1. Best dinner value: Jordan’s Seafood. Excellent prices, fair portions, and good reliable service is what makes this Emerald Isle restaurant tops for a dinner value.
2. Best lunch value: The Crab Shack in Salter Path with their $7.95 Baby Flounder lunch special plus 2 side items is our choice for the best lunch value on the Crystal Coast. We received 3 large pieces of Flounder making this one excellent lunch value.
3. Best ice cream: The Emerald Isle DQ soft serve followed closely by The Candy Shop Hersey ice cream are our choices for best ice cream on the Crystal Coast. Glenn and his great staff at the DQ provide awesome service even when the line is out the front door!
4. Best meal overall: The consensus of the Carroll family was our Friday evening meal at Rucker Johns. While the service on 2 of our 3 visits during the week was just “ok”, our final meal on Friday (9-11) was most tasty and the service quite improved over our previous visits. What made this particular meal special was the seared tuna entree with mixed veggies and sweet potato. For $8.95, the portions were good and the flavor outstanding! Special kudos to Becca, our RJ waitress, for her attentive service.
5. Best family activity. Hands down the trip to Beaufort with a water taxi to Shackleford Banks is a must for any family vacation to the Crystal Coast. Kids of all ages will enjoy spotting the ponies of Shackleford Banks, shelling (go early for large conch shells) and a swim in the sound. Take care not to forget to wear foot protection while roaming this barrier island as prickly burrs are plentiful. Swimming on the ocean side can be tricky as the water gets deep quickly and the currents are swift so take caution.

Can’t Miss Things To Do in Emerald Isle

For family fun, I wholeheartedly recommend the following fun things to do on your Crystal Coast vacation:

• Putt-putt golf at Emerald Forest. Every trip to Emerald Isle should include a game of putt-putt.
• Biking anywhere in Emerald Isle on those wonderful bike paths is a pure delight! Mega kudos to the Town of Emerald Isle for providing these awesome strips of asphalt for residents and visitors alike!
• A walk on the Bogue Inlet Pier after a cone of ice cream at the DQ. It’s a Carroll tradition.
• Favorite rainy day activity at the beach? A trip to the NC Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores is a must!

Your Crystal Coast favorite Things To Do?

Now that you know our favorite things to do on vacation on the Crystal Coast, it’s time you listed your personal favorites by leaving a comment.

Helping you create wonderful vacation memories here on the Crystal Coast,

Bobby

What’s on the Minds of Emerald Isle Vacationers

The format of this particular guest book went like this:

• Date you arrived
• Date you departed
• The weather during your stay
• Guest/visitors
• What we did
• New encounters (friends/creatures)
• Projects (started/completed)
• Favorite moments
• Notes (some used this section to leave feedback to the owners like what needed to be repaired or comments about the rental property)

Carefree Sandancer West Guest Journal Entries

Here are a few of the more interesting entries written in the Carefree Sandancer guest journal.

“I was a Carefree Sandancer. No husband, no sons. Spent the week with friends reading, talking and listening. It was a much needed break to rest and refresh. I feel like a beautiful woman again.” June 25, 2006.

“As I put pen to paper, it’s easy to know why Hemingway loved island life. The tastes from food, smells and seafood. It’s well worth the trek every year.” August 4, 2007.

Among the many family themed entries was this warm-hearted thought; “This is our 6th year. We have special memories every year. We are taking our youngest child off to college next week and this has been great to be together before her new adventure.” August 16, 2008.

I found this entry to be very interesting as it was offered by someone visiting from Northern Ireland. “Just loved this Emerald Isle. The color of the ocean is definitely emerald green but the weather is much better than it is on the olde sod“. August 18, 2007.

Our Entry in the Carefree Sandancer West Journal

Stay tuned when we let you know what our entry will be about our family vacation to Emerald Isle.

Bobby Carroll
Your Crystal Coast Blogger

Avoid Long Walks Off Short Piers

Bad joke… but yes, we have a pier on Emerald Isle (The Bogue Inlet Pier) and it’s a great place take a short stroll after your flounder meal at Jordan’s Seafood or maybe the spicy shrimp at Rucker Johns before you dive into that banana split at the DQ. For those seeking a real challenge, leave the hard surfaces behind and opt for walking in the sand. Sure, it requires greater effort than walking on a hard surface, but remember, your testing those muscles and tendons making them work harder as you motor up and down the beach.

