Fun? Lame? Do you have to have a 4wd SUV or is a 2wd SUV good enough to get down the dunes? Give me some insight on if this something worth driving 3 hours to do!

7/9/2010 7:48:20 AM

when I went out there I wouldn't have gone without 4wd... lots of ruts and really soft sand.... I thought 4wd was required though...?

camping might be ok... just get somewhere vehicles aren't, though it may be annoying to be anywhere near where vehicles are.

and it's $20 to drive on the beach now

7/9/2010 7:50:34 AM

If you have a 2wd, deflate your tires some and bring a shovel with you. You'll be alright.

7/9/2010 8:20:25 AM

Don't be the tard that takes a 2wd out there.

7/9/2010 8:28:16 AM

they won't let you on if you don't have 4wd

and just because you have 4wd doesn't mean you can drive like a tard down the beach. plenty of 4wd trucks get stuck every day

7/9/2010 8:31:04 AM

no 2wd

even with 4wd deflate yr tires

7/9/2010 8:35:43 AM

meh, airing down really isn't required. I've never aired down or been stuck on the North End.

7/9/2010 8:41:25 AM

I thought 4wd was required. and I never deflated my tires...

just don't be stupid and do jackass shit, have a little fun but keep it in check. simple enough.

7/9/2010 8:55:24 AM

We go down every year and you CAN NOT MAKE IT PAST THE ENTRANCE with 2WD.

Quote :

"they won't let you on if you don't have 4wd"

I don't know if this is entirely true....on the 4th we watched a few light SUVS get stuck and a mini van ( I know, right?) was behind us and they took their money and let them get stuck right at the entrance. They did turn away a dodge charger who was sitting there as we left.

Now, as for camping, the one time I went it was fun for me but sucked for my fiance and his friend. We didn't bring enough blankets (it gets chilly with the wind). Dig a big hole and do a fire down there so the wind doesn't blow it as badly. Also, they have portapotties but bring some TP if you need it since most of them were out of TP when I was there.

Stop by Franks Pizza and Britt's donuts before you go home

[Edited on July 9, 2010 at 9:00 AM. Reason : oops.]

7/9/2010 8:58:48 AM

I believe the sign technically says "4wd required beyond this point" but I've seen them get in when the guy wasn't at the gate or the guy just let them go.

7/9/2010 9:04:07 AM

i won't lie, i find it amusing when people driving mini-vans think they can off road in the sand...

7/9/2010 9:04:52 AM

didn't know they had portapotties


and as for driving- bring 4wd (don't know if they will let you on without it)


you never know what the sand will be like... sometimes it will be pretty dense and doable in a 2wd, and other times it will be pretty loose/soft and rutty. As for letting air out of your tires, I don't know if there is a free refill station near where you get on the beach, but it never hurts to deflate them (20-25 should be good for out there). I have gotten around without it though

and yea, bring warmer clothes- it does get cold on the beach at night


beach camping rules btw

7/9/2010 9:04:53 AM

camping in the mountains is far superior

the sand is really uncomfortable to sleep on, especially when it
gets tracked back into your tent

7/9/2010 9:07:45 AM

Quote :

"i won't lie, i find it amusing when people driving mini-vans think they can off road in the sand..."

Also funny seeing them drive their new spiffy suvs with poor ground clearance and think they can go wherever just because it's 4wd. I watched a guy a get a lexus stuck below the high tide line. I couldn't help but laugh as the water started coming under it.

7/9/2010 9:08:35 AM

make sure you get naked while you're camping, your neighbors will love you for it

7/9/2010 9:09:11 AM

- It's fun as long as the weather and the company is good.
- You need 4WD. There are exceptions, but just plan on taking a 4WD vehicle.
- Small & Midsize trucks usually don't need to air down. Fullsize can be a little iffy without airing down. You can always try it and air down if you're having trouble keeping momentum. Just don't stomp on the gas if you start to get stuck.
- It's illegal to ride on/in the dunes.
- Bring a firepit. They do not allow you to have a fire without one anymore.

7/9/2010 9:13:06 AM

I've done 2wd for awhile out there on my jeep during the night when the sand isn't as soft.

But if your going out there you should have 4wd. I've seen everything get stuck out there. z71, F-150s, jeeps, etc. If you get stuck, have a 2wd, and a out of state tag, no one is stopping to pull your dumbass out.

