Vacation time again

[ray1970]

So, time to plan a little disc golf vacation for myself and my wife.

Likely going to be sometime in late October or early November so need recommendations for places with decent weather and decent courses. (We did Phoenix last year about the same time and had beautiful weather but the courses in the area left a little to be desired.)

Thinking maybe east coast (North Carolina, Virginia?) but open to suggestions.

Thanks.

 

[lee76007]

October/November is my favorite time of the year in Virginia/North Carolina. Temps average in the 70's closer to the beach areas, in the mountains 60's. Normally dry weather. For Disc golf take a look at Charlottesville-Walnut Creek DGC and Raptors Roost, Fredericksburg-Hawk Hollow, Loriella Park, and Lake Marshall is not too far away. Williamsburg to Virginia Beach corridor New Quarter, Waller Mill, Bayville and Munden Point. Several other courses in those areas. Most of the courses I've played in North Carolina are in the east, I'll let the members offer there advice for NC that live there.

 

[ru4por]

Holy crap. I just got back from Charlotte and the golf is endless. Nice city, good weather, tons and tons of quality courses.

 

[Ryan P.]

I'll second the Charlotte recommendation, and pump up the Raleigh/Durham NC area as well. The courses in Charlotte and R/D are going to be a lot less travel than the courses in Virginia IMO. But if you like long drives through the country, either will work.

How long are you going to be staying, how many courses do you hope to hit, and how far are you willing to travel?

 

[ru4por]

I'll second the Charlotte recommendation, and pump up the Raleigh/Durham NC area as well. The courses in Charlotte and R/D are going to be a lot less travel than the courses in Virginia IMO. But if you like long drives through the country, either will work.

How long are you going to be staying, how many courses do you hope to hit, and how far are you willing to travel?

Truth. We hit 13 courses in 11 days.......in the sweltering, blast furnace heat. We never drove more than 30 miles and never more than 45 minutes. Younger men, in better weather, could crush a dozen courses in a few days.

 

[ray1970]

How long are you going to be staying, how many courses do you hope to hit, and how far are you willing to travel?

Typically we'll probably stay for five to seven days. We're no spring chicks and my wife has some knee issues so we'll probably only play one course per day. Maybe two if one of them is really short. I'd say travel from wherever we end up staying to any given course should be less than an hour or so give or take unless the drive is scenic or there are other things to do along the way.

Anyone know how long it takes to get from the Charlotte area to the coast? We were considering the Ashville area but its quite a ways from the coast and we were thinking about checking out the outer banks while we were there.

 

[pmay5]

Typically we'll probably stay for five to seven days. We're no spring chicks and my wife has some knee issues so we'll probably only play one course per day. Maybe two if one of them is really short. I'd say travel from wherever we end up staying to any given course should be less than an hour or so give or take unless the drive is scenic or there are other things to do along the way.

Anyone know how long it takes to get from the Charlotte area to the coast? We were considering the Ashville area but its quite a ways from the coast and we were thinking about checking out the outer banks while we were there.

Charlotte to the OBX is a 5.5-6 hour drive, but it does get you to the very good Casey R. Logan course, plus a couple other courses. RDU (with the state's #2 course, Diavolo) is about half that drive time.

Charlotte to Wilmington (and Wrightsville Beach) is only about 3.5 hours, so much closer. Plus, you've got the state's #6 course there, Castle Hayne. There are some other shorter courses to play as well.

Since you are going during football season, CLT does have the Panthers, so you might be able to catch one good team.

 

[Ryan P.]

Charlotte to the OBX is a 5.5-6 hour drive, but it does get you to the very good Casey R. Logan course, plus a couple other courses. RDU (with the state's #2 course, Diavolo) is about half that drive time.

Charlotte to Wilmington (and Wrightsville Beach) is only about 3.5 hours, so much closer. Plus, you've got the state's #6 course there, Castle Hayne. There are some other shorter courses to play as well.

Since you are going during football season, CLT does have the Panthers, so you might be able to catch one good team.

haha well played. I'll piggyback on this and say that Castle Hayne is great, but it's way out of the way if you're looking to play multiple courses. That's honestly true for a lot of the outer banks; the courses on the coast worth playing are generally far apart.