Slow Down!!

Exercise experts all agree that walking at a slower pace requires more effort than walking fast or even jogging. By instantly adding the ingredient of  sand and it requires 2.1 to 2.7 times more energy over walking on hard surfaces. If you prefer to pick up the pace, jogging on the beach uses1.6 times more energy than jogging on hard surfaces.

When Walking the Beaches of the Crystal Coast…

We all know how too much exposure to the sun can have a terrible impact on our skin. Be sure to heap large amounts of sunblock when taking your stroll along the beaches of the Crystal Coast especially during those mid-day walks. Be sure to take care of your feet too. A quick stroll down the beach in bare feet is fine, but if you are going for a longer distance then make sure you walk in shoes. Walking shoes are an excellent choice or better yet a good pair of sandals is an excellent choice too. That way you do not have to worry about getting your shoes wet. Podiatrist also warn against walking too far in the sand in bare feet as it can result in shin splints or a sore tendon in your heel.

What to Bring Along

In addition to the sun protection mentioned earlier, if you are walking in the heat of the day, I suggest you bring along these items:

• wear a hat
• a bottle of water
• loose fitting clothing
• should you experience overheating, just stop and take a cool dip in the Atlantic

Your Feedback

When is you favorite time of day to take a walk on the beach – early morning, late evening, or midday? Please feel free to leave a comment and let the rest of us know your preference.

Your Crystal Coast Blogger,

Bobby Carroll

Where will the Town of Emerald Isle Host It’s 2009 Fireworks Display?

Sources now report the town of Emerald Isle’s Fourth of July Celebration will light up the night at McLean Park near mile marker 18 in Emerald Isle. For more details be sure to dial 252-354-6350.

New Crystal Coast Photo Blog!

If you happen to snap a great Emerald Isle 4th of July photo, I would love to see it and share it with the thousands of readers who stop by my new Crystal Coast Photo Blog.

Drop me an email at info@crystalcoastblog.com and I’ll share your photos for all to see.

My Personal Favorite Entries From the Crystal Coast Blog

To help provide the answers many visitors to this blog have asked, here are some of my personal favorite past Crystal Coast Blog post.

Which Type of Emerald Isle Real Estate Agent Should You Select? One Who Blogs or One Who Doesn’t?

Internet Connectivity High on the List of Crystal Coast Hotel Guest

Questions for Crystal Coast Home Buyers

Factors that Impact the Success of Selling Your Emerald Isle Property

Is There Such a Thing as a Long-term Emerald Isle Rental?

The Cool Things You Can Do With Your iPhone on Emerald Isle!

Great Coffee on Emerald Isle – Beans-N-Screens

I hope you enjoy reading these post as much as I enjoyed writing them!

Feel free to leave a comment and let me know which one was your “personal fav”!
Bobby Carroll – Your Crystal Coast Blogger

Crystal Coast Event

Event Date: Friday, Apr. 17, 2009
Event Time: 7:00 pm
Friday Free Flick • Join us at Emerald Isle Parks and Recreation building at 7500 Emerald Drive on Friday, April 17th at 7pm for “Bolt”. The movie is rated PG and the admission is FREE!

All children, be sure you bring your parent(s). $1 = popcorn and a drink. Remember, no outside food or beverage is allowed.

For more information on this family-friendly Crystal Coast event, contact Laura Lee Davis.

Laura is the Program Supervisor with the Emerald Isle Parks and Recreation
Phone: 252.354.6350
Email Laura: davis@emeraldisle-nc.org

Why Emerald Isle is such a Great Place to Live and Visit!

The awesome part of residing (or visiting) a small NC Coastal town like Emerald Isle is the really cool family-friendly events the crew at the parks and recreation host. Besides the obvious scenic beauty and the recreational opportunities, what other reasons would you list for living or visiting the Crystal Coast?

I look forward to reading your comments.

Bobby Carroll – Your Crystal Coast Blogger

1. Take a kid fishing on the Bogue Inlet Fishing Pier
2. Take the short water taxi ride to Shackelford Banks to see the Shackelford Banks ponies and go shell collecting. You’ll need to drive to Beaufort (45 minutes) from Emerald Isle. Operated by the Outer Banks Ferry Service located on the Beaufort waterfront at 326 Front Street, Beaufort, NC,  I recommend you call 252-728-4129 for schedules and more information.
3. Play putt-putt at the Emerald Forest Putt-Putt course
4. Rent bikes from Hwy 58 Bikes rentals in Emerald Isle. It’s so convenient, the shop is located right on the Emerald Isle bike path.
5. Shell collecting on the beaches of  Emerald Isle (simple pleasures are priceless)
6. Go bowling at Mac Daddy’s in Cape Carteret. This is the perfect rainy day family activity!
   
