Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Another poster gave me this idea when I read a post saying when you live at the beach you don't go to the beach as often as you think you will.
I grew up a 4 hour drive from North Myrtle Beach so we visited several times a year every year. We'd come down for a week, and of course, go out ON the beach every single day. When I was in my teens, my parents bought a vacation home so I'd visit for a month at a time in the summer, and go to the beach a lot as well (but I also always enjoyed the shopping and dining too). I have family here so I realized how different it is when you're here all the time and can go to the beach any time you want versus only getting to go when you visit.
Now I live in Brunswick County where my inlaws are. They have been here for generations and my husband grew up never going to the beach. They live approximately 4 miles from the ocean and practically equidistant to Ocean Isle and Sunset beaches, though perhaps just a wee bit closer to Ocean Isle. I don't mean they go to the beach rarely, such as once a month or just a few times in the summer....they literally....NEVER.....go to the beach, as in my MIL has been to the beach only once in at least 30 years. Some people in the family have never gone into the ocean, or sunbathed at the beach! They all say "Oh, well when you live here, you don't do like tourists do."
Well now I live here. I never though I'd go to the beaches daily if I lived at the beach but I don't agree that it's such a "tourist" thing to do, I think it's crazy to live at the beach and never go, though. I consider myself to be a normal median-- I do my daily living and errands here and can't go to the beach daily, but I do go several times a week at least to walk, or sit and read or watch the tide. If you live at the beach, how often do you go? If you didn't like the actual ocean and sandy beach, would you move here just to remain in town but away from the beaches?
the problem with wilmington is it is not living at the beach. it's living near the beach. think about it, if you go during peak summer season, it is 45 minutes to get to the beach no matter where you are in town. probably a 25 minute drive through traffic and 20 minutes to park unless you get there at 6am. who needs the hassle? the only time I really enjoy going is when it is cold to watch the waves. I also go on a summer evening to get some frozen custard at kohl's. but as for going on a saturday in july, it just isn't realistic.
It does seem to be true that living at the beach, you seem to take it for granted. I know this past summer, I may have gone to the beach 3 or 4 times and when I did, I went to Carolina Beach. The main thing that stopped me last year was the construction on Military Cutoff (I live in Ogden). But, yesterday for example, I went down to Wrightsville Beach twice. Once at lunch to get a good seafood lunch and then back after work to walk the Loop. I also think that if you live here you also have other alternatives to going to the beach such as boating. Even if you don't have a boat, usually, someone you know does. I much rather be on a boat that trying to park and then lay out at the beach. Or if you live here, you might know someone who lives right on the water. My mother lives on the ICW and it's much easier for me to go lay out in her back yard rather than fight the summertime beach crowd. This year though, I am vowing not to take our beautiful beaches for granted!
I prefer topsail beach to carolina beach, however there is much more in carolina beach. I agree with you on the boat thing with one exception. as long as the boat is already in the water it's fun, if you have to launch the boat, it is annoying!
We live under ten minutes from the beach, and weather permitting we get there three or four times a week even during the tourist season when we mostly go in evenings more to stay out of the heat of the day than anything.
I think whether you go to the beach or not is very similar to the people who live in the mountains but never take a hike on a trail.
More and more we live in a society that can disengage from their surroundings.
I think their lives are poorer for it, but I do not think it is anything new. I do think it is getting worse. Some people consider seeing the Grand Tetons on HD television better than actually being there. I would disagree, but I am one of those people who has never been satisfied reading about a place, I have to go and figure it out myself.
Some people write me and say that the photographs that I take are a good substitute for a visit to the beach. While on one level that might be true, but I think the photographs mean much more if they are of a place you have been and one which evokes memories that you can associate with the photograph.
This partial library of photos that I have had shown on the local TV station WITN bring back memories to me. I can feel the heat or the cold that was there. I can hear the waves or remember the silence.
By the same token these photos this Picasa album floods me with places, smells, sounds, and feelings.
I don't think that I would live anywhere without experiencing it.
We'll be moving to Wilmington in less than two weeks. We've always enjoyed beach vacations, so will be interesting to see if your theory holds up once we live there. Do understand what everyone is saying though.
One question I do have, are there any resident parking or beach permits you can buy for the season? Or is access to the beaches all free? Where do you get any info on these if they do exist? Do any of the beaches have free parking, maybe the ones further away or certain times you can park or access the beach for free?
Looking forward to getting down there. The one thing that will put a damper on things is I will have to start going to work shortly after arriving. But then again I wouldn't be arriving without the job.
Congratulations on your move! Unfortunately, I believe you have to pay to park pretty much everywhere at the beach. If you live on Wrightsville, I believe you can get a resident parking pass. There might be a few free parking spaces left but people stalk those
No charge for beach access or parking on the Crystal Coast
You may have to pay at Wrightsville, but you don't have to pay on the Crystal Coast.
In the time that we have been here, we have only seen one time when we couldn't get into one of the free parking spots. It was the evening of the 4th of July when they were doing fireworks from the end of Bogue Inlet pier.
That evening we just parked along one of the roads to watch the fireworks.
Other than that we have always found free space in one of large regional parking lots or one of the smaller ones that are along the beach.
It might be crowded a few days out of the year, but free beach access is available.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I consider myself to be a normal median-- I do my daily living and errands here and can't go to the beach daily, but I do go several times a week at least to walk, or sit and read or watch the tide. If you live at the beach, how often do you go? If you didn't like the actual ocean and sandy beach, would you move here just to remain in town but away from the beaches? 
I have to experience where I live
