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Topic: General Information

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Main Topic Post: General Information

Posted By: Guest

Subject: ocean side /sound side

We have always stayed oceanside.
Love the beach.
But due to finances wondering
about the sound. What is it like.
The houses I am sure are as nice
but what about the rest of it.
Things to do. How is the water.
Is it a pain to get to the ocean.
Thinking a about the Hatteras Village area.

Message Replies:

57633: RE: ocean side /sound side

11/1/2009 6:59:56 PM

Posted By: Guest

I am sure it all depends on what you are looking for in a vacation. For us, it is the beach, and only oceanfront..

57636: RE: ocean side /sound side

11/1/2009 7:04:08 PM

Posted By: Guest

We always stay oceanfront, but my parents and rest of the family always stay sound side. It saves lots on money and they always get very nice houses with great amenities that would cost lots more OF or ocean side.

Both families use Hatteras Realty...of course, on Hatteras Island you have many realtors to choose from. They drive to beach access and say it is great. They are always positive about it. My opinion is it is better to stay sound side than to stay at home and miss out! You have the same things to do since you are at the same place. You may really love it.

57637: RE: ocean side /sound side

11/1/2009 7:06:10 PM

Posted By: Guest

636 again. What I meant by 'same place' is that you are still on Hatteras no matter where the house is.

57639: RE: ocean side /sound side

11/1/2009 7:13:12 PM

Posted By: mike

Look at surf or sound realty, I found a soundside house just across the beach road from the ocean, got a pool and a short walk to the beach via a boardwalk.

57650: RE: ocean side /sound side

11/2/2009 9:39:11 AM

Posted By: Guest

We can't afford to stay oceanside or soundside and we manage to have fantastic vacations every year. Surely you can find something.........

57653: RE: ocean side /sound side

11/2/2009 9:46:55 AM

Posted By: Guest

We've always stayed soundside and have always had a blast. Would love to be ocean front or even sound front but for the money it's fine by us. The beach is ten minutes away (3 by car), not hard to handle...

57655: RE: ocean side /sound side

11/2/2009 11:37:22 AM

Posted By: Guest

nothing beats oceanfront. Costs more, but if you can afford it, there is nothing like sitting on the deck at your house, looking at the ocean, having a private walkway to the beach, and not having to lug all the stuff back and forth across roads.

57657: RE: ocean side /sound side

11/2/2009 12:32:21 PM

Posted By: Guest

Oceanfront is expensive, but worth every penny. We drive 800 miles (one way) to get to the OBX. We make the trip to see, hear and smell the ocean. Soundside is not going to cut it. We have lakes and trees at home. (sorry but to me the sound is just a big shallow muddy lake) Nothing beats seeing the ocean out of every window, and your feet hitting the sand as soon as you open the door.

57659: RE: ocean side /sound side

11/2/2009 12:42:51 PM

Posted By: Guest

We've stayed in ocean front, sound side, sound front, ocean side, ocean view etc.

We tend to just book a house that has all the amenities we're looking for in our price range regardless of location.

It's worked out really well for us. And oddly enough we've booked the same house from last year (which has become our favorite house in the years we've vacationed) and it is a soundside home in kinakeet shores down in avon....Just can't beat the value of it when you look at amenities and price. We can get in the car and be at the beach in about 2 minutes....which is about how long it took us to walk to the beach when we had our ocean front house om avon (which was on the other side of the dune)

57660: RE: ocean side /sound side

11/2/2009 1:08:40 PM

Posted By: Guest

Last year we stayed on the golf course in Nags Head. It was great. Our house was tucked in the trees so it was very refreshing to come back to it from the hot beach.
Great sunsets, great walking paths, and we got to watch guys hitting into and putting out on the 8th green.
Like 3 minutes to the beach.

57664: RE: ocean side /sound side

11/2/2009 1:54:35 PM

Posted By: Guest

We stay in the same older oceanfront in KDH every yr. It doesnt have a pool or hot tub, but it is clean, roomy, and has direct access,(basically step outside and youre on the beach) and the view is to die for. I agree with 659, we drive 750 miles, and want to see and expirience the ocean. We have lakes and ponds and trees and pools at home. But I admit, some of the other homes do look lovely, but we will "rough it" on the shore. :)

57665: RE: ocean side /sound side

11/2/2009 2:03:40 PM

Posted By: Guest

664 again here. I forgot to add, that the price of the oceanfront we rent is cheaper than many of the semi-oceanfront, or soundside homes because of the amenities factor. So if you can do without a pool, spa, or media room, there are plenty of affordable oceanfronts to be found.