If you want to be closer to the coast than Charlotte, I'd suggest the RDU area. It has 4-5 really good courses (Diavolo is a can't miss if you're in the area). You could stay on the west side and hit up Deep Creek Dreams toward Greensboro (slightly less than an hour) or Garden Grove in Greensboro (slightly over an hour). Raleigh is 2.5-3 hours from the outer banks.

 

[ray1970]

If you want to be closer to the coast than Charlotte, I'd suggest the RDU area.

Alright. For those of us not from or familiar with the area, what is RDU?

 

[lion]

Alright. For those of us not from or familiar with the area, what is RDU?

Raleigh Durham area I would imagine.

 

[R-Ogre]

Raleigh Durham area I would imagine.

Sometimes I forget that not everyone knows airport codes

 

[ray1970]

Sometimes I forget that not everyone knows airport codes

I know a few of them but neither my wife nor myself have really been out east. Last year we were making lists of states that neither of us had been to and we realized there were a handful of states out east that neither of us had visited.

 

[Ryan P.]

Alright. For those of us not from or familiar with the area, what is RDU?

Raleigh/Durham. It's the name of the airport and some people refer to the whole area that way. Similar to how Minnesota has "the Twin Cities". Some people also call it the "Triangle" and include Chapel Hill in that. Chapel Hill is only a few miles away from both Raleigh and Durham, and that's where the University of North Carolina is located.

Sorry, I typed out RDU about 10 times when making posts in this thread, but only corrected myself 9 times.

 

[pmay5]

haha well played. I'll piggyback on this and say that Castle Hayne is great, but it's way out of the way if you're looking to play multiple courses. That's honestly true for a lot of the outer banks; the courses on the coast worth playing are generally far apart.

If you want to be closer to the coast than Charlotte, I'd suggest the RDU area. It has 4-5 really good courses (Diavolo is a can't miss if you're in the area). You could stay on the west side and hit up Deep Creek Dreams toward Greensboro (slightly less than an hour) or Garden Grove in Greensboro (slightly over an hour). Raleigh is 2.5-3 hours from the outer banks.

All good course selections. The only reason I brought up the Castle is the OP said they were looking to hit a beach also, the Wilmington area is a lot easier to get to. AND you've got that course, plus several other easier ones (for the wife) to hit while they are there.

The OBX (Outer Banks) are beautiful and historic (Wright Bros Memorial), but take a long time to get to. Luckily there are a few courses there, so not a DG desert!! :thmbup:

 

[chevis]

haha well played. I'll piggyback on this and say that Castle Hayne is great, but it's way out of the way if you're looking to play multiple courses. That's honestly true for a lot of the outer banks; the courses on the coast worth playing are generally far apart.

If you want to be closer to the coast than Charlotte, I'd suggest the RDU area. It has 4-5 really good courses (Diavolo is a can't miss if you're in the area). You could stay on the west side and hit up Deep Creek Dreams toward Greensboro (slightly less than an hour) or Garden Grove in Greensboro (slightly over an hour). Raleigh is 2.5-3 hours from the outer banks.

curious, so i had to look up courses; i linked 'em up
Casey R. Logan

 

[lee76007]

Typically we'll probably stay for five to seven days. We're no spring chicks and my wife has some knee issues so we'll probably only play one course per day. Maybe two if one of them is really short. I'd say travel from wherever we end up staying to any given course should be less than an hour or so give or take unless the drive is scenic or there are other things to do along the way.

Anyone know how long it takes to get from the Charlotte area to the coast? We were considering the Ashville area but its quite a ways from the coast and we were thinking about checking out the outer banks while we were there.

It sounds like you're looking for more to do other than disc golf, with a beach, and mountains. Scratch off Charlottesville, Fredericksburg, Williamsburg, and Lake Marshall those courses are hilly and can be a knee killer.

