic there...i've had a few day trips down there to work on a laptop and what not. pretty nice gig when I can arrange it

Agreed... Outer bank is no where near as crowded or a tourist trap... You can travel just a few miles to have a beach more to yourself... Or all to yourself a few more miles down.

yeah, going south is the key. nags head, kitty hawk, kdh are slam packed in the summer. traffic is crap.

 

[Red Storm]

Outer Banks is the place to go. But you're going in June so it's going to be expensive. We go every year in either May (used to) or September (our new choice). Still very warm weather and the prices are super cheap cause it's just out of season. Our last trip was 15 people, the entire trip including food, housing, everything was $110 per person for the entire week. Nice semi ocean front house (1 or 2 rows behind the ocean front houses) with a big heated pool and volleyball net.

 

[MiniDoom]

Hilton Head

I did this last year and was really happy about it. great trip, just a long drive from DC. I went after labor day and saved a lot. ended up with a great 5br oceanfront house with a pool for 5k/week. i will do this again for sure.

house.

beach from deck.

 

[TommyY311]

Sunset Beach, NC or Ocean Isle Beach, NC. Close to great food in Calabash and close enough to activities in North Myrtle Beach.

 

[DesiPower]

subscribed

beachvacation

 

[skimple]

I'm a fan of Wild Dunes area on Isle of Palms - outside of Charleston. You can rent a house, or stay in the hotel. Basically, even though it is public, nobody uses the entire north end of the island except people staying in that area. Beach is usually deserted.

 

[boochi]

Emerald Isle all the way.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Outer Banks. You pretty much described it.

x2 it is beautiful there in the summertime.

 

[zinfamous]

too many . Stick to NC and look into Oouter Banks first (there is no "Carolinas." There is North Carolina and those mustard-on-their-pork scum in South Carolina )


for South Carolina...look into Edisto/Hilton Head. Yuppified to the gills, but they are nice areas.

Stay far away Myrtle beach. it's the filthiest beach in the world, in my humble opinion.