Of course being this is GRM, close is relative, like to keep it under a 8 hr one way drive, and cheap.
8hrs of driving puts me from parts of North Carolina to Jacksonville.
Looking to find somewhere and some place that isn't $3k for 5-6 days of stay right on the beach because I'm lazy. No tourist traps like dirty myrtle. Good food is a must.
Help?
You're in peak season, so it'll be expensive and hard to find a place in general.
If you want *REALLY* cheap, go camping out on Cape Lookout. The food and drink will be excellent if you can cook it well yourself, and you can get right down on the beach with your tent.
We like the stretch from Sunset Beach to Wrightsville Beach, too.
In reply to Brett_Murphy :
Trust me I know. 
But when you only get a week of kiddo time during my 2 weeks off between contracts...
In St. Augustine Beach they just built an expensive Embassy Suites resort on the beach...but right across the street from the Embassy Suites is a Super 8 that's usually under $100/night. There's public beach access on either side of the Embassy Suites and several great restaurants within walking distance, including my personal favorite, the Sunset Grille.
Brett has made some good suggestions. I've never camped there but another cheap place to camp is Hammocks Island State Park near Swansboro.
My favorite places are Sunset Beach & Ocrakoke.
What if you headed more north than south? Chesapeake Bay area interest you?
We did an Airbnb house for 7 adults and a child on Topsail Island about a month ago. 1 block walk to the beach, with ocean views from the balconies. It seemed like a lot of the short term rentals were empty while we were there, but a lot can change in a month. I'm seeing lots of big houses for $100-200/night though:
I don't know how availability will be, but Jekyll Island GA is one of my favorite places. The island is limited to like 20% development, so even in the busiest times it's not super crowded. There are several hotels beachside, and a lot of rental houses (Parker-Kaufman Realty) that are pretty reasonable but require a walk to the beach. There are several restaurants on the island, but as a serious foodie I'd rank them generally as ok to good, but not great. Last time I was there the "irish pub" was actually the best food we had. Good fishing in the salt creeks or off the pier, lots of golf if that's your thing, miles of paved and gravel bike paths, some historic mansions to see and tour...I love it there. If you want more developed, check out St Simons next door. If you want truly rustic, take the ferry to Cumberland National Seashore across the sound from the Jekyll Marina. If you want the trailer trash vibe head up the coast to Tybee Island at Savannah.
But...if you want crystal blue water, this ain't your island. Heck, nothing in that stretch you listed really is though.
In reply to ultraclyde :
The outer banks with the right wind conditions for an extended period can see water visibility of 60+ ft. I don't bank on it being the case, but it happens once if twice a year.
M2Pilot said:My favorite places are Sunset Beach & Ocrakoke.
We stay canal side on Sunset. Less expensive by *a lot* and we can launch our kayaks off the dock of the house we rent. I prefer it to ocean side, for sure.
Eight hours gets you to Catawba Island, OH, on Lake Erie. Nine hours gets you beaches on Lake Michigan. Both get you fresh water, no sharks, no Jellyfish, smaller crowds, and milder air temps. I'd wait until August for Michigan, though. Here's a snip from a Google Street View picture at South Haven, MI
In reply to Ranger50 :
How far are you from Biloxi?
Have you considered AirBnB? If you can do weekdays, you can save a lot of money. (Although it IS peak season)
Have you considered lakes? They are closer to you, can have beaches, boat rentals, jet skis , etc. Plus, they are usually cheaper than the ocean and less crowded.
In reply to Pete Gossett (Forum Supporter) :
8:45.
In reply to Uncle David (Forum Supporter) :
I know. I "live" there.
In reply to SVreX (Forum Supporter) :
Yes to Airbnb.
Lakes no because the kids don't want to go there.
There isn't anything around me for less than $3k for the week. Within a mile of the beach is going to cost $250+ per night. On the beach pricing is insane. Some of them are $3k a night.
Myrtle Beach is popular because it's cheap.
SVreX (Forum Supporter) said:Have you considered lakes? They are closer to you, can have beaches, boat rentals, jet skis , etc. Plus, they are usually cheaper than the ocean and less crowded.
Came here to say this. My daughter loves Lake Cunningham here in Maryland. It's usually not too crowded, even on beautiful summer days, they have sand and all the stuff you'd want at a beach, plus the water's usually warmer (being a lake and all) and not salty.
But, I get it, it's not "The Ocean". We spent a week in FL back in February and the kids loved that, too. Looking up and down miles and miles of beaches...there's something to be said for that.
A co-worker just bought a house on Myrtle...like 2 blocks from the ocean. I think once you get off the ocean its not as pricey. Midweek, not as busy, & not during a holiday week. IIRC north Myrtle & Sunset Beach, NC is a bit more laid back, too. A friend of mine took the fam to Emerald Isle, NC last year and really liked it.
The best way to do the beach.
You said no to Myrtle Beach, but I spent this week in a place that was on the beach (marsh view). It was an AirBnB, and we paid less than $150 per night for a very nice 2 bedroom.
2 outdoor pools, 1 indoor pool. 2 gyms. Direct access to the beach. 4 or us had a great time.
It was well worth it. Even though it was Myrtle.
Ranger50 said:In reply to SVreX (Forum Supporter) :
Yes to Airbnb.
Lakes no because the kids don't want to go there.
No problem.
Your kids would rather spend 16 hours in the car? Ok.
Ranger50 said:In reply to Pete Gossett (Forum Supporter) :
8:45.
I just used the last full week of June, but this place for $176/night is pretty nice & in a great location. How old are your kids?
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