7. Hit the waterslide in Emerald Isle. One of the oldest amusement parks on the Crystal Coast, the Water Boggan is located at the corner of Reed Drive and Islander Drive (less than a half a mile from the Emerald Isle Bridge).
8. Visit Fort Macon on the east end of the island of Bogue Banks near Atlantic Beach. This North Carolina state park and civil war fort offers the public access to the surf, sun and sand of the Crystal Coast—as well as a historic landmark.
9. Fly your kite on the beaches of Emerald Isle
10. Catch a movie at the Emerald Isle movie threater. For those rainy days, why not catch a movie at the Emerald Plantation Cinemas located at the Food Lion shopping in Emerald Isle. Phone (252) 354-7263 for list of movies and show times.

On the Pricier Side

• Kayak to Bear Island ($55 per person) to Hammocks Beach State Park. A short drive over the Emerald Isle Bridge to the waterfront hamlet of Swansboro, here you can leasurely kayak to Bear Island.
  
• Rent jet skis at Water Sports Jetski Rentals (address: 1960 Salter Path Road Salter Path, NC 28575 Phone: (252) 247-7303) Bogue Sound is the perfect location to rent a jet ski or waverunner. Here your family can navigate the many islands that dot our Intracoastal Waterway while keeping a safe distance from larger boats.
• Visit the N.C. Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores. Here you can have a close encounter with a stingray and even get eye to eye with a shark. Perfect for those rainy days at the beach, this is one of the most popular attractions on the Crystal Coast.  Located five (5) miles west of Atlantic Beach, take NC 58. Turn onto Pine Knoll Boulevard at the stoplight at Milepost 7. Turn left onto Roosevelt Drive. For N.C. Aquarium hours, it’s best to call 252-247-4003 or toll-free 866-294-3477 for a complete list of events and hours of operation.

What’s Your Favorite Activity on the Crystal Coast?

If you are a veteran Crystal Coast vacationer, please leave a comment and let everyone know what fun activity your family loves here on the Crystal Coast.

Your Crystal Coast Blogger – Bobby Carroll

Follow EmeraldIsleNC on Twitter

Educating the Emerald Isle Renter

I feel it is my first responsibility is to help educate those who call about locating a rental property on Emerald Isle. Many renters are unaware of the higher costs associated with renting property on Emerald Isle. Emerald Isle’s location is far more desirable than a rental property located on the mainland in Jacksonville, Cape Carteret or Swansboro. Second, many callers have a dream of finding a long-term condo or single-family property rental right on the oceanfront never giving thought those situations are so few (if not impossible to find). Why? Let me explain.

Emerald Isle Property Investors Really Want Higher Rental Rates

For an Emerald Isle property owner, they prefer to have their vacation property rented for short-term rentals driving higher rental rates. Obviously, higher rentals rates occur during the desirable peak summer months. It’s a simple matter of economics. This is especially true for those properties located on or near the oceanfront or along the Bogue Sound. Move slightly away from the beach or sound and the likelihood an Emerald Isle property can be rented for a year or longer becomes more economically feasible for both the property owner and the potential renter.

Desirability and Emerald Isle Property Values Increase Rental Rates

Just keep in mind, long-term Emerald Isle rental units will always incur higher rental rates than rental properties located on the mainland. It’s all because of the law of the supply and demand, desirability and higher property values. And property on Emerald Isle is very desirable!

What has been your experience renting long-term rental property on Emerald Isle? Be the first to leave a comment.

