Teach us how to respectfully visit your quiet little beach community here and fully live the #saltlife here please.

5/14/2016 12:33:00 AM

when I go to the beach I like to do it with a "fuck the locals" attitude

without my tourist dollars their stupid hick town wouldn't be more than a pimple on a cat's ass

5/14/2016 3:25:37 AM

^ I always chuckle when someone says this. While we're gnerally glad you're here, your individual dollars don't mean shit and you won't be missed. In the end, we still have the beach (location location location!), and folks with the right mindset will still come visit and spend their tourist dollars

5/14/2016 8:32:32 AM

Unlike Saturday morning Bojangles, the concept of this thread makes me want to vomit

5/14/2016 9:42:51 AM

^^ ok chucklenuts, keep promoting this anti-tourist SJW narrative and see where it lands you

I'll give you a hint, it lands you in the poorhouse

do yourself a solid and spend a little time outside the "locals only" echo chamber

[Edited on May 14, 2016 at 9:54 AM. Reason : t]

5/14/2016 9:54:04 AM

wait, his argument was " you're wrong. we don't need you tourists, because we have you tourists"?

5/14/2016 9:56:53 AM

We get a lot of tourists in DC. Now it's prime tourist season here in the nations Capitol, where every single day there are lines of tour busses down on the mall, tons of out of towers walking and driving in the most disruptive ways, and general d-baggery. My favorites are not escalefting on the escalator stairs, getting to the top/bottom of the escalator and just stopping dead in their tracks while hundreds of other passengers are being mechanically propelled towards them, holding the metro door open when it's closing time... Thereby holding up the other 100 riders there on time, walking 4-wide....hand in hand down a narrow sidewalk, and parking in cross walks.

But you know what you do? Nothing. You fucking deal with it. If it's public property, it's their city too. AND they bring in beoucoup $bux$ into the local economy. So give them directions. Entertain their small talk if you have time. Tell them which way to go in the metro. Give them suggestions on where to eat. Chances are, it's no skin off your nose. They aren't probably trying to be rude....they just don't know the lay of the land.

5/14/2016 10:14:52 AM

Quote :

"But you know what you do? Nothing. You fucking deal with it. If it's public property, it's their city too. AND they bring in beoucoup $bux$ into the local economy. So give them directions. Entertain their small talk if you have time. Tell them which way to go in the metro. Give them suggestions on where to eat. Chances are, it's no skin off your nose. They aren't probably trying to be rude....they just don't know the lay of the land. "

This. It's all about the mindset of the visitor really. There are those vacationers with a "fuck the locals" attitude and there are those who want to immerse themselves in an experience that the former will never realize. Its your prerogative of course, but I can assure you your dickish behavior is recognized for what it is and you're guided on to the appropriate Wings shops & Applebees until you're time is up and you go back home. There are plenty of your betters that will truly enjoy their time and will return.

5/14/2016 6:34:07 PM

Quote :

" My favorites are not escalefting on the escalator stairs"

THIS. Made me miss the MARC on Thursday -- the motherfucker pulled away just as I ran up to it, and I was delayed for at least five full minutes by those mouth-breathing, corn-fed, wide-loads blocking the escalator.

While I take your point that they have the right to be there, and while they certainly do contribute a lot to the local economy...the whole "left lane is for walking" thing is universal. It is not unique to the DC metro area. Get the fuck on the right and out of our way.

That said, I only just got to the DMV and have already helped two people find the right metro and will not shut up with my recommendations of places to eat.

5/14/2016 6:50:57 PM

LOL, I didn't realize that Jax guy was such a bitch.

5/14/2016 6:54:23 PM

Only the best for TWW

5/14/2016 7:26:28 PM

Jax, I don't need a god damn local's advice to know to avoid Wings and Applebee's. Your problem is that you think I need advice from some high school dropout local that barely scratches out a sorry living - a living that is funded by the money that I, an educated person whose life is actually worth something, bring to your shitty village with one redeeming quality - the ocean. Now stay out of my way so I can enjoy my vacation, local.

