1 North Carolina Location Is Among The Most Underrated Summer Destinations In The South

I don't know about you but when I am choosing a summer vacation destination I look for less chaos. Give me a beautiful beach with crystal water and the less people the better. 1 North Carolina location is among the most underrated summer destinations in the South.

The travel experts at Southern Living searched high and low for places we can go that not everyone goes to. So, please keep this just between us okay? Summer is a season built around spending quality time with those you love or maybe just slipping away for some well deserved alone time. When our kids were little we almost always went to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina or somewhere close. We needed to be where the action is. And there's lots of opportunity for that there on the grand strand. It is beautiful! But can be crowded in the summertime.

Now that the kids are older what we look for is peace, quiet, good food, maybe a little fishing and a beautiful beach. Thanks to Southern Living we have a new destination. They offered 10 underrated summer vacation destinations in the South. 1 North Carolina location is among the most underrated summer destinations in the South.

Southern Living cites the Outer Banks' Crystal Coast and details the spot. " Also known as the Southern Outer Banks, this 85-mile stretch of shoreline starts at Cape Lookout and Harkers Island in the east and traverses across the barrier island and mainland until reaching its terminus at Cape Carteret in the west."

A have a friend that raves about Emerald Isle. And for good reason. There are 12 miles of public beach and you will love how uncrowded it is. It is oozing with nostalgia and plenty of ocean front houses for rent that can accommodate any sized family . The website also highlights beautiful Beaufort, North Carolina with its charming downtown, fishing and lovely restaurants.

Summer always brings a bevy of vacation options, some more exotic than others. But, you don't have to travel far or do something major to have a great vacation. There are many fun and affordable staycation ideas that can give you a memorable vacation memory by just staying close to home.

So, what exactly is the definition of a staycation? It's pretty self-explanatory, but according to the Oxford Dictionary, it's "a vacation spent in one's home country rather than abroad, or one spent at home and involving day trips to local attractions. Similarly, Merriam-Webster says it's, "a vacation spent at home or nearby." I think it's a stretch to call any vacation that's spent in your home country a staycation. That would mean that someone living in Michigan who travels to California for a vacation is really having a "staycation." It makes much more sense to define a staycation as a vacation where you literally stay at home or do something fun in your local area. Thankfully, there are a plethora of great staycation ideas out there.

Plenty of cities have "be a tourist in your own town" activities promoted by their local city tourist bureaus, which are perfect for a staycation. Really, staycations have been around forever, but they increased in popularity during the pandemic, when people actually weren't allowed to travel abroad. Still, even after the pandemic, the staycation is going strong. According to an international study by tourism and hospitality experts in the U.S. and China, the "staycation phenomenon" that started during the pandemic is still very popular and likely to stay as a new normal. The study, dubbed "Customer Preferences for Staycation Package Attributes," is published online in the International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management. It researched the local staycation preferences of Chinese tourists, as well as staycation information from the U.S., Netherlands and Indonesia.

I love a good staycation. It can be stressful to plan a huge trip to squeeze into your time off. By the time you get everything packed, do all the flight stuff and get to your hotel, you might just feel like resting for the short while that you're at your destination. What's more, you can often find so many great places close to home that you've never experienced before. I've had so many great staycations where I ventured to a part of town or the state that I had never been before, and those are among my favorite vacation memories. In that spirit, here are some fun and affordable staycation ideas. Send me your ideas, too.

Have a vacation in your living room or bedroom. Make it a movie-watching marathon. Watch a string of your favorite guilty-pleasure movies or binge-watch a brand new series. Either way, it'll be cozy and comfy.

If you have a state or national park nearby, use your vacation time to go adventuring. Being at a local park can offer some breathtaking scenery, especially in the summer. Have a picnic out there, too. If you don't have a state or national park close by, try a local park.

Nearly every town has a local museum or art gallery. Perhaps you've never really had the time to visit your local museum or art spot. Use your vacation time to explore those local spots, and you might find a new favorite place.

If you've driven by that new hotel for a while and wondered what it's like inside, why not book it for a night? You don't have to be traveling to say at a hotel, Airbnb or local bed-and-breakfast. It can make for an exciting adventure right in your backyard.

Using vacation time to plan a big party for friends is a good use of that time. Instead of traveling around the world, bring to world to you. Invite lots of your good friends, and spend some of the cash you would have on a vacation for your party. It'll be the party of the year. Make that decade.

Pamper yourself. Maybe you think having a spa day is too much of a luxury, but if you're saving money by not taking a big trip, why not use that money for a spa day? It's not just for ladies, either. Guys can book a spa day for a variety of services. It'll make for a day of bliss.

​