Booking Your Stay at the Beach in North Carolina for Less than $60 a Night

I set off on a journey up the coast from Florida to the Canadian border. I mixed in camping, hotels, and B&Bs and found that by far the most affordable way to stay oceanside/oceanfront is camping.

I did this in Florida, camped at an oceanside campground in Saint Augustine, FL. I booked 4 nights for less than $150. < I provided insights, lists, tips, and my overall experience < in this article>

In North Carolina, I choose to do it again at the Outer Banks. I traveled by car and with the same equipment I had for the Florida experience so, I didn’t have the expenses that I did setting up for Florida. Once you buy this equipment, it seems that each camp experience gets cheaper.

I had some dry/boxed/canned food left over from the Florida stay and chose to eat in town for breakfast each morning. Even with the eating out bill, this was a cheap 2 day vacation.

Like Florida and most oceanfront states, hotels and B&B’s with views of the ocean are expensive, $300+ per night. My campsite on the ocean, with facilities, electricity, and water was less than $60 a night making my 2 night stay less than $120.

Like I discussed in the Florida experience, book your stay at the price shown in this article means: the lodging, the campsite expenses, and the food. Needs differ from person to person/family to family, and getting there will also be different so, it could be more or could be less for you. The experience I am writing from is a 2 person glamping experience on the ocean, in North Carolina, getting there by car, from the state of Florida.

Continue reading to learn more about my experience, how it was different from the Florida experience, tips for your experience, and the tornado that threatened us all.

About the Outer Banks of North Carolina

The Outer Banks of North Carolina are a line of islands located on the very far east coast of North Carolina: Ocracoke Island, Nags Head, and Hatteras Island, to name a few. These barrier islands make up 100 miles of beach towns and villages visited by more than 5 million people every year. Things to see, do, and explore in the Outer Banks include: art galleries, museums, performances (plays), and aquariums.

My Experience at Oregon Inlet Campground

I camped for 2 nights at the Oregon Inlet Campground, located on the Outer Banks of North Carolina, off of the Cape Hatteras National Seashore, near Nags Head. This campground is located just on the other side of the dunes making it more of an oceanfront, than oceanside experience. Because the Outer Banks are islands, this campground is surrounded by water: oceanfront to the front, intercoastal/bays to the back.

So imagine what the wind feels like when a tornado is in the area, and your shelter is a tent. Let me tell you about mine.

As soon as we checked in and got the gear out for set up, the tornado warning came, then the winds that rocked cars, tents, boats- everything, then the huge, thick, gray clouds that covered the entire area, then…darkness.

I was 2 seconds away from going to the hotel and paying them whatever they wanted. But before I could get out “lets go”, everything calmed down. The tornado wasn’t far at all so we felt a lot of action, but didn’t hit the campsite directly.

Check out these videos I captured:

https://www.amazon.com/photos/shared/IpnNoBVbSvu-ns07y0aOlA.y0wNLV2HX9EDZr33qgT-W0

https://www.amazon.com/photos/shared/0Dw85mxNSoCNzE2Mni5Qyw.MqAdXDwgRbbd8rcgZiIoQR

My campsite had water and electricity, and the facilities were just across the path from me. Because of that, and a few factors like: lack of privacy (this site wasn’t full of trees like the one in FL because it was at the ocean), and smaller sites; I didn’t set up a bathroom tent or a shower stall. Here, I used the facilities for the 2 nights.

The sites here are directly next and across from each other. This campground is smaller than the Florida campground and the lack of trees made the heat a little harder to work with. I was so glad I had my hat, the canopy tent, and the ocean right in front of me. The ocean was too cold to swim in during my stay (late May), but dipping my feet to cool off in it was perfect!

I didn’t have a Thomas here (you haaaaaave to check out what happened in Florida, LOL), but I did have mega mosquitoes that didn’t care much about OFF or Citronella. I existed here in long sleeves and leggings most of the time.They feasted on me at the facilities, which they made their home, I’m assuming because of the sitting water. These mosquitoes would eat the Florida mosquitoes alive- I’m sure of it!

Check out these videos I captured of the campground:

https://www.amazon.com/photos/shared/IKARCzjISaClBbFkLfIcmA.D6Kj4qOX3Me-g88XXiYHWp

https://www.amazon.com/photos/shared/UGFGWFraQmilE350NrjhrA.afMaqYzpEaK3h7-SKDtOwQ

Tips/Recommendations/Considerations

Like I stated in the Florida camping experience article, know yourself and plan accordingly so that you have the best experience possible.

Keeping your wet towels and washcloths clean and safe while outside is not the easiest. I recommend getting disposable bath sets for camping from B Luxury Essentials. These are more convenient than traditional towels and washcloths because you use them and dispose of them. Each bath set pack comes with 6 pieces: 2 towels, 2 washcloths, and 2 face towels.

Never drink the water at the campsite. It’s ok to use the water for external purposes: hand washing, dish washing, showers; but not ok for drinking and cooking with. Not even boiled. Grab gallons of water for all of that.

Grab a hat and protect yourself from the heat. My hat saved the day every day.

Camping in the south means you will encounter mosquitoes. Keep it natural and take a bottle of citronella oil with you.

Sanitizer is great but it’s not better than traditional handwashing. Dr. Bonner makes soaps that can be used for 18 different reasons: showers, dishwashing, showers, hair washing- all ways it can be used.

Remember that spring is tornado season. I stayed just after Memorial Day, and after Spring season is summer which is hurricane season. You may see all kinds of shifting weather during travel season at the Outer Banks.

If privacy is a must, this campground may not be for you. If you must have trees for shade, this campground may not be for you.

Closing

If you’re wondering about my consumption of cannabis… of course I consumed. I wasn’t hiding it, but I wasn’t parading around the campground making it known that it was me they were smelling. Because of the lack of privacy, I knew those around would see me and that didn’t concern me because I wasn’t doing anything wrong.

That said, hemp is legal in North Carolina, Cannabis -marijuana is not, not even for medical purposes like Florida. No matter what I decide to do, I won’t advise you to do it if it means breaking the rules and getting in trouble.

I consumed <Sinful Brand/Drink Sinful> shooters at high doses so I was smoking less. These shooters are hemp derived, cannabis infused beverages. Because they are hemp derived they are federally legal under the Farm Bill and can be shipped. They are discreet, delicious, and potent! I made canna cocktails and took nature walks while sipping, making me smoke less.

≤ Photo Credits: I Got the Shot @igot_theshot and Vee, the Traveling Cannabis Writer ≥

Veronica “Vee” Castillo is known as the <Traveling Cannabis Writer>. She is a published writer, connector, traveler, and a member of the Minority Cannabis Business Association Board of Directors.

Her body of work, which includes over 200 published articles in 15 publications, covers all things and people in cannabis/ hemp/ and overall plant medicines. She can be found in both digital and print where she provides cannabis industry and community insights from her 6 year journey around the country.

She specializes in bringing to light the hidden gems in the plant space and beyond. You can follow her journey on Instagram: @vee_travelingvegcannawriter and/or LinkedIn: @Traveling Cannabis Writer.