[Edited on May 14, 2016 at 9:04 PM. Reason : k]

5/14/2016 9:02:39 PM

Poor Mr Green. I bet you were given wrong directions once and are still butt-hurting about it. Either way, your righteous indignation is a fairly predictable response when confronted with the fact that your individual dollars really don't mean shit. NC tourism is polarized, the non-lazy locals know how to bend that supply/demand curve to their advantage and will continue to do so. My local economy will continue on just fine without your contributions, and since you know nothing about about me or the living I make, feel free to hang onto your preconceived notions. I'll try my best to not lose any sleep over them.

BTW, I hear Wings has a 50% sale on the entire store, don't miss out.

5/15/2016 7:43:40 AM

^ Righteous indignation? He sounds pretty indifferent to me. Do you really think the locals even ever really cross tourists' minds at all while they're enjoying a beach vacation? No. You're giving yourself too much credit.

5/15/2016 9:18:22 AM

This is getting good.

5/15/2016 11:22:14 AM

It's possible he's indifferent, however the rant is familiar and rarely is it indifferent. And it's not so much that locals cross tourists' minds as it is that the interactions necessarily occur. Don't get me wrong, most folks are great to meet/interact with and I enjoy hosting many of them, but occasionally you get an asshat and for them you can choose to help them out (or not), depending on the local and the level of tourist douchebaggery.

5/15/2016 11:50:41 AM

Wow I never realized my enjoyment of my time at the beach hinged on the decisions of locals like yourself to help me or not.

5/15/2016 12:32:24 PM

Jax, do you think your tirade is helping or hurting your cause?

Do you realise when something swallows the bate?

5/15/2016 2:11:41 PM

Meh, tww is like iocane powder. Plus it's a fun distraction from time to time.

5/15/2016 4:14:42 PM

Quote :

"NC tourism is polarized, the non-lazy locals know how to bend that supply/demand curve to their advantage and will continue to do so. My local economy will continue on just fine without your contributions, and since you know nothing about about me or the living I make, feel free to hang onto your preconceived notions"

Your local economy would collapse the minute tourism money pulled out of the area, regardless of what you do for a living.

5/15/2016 10:26:26 PM

Wow I didn't realize there was this much hate between locals and tourists at the beaches here in NC.

I always figured the beach towns in NC were like most other small towns, with just a lot more transients moving through. I do think about the locals when I visit the beach, but mostly just wonder what it is like for them in the winter, fall and spring, and think about how relaxing it must be for them to enjoy their town without all the people moving through.

That's usually the extent of my curiosity with the locals.

5/15/2016 10:32:35 PM

Carolina Beach FTW.

There is a real city 20 mins away. ??

5/16/2016 12:46:09 AM

Quote :

"BTW, I hear Wings has a 50% sale on the entire store, don't miss out."

Awesome, I needed a new beach umbrella.

5/16/2016 8:43:55 AM

Quote :

"Wow I didn't realize there was this much hate between locals and tourists at the beaches here in NC. "

There are a handful of locals at most beach towns that despise the tourists and fool themselves into thinking their community would be just fine without the tourism dollars pouring in. I've got family on Roanoke Island that I visit a few times a year, and I can't count on one hand how many times I've had some local redneck in a rusted out pickup truck yell out "Go back home, tourist!" as I'm out running errands. Nevermind the fact that a large portion of my family sailed to Roanoke Island in the late 1600's from off the Chesapeake in Maryland - to this group, everyone that looks out of place is just a damn tourist inconveniencing their way of life.

This mindset is even more hilarious when it comes from places like Emerald Isle and Atlantic Beach. That entire island was uninhabited up until 60 years ago, when a group of New Yorkers bought the island and developed it. The island was literally built by yankees for tourism money, but you still have "locals" that think their way of life on the island would be better if no one came.

With that being said, I prefer to visit my family on the coast in the offseason. I think I've been to see them once in the last 5 years between Memorial and Labor day.

5/16/2016 10:14:45 AM

I rented a house in Topsail for Memorial Day. I'm going to hoot and holler all weekend. Can't wait to spend my "tourist monies" at the local Food Lion?

5/16/2016 10:41:47 AM

why should I walk up the escalator in the metro, its already going up

my favorite thing to do in DC and NYC, is when a taxi tries to pass you illegally, and you stop them, then they rant in some other language

I had a friend actually yell out the window "shut up al Qaeda"

that being said, I hate driving there, so I usually take the metro, which adds more fun by standing still on the stairs

5/16/2016 10:56:48 AM

^^^why it is always rednecks that want people to leave and "go back home"? that said, I have a condo in Southport now and I've been going there just about every weekend trying to become one of the "locals" (nobody I've met there is FROM there). I'm hoping in a year or so to not have that "tourist resent" as I wait in line for dinner or hit traffic on the 4th of July, but we'll see.