57668: RE: ocean side /sound side

11/2/2009 2:43:43 PM

Posted By: Guest

any older ocean front in k.d.h. or for that matter kitty hawk or nags head are rat traps and we all know it. I have stayed in several and gave up. Your ok as long as you stay on the deck.

57673: RE: ocean side /sound side

11/2/2009 6:06:22 PM

Posted By: Guest

Let me start by saying we are beach lovers. We are the people that are on the beach at 10am and leave at 6 or 7pm. We just love hanging out at the beach. So, 15 years ago when we started going to the Outer Banks we only ever stayed in an Oceanfront home. Then one year friends of ours rented a home on the soundfront, while we rented on the beach. We went over to the home they rented and OMG it
was beautiful and clean and clutter free and the sunset was amazing. It didn't have that musty, mildew salty smell to it like the beach houses that we had rented. Trust me we always rented very expensive homes on the beach in South Nags Head that were very lovely, but they always had that smell of mildew. Well, now we stay on the Soundfront it is like an entire different world over there. 10 years and counting. We would never go back to the Oceanfront again.

57681: RE: ocean side /sound side

11/3/2009 6:02:04 AM

Posted By: Guest

We rent an older oceanfront in Kitty Hawk each season, and it isnt a "rat trap". If older homes are rat traps, that must make the newer homes "tourist traps" right?

57684: RE: ocean side /sound side

11/3/2009 6:18:24 AM

Posted By: Guest

The main attraction of OBX is the beach and the Atlantic Ocean. If it was all about the house, I'd stay in the one I live in. Stayed semi oceanfront first year and wanted to be across the street the entire week. So then had to be oceanfront every year after that. As far as amenities, AC is nice and gettng the weather channel is good too. Have a pool at home so don't need that and hot tubs are a waste too. A walkway to the beach is a real plus.

57694: RE: ocean side /sound side

11/3/2009 1:18:38 PM

Posted By: Guest

I dont understand people who travel to the beach, then worry more about having a great house than the ocean. You can get pools and saunas and and all that crap at your local Hoilday Inn. Wish there was a ocean everywhere!

57695: RE: ocean side /sound side

11/3/2009 1:37:36 PM

Posted By: Guest

694,

I take it you just stay in a tent at one of the ocean front campgrounds then right? I mean since the house doesn't matter.....

Everyone has their preferences and reasons for booking the particular lodging they do, and I don't think we should be looking down our noses at anyone about it.

For my family our primary lodging concern first and foremost is budgetary...so we look at houses in our particular price range and try to get the most house for our money because I actually find it easier to drive a couple of minutes to an access ramp and drive directly onto the beach with our vehicle rather than carrying our stuff back and forth on foot. We got to the beach last year just as fast if not faster in our car then we did the year before when we had a walkway and went on foot. and though it's lovely to see the ocean out the window, I'm quiet happy to view the sunset over the sound from the roof top deck while getting a hot tub, community pool, internet access, extra bathroom, master suite etc also in trade.

57698: RE: ocean side /sound side

11/3/2009 8:36:31 PM

Posted By: Guest

I love the sound -- the peacefulness, the sunsets, the still water. But since I am the only sound fan in a family of 15 or so, we have only stayed soundside once. The others will spend hours at the beach; I'm good for 10 minutes of taking pictures then I am ready to move on.

57699: RE: ocean side /sound side

11/3/2009 9:20:16 PM

Posted By: Jim L

I love the soundside. We always stay in Avon.You can't beat the sunsets, especially if you are close to soundfront. I have a small sailboat, but windsurfing is cheap and great fun.
Depending on where you are the ocean can be a walk, but we usually drive with our beach stuff. Plenty of parking at the North and South end of town. Checkout http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=35.36488,-75.504484&spn=0.004226,0.009645&t=h&z=17

57705: RE: ocean side /sound side

11/4/2009 10:56:46 AM

Posted By: Guest

I agree with 694...we vaction on the OBX for the beach/ocean not luxury amenities in a rental home. Like 684 said, AC is nice but as long as I have a place to sleep and cook meals, the only thing I require is oceanfront!

