Station/Boat Location~
USCG Base Elizabeth City
Date there~
2014-2017
Weather~
Humid in the summer, relatively mild (though can be cold) winters—not often snow, mostly just ice, but it was pretty warm this year!
Military facilities~
Small CGX on base, larger CGX not far in Chesapeake, VA
Medical~
Small clinic on base
Housing~
No Coast Guard-owned housing available, but can rent or buy in town — coastie2coastie has some options
Shopping~
Walmart, TJ Maxx, Food Lion, Farm Fresh, Hobby Lobby, GNC, various local furniture stores, Big Lots, Belk, Rue 21, Hibbett Sports, RadioShack, Ollie’s, local pet store, various mattress stores (the mall was just sold with not many stores remaining), Lidl and Starbucks are being built near Walmart
Child Care/Schools~
Plenty of options for the lower grades, but for high school, there’s even the Northeast Academy for Aerospace and Advanced Technologies (a regional STEM school), which is located on the ECSU Campus
Adult Schools~
College of the Albemarle, Elizabeth City State University, ERAU Worldwide, Mid-Atlantic Christian University
Fun Activities~
First Fridays Art Walks (in the downtown area), Downtown Waterfront Farmers Market, the Potato Festival in May (with lots of carnival rides and food!), Arts of the Albemarle, Museum of the Albemarle, Port Discover (has kids’ programs), and the Pasquotank County Library. Dismal Swamp State Park, a fifteen minute drive down toward Chesapeake, is located in nearby South Mills, with tons of family activities, such as hiking, 5Ks, kayaking, fishing, and bird and butterfly workshops. Busch Gardens, Colonial Williamsburg, and Kings Dominion are a short drive away, as well, for the warmer months, as well as Water Country USA. You could even make a weekend trip to the Outer Banks in the summer to go to the beach—just make sure to leave early, before 10 am… traffic is crazy! Bring $$ too—you’ll find tons of roadside produce stands on the way out there!
Additional Comments~
Elizabeth City is full of interesting things and places to go. Check out Soho Organic Market or Muddy Waters Coffeehouse for a more eclectic environment, or stop by Tony’s Pizza or Montero’s for a family-friendly dinner. The Pineapple Café and Kathy’s Kreations are popular lunch spots for those working on base, but Island Breeze delivers fast service with authentic Jamaican cuisine if you’re looking for something different.
Homeport NC
USCG Base Elizabeth City
Date there~
2014-2017
Weather~
Humid in the summer, relatively mild (though can be cold) winters—not often snow, mostly just ice, but it was pretty warm this year!
Military facilities~
Small CGX on base, larger CGX not far in Chesapeake, VA
Medical~
Small clinic on base
Housing~
No Coast Guard-owned housing available, but can rent or buy in town — coastie2coastie has some options
Shopping~
Walmart, TJ Maxx, Food Lion, Farm Fresh, Hobby Lobby, GNC, various local furniture stores, Big Lots, Belk, Rue 21, Hibbett Sports, RadioShack, Ollie’s, local pet store, various mattress stores (the mall was just sold with not many stores remaining), Lidl and Starbucks are being built near Walmart
Child Care/Schools~
Plenty of options for the lower grades, but for high school, there’s even the Northeast Academy for Aerospace and Advanced Technologies (a regional STEM school), which is located on the ECSU Campus
Adult Schools~
College of the Albemarle, Elizabeth City State University, ERAU Worldwide, Mid-Atlantic Christian University
Fun Activities~
First Fridays Art Walks (in the downtown area), Downtown Waterfront Farmers Market, the Potato Festival in May (with lots of carnival rides and food!), Arts of the Albemarle, Museum of the Albemarle, Port Discover (has kids’ programs), and the Pasquotank County Library. Dismal Swamp State Park, a fifteen minute drive down toward Chesapeake, is located in nearby South Mills, with tons of family activities, such as hiking, 5Ks, kayaking, fishing, and bird and butterfly workshops. Busch Gardens, Colonial Williamsburg, and Kings Dominion are a short drive away, as well, for the warmer months, as well as Water Country USA. You could even make a weekend trip to the Outer Banks in the summer to go to the beach—just make sure to leave early, before 10 am… traffic is crazy! Bring $$ too—you’ll find tons of roadside produce stands on the way out there!
Additional Comments~
Elizabeth City is full of interesting things and places to go. Check out Soho Organic Market or Muddy Waters Coffeehouse for a more eclectic environment, or stop by Tony’s Pizza or Montero’s for a family-friendly dinner. The Pineapple Café and Kathy’s Kreations are popular lunch spots for those working on base, but Island Breeze delivers fast service with authentic Jamaican cuisine if you’re looking for something different.
Homeport NC
