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On camping...I can't suggest anything if you have a motor coach or a 5th wheel and you wouldn't need my ideas anyway, but tents and pop-ups, I have had them all.

Now, I use an old-pop up I rehabbed for use in the NPS campgrounds there. Barely made it out from two hurricanes and a nor'easter so I didn't want to start with much so I wouldn't lose much.

I added some rod holders and a cooler rack on the a-frame, took out the "water system" and stove & gas bottles. Its too hot for cooking down there for me. Now I have more storage and some place to store and lock down the rods. Flys and awnings are the thing.

Those really big blue tarps and some long PVC pipe will cover your tent and make a nice porch. A small tarp and some spring clips will make a sun block. It can be moved from side to side as the sun moves. Stake the bottom and it will stay in place. Use long stakes about 2 ft. at least. The tiny wire ones won't hold in the sand.

Cut you own from 2x2 pine or rebar and bring lots of rope. Please put a tarp up for shade if you use those little 2 man dome tents, and sand stakes or it will blow away in the wind and roll end over end all across the camp ground. What the sun won't do to your camp to make you cuss, the rain will.

So, camp on a high spot, as a hard rain will flood Cape Point Campground fast. Keep your stuff in lawn bags if it does, when not in use. Wet blankets make for bad camping and I don't believe the coin laundry is open in Buxton any more.

Soundside and the commercial campgrounds on South Beach are nice but full of BUGS!!! But then the kids will have a pool and you can fish a little. You will need an NC license, for any freshwater fishing. However in the sound and the ocean, I believe it is still free.

***-ICE- your biggest single expense camping. Have a good cooler!!!***

An old piece of carpet in a small tent helps control the sand inside and a piece outside as well is nice.

A must if you are on an air mattress, bring sheets, as a sleeping bag in July isn't real practical.

For more on camping go to the links section on the main page, and look around. Somewhere in there are private campgrounds and NPS pages or listings of the same, just surf a little.