57706: RE: ocean side /sound side

11/4/2009 11:53:57 AM

Posted By: Guest

If you have a chance do a google earth search on you ocfront house. We stayed ocfront in Nags head at a beautiful house but the walk across our private walkway - up 6 or so steps to our gazebo - and the down about 12 pretty steep steps to the beach didnt exactly seem ocfront. My brother had a place same time in KittyHawk that fronted beach road and you could just about yell at the kids on the beach and they could hear you.

57707: RE: ocean side /sound side

11/4/2009 12:19:04 PM

Posted By: Guest

Oceanfront here all the way. Im from the midwest. I have no desire to spend my "beach" vacation sitting in a neighborhood by a lake or pond on a tree lined street. Thats where I live the OTHER 358 days a year. And to the poster who said "I take it you just stay in a tent at one of the ocean front campgrounds then right? I mean since the house doesn't matter....." Ummm yes, that would be corect. No, I havent camped out, but I WOULD rather sleep in a tent to be on the ocean than being in a fancy house inland. Sounds like youre the one looking down on people who can keep it simple, and be content!

57710: RE: ocean side /sound side

11/4/2009 5:03:38 PM

Posted By: Guest

I posted this question and I love the fact that we have had so many
great responses. Here's the thing.
We love the ocean/beach. We spend
all day there. However, we have
11 kids 12 and under, one adult
in a wheelchair, we need a elevator,pool,and alot of room.
Do we go soundside due to finances
or stay home and save for 2011?

57711: RE: ocean side /sound side

11/4/2009 5:23:55 PM

Posted By: Guest

Do what makes you happy!

57713: RE: ocean side /sound side

11/4/2009 7:32:14 PM

Posted By: Jim L

Just GO

57714: RE: ocean side /sound side

11/4/2009 9:24:02 PM

Posted By: Guest

[sarcasm]
stay home. Obviously it's not worth going if you aren't going to stay in an ocean front house. you can stay in a house surrounded by trees and 'Lakes' at home. You should have a community pool in your neighborhood, and there is most certainly an elevator in your local mall. Really save your money, staying in any house other than ocean front clearly isn't worth taking the trip.

there problem solved
[/sarcasm]

57718: RE: ocean side /sound side

11/5/2009 4:30:26 AM

Posted By: Guest

Well to me it isnt worth going if Im not oceanfront, or at least semi-ocenafront. And whats so wrong with that? Not everyone is a fan of the sound, or sharing a "community pool". Youre right, all that crap is available at home.

57738: RE: ocean side /sound side

11/5/2009 11:52:13 AM

Posted By: Guest

710 - It's a no brainer...you go. Life is too short to put family vacations off. Kids that young don't really care and adults shouldn't have a problem where they are as long as they're sharing good time and making memories. Sorry but oceanfront doesn't make the vacation it's the people.

57740: RE: ocean side /sound side

11/5/2009 12:02:48 PM

Posted By: ohio

On sound side you can be out of the insane wind that sometimes makes sitting on your deck oceanfront a bit hard. The house matters because if it is rainy and cold your together in it A LOT more. Speaking from experience I was in an ocean front house for a week of rain and wind with one TV and five people. We havent been back since. Sob!

57748: RE: ocean side /sound side

11/5/2009 3:13:25 PM

Posted By: Guest

No one can decide for you. Some people like the calm wind and waters on the sound, while others prefer the ocean breezes. We stayed in a BEAUTIFUL soundfront home a few years back, to see what we thought. The house was great, with tons of perks but none of us enjoyed having to drive to the beach. Especially when there are kids involved. Someone always needs to go home to nap or eat, or even if the adults were ready to leave the beach, but the kids were not. Cant leave em' there alone..was a major pain, everyone having to load up because a few people were ready to leave. So we went back to O.front. Even if you are done with the beach, you can sit right on your deck and watch the rest of the family, or run in and out of your house for lunch, restroom, etc.

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