Ideas about the best drive through NC? (Charlotte, Raleigh: to rent, safe area)

[angelaf]

I'll be taking my first drive through NC soon and while we have most of our trip planned, we want to go to the coast but don't have any particular ideas or preference where. (I don't have any interest in living near the coast... just want to see the ocean.) I'm thinking we'll head for the coast after leaving Greensboro (probably mid-week) and we'll need to be back at the airport in Charlotte by Friday night. Can anyone recommend a nice drive this direction and a nice beach to spend a little time at? We'll probably be camping so a safe area would be nice. Also, are there more congested traffic areas we should avoid?
Thanks!

[mm34b]

My pick would be North Carolina's famous Outer Banks, where else?

[silverwing]

Originally Posted by angelaf

I'll be taking my first drive through NC soon and while we have most of our trip planned, we want to go to the coast but don't have any particular ideas or preference where.

If you want a quick there-and-back, Wilmington would be nice. It's easy to get to and out of via the interstate.

[DebbieF]

The Outer Banks is a beautiful drive. Love the map mm34b. I have stayed several times in the Corolla area in the PIne Island neighborhood. If anyone wants to rent a beach property, I suggest that one.


Debbie

[CJF]

BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY!!!

This was designed as a scenic highway. It is west of Greensboro(ABout 3 hours) and is the jewel of the state.

[Bethanytedder]

If you start back at Wilmington, take 40 W until you see the Raleigh exit and then go until you see the Charlotte exit which is 85 folks that live nearer to it than I do? Going from East to West, you would probably start on 70 W if you are in Morehead City. After you get to Raleigh, you would pick up 40 and continue across the state to the Tennessee border on 40. North to South, take 95 and just head south until you get to the South Carolina border. The highway 95 corrider is not that near the coast at least not where I live. You might have to pick a place to connect to it and travel say 40 miles to pick it up. I live in Greene County and I would go to Kenly, NC in Johnston County to pick up 95 or I could go to Wilson, NC and pick it up. My husband is from Johnston County so we have always just gone that route. When we leave here to go to Wilmington, we go to Goldsboro and hit 117 until we get to Faison I believe it is and then pick up 40 E there all the way to Wilmington. As for the mountains, we go to Goldsboro to the west of us and pick up 70 W in Goldsboro, go to Raleigh and pick up 40 W and just travel that route to the mountains. I guess a lot depends on what you are hoping to see. The major routes cut out a lot of the smaller towns unless you exit off just to see one but we are still largely rural in a lot of areas so there is a lot to see in the way of just scenery. When I go to Morehead City from here, I go to Kinston and pick up 70 E all the way to Morehead City. That takes me through New Bern as well. A lot of people like to take 55 through Oriental, and some of the smaller towns and that comes out I believe at Emerald Isle. But they have this huge (well it looks huge to me) bridge that is like a roller coaster in so much as it goes straight up and I hate that bridge. So I steer clear of it as much as possible. You might want to plan a trip to historic Bath. That is a beautiful little place. And Beaufort is nice as well. Just get out a map and mark places that you would like to see and go from there. Be sure and check out the Biltmore Estate in Asheville or the zoo in Asheboro. Both are great. The movie "Richie Rich" was filmed in the Biltmore House. The zoo is great as well but there is a lot of walking involved if this is a consideration. We went there when Brianna was 4 and we had to rent a wheel chair for me. Carowinds in on the North and South Carolina border near Charlotte and Fort Mills, SC. You can actually go in the park and have one foot in North Carolina and the other in South Carolina as the boundaries are marked. The kid love that. I really enjoyed Black Mountain as well. They have a lot of crafts and the like. We bought a quilted wall hanging and a blue crochet blanket for my grandson-to be (he is 4 now) when we went. I hope that you enjoy yourself where ever you visit.

[hapaleeretired]

When you leave Greensboro and head east go south on US421 to US64 and go east. It's quicker, more pleasant and a nice ride.
I agree about the Blue Ridge Parkway but you won't see the ocean from it.

[clodhopper]

64East to Whalebone Junction, turn right on Hwy 12 South to Bodie Island, Oregon Inlet, Pea island, Hatteras Island, Ocracoke Island, etc. You may never leave. I stayed myself for 2 years. There are plenty of camping areas on the beach side of Oregon Inlet (north side of bridge). It's a Nat'l Park or refuge, caint remember which. It's nice. Bring mosquito repellent in case the wind blows from the land side. Blowing sand will get in your fried chicken but that is one of those priceless things you will laugh about later. the refuge is 70 miles long.

[angelaf]

mm34b, thanks for the map! If we get on 12 around, say, Manteo, and head south to maybe Morehead city, how long would that drive be? And (this is probably a dumb question but) is that just like a road out in the ocean, or are there beaches there and places you can stop, or what?

We'll be hitting part of the Blue Ridge Parkway earlier in our trip-- I actually got some Xanax from my doctor today just in case... I'm a little nervous about the mountains! I've only been in mountains once, the Rockies (drove from Minnesota to Missoula, MT) and I was pretty much paralyzed with panic the whole time. I'm really hoping the NC mountains won't be as scary.

Bethanytedder, thanks for mentioning that bridge, it sounds awful! Terrifying! I'll definitely avoid that--it's in Emerald Isle? Biltmore and the zoo are both on our to-do lists, and Black Mountain is on our itinerary as well.

[clodhopper]

You can't get to Morehead from Manteo on hwy 12 without a boat or at best a series of ferry rides. Check a detailed map. There are beach accesses all the way down where you can park, some will have public restrooms. There are stores here and there in the small towns like Rodanthe, Avon, Hatteras Village. Ocracoke is a ferry ride from Hatteras Island and is the southernmost point that is easily accessed by car, unless things have changed a great deal. Haven't been that far down in several years.
If you have 4wheel drive you can get on the beach and drive around. Don't drive in the red sand though, it is gravely and easy to sink down in.