[Edited on July 9, 2010 at 9:15 AM. Reason : s]

7/9/2010 9:15:22 AM

^^since when?

we were there a month and a half ago and we were allowed to dig a fire pit

[Edited on July 9, 2010 at 9:17 AM. Reason : and it's always funny when people get stuck]

7/9/2010 9:16:33 AM

Since about four years ago.

Quote :

"Section 11 – 54. Campfires a) Small campfires are allowed at Freeman Park beginning at Marker 6 4 and extending north to the end of the park. The campfire must be contained within a fire pit or container that may not exceed three feet in diameter. Each fire pit must be brought into the Park by the visitor and shall be removed following its use. All fire remains and debris must be picked up and removed from the beach. Failure to do so will result in a fine. Any fire pit over three feet in diameter will be considered a bonfire and will require a special permit from the Town Manager. No fires of any kind are permitted south of Maker 6"

http://www.carolinabeach.org/site_new/pages/documents/FreemanParkOrdinance2006.pdf

[Edited on July 9, 2010 at 9:22 AM. Reason : l]

7/9/2010 9:22:43 AM

Speaking of getting stuck, what purpose does jumping up and down on the back bumper do for it? It just seemed to get the guy MORE stuck...?

7/9/2010 9:25:03 AM

yes

so you can still dig your own fire pit as long as it's not over 3 feet in diameter

7/9/2010 9:27:28 AM

Quote :

"Each fire pit must be brought into the Park by the visitor and shall be removed following its use. "

7/9/2010 9:28:51 AM

on a side note, the fricken cost is ridiculous. Think it's $100 for a year pass and that's going up next year. Seems that the more they raise prices, the more people come though. lol

7/9/2010 9:29:59 AM

we asked a cop before we dug out a pit and he said it was fine

and about 2/3 of the people camping had pits as well

7/9/2010 9:31:42 AM

^^ That shit angers me.

It was free until six years ago. For several decades that was perfectly fine, but suddenly they need money to maintain the "park". Ok, I'm cool with a nominal fee to keep the place clean, keep some trash cans out there, and add some porta-potties. In the past 5 years it has gone from $30 or $40 per season (I can't remember for sure what the original pass cost) to $100 per season. It's fucking ridiculous.

[Edited on July 9, 2010 at 9:34 AM. Reason : l]

7/9/2010 9:34:28 AM

Quote :

"ATTENTION: EFFECTIVE MAY 15, 2010 FREEMAN PARK SEASON PASSES WILL INCREASE TO $100 PER YEAR NOTE: A tiered fee structure was implemented for season passes whereby a season pass would cost patrons $60 for the 2011 season pass up until March 31st. The season pass would rise to $100 if purchases after March 31st. The cost of a Freeman Park Daily pass will remain at $20."

Note to Self: get pass prior to March 31st next year

7/9/2010 9:36:50 AM

Quote :

"camping in the mountains is far superior the sand is really uncomfortable to sleep on, especially when it gets tracked back into your tent"

never had a problem with this... make sure you don't track it into your tent and bring an airpad... problems solved

7/9/2010 9:38:11 AM

i bought mine on the 10th of April this year and it was still $60

but they were already charging $20/day

and you def need a firepit, they even came by and inspected mine one time.

Quote :

"the sand is really uncomfortable to sleep on, especially when it gets tracked back into your tent"

twin mattress in the back of an SUV FTW!!!

oh yeah and if you can go during the week it's worth it. You will pretty much have the whole beach to yourselves....

Quote :

"It was free until six years ago. For several decades that was perfectly fine, but suddenly they need money to maintain the "park"."

that's b/c it was privately owned until 6 years ago when Carolina Beach bought it out. I think the real reason was that things started getting out of hand out there and there was no order b/c it was private. Emergency response times were really slow too.

and then one time last year we ran directly into this event out there.
http://www.ravelinks.com/forums/f183/bass-at-the-beach-2-freeman-park-carolina-beach-7-17-2010-a-372521/

This is the type of shit they need to put an end to....

[Edited on July 9, 2010 at 11:48 AM. Reason : ....]

7/9/2010 11:32:13 AM

Quote :

"so you can still dig your own fire pit as long as it's not over 3 feet in diameter"

All fires shouldn't be over 3 foot in diameter.

