Southeast beach trip report

[Montecfo]

In the travel planning thread I had asked advice on beach towns to visit in Florida and got some good ideas and advice. I just returned from my solo trip and had a really nice time. The trip was planned for various locations in advance but I did not book ahead and thus was able to make adjustments on the fly. Here is my trip report:

I had initially planned to take the auto train from Northern Virginia to the Orlando area as a starting point. But after reading lots of reviews and assessing Covid concerns I decided to drive. So the first day was a long day of travel as I drove to southern Georgia. My planned ultimate destination was Siesta Key. But upon waking the 2nd day, I noticed the previously excellent weather forecast for SK had changed for the worse (windy, cooler, some rain). So after about an hour of replanning I "called an audible" and decided to go to Anastasia Island on the Atlantic. I had read that St. Augustine was "charming" and weather was really good. I knew I could day trip to Daytona, which was an earlier target.

Well, it was just a 3 hour drive to St. Augustine so I was there midday. Very interesting town. I just walked it, ate seafood at an open air spot and and made some notes for a possible return trip with DW. Then explored the two properties I was considering and booked Beacher's Lodge on Crescent Beach. Great spot and very inexpensive. Clean unspoiled mostly natural beach where I walked and hung out every day and a nice pool.

After a few days there I headed up to Charleston to meet my son (flying in from Va) at the airport on Friday. I had booked a hotel in the historic district the night before. We took a good sized bite out of Charleston, a town I love and which he had never visited. We included a horse-drawn carriage tour which was a highlight and of course some great food. We logged a lot of walking miles.

We took a side trip to Columbia mid-afternoon on Saturday and attended the A&M-SC football game. Fun but a bit surreal in an 80,000 seat stadium with about 15,000 in attendance.

Sunday after breakfast I took him to the airport. Based on weather, I planned to go to North Carolina beaches. I ditched a possible side trip to Beaufort (setting of some.of author Pat Conroy's adventures) and instead drove up the coast through a national forest and some really picturesque towns. I stopped at Georgetown, SC, which has a very large and active historic district with lots of restaurants, a furniture store and even what appeared to be a functioning local newspaper and some very well-kept historic neighborhoods. Continued up to Pawley's Island and Litchfield-by-the Sea, where I puttered around, ate some SC barbecue and observed a lot of people fishing and crabbing.

Finally I made it to Carolina Beach and booked my pre-identified inn right behind the dunes with a nice balcony. The weather was pleasant but got a bit rainy the last day. The beach was pretty though a bit more commerical than Crescent Beach. Could walk to places to eat which was convenient . I had selected the location primarily due to the boardwalk, which I found to be well maintained and with some nice landscaping, but overall pretty small and underwhelming. If I were doing it again, I might have spent some.time at nearby Wrightsville Beach or Topsail Island- those will have to wait for next trip.

In Covid times it is pretty easy to travel and safe if you are careful. With weather so changeable I was happy it was possible to be so flexible. Thanks for everyone's helpful suggestions!

 

[Chuckanut]

Thanks for the report.

May I ask what kind of temperatures you experienced on your trip?

 

[Montecfo]

Thanks for the report.

May I ask what kind of temperatures you experienced on your trip?

Mid 70s to low 80s.

 

[bolt]

Thx for your first hand report & reviews!

 

[harllee]

Have you been to the NC Outer Banks and especially Manteo and Ocracoke--beautiful area, wonderful beaches, not very touristy.

 

[Montecfo]

Harlee-

Amazingly, I have not. Thought they might be a bit sleepy for this solo trip at this time of year. And my original plan was to be all Florida, but change in weather pushed me north.

But I'm sure I will go at some point.

Do you have an opinion of the other NC beaches and towns?

 

[harllee]

Harlee-

Amazingly, I have not. Thought they might be a bit sleepy for this solo trip at this time of year. And my original plan was to be all Florida, but change in weather pushed me north.

But I'm sure I will go at some point.

Do you have an opinion of the other NC beaches and towns?

My favorites are Ocracoke, Manteo, Southport (wonderful seaport town and has a nice nearby beach--Oak Island), Wilmington and Wrightsville Beach (more populated and upscale). What are your interests?

 

[Bamaman]

I lived in Atlanta area 10 years--the Capitol of the South. And I traveled NC, SC, FL and Lower AL for work extensively.

Needless to say that the region has fabulous beaches. My favorites are from St. Augustine down to Cocoa Beach, and there are some great areas where homes are relatively inexpensive. Any north of there and Winters can get to be cold.

The absolutely finest beaches are on the Gulf side west of Appalachicola---over to Mobile Bay. Orange Beach and Gulf Shores, Alabama are especially hot places in the real estate world due to having great beaches and ridiculously low property taxes. Just west of Panama Beach, FL is also hot with communities like Seaside and other high line properties.

 

[Montecfo]

My favorites are Ocracoke, Manteo, Southport (wonderful seaport town and has a nice nearby beach--Oak Island), Wilmington and Wrightsville Beach (more populated and upscale). What are your interests?

