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North Carolina Babies
NBR: Anyone from the Outer Banks?
DH is considering a job there, and I'm curious as to what the area is like. I've never been, so any insights will be greatly appreciated. From weather, stores, parks, kids-related activities, anything will help.
Thank you!
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Re: NBR: Anyone from the Outer Banks?
Our Thanksgiving Day baby 11/22/07
Pregnant with #2 with LPD, uterine polyp/hysteroscopy, DOR (AMH = 0.17), 2 c/ps
Our early Christmas present 12/9/10
Thank you! we're living on San Juan Island right now, and we might not move, but DH is applying for the job just in case. I heard beaches are more your "typical" hot and sticky summer beach, which like you said is so not what beaches here are like!
MrsJones:
We could live anywhere in the area, really, let's say near Manteo for reference. Mostly I want to know about cost of living, cost of utilities, are there library groups or baby groups, places to meet other mamas, how hot and sticky does it get, how cold does it get, is the wind really as bad as they say? What about mosquitos, as deadly as I hear? Is A/C a most? What kind of stores are there? (there's only one groceries store were we live now). Stuff like that.
Thanks again!
I grew up in Elizabeth City (about 45 minutes inland from the OBX) but my dad currently runs an Intracostal Waterway tourism website, which also thoroughly covers the OBX. It could answer a few of your "basic" Outerbanks questions. Also, if you want you can contact him for more information and relocation help or whatever. Anyway, I hope this helps you find some answers! Good luck with your DH's job search!
::sniff, sniff::
I grew up going to Roche and Friday Harbor every summer! We had a boat and those were two of my absolute favorite stops. I haven't been to Friday Harbor in 15 years, and that was just because I just wanted to (!), and I can't tell you the last time I went to Roche, though I can still picture it vividly. We fly out there for a week or two every summer, and I keep telling DH that we need to take the ferry to Friday Harbor just for a day. (We took a couple days for a trip in 2000 but we ended up going to Victoria instead.) The SJ Islands -- and Mt. Rainier -- are in my blood. GORGEOUS!!!
And yeah, it's just different. It'll be hot and sticky wherever you are; I'm 4 hours away and it's mid-Sept. and I'm hot and sticky as I type.
You'll definitely want (and would probably automatically get) air-conditioning.
In general the cost of living is a lot less here, but I've never looked at the outer banks and I imagine it's higher than the average. Plus you have to worry about hurricanes, so I imagine insurance runs more. But it'll still be less that what you're used to, I'm quite certain.
If DH could get a job out there and if we could sell our house here we'd move back in a heartbeat. A friend of mine just moved from Whidbey (to Kansas of all places) and I was ready to snatch up her place. I'd be happy to trade you?!?
This is my second-favorite place to live and raise kids, don't misunderstand, but it's different. 
Our Thanksgiving Day baby 11/22/07
Pregnant with #2 with LPD, uterine polyp/hysteroscopy, DOR (AMH = 0.17), 2 c/ps
Our early Christmas present 12/9/10
I don't live there, but have grown up visiting every year, with extended family nearby (also Elizabeth City, kimilane!)
It is a small town atmosphere. The main industry there is tourism, so it is quite, well, touristy. :-) There are plenty of locals and those who live there year-round though. In some areas, many of the restaurants, etc shut down in the winter months, so it's quiet during those times, but very busy and traffic-y during the summer. I absolutely love it there though, and wouldn't hesitate to move to Manteo (that's my dream retirement spot, actually). I can't compare it to the West coast, since I've only been once--a short trip to CA for a wedding. :-)
As far as shopping, it's pretty limited, but there are several grocery stores, an outlet mall, and lots of smaller specialty shops. There is a Wal-Mart and KMart there, but no Target (the horror!) I'd say the closest big town that would have "real" shopping is Norfolk, VA.
Summers pretty much anywhere in NC are terribly humid. I cannot imagine not having A/C anywhere here, except for maybe in the mountains. You'd definitely need A/C at the beach, IMO.
GL!
I can't really answer most of your questions, but I know my sister is in shell shock moving from Raleigh to Buxton. On the island she lives on there is a Food Lion and a smaller family owned grocery store, but other then that she has to leave the island for anything else. She's used to having everything she needs withing 10 minutes, and now she drives at least 45 minutes for a Walmart and an hour and a half for a Target.
The Outer Banks are beautiful!
This is very true for the Hatteras island area, but there's much more in the Nags Head/Kill Devil Hills/Kitty Hawk area. There are 2 or 3 Food Lions, a Harris Teeter (two of the big grocery store chains in NC), a Belk (department store), and the WalMart and KMart (plus other shopping). There's also a relatively new hospital in the area. I'd love to live in that area (despite my need for trips to Target at least 3 times a week..LOL), but would probably not be able to handle living in the Hatteras (Buxton, Avon, Rodanthe, etc) area, as beautiful as it is--it's just really desolate.
I didn't respond about the weather. It does get cold there in the winter, just as it does in the rest of the State. It even snows there sometimes. But all in all, it's pretty mild. The winds aren't any worse than any other coastal area, unless there's an approaching tropical storm or hurricane, of course. The mosquitos can be bad during certain times of the year, but nothing worse than in Raleigh, in my experience. I've never really noticed it being a huge issue when visiting.
While there's more shopping in those areas, you have to deal with more of the tourists during the season as well as the higher prices because of being in the high tourist traffic area. There are definitely pros and cons to living on the Outer Banks. I'd do it, but I'd have to live in the desolate areas. That's because I'm not that big into tourists, though. That being said, you've also got to remember that if you do live in the desolate areas and there's a threat of a "big" hurricane, you're going to be evacuated more often than not because it takes so long to evacuate those areas.
I think the weather there is a bit more extreme thank other places in NC, though. When it's a hot day, it's a really hot day but you can get a break from it if you can make it to the beach. When it's cold, you're on the beach and get a lot of the wind, so it's just pretty miserable.
Either way, I'm a "water baby" and loved growing up near the OBX. They're great (which is why they're such a tourist attraction) and there are definitely good places to live. Definitely peruse my dad's website and get to know some of the towns he's got pages on...you'll find one that fits you and your family's style.
Thank you for all your replies! You've been very helpful.
I'll come back to hang out if we move! (probably won't know for a couple of months)
Thanks again!