Tomorrow I'm going to the beach for my birthday. We usually go somewhere near Wrightsville Beach, but I heard they upped the hourly parking rates to $2/hr. Where is the best/cheapest place to go if we just want to park, get on the beach and get drunk?

It doesn't have to be Wrightsville, just anything that we can get to quick from Raleigh.

3/31/2010 5:47:09 PM

Quote :

"want to park, get on the beach and get drunk? "

sounds like Carolina beach to me

[Edited on March 31, 2010 at 5:51 PM. Reason : Im pretty sure parking was free last time I was down there]

3/31/2010 5:51:09 PM

I've always had luck parking at Kure Beach. Hang a left at K avenue and there are some public parking spots betweek K Ave and L Ave. Also some parking on the right side of L Ave. Just drive down the lane really slowly until you catch someone leaving a spot if there are no open spots. It's never taken me more than a few trips around the block.

3/31/2010 5:54:48 PM

yeah, carolina/kure is best if you're planning on getting trashed

3/31/2010 6:35:31 PM

Atlantic Beach is only 2.5 hours away from Raleigh.

3/31/2010 6:40:47 PM

and wilmington is like 2 hours away.

3/31/2010 6:41:56 PM

Quote :

"yeah, carolina/kure is best if you're planning on getting trashed"

yeh. That's where my project site is, too!

3/31/2010 6:47:08 PM

if you have four wheel drive go to either freeman park or ft fisher at carolina beach. Since it's a weekday it shouldn't be crowded at all and you can drive right up and park on the beach

3/31/2010 6:54:29 PM

you can get on the beach at fort fisher? I thought you could drive on the beach only at the north end of carolina beach..?

3/31/2010 7:01:24 PM

Quote :

"I thought you could drive on the beach only at the north end of carolina beach..?"

i mean, we never tried to go anywhere else... but i'm pretty sure that's true.

3/31/2010 7:03:13 PM

yeah, you can go on the south end. The hours are limited based on time of year though.

Quote :

"Four-wheel-drive beach access March 15 - March 31: 8 a.m.- 6:30 p.m. April and May: 8 a.m.-7:30 p.m. June, July, August: 6 a.m.-8:30 p.m. September 1 - September 14: 6 a.m.- 7:30 p.m. September 15 - March 14: 24 hour access"

[Edited on March 31, 2010 at 7:05 PM. Reason : ]

3/31/2010 7:04:43 PM

where is the entrance?

[Edited on March 31, 2010 at 7:07 PM. Reason : off of loggerhead?]

3/31/2010 7:05:39 PM

the best daytrip beach is the one where you fuck on a sand dune in broad daylight, and get applause when you've finished.

3/31/2010 7:10:07 PM

ramgate I guess?


View Larger Map

[Edited on March 31, 2010 at 7:15 PM. Reason : .]

3/31/2010 7:13:12 PM

actually fort fisher doesnt allow alcohol. I am not sure how well it is enforced, however it is stated as a rule there.

Freeman park you can have alcohol

3/31/2010 7:13:29 PM

I usually park near the site of the future oil refinery.

3/31/2010 7:27:45 PM

Yea, if you get caught with alcohol at Ft Fisher you get a misdemeanor and they make you pour all your beer out. It's also $10 to get out there. On the north end in Carolina Beach you can pretty much do whatever you want, but it cost $20 to go on the beach for one freaking day! You can park at the public access lots for free in KB or CB, but they too don't allow alcohol. Tomorrow shouldn't b real crowded though so you could get away with it. No life gaurds this time of year either. I'm in Kure beach right now and it's dead quiet on the beaches.

3/31/2010 9:26:02 PM

It's not really that bad if you have a couple people chip in. I usually just buy the season pass for freeman park.

3/31/2010 9:28:33 PM

Topsail

3/31/2010 9:28:34 PM

Emerald Isle is trailer, but it's FREEEEEEEEEEEE.......which makes it trailer..............BUH!

3/31/2010 9:51:04 PM

If I was taking 40, I'd do either Kure or Oak Island...except Wrightsville has Tower 7 and that shit is delish...but Oak Island is close to Southport and thereby close to Provisions

If I was taking 70, I'd do Emerald Isle over Atlantic Beach...I don't really know why, I just prefer EI

But...if it's my birthday, I'm gonna wake up a bit earlier and drive to Nags Head.



Plus, in my eyes, day trip is leaving way b4 9am and being back home btw 10-12pm...but that's just me...so Nags Head is totally doable in a day. long day yes, but a day.

3/31/2010 10:01:00 PM

we're probably gonna do Kure Beach. It's probably the closest place we can park for free. Just looking to find a close piece of sand/sun/ocean, bring cornhole and beer and chill out all day

thanks for all the suggestions!