I've been told to put my fires out before if we didn't have something to put the fire wood in while it burned.

Take your chances if you want to. I can tell you on a busy weekend when the cops are pissed off they will check your shit out.

7/9/2010 11:43:12 AM

Quote :

"Note to Self: get pass prior to March 31st next year"

My fiance's dad got his over memorial day for $60 and he has double sided tape so he can move it from vehicle to vehicle. It's expensive.

7/9/2010 2:34:27 PM

we had to run to walmart and buy a metal bucket cause we didn't know about the fire rules. pretty sure you can't just dig a hole, you have to contain it in a removable way.

7/9/2010 2:40:38 PM

Where is the entrance to get on the beach? Do you essentially just drive and drive until you get away from the other campers?

7/9/2010 8:36:12 PM

If you are in Carolina Beach, you take the road that goes right by the boardwalk and the site for the Hilton (coming Spring 2010!!! but still an empty lot...anybody know the deal on this?) and just drive for a ways.

7/9/2010 10:09:17 PM

Quote :

"We go down every year and you CAN NOT MAKE IT PAST THE ENTRANCE with 2WD. Quote : "they won't let you on if you don't have 4wd" I don't know if this is entirely true...."

gg

7/9/2010 10:45:17 PM

^What I was saying is that even though they do not recommend you go on unless you have 4 WD, they are more than happy to take your $20 and let the tow truck pull your 2 WD approximately 5 feet back to the pavement.

I watched them do it on the 4th. They might not "allow" 2 WD but they certainly weren't stopping vans and suvs.

7/10/2010 1:26:25 AM

7/10/2010 1:36:39 AM

I got an AWD mountaineer stuck out there, luckily there were drunk rednecks pulling people out to be nice/for entertainment. They told me that everyone was getting stuck due to it not raining for like a month and the sand being ridiculously dry.....they also said if its soft don't stop for shit just keep going until you get close to the water where it is packed better.

7/10/2010 1:39:28 AM

^yeah you aren't supposed to stop in soft sand

7/10/2010 4:12:08 AM

that rave thing looks like fun

7/10/2010 4:41:12 AM

I haven't camped out there before but would love to with the right group of people. I have been told its better to just bring a canopy to hang out under, and a blow up mattress and sleep in your SUV. If you use a tent its going to get full of sand.

7/10/2010 10:07:58 AM

now ya'll got me worried about getting stuck. Would a 4wd quad cab truck be ok, or is there not enough weight in the back to hold it down in the sand?

7/10/2010 12:40:31 PM

^^how can you guys NOT keep the sand out of your tent. Just wipe down your feet before going in.

7/10/2010 12:48:54 PM

http://www.ehow.com/how_4819711_drive-beach-carolina-beach-nc.html

that is all.

7/10/2010 12:57:07 PM

camping on the beach is a lot of fun, as long as the drunks arent cutting donuts in the middle of the night or driving between tents. some dude did that last year and almost wiped out our tent with us in it. be sure to protect your tent with a vehicle if possible.

oh yeah, and if it hasnt rained your 4WD can/will get stuck, especially if you dont have a lot of clearance. the hardest part about driving on the beach is when you leave and have to pull out onto the "driving" area across the ruts.

[Edited on July 10, 2010 at 1:35 PM. Reason : .]

7/10/2010 1:33:25 PM

ha, almost had a guy hit mine out there acting stupid, then almost had the damn beach patrol guy run into me while he was chasing him down the beach.

7/10/2010 1:35:33 PM

Can vehicles come in and go all night as they please as long as you have a pass? I don't mind peeing in the woods, but I don't think girls want to squat between a tent and a trunk, haha.

7/11/2010 5:09:05 PM

^too prissy for portajohns?

7/11/2010 6:59:23 PM

i've seen three jeep wranglers line up and drag race down the middle of the beach at 2 AM.

7/11/2010 7:13:21 PM

^^where the johns at?? They have em lined up somewhere on the dunes?

7/11/2010 9:13:59 PM

I thought they used to have them back near the vegetation line, about half way out to the end of island... maybe they don't anymore??? I haven't been out there in a few years. they were up on some wooden frames...

[Edited on July 11, 2010 at 9:30 PM. Reason : .]

7/11/2010 9:30:16 PM