Bobby Carroll – Your Crystal Coast Blogger

If you have a job and your finances are such that you can afford a vacation to Emerald Isle (or any of our other beautiful NC beach towns), how can you make your trip to the NC coast more affordable? Here are a few tips to help make your Crystal Coast vacation go easier on your wallet:

1. Stay Away From the Ocean: As in oceanfront rentals. Many vacationers love renting NC beach homes on the oceanfront. Opt for more affordable rentals on the second row or maybe even several streets off the oceanfront and you’ll realize significant savings. Plus, beach access points are conveniently located all along the Crystal Coast and make it easy to reach the beach from almost anywhere on the island.
2. Shorten Your Stay: Instead of a two week vacation, make it for one week.
3. Dine in More Often: When you do come, be frugal and eat in more often. Now this doesn’t have to mean more time in the kitchen for the family chef. Many Crystal Coast rental properties provide a grill and many of the Emerald Isle condos offer picnic and grilling stations. Then plan one or two special “go out to eat nights” to spice up your stay. Don’t forget to grab any of the many local magazines that offer discount coupons for eats and activities. You’ll find them everywhere on the Crystal Coast.
4. Be Free: As in come to the Crystal Coast when special “FREE” local events are scheduled making your trip more affordable.
5. Maximize Your NC Beach Trip: Make it a real family affair. Hang out more at your rental and play board games, have special craft times using our local resources like shells and sand. Plan fewer costly activities that can ding the pocketbook.
6. Downsize: Select a smaller Emerald Isle beach house or Emerald isle condo for your stay.
7. GO BIG: Invite many friends and relatives to come stay and share the cost.
8. The Beach Layaway Plan: Well that might be a stretch but some Crystal Coast vacation rental agencies are allowing their renters to set up a payment plan for deposits and rentals.
9. Fall Back or Spring Ahead: Instead of paying for the peak summer rental season, maybe consider scheduling your Emerald Isle vacation for the spring or the fall months. These rental seasons are called ‘the shoulder months” and they offer consider savings over the prime summer months.
10. Do It Yourself Vacation: Instead of splurging on options like renting sheets, towels, and beach chairs, bring your own. Another popular option is to bring your bikes. With the great bike paths in Emerald Isle, you and your family can easily reach almost any short distance destination people could normally reach by car.

These money saving tips are sure to make a big impact on your vacation budget. Let me know which one you think is your favorite. If I missed a money saving tip, feel free to add yours to the list.

Helping you save more on your Crystal Coast vacation,

Bobby Carroll – Your Crystal Coast Blogger

Related Crystal Coast Blog Post

Are You Waiting for Sweeter Deals to Book Your Crystal Coast Vacation? It’s been 9 months since I originally asked this question in a post I wrote May 18th 2008. The problem is we are still asking the same question in 2009.

Search for Emerald Isle Homes for Sale with the Trulia APP!

If you are in the market for an Emerald Isle home or condo, be sure to download and test-drive the property search app provided by Trulia. This neat application offers Emerald Isle home buys a property search and mapping solution while the Nearby application contains user-generated content of recommended restaurants and services with mapped Crystal Coast locations.

Emerald Isle Home Sellers

If you are thinking about selling your Emerald Isle home, the first question that I would ask my Emerald Isle real estate agent is this – “Do you own an iPhone (or some sort of smartphone) and do you know about the great APPs (especially the APP called Nearby?” and the second question I would ask is this – “Do you upload your Emerald Isle property listings to the website Trulia?” Now I’m sure you are wondering why in the world would an Emerald Isle real estate agent would need to know about iPhone applications. Allow me to explain:

• First, it is a true test just how tech-savvy (and marketing savvy) your Emerald Isle real estate agent really is. Are they keeping up with the latest smartphone technology available to empower consumers. For your sake, you better know your agent is staying ahead of the technology curve.

• It lets you know how web-savvy your potential listing Emerald Isle real estate agent is. If your agent isn’t taking advantage of these tools to attract more buyers to your Crystal Coast property, you might be risking your Carteret county home languishing on the market due to lack of maximized exposure. This is especially true now that more consumers are using smartphones and specifically, iPhone apps like Nearby and the Trulia property search on their cell phones.

What Other iPhone APP’s Do You Use?

As you can see from the screenshots from my phone, I have a wide variety of social networking apps, a couple of games and the really critical applications like Twitter and WordPress app so I can blog on the fly from my phone.

Own an iPhone?

So which applications do you like and use often when visiting or residing on Emerald Isle?

I look forward to your comments,

Bobby Carroll

Your Crystal Coast Blogger

Update: phones and other similar technology tools (blogs, websites, and marketing tools) help real estate agents carry out their duties and responsibilities to serve their clients. Consumers would do well to carefully look at the way an agent uses all technology tools efffectively to deliver the results you seek.