3/31/2010 11:47:37 PM

Quote :

"day trip is leaving way b4 9am and being back home btw 10-12pm"

yeah but my idea of going to the beach and getting drunk for my birthday has me passed out somewhere around 7pm btw......

Quote :

"On the north end in Carolina Beach you can pretty much do whatever you want, but it cost $20 to go on the beach for one freaking day! "

wow i didn't know that they increased to $20/day

I just hope they decide to keep season passes at $60 b/c by charging $20/day they could easily justify charging $200 for a season pass. We usually go and camp at least 5 times a summer down there so the season pass is a steal.



[Edited on April 1, 2010 at 2:00 AM. Reason : ///]

4/1/2010 1:55:34 AM

Quote :

"If I was taking 70, I'd do Emerald Isle over Atlantic Beach...I don't really know why, I just prefer EI"

Emerald Isle is nicer in general, but there's more to do in Atlantic Beach. AB drops off a lot quicker than Emerald Isle (which has a large sandbar that'll allow you some swim area), and in general has a lot more wear in the tourist season (cheaper, mostly). None of the places in the area you have to pay to access, but you have to park somewhere, which is easy enough.

I've never had to pay to go on a beach in my life, and I doubt I ever will. Granted, I've lived on the coast all my life.

4/1/2010 4:40:50 AM

Quote :

"yeah but my idea of going to the beach and getting drunk for my birthday has me passed out somewhere around 7pm btw......"

well I hope you aren't drinking and driving then.

4/1/2010 6:45:14 AM

Kure would be my vote. If I'm just making a day trip travel time is paramount, I don't want to spend an extra hour+ in the car. If the closest (Wrightsville) is out because of parking increases, and the fact that it's damn near impossible to find a spot in any case, I'd go to the next closest, which is Carolina/Kure. Kure seems to be the less crowded of the two in my experience.

4/1/2010 9:29:42 AM

This thread is relevant to my interests.

Leaving Friday morning around 9, already have a hotel booked in Wilmington.. so we'll have to suck it up and deal with the parking clusterfuck at Wrightsville.

If you see a few sloppy drunk young lads playing bocce and drinking rum punch, plz to say hello. There may even be a boombox and / or a djembe in the mix.

4/1/2010 9:35:12 AM

Topsail island. we parked across the street from the pier for free

4/1/2010 10:28:55 AM

^ knows what's up

4/1/2010 10:30:35 AM

^^^If your hotel is *in* Wilmington, it's only like 15 minutes farther drive to go to Carolina or Kure as opposed to Wrightsville.

[Edited on April 1, 2010 at 10:59 AM. Reason : carrots]

4/1/2010 10:59:37 AM

Just took a look at google maps. You are indeed correct. Hotel is in Wilmington - google maps says about 25 mins to Carolina beach, 12 mins to Wrightsville....probably worth it to save the parking headache..

Assuming I can sell the driver on a slightly longer trek

4/1/2010 11:07:49 AM

Carolina beach is so red neck

4/1/2010 11:08:41 AM

Not nearly as bad as South Myrtle IMO. Haven't been to Carolina for a few years though

[Edited on April 1, 2010 at 11:24 AM. Reason : At least there's no henna tat shops or bike week at Carolina]

4/1/2010 11:17:27 AM

^^ That's why I love it. This morning I was running down to the fort and a truck passed me flying 2 full sized rebel flags off the back and a load of drunk people in the bed. This was like 10 in the morning It is one of the few major beaches left that has not been taken over by yankees and yupees.

^ There is a henna shop at CB now. It's on the boardwalk and is set up like a legit tattoo shop lol

[Edited on April 1, 2010 at 11:36 AM. Reason : .]

4/1/2010 11:35:18 AM

them doughnuts are damn good though

4/1/2010 11:38:19 AM

whoa whoa whoa....who the hell pays to go on the beach?

4/1/2010 11:41:04 AM

Lassiter Mill in Raleigh was a popular beach in the early 20th century. Picnics, victorian swimsuits, the whole nine yards. I say we bring it back.

[Edited on April 1, 2010 at 11:48 AM. Reason : http://dejaviews.org/ghost/index.php?id=102]

4/1/2010 11:47:55 AM

What you see as "redneck"; I'm just like "thank goodness there's still a beach with normal people."

4/1/2010 11:54:39 AM

im from johnston county
i know red neck when i see red neck

4/1/2010 11:57:36 AM

Johnston County rednecks are liberal elites compared to some parts of the state and pretty much all of Mississippi.

4/1/2010 12:38:04 PM