new york to Outer banks in July, first time questions

so i want to rent a house for a week in July with my small dog and husband, no kids, no 4 wheel drive so must be somewhere where a regular car can drive and leashed well-behaved dogs are welcome. Like to eat out quite often, but not crazy about crowds all around. Cant quite figure out which town or area to focus on, want to stay in northern part of outer banks.

Whata re the advantages/disadvantages of soundside compared to oceanside?

Also, how fierce are the bugs in the summer at the beaches?

new york to Outer banks in July, first time questions

All things being equal otherwise...housesize, etc....soundfront or soundside can be less expensive than oceanside or oceanfront. Some people ready to pay oceanside prices might consider soundfront.

There is a two lane road up the middle in the norhern area you%26#39;re favoring. On the right is oceanside and oceanfront...also %26#39;ocean view%26#39;. As you probably know, one pays more for being closer to the water on either side.

The soundside homes often have a little bus that takes people to the ocean beach. Currituck Club, which is on the Sound, for example has a little concession hut at %26#39;their%26#39; beach and young people to help carry all ones%26#39; stuff up the steps and over and down the steps that traverse the protected dunes.

Some soundfront homes have docks for fishing, crabbing, water sports.

To me a big draw of the soundfront is the most amazing sunsets. The Sound is not a little strip, either. At many parts you can%26#39;t see to the other side...and even where you can it%26#39;s verrry far away.

If you have a lot of children, which you don%26#39;t, oceanside can be handy so as not to have all the beach stuff and family trying to get on a little bus every day...if the beach is the main draw.

Both sides will have natural areas; both will have beautiful homes or simple homes; both will have pools or not.

July will be about the busiest time at the beach. I know NYC can be a late night place but if you don%26#39;t mind going out to eat early when others might still be showering, it can be quieter.

There are also caterers that would deliver for you to enjoy on your deck or wherever.

There are some pretty informative interactive agency sites now to give you a good idea of the area. We%26#39;ve used villagerealtyobx, corollaclassicvacations, resortquest.

You might also do a word search for other companies mentioned...use rental agency or something like that.

We haven%26#39;t had any bad experience with bugs on the beach...on. We are careful to use bug lotion off the beach in case. But on the beach....be sure to bring a good serious kite because the evening breeze can be wonderful. The breeze keeps the bugs away.

new york to Outer banks in July, first time questions

We’re from Mass and last year was our first trip down there and we loved it. We stayed in the northern part, Corolla- Whalehead beach. We liked Corolla because it wasn’t too congested, the beaches were beautiful, there are restaurants to choose from and Duck isn’t too far of a drive and they have a lot of dining options there too. I like the ocean side myself. Morning sunrise coffee on the beach can’t be beat. I saw plenty of people walking dogs on the beach then too and most are good about cleaning up after them.

You can try beachrealtync.com to get a flavor for rentals in that area. They have map views too so you can see the location relative to the beach. There are plenty of other rental agencies too, they just happened to be one of the more reasonable ones and had an office right in Corolla. From the sound of, that area may fit the bill for you. Either that or head way way south. Anything in between from what we saw, looked a little too congested for our liking.

Here are a few misc notes fine tuned to first time visitors.

1. We drive down from CT. Don%26#39;t be tempted to use I-95 even though it may look straight, etc. It%26#39;s always crowded and it doesn%26#39;t take much to logjam. Drive down through NJ, then Dover, DE and Salisbury, MD to the Bridge/Tunnel. Yes, it%26#39;s not superhighway and there are some lights. But it%26#39;s a much better ride and I guarantee you no longer in terms of driving time.

2. Soundside is usually less expensive and usually a little quieter but nothing is absolute. Do your research through all of the realtor and renter sites, pick a few that seem to make sense for you and then come back to this or other message boards for comment. Someone will know those locations and probably the specific homes. Then you%26#39;ll have some knowledgable, specific inputs.

3. Grocery stores are mobbed on Saturdays. We%26#39;ve had good luck with ordering online and having Farm Fresh deliver it to our home. Pretty sure the site is farmfreshsupermarkets or something very similar. They deliver by refridgerated van from the Elizabeth City, NC store. There%26#39;s a small additional charge but it%26#39;s well worth it.

4. Get there early if you can. Traffic is horrendous on peak season Saturday%26#39;s and Sunday%26#39;s. If you can get in before noon, you%26#39;ll miss most of it.

We%26#39;ve never run into a bug problem.

Enjoy!!

You can always arrive early, but you may not be able to check into your house until late afternoon, so keep that in mind. The other info is correct about the grocery stores being crazy on the weekends, so it may be that you can bring some things from home for that first night/morning. I normally would not suggest this, but as it is just you, hubby, and the dog it may be feasible to bring some items you first couple of meals.

As far as soundside vs oceanfront, the posts above have pretty much covered it.

Flies can be bad on the beach (depending on the wind), and there are mosquitoes at night, although most areas spray now, so it is better. It is the South in summer...yes, there are bugs, but they should not impede your vacation.

A couple of thoughts on your questions about the Outer Banks. I agree with the earlier posts about the grocery stores being crazy on the weekend. There are many produce stands on your way into the Outer Banks that look nice, where you can buy fresh fruit and vegetables, so definately take the time to stop and check them out. We never did this, and I regretted it after seeing the prices and selection of fresh produce at the Food Lion in Nags Head. If you have room in your car, I would recommend bringing as many staple items as possible. We stayed in Nags Head which is centrally located to everything, but it is more crowded than other areas. Never had any problem with bugs, we went in August and the weather was beautiful...only had one day of rain, and that was the day we drove in. Make sure to visit all the great lighthouses, take the ferry to Ocracoke Island, visit the Wright Brothers National Memorial, spend the day on Roanoke Island and visit the Elizabethan Gardens,Roanoke Island Festival Park and the Elizabeth 11. There is a beautiful Outer Banks visitors center right over the bridge to Roanoke Island as well. There is alot to do and see on the Outer Banks...you will love it!