Harllee,

I was of course right at Wilmington at Carolina Beach. Do like Wilmington.

Usually go to Caribbean beaches but that's kind of out now.

So in the US I have just been trying to get to some of the better beaches and find excellent beach towns as an adventure.

In warmer weather I like to swim, sail or snorkel, but overall just love the beauty and also appreciate a nice microbrewery, funky beach bar or low-key seafood restaurant.

 

[Montecfo]

I lived in Atlanta area 10 years--the Capitol of the South. And I traveled NC, SC, FL and Lower AL for work extensively.

Needless to say that the region has fabulous beaches. My favorites are from St. Augustine down to Cocoa Beach, and there are some great areas where homes are relatively inexpensive. Any north of there and Winters can get to be cold.

The absolutely finest beaches are on the Gulf side west of Appalachicola---over to Mobile Bay. Orange Beach and Gulf Shores, Alabama are especially hot places in the real estate world due to having great beaches and ridiculously low property taxes. Just west of Panama Beach, FL is also hot with communities like Seaside and other high line properties.

Went to Panama City Beach this past summer and so far that appears to be the gold standard of continental US beaches I have visited. Almost went back on this trip when I changed plans due to weather. I would like to check out Seaside

No plans to move to these locations, just to visit and enjoy.

 

[harllee]

Harllee,

I was of course right at Wilmington at Carolina Beach. Do like Wilmington.

Usually go to Caribbean beaches but that's kind of out now.

So in the US I have just been trying to get to some of the better beaches and find excellent beach towns as an adventure.

In warmer weather I like to swim, sail or snorkel, but overall just love the beauty and also appreciate a nice microbrewery, funky beach bar or low-key seafood restaurant.

You will like Southport, old seaport town with neat restaurants and funky bars and a nice marina. Nearby is Oak Island, very nice beach.

 

[Montecfo]

You will like Southport, old seaport town with neat restaurants and funky bars and a nice marina. Nearby is Oak Island, very nice beach.

Thanks for the idea! Will have to check out

 

[Sunset]

OP - so you didn't mention visiting the old spanish fort in St. Augustine.

 

[Montecfo]

OP - so you didn't mention visiting the old spanish fort in St. Augustine.

I did not visit it. I did see it. I thought I might do more touring if there was bad weather, but there wasn't.

Plan is to do more of that when DW can join!

 

[Rianne]

This report helps me feel better about my immediate family travel plans.
DB, DSI, niece and nephew
DB, DSI niece, nephew, my grandniece and grandnephew
10 family members are going to FL for Thanksgiving and beyond. We typically go every year but obvious Covid has me scared to go. They're going to hot spots, Ft. Lauderdale for a week then to the Keys.

I understand FL is wide open, restaurants, bars. They tried to talk us into going, but I cannot see it's a good idea.

 

[Sunset]

I did not visit it. I did see it. I thought I might do more touring if there was bad weather, but there wasn't.

Plan is to do more of that when DW can join!

I was thinking maybe you left for when your DW is with you. I would go on a nice day (at least not rain) as it is largely outside/exposed once you are in the fort. Plus the views are pretty good.

 

[Montecfo]

This report helps me feel better about my immediate family travel plans.
DB, DSI, niece and nephew
DB, DSI niece, nephew, my grandniece and grandnephew
10 family members are going to FL for Thanksgiving and beyond. We typically go every year but obvious Covid has me scared to go. They're going to hot spots, Ft. Lauderdale for a week then to the Keys.

I understand FL is wide open, restaurants, bars. They tried to talk us into going, but I cannot see it's a good idea.

Understand the reticence. Your large risk would in my opinion be the family members, regardless of location. And the idea that some folks have very different assessments of their risk.

I have begun thinking about next trip in Dec/Jan.

 

[Montecfo]

I was thinking maybe you left for when your DW is with you. I would go on a nice day (at least not rain) as it is largely outside/exposed once you are in the fort. Plus the views are pretty good.

I definitely plan to return. Left a lot to see. My idea was to go on a day that was not necessarily a great beach day, and that really did not happen. Was also a bit hesitant to get on one of those tour trolleys, which I did not do. But found some places to park and walk.

 

[Aerides]

This report helps me feel better about my immediate family travel plans.
DB, DSI, niece and nephew
DB, DSI niece, nephew, my grandniece and grandnephew
10 family members are going to FL for Thanksgiving and beyond. We typically go every year but obvious Covid has me scared to go. They're going to hot spots, Ft. Lauderdale for a week then to the Keys.

I understand FL is wide open, restaurants, bars. They tried to talk us into going, but I cannot see it's a good idea.

the issue isn't the location, it's 10 people getting together in a room. any room, anywhere, the odds are not in your favor.

 

[Rianne]

the issue isn't the location, it's 10 people getting together in a room. any room, anywhere, the odds are not in your favor.

Yes, and they all have different levels of safety. Oldest DB will sit at a bar and eat indoors anywhere, anytime. I can visualize disagreements about where to eat etc. DSI would not want to eat indoors. I'm glad I'm not going. And who knows what the nieces and nephews will do. They range from 12-23 in age.