Decided to head to Emerald isle for Father's day weekend this year. Any suggestions on where to camp? I checked out the travel Park and it seems nice but $95/day seems a little steep. Despite being on the beach it looks like a parking lot with no trees. I don't mind being inland if it's a nice place so any suggestions/opinions is helpful.As far as routing, we'll be leaving a wedding in OC MD and it looks like it has us going down rt 13 across the CBBT. No big deal I guess, LP off etc. Looks like the toll is about $15. We hope to head out Friday morning which isn't ideal for traffic but it can't be helped. Any thoughts?Thanks

Unfortunately, the Holiday Trav-L-Park is one of the only RV parks left on what we know as the Crystal Coast. They are high for a reason. I am not surprised they are higher. We stayed there a few years ago and was not impressed. RV parks on the NC coast, except for the few left on the outer banks have become somewhat extinct. The NC coast is not very RV friendly, unless you can find one of those long term parks where it looks like half the RV's sitting there are about to rust to the ground. There used to be a very nice RV park on the ocean front and the sound side of salter path. However, they closed that one down to build condos on. See the trend?You will have to go way inland to find something decent that is not even close to the NC coast. As much as I hate it, we go to Myrtle Beach if we want all the nice amenities an ocean front RV park has to offer. One other secret that I will give away is the Carolina beach state park. We go there because it is cheap and quiet. However, there are no hook ups what so ever, but it is a short drive to the beach.

We really like White Oak Shores in Stella NC about 10 mi N of Cape Carteret. Just off NC 58. They have a pier, swimming pool, basketball court, and grills at the pool for cooking out. Not shady though. Full HU's, cable tv, trash pickup at your site. Lots of families there. Waterfront sites are $75/night, but others are about $45/night. We go several times a year and it is only about 1.5 hrs from us. Call for reservations after you check it out on the web as that time of year is very busy.US 17 S from Chesapeake VA to Marysville, NC then left on NC 58 S. Then about 12 mi.Travel safely,Alex

Cedar Point Campground in Croatan National Forest is across the Hwy 58 Bridge from E.I. and just a couple of miles inland. Electric hookups, very woodsy. It was closed for many months while the NFS has worked on the dump station, but I think is open now for camping. Bring your senior pass if you are 62+ for discounted camping.Reserve America Cedar Point CG NCYou might want to call the ranger office to find out the status of water and dump.NFS linkNice place for easy hikes on a boardwalk trail over the marsh. Lots of kayaking opportunities. Shopping center with Lowes grocery and Lowes hardware, banks, Walgreens, etc. is nearby.There is public parking over on E.I. for some fee like $10 a day not too far after you cross the bridge. There is also the largest boat launching ramp park in the state of North Carolina on the island now if you trailer a boat.

I stumbled on this one - Water's edge RV park. Looks pretty nice and rates are much better than HTP. water's edgeWhite Oak shores is still $75/day. Might as well pay the extra $20 and be on the beach. 93 you are right, most are either mobile home parks with full time residents or gone.

Waters Edge looks nice, We will have to try it. Glad you kept searching.Hope you enjoy your stay in eastern NC.Safe travels.Alex

Emerald Isle suggestions and routing | Good Sam Community

Shot-N-Az
Explorer
Apr 10, 2015
I returned from HTP earlier this week. It is a nice park and meticulously maintained. What you can't tell from google maps is that the place is not flat. If you get a site in the red section, you may have a commanding ocean view like we had. I was in site Red 64 which was at the crest of the hill overlooking the ocean. Behind me was a valley...cheaper sites I believe.
Effy
Explorer II
Apr 10, 2015
ready to make reservations today and still a bit undecided. Holiday Travel Park is right on the beach. That seems to be it's major redeeming quality. That and it's right near everything. But looking at the pictures site are literally on top of one another. Lots of good reviews, very clean etc, but it looks more like a darn tailgate than a campground. Some pics look like the awnings are within inches of one another. Goose Creek and Water's edge are the other 2. Water's edge sounds right up my alley, they talk about clean and quiet. But you are not really near anything. It's on the sound but not on the beach and a lot to be said for that. Goose Creek is a little closer, still on the sound but some folks talk about a foul holding pond.

Holiday Travel comes in at $95 - I mean if you are going to stay there, might as well be on the beach

Water's edge is $49. Half of the other HTP and peaceful. But not on the beach or near much. We will have our car but a lot to be said for sitting on the beach at sunset without needing to go anywhere.

Goose Creek has a lot to offer but some of the reviews scare me a bit. Water front is $68 so in the middle.

Any further insight to any of these?

I know some of you have had to stay at the HTP.
Effy
Explorer II
Mar 18, 2015
93mastercraft wrote:
ferndaleflyer wrote:
Effy I relocated from the Baltimore-Annapolis area 9 years ago to central NC. Tax structure is much more friendly in SC and I kind of wish I had gone just a little further South----about sent me to the poor house registering my vehicles + now I have to inspect them every year and pay personal property tax on each one. We either go to the outer banks or Myrtle with the RV.

One thing for sure. You will be taxed to death. Reminds me of the game Sim City! LOL When everybody started moving to NC, taxes went up. Now they are trying to run people away. To keep this on topic... You don't want to even know what my Class A motor home property taxes are.

Yes I do.

MD is not very tax friendly either. And I live in a tax heavy county. Roads and schools are great though.
93mastercraft
Explorer
Mar 18, 2015
ferndaleflyer wrote:
Effy I relocated from the Baltimore-Annapolis area 9 years ago to central NC. Tax structure is much more friendly in SC and I kind of wish I had gone just a little further South----about sent me to the poor house registering my vehicles + now I have to inspect them every year and pay personal property tax on each one. We either go to the outer banks or Myrtle with the RV.

One thing for sure. You will be taxed to death. Reminds me of the game Sim City! LOL When everybody started moving to NC, taxes went up. Now they are trying to run people away. To keep this on topic... You don't want to even know what my Class A motor home property taxes are.
ferndaleflyer
Explorer III
Mar 18, 2015
Effy I relocated from the Baltimore-Annapolis area 9 years ago to central NC. Tax structure is much more friendly in SC and I kind of wish I had gone just a little further South----about sent me to the poor house registering my vehicles + now I have to inspect them every year and pay personal property tax on each one. We either go to the outer banks or Myrtle with the RV.
NCWriter
Explorer
Mar 18, 2015
alemar wrote:
If we were to relocate, Cape Carteret would be our choice. The little town of Cedar Point is right next to it. Love the homes there too

Agree, and both are in Carteret County and the same school system.

(Next town is Swansboro, but in Onslow County.)
alemar
Explorer
Mar 17, 2015
If we were to relocate, Cape Carteret would be our choice. The little town of Cedar Point is right next to it. Love the homes there too
NCWriter
Explorer
Mar 17, 2015
Come on down, Effy. You heard right about the Cape C school system, and there are nice homes at reasonable prices on the water side of Hwy 24. Good medical care, no traffic. Send me a private message if any questions - we relocated here 8 years ago.
FormerBoater
Explorer
Mar 17, 2015
Holiday Travel Park is ocean front, clean, well managed and far from a parking lot.

No, you will not find shade trees on the beaches of NC.

Stayed there twice, hope to stay there again!
ROYBUCK
Explorer
Mar 17, 2015
I can't really believe some of you people are running the crystal coast down. Goose Creek Camp ground is fine, if you have kids they have a water slide or they used to don't know if they still do or not. All the other camp grounds mentioned are just fine they are not for kids nothing to do, but for a place to stay and visit the area they are fine, and clean. Roy