My friend Jose asked for recommendations about beaches to visit and places to stay along the North Carolina coast, and I responded with the following email, which he said amounted to a blog post, so here it is — verbatim:  

About the beach……. I know people who have beach homes/condos in Emerald Isle and Carolina Beach. I sent them messages to see if they’d be willing to sublet for a week or so, but it’s not something that they usually do, so that will be a long shot. That said, Emerald Isle is the beach I know best. I like it because there’s the beach, of course, which is lovely, but it’s also on the Crystal Coast, which is book-ended by two charming towns — Beaufort and Swansboro. When I haven’t crashed at my friend’s place, I’ve stayed at the Waterway Inn in Swansboro, which is small, relatively inexpensive, and the owners are great fun, although it is a motel, and it’s on an inlet, not on the beach. You might want to check the BlueWater Realty website or Sun Surf Realty. Friends have also stayed here. It’s a great rental home right on the water, and pets are allowed, but it’s not that cheap. Another part of the coast that I like is a series of islands south of Wilmington. My favorites are Oak Island, which is at the north end and has a Key West vibe, and Sunset Beach (also an island), which is at the southern end and has a wonderful bird preserve. A lot of very good restaurants/eateries are tucked away along the inter coastal roadways between Oak Island and Sunset Beach. The place I stayed wasn’t all that great, so I’m not really sure what to recommend in that regard. But I do know someone who has a beach house on Sunset Beach. I’ll see if he has any ideas and let you know what I hear. I hope this helps. Un gran abrazo!