We have been to Duck in the Outer Banks, NC and Myrtle Beach (Garden City area) in SC. Outer Banks wasn't for us as there isn't much to do there except for the beach, lighthouses to visit and Kitty Hawk with the Wrights' Brothers Museum. The museum is very small. The Outer Banks are relaxing and peaceful. Myrtle Beach has a lot to do that my family enjoys. There is a huge mall, a boardwalk with little shops and restaurants, movies, miniature golf, golf, theater, water sports, and the beach. In summary, Outer Banks for a peaceful-type vacation, Myrtle Beach for a more active-type vacation.

Thanks for the replies! Tina - DH vetoed Myrtle Beach since it is a âÂÂspring breakâ destination. Leery of the party scene with the kids. Charleston is interesting. IâÂÂll add that to my list of places to check out. Mtn, ded, gscience - Our boys love the indoor water parks. We actually go a few times a year for a day trip. Wherever we decide to go for this trip IâÂÂm sure an indoor water park will be visited for a day. Ded - IâÂÂll sound like a fuddy-duddy, but I have ZERO interest in flying at this point. I always say that we will take a flying vacation when all of the kids are big enough to carry their own suitcases! ï Joanie - WeâÂÂve done longer road trips when our older kids were little. Yes, it does take longer but we survived. I think as long as we are expecting extra pit stops it is more acceptable. Outside, rnmom - IâÂÂve been to the shores of Alabama and Destin, years ago. Destin may be out because of âÂÂspring breakâ but IâÂÂll check into it. Msmagoo - WeâÂÂll save the Outer Banks for another year, when we can get away in the summer. Thanks. Anyone been to Branson, MO? It looks like there is A LOT to do there. I may have to give up on the outdoor swimming, but if there are lots of other activities IâÂÂm sure our kids will be happy with inside swimming too!

You don't have to have a lot of money to travel or have an adventure. Sometimes it just means leaving your house to go do something nearby. One thing I've realized is people often don't visit the neat places they have around them. If you have money for a tank of gas, then you have money to travel. Pack a cooler with some sandwiches and drinks that you'd be eating at home anyway and have fun with it. Where will an hour drive get you or even a two hour drive? Do it on a weekend or a day off and you can go, see, and be back. An hours drive here will get me to Galveston and the ocean. Two-three hours will get me to San Antonio or Austin. I live in a major metropolitan area so there are plenty of things to do. Even when I lived in other states, there was always something different to see like national or state parks, changing leaves, incredible sunsets, ancient culture or whatever.

The vacation rental business in OBX is pretty busy. I was typing on my phone and really just went for brevity. I should have been more clear. I have a place on Longboat Key, which is the market I was looking at, and while that is certainly a different market, the business isn't actually that different. I never said that the rental business isn't thriving, I just said that the idea of someone wanting it for rentals is a bit meh. There are really three kinds of people in the vacation rental business. (1) Those who want a vacation property, but only want to use it part of the year, (2) those who wanted to sell it but couldn't get their asking price, and (3) the pros (which is closer to what I would be). The problem with small separate units is that it is only a great opportunity for the pros. People who want a family vacation home don't want separate one bedroom houses, and so you are going to have a tough time marketing to that group. The pros, are all about buying cheap. Someone who is actually in the rental business would salivate over this property, but not because of all the income it will generate, but because it screams all cash deal and those who regularly do all cash deals tend not to overpay. My rental profit is made the day I buy a house. I know what rent is going to be, I know what occupancy rate is going to look like, so the only variable is what I am spending on the house. I don't know that I have ever bought a rental property that was marketed to the general public, either it was put up for investors or it never hit the market. I would guess the real estate investors in OBX are looking for a 12% ROI. So I just don't see them lining up with their checkbooks to buy this property for top dollar. So I would be cautious building a property that you hope someone interested in owning a rental will purchase. It isn't that they won't, it is just that as a group real estate investors tend not to pay as much. ETA: Yes these are generalizations, but that is what you use for trying to look at a future resale value.