[Edited on May 16, 2016 at 11:49 AM. Reason : ]

5/16/2016 11:48:47 AM

Quote :

"why should I walk up the escalator in the metro, its already going up ...... that being said, I hate driving there, so I usually take the metro, which adds more fun by standing still on the stairs "

The escalator is 2 lanes wide. Stand if you want to. No one gives a shit. But ESCALEFT... If you are standing, stand on the right side of the escalator. If you are walking, walk on the left side.

5/16/2016 12:06:57 PM

What do you do if you are just looking at your iPhone?

[Edited on May 16, 2016 at 12:49 PM. Reason : ??]

5/16/2016 12:49:09 PM

Stand still 2 wide on the stairs

5/16/2016 2:36:24 PM

Benny Blanco from the Bronx might put your head to bed if you keep that mess up

5/16/2016 3:01:59 PM

more like Benny Blanco will lay his hands on me one time, and then I will get a nice pile of his money to spend

5/16/2016 3:48:50 PM

I do not always stand still on the escalator,
but when I do I fart slowly and consistently the whole ride.

5/17/2016 4:52:45 PM

Leave it to synapse to make such a divisive thread. I

5/18/2016 12:01:43 PM

Hey I'm just trying to learn here.

[Edited on May 18, 2016 at 12:03 PM. Reason : Also you people can take your DC talk elsewhere.]

5/18/2016 12:02:47 PM

5/18/2016 12:45:16 PM

Damnit I'm at the beach and have no idea where to eat or procure provisions

Way to leave me hanging TWW

5/21/2016 10:49:26 AM

Oh hi! I will be glad to help out with any of your tourism needs!

Anyway, yeah the locals have a love/hate relationship with tourists. Generally we really do appreciate the fact that they come because many of the businesses around here rely on the money they get over the summer to keep them going during the winter.
The hate part is the fact that in order to make this money we now have to share our backyard with people who may not respect it the same way we do. It also gets a lot more crowded than here than we are used to for 9 months. Just something to remember, we are still going to work every day, we are still running errands everyday. For 9 months we get used to our routine, then the tourists start coming, and running to Food Lion to get that gallon of milk just turned into an hour long expedition because we're now stuck in line behind tourists buying their groceries for the week. So when you're standing in line and there is a local who is huffing and puffing, they don't hate you, they just want to get home and relax.

Not all tourists act like assholes, in fact the majority of them do not. However, just like with any demographic its the loudest and most obnoxious ones that give the rest a bad reputation. The same can go for locals. Head to The Tackle Box in AB, and you will see your fair share of both locals and tourists, however, there will always be the one local (who often time is a transplant themselves) talking shit to all the tourists. This person will be the most drunk sunburnt looking mother fucker there. The guy that is single (he says by choice) and is 36 but looks likes he is 72.

But here is the advice I can give you if you are visiting Carteret County...

Sit on the beach and enjoy yourself. That's what we all do on days off where it's sunny (unfortunately it's not like that today). If it was nice and sunny today I would be at the circle (well now it's called the grove or some shit) in AB at the Beach Music Festival.
Unfortunately in AB now, many places are pay to park. There a few places that you don't have to pay (but I will keep that secret for the locals).
Unless you really know how to operate a boat, please don't rent one and cruise around, especially on the really busy days. Instead hire a guy with a boat to take you out. It will be much more enjoyable if you're with someone that knows how to run a boat than it would be for you to be struggling to get everything rigged up or cause an accident.
On the evenings, go to the Morehead or Beaufort waterfront. There will more than likely be several establishments playing live music, and most of the restaurants are pretty good.
Catch a ferry over to Shack, but leave the wild horses alone. They are wild, and they will kick, and you will piss off a lot of people if you hurt one.

When you get off the beach, clean up after yourself. Don't leave a pile of beer cans or trash. You may be leaving, but we still have to look at it after you leave.

If you're going to fish, just realize that during the peak summer months surf fishing isn't really that awesome, and also you will have to deal with a lot of swimmers. It's not worth lugging your gear out to surf fish during mid-June through mid-August. You can hit up the piers, pay for a charter, or a headboat. I'd rather go offshore during the summer anyway.

