Wow!!! Small World! I've never flown in there, as I'm not wealthy enough for private flight, but know where it's at. When married, my wife and I owned a rental property south of there in Buxton. Been to Manteo, duck, corolla, on the north end. Then Ocracoke, cedar island, etc., What a nice area! I'd take it over FL any day. And glad to hear they still have the same common sense that most in that area have.
I have always enjoyed all of my visits to the North Carolina shore. I have been to many of the placed listed above. I live in the Research Triangle Park area of North Carolina near Raleigh. The beach is approx. a 3-4 hour drive, and the mountains (which are also great) are also only 3-4 hours away by car. North Carolina is a great state!
I used to head into NC on occasion when I was stationed in Norfolk. Good outdoors. But, those aint mountains, and everything east of the Mississippi, to a westerner, is too small and too crowded. : )
Agreed! And I forgot to mention my years in Jacksonville, NC at Camp Lejeune. Spent many weekends on topsail island, Wilmington beach, etc., eating good seafood, drinking myself silly (lol!), and spending what cash I had left on what else, women. Lol! Sounds like you've got the best of both Worlds where you're at. I have to deal with all of NY, NJ, MA, tourists every single day living two miles from the beach, and if I had it to do over again, I'd live inland, and simply drive to the beach for the day. I'd bet I don't go to the beach but once every two months or so. And YES, I'd love to be close to the mountains.