The Outer Banks have great beaches with three courses Casey Logan one of my favorites next door to the Wright Brothers Memorial and Museum. About 30 minutes away is Currituck County Course going back inland. To the south of Logan about 30 minutes away is Ace Run a 9-holer just a short way from the first colony to tour Ft. Raliegh National Historic Park the "lost colony". More than an hour to the south along a very scenic beach drive is Hwy 12 Frisco Disco Course that can be a difficult walk with cacti, and poor baskets. When I stay overnight in the outer banks, I stay at The Cavalier by the Sea room-porch-sand-water one of the few remaining gems from the 1950's era. 3 or 4-nights are enough for me in the Outer Banks.

I'll make another plug for Virginia, and if you're staying a week, you could include it. The drive to Virginia Beach from the Outer Banks is about 2 hours or take a scenic ferry from Currituck to Knotts Island which drives you to Virginia Beach and the first course to bag is my home course Munden Point very scenic along the North Landing 'River a great place for a picnic, while I play a few rounds my wife rides her bike thru the park. It's less than 30 minutes to the Virginia Beach Oceanfront great deals on oceanfront rooms that time of the year. Bayville course and Munden Point will be turning to fall colors as the rest of the area. Depending on what you like to do lots to do in Virginia Beach. A few other 18-holers in the area, and a 9-holer next to the Virginia Zoo in Norfolk. Naval base tours and museums in Norfolk. You can visit Colonial Williamsburg and Busch Gardens voted the most scenic amusement park in the USA an hour from the oceanfront. Newport News DGC is a short way from there and a level walk for the most part. New Quarter and Waller Mill very scenic courses but up and down ravines more so Waller Mill. You walk or rent boats at both parks and have a look at the course to decide.

Charlottesville in the Blue Ridge Mountains is three hours from Virginia Beach. There is a 9-holer not a difficult walk Meadowcreek Gardens. Charlottesville is the home of Monticello Thomas Jefferson's home and a short way from James Madison's home. Very scenic drive with fall colors.

If you decide to visit Virginia Beach let me know and I can hit you up with restaurants to dine from as well also in Williamsburg.

 

[ray1970]

Thanks. I do have a hard time picturing anything in the Carolinas or Virginia being too much worse on my wife's knees than some of the mountain courses here in Colorado so as long as we don't overdo it I think we'll be fine.

Also, when is hurricane season over? I've been through a handful of them in Texas but they kind of freak my wife out because she's never been through one.

 

[Monocacy]

Thanks. I do have a hard time picturing anything in the Carolinas or Virginia being too much worse on my wife's knees than some of the mountain courses here in Colorado so as long as we don't overdo it I think we'll be fine.

You might be surprised. Smaller mountains can still have some pretty treacherous, and dare I say rocky, slopes.

Also, when is hurricane season over? I've been through a handful of them in Texas but they kind of freak my wife out because she's never been through one.

Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1st through November 30th, but most named storms occur from late August through mid October. No guarantees, of course, but chances are lower during your late October - early November time frame.

Keep in mind that Charlotte and Raleigh are 150 miles or so from the coast, and hurricanes lose strength as they move inland (although major storms can still pack a punch, of course).

Good luck!

 

[lee76007]

Thanks. I do have a hard time picturing anything in the Carolinas or Virginia being too much worse on my wife's knees than some of the mountain courses here in Colorado so as long as we don't overdo it I think we'll be fine.

Also, when is hurricane season over? I've been through a handful of them in Texas but they kind of freak my wife out because she's never been through one.

Our threat is normally over by Nov 1st. In the 33 years I've lived here we've had a few brushes by the coast or a few tropical storms passing by that time of the year. I've only had two that passed directly over Virginia Beach one in August the other in Sept. The Outer Banks has more of a threat.

 

[lee76007]

You might be surprised. Smaller mountains can still have some pretty treacherous, and dare I say rocky, slopes.



And they can put out some pain. I have strong legs from a pool workout a few times a week. I've read where you plan on returning to Lake Marshall to play Lions. By the time I walked UP the fairway on 9, which was my 13th hole. My legs were screaming, and I was huffing and puffing, I was wanting to sit for the first time on a course. Pratt Park in Fredericksburg after picking up my disc on 18 is a straight up rocky staircase out of the ravine, I looked up and thought omg I may not make it, legs were killing me all the way up. I've done well everywhere else on the Williamsburg-Fredericksburg-Charlottesville triangle for a 58-yearold.