When interacting with locals, don't be an asshole and most of them won't be assholes back to you. Yes, you will still get the occasional asshole that will just hate you because you're not from here, but overall we are nice people and we enjoy meeting new people.

This is one thing, and I don't want people to take it the wrong way, but if there is a hurricane coming...go home.
Even if you own a vacation home down here...go home.
I know, you have every right to enjoy a hurricane party, they can be fun, the weather is exciting to watch, it's just an exciting event all around. You have every right to be here for it.
However, you need to remember, many of the people down here don't have another place they can go to. If something bad was to happen during a hurricane and the island or areas get cut off from the rest of the world temporarily, there are only so many resources. If you have the ability to not use the resources that we need because your permanent residence is out of the hurricane zone, then you need to be there, not here.
Again, I know you have the right to be here, especially if you own a place down here. Most rental places and hotels will kick you out if a hurricane is coming. But, just think about that stuff before you decide you want to have a hurricane party.

But please, come and enjoy yourself at the beach. Shop at all the local shops (it goes without saying that Wings and others like that suck). Eat at the local restaurants. Sit on the beaches. Just clean up after yourself and don't be an asshole and everyone will get along.


Also....stop with the #saltlife

[Edited on May 21, 2016 at 11:33 AM. Reason : ]

5/21/2016 11:30:55 AM

Quote :

" I do think about the locals when I visit the beach, but mostly just wonder what it is like for them in the winter, fall and spring"

I do this on every vacation I go on. Wonder what normal life living there is like. Schools,jobs, what its like in the offseason. Especially mountain towns like Grand Lake, that basically just empty out to maybe 100 people in the winter. What do they do for a living? How do the kids get to school in 10 feet of snow? I always make it a point to shop local not just to support the local economy but I just enjoy talking to the people that work there to find out what life is like. This thread can be summed up with "Don't be a dick"

[Edited on May 21, 2016 at 12:04 PM. Reason : their/there]

5/21/2016 12:01:59 PM

Many locals around here LOVE late September/ early October...the reason is because it's still warm enough to enjoy the beach and boat, but since vacation season is over it is a lot less crowded.

But in the off season it sucks when places that we enjoy going close at 6 or aren't open during the week or just close all together. Plus the cops are extra bored during the off season so they will pull you over for anything.

5/21/2016 12:07:59 PM

Quote :

"the whole "left lane is for walking" thing is universal"

to folks from the largest cities, sure. I'd imagine the percentage of people who know that in NC is pretty low

5/21/2016 12:51:48 PM

Great post thx sawahash!

5/21/2016 1:09:35 PM

wantacivic has lived at EI for years. Lives in a one story cinderblock house near the ocean. The last time there was a hurricane it was supposed to flood, he was texting me fucking smashed and I was like "what the fuck are you gonna do if it floods..they are calling for flooding"...

The response:

Quote :

""I dunno man we put all our TV's and computers and shit on the top bunk""

You cant really fuck with the beach locals.

5/21/2016 2:52:52 PM

Lol....I think that's the first time someone told me good post!

5/21/2016 7:17:00 PM

This is nothing if not a supportive community.

5/21/2016 7:19:28 PM

Well, honestly, we're down for the tourist coming. When I worked at Bert's Surf Shop in the summers I enjoyed talking to the tourists and giving them advice on where to go.
I'm not am asshole, but I'll leave some of the secrets out, because the locals deserve to have spots that aren't over crowded, but I'm not going to lie and send you to the sanitary when you ask for a good place to eat!

5/21/2016 7:27:38 PM

I like how this was supposed to be a troll thread, but it ended up working out in the end

5/22/2016 3:23:52 PM

I like tourists...and if they try to act all snooty and be like, "Oh, well I'm from Raleigh." So I go..."me too...." Then I realize they aren't even FROM raleigh....and I'm all like, "Wake med motha fuckaaaa"

5/23/2016 8:24:38 PM

^^ the world is not black and white

5/23/2016 8:46:07 PM

Quote :

"Head to The Tackle Box in AB"

I've been going to AB for the better part of my life. never been man enough to head in there, but i may give it a try.

5/24/2016 9:04:20 AM