Anyone have any suggestions on a good waterfront campground with some elbow room? Also, any suggestions on what to do and see in the area would be appreciated. We have been to Myrtle Beach before, but never to the Outer Banks; is it more or less the same?

I stay there a couple of times a year and I stay at Camp Hatteras. It's a nice campground that is right on both the Ocean and the Pamlico Sound. Very secluded and laid back area. It is about as far out in the Ocean you can get. The eye of the last hurricane went right across it. The locals say that they are living on a sand bar Myrtle Beach is a mad house. It is at mile maker 40 on route 12, about half way down to the end where you pick up the free ferry to Ocracoke Island, a nice place to visit. There are light houses to climb, Kitty Hawk and Kill Devil Hills.The website has pics of the sites, local things to do, etc. I prefer the Ocenside sites. Just a couple of steps over a small dune and your on the beach.

The Outer Banks is NOTHING like Myrtle, less congestion, less attractions, less places to eat BUT the very best place to go camping. There are 3 campgrounds close together, the KOA, Ocean Waves and Camp Hatteras. We always preferred Camp Hatteras but ocean Waves is about half the cost, the problem will be getting a site. We like the sound side at Camp Hatteras because of the sunsets but the ocean side is nice.

We love the Cape Hatteras KOA--the pool and hot tub can't be beat. The sites do not have much elbow room though. Eat at Buxton Munch after you take in one of the free educational programs at the National Seashore. We have been to CH so many times I have lost count. Check our blog for photos of the CH KOA and other activities and restaurants. Your site won't have much elbow room at any of those campgrounds--but the beaches are never too crowded--even in the summer.

As others have said, OBX is nothing like Myrtle Beach - unless you are up near Kill Devil Hills and Kitty Hawk, and then there is more touristy stuff like a mini version of Myrtle Beach. The most popular campgrounds are further south/west on Hatteras Island. In addition to the three resorts in the Rondanthe - Waves area described above, there are others further down the island in Buxton, Frisco, Hatteras, and Ocracoke. Our main interest is beaching and surf fishing, so we want to be able to drive our van onto the beach with all our gear. Since we don't have kids, we don't have much interest in miniature golf, go carts, and other stuff like that. Our favorite place in Frisco Woods Campground which has sites right on the sound with fantastic views. It is an easy drive to beach access points from there too. There are several other private campgrounds down there, as well as three very nice Federal Campgrounds, but the Feds don't have hookups .....

The campground on the national seashore on Ocracoke is nice, and the beach in the nicest I've been to. About 15 miles of beach there and very very few people. Its a primitive campground, quiet time starts at 9pm. The have a dump station and water available to refill your tanks.

Outer Banks, NC | Good Sam Community

samsphones
Explorer
Jul 21, 2014
The Outer Banks is NOTHING like Myrtle, less congestion, less attractions, less places to eat BUT the very best place to go camping. There are 3 campgrounds close together, the KOA, Ocean Waves and Camp Hatteras. We always preferred Camp Hatteras but ocean Waves is about half the cost, the problem will be getting a site. We like the sound side at Camp Hatteras because of the sunsets but the ocean side is nice.
D___M
Explorer
Jul 21, 2014
I stay there a couple of times a year and I stay at Camp Hatteras. It's a nice campground that is right on both the Ocean and the Pamlico Sound. Very secluded and laid back area. It is about as far out in the Ocean you can get. The eye of the last hurricane went right across it. The locals say that they are living on a sand bar

Myrtle Beach is a mad house.

It is at mile maker 40 on route 12, about half way down to the end where you pick up the free ferry to Ocracoke Island, a nice place to visit. There are light houses to climb, Kitty Hawk and Kill Devil Hills.

The website has pics of the sites, local things to do, etc. I prefer the Ocenside sites. Just a couple of steps over a small dune and your on the beach.

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