Oceanfront, Family Atmosphere - Vacation rental home in Emerald Isle, NC

About this Property

• Sleeps 6
• 3 Bedrooms
• 3 Bathrooms
• Private vacation home

Privately-owned 3 BR, 2.5 BA duplex town home ON THE BEACH in family ambiance beach village. 4 flat-screen TVs with internet TV. WiFi cable internet. Washer/drier. Totally-equipped kitchen. Ceiling fans. Outdoor stainless steel charcoal grille. Outdoor hot/cold shower on deck. King master suite with Jacuzzi, walk-in shower. 2nd and 3rd bedrooms with queen beds. Nearby eateries, grocery store, movie theater, miniature golf, water slide, go-carts, shopping. Saturday to Saturday rental.

Linen/Household Package Included: Includes linen for 3 beds; 12 bath/hand towels, wash cloths; kitchen dish cloths/towels; kitchen condiments (salt, pepper, spices, etc.); 12 rolls toilet tissue; 6 rolls kitchen paper towels; trash bags, laundry & dish detergent, miscellaneous cleaning items, and more. Email us for more detail.

Beach Package Supplied: Don't pack and bring all that stuff taking up room in your car. Let us provide it for you to use during your stay. Includes 6 beach chairs; huge beach shade; beach umbrella; cooler, 3 fishing rods/reels (tackle not supplied - locally available); kids's age appropriate beach toys and body boards; 6 beach towels; 6 outside shower/dry off towels, sand shovels, buckets, big water gun, adult body board, ocean dipping nets for kids, hammocks for bedroom decks, safety rescue belt (not a toy), bocce ball set, plus more. Email us for more detail.

Things You May Hear or See from the Beach House that Could Seem Strange/Interesting or Just a Mystery

Witnessing the Sun and Moon Rise and Set
Our beach home is on one of the southernmost North Carolina Outer Banks islands and faces south out to sea. This means our beach runs east-west. Because of this geographic layout, we have multiple months during the year when the sun and moon rise and set over the ocean. The unique view of sunrises and sunsets can be charming. Witnessing a full moon rising over the eastern horizon providing what appears to be a shimmering golden reflection path of shining diamonds to our beach home shore will just soothe your soul. All the sunrises and sunsets year round, especially when there are a few stratus clouds on the horizon in the direction of these events, can make you believe nature is painting these scenes just for you and your adored ones as “y’all” take it all in.

Deer in the Dunes
Keep an eye open for our local (nearly tame) deer. They rather often cross our neighborhood streets and sometimes walk down them like they, too, are visitors. We know, based on their tracks, they sometimes cross the dunes in front of our beach home at nighttime. For reasons I don’t understand, they will occasionally walk down to the edge of the ocean before returning to their daytime bed down areas. Usually, they do not walk alone. Generally, there will be does, bucks and fawns in their group. They are really phenomenal to see.

Pelicans
Pelicans are very enormous birds that fly most often in groups along the beach that rarely flap their wings. They use thermals to stay aloft, mostly from the hot roofs of beach homes. I bet that Orville and Wilbur Wright studied their abilities to soar along the Outer Banks of North Carolina many years ago. They fly so gracefully, including what is known as ground effect lift in aviation terms/aerodynamics to glide very low over the water. This handsome flight is only interrupted by a fast climb to ungracefully dive into the ocean head first to catch a fish. Oh! By the way, I have only seen adult size pelicans. How can that be? How can they seem to go from an egg to an adult without people ever seeing them in modest and medium sizes? I surely don’t know.

Butterflies
Our beach home is on one of the few flyways for the Monarch butterfly (and other butterflies) as they migrate from Central Mexico to Canada and back to Mexico for the winter each year. When sitting on our decks, I have often had them land on my arms, legs, feet, and even my head as they rest a while along their journey. Have the camera ready.

Dragonflies
Like the many species of butterflies, dragonflies pass through our front yard, or maybe it’s our back yard, depending on your perspective, as they migrate each year. From time to time they, like the butterflies, will land on you. Now, that is a real treat.

Sea Turtles
The adult female turtles come to our beach starting in May each year to lay their eggs in the sand and leave them to hatch out little turtles that crawl on their own to the ocean. You, too, may be so lucky to witness the hatching of the infant turtles and witness their trek to the water.

Dolphin
The sight of bottlenose dolphin (not porpoises, that’s a different animal) in front of our beach home is really fascinating. No matter how many years and times I have had the enjoyment of appreciating their interaction with the sea and other dolphin, I can’t help from stopping what I am doing and take it all in again. They are really intelligent and striking animals. If you get lucky, you may even see them jump high in the air and do flips or chase fish while surfing a wave with the help of the sun to enhance your view.

Sound of the Sea
The sound of the waves as they crash on each other and the beach can be calming to the soul, even from your bed inside the beach home. I believe this is nature’s way of helping adults deal with their troubles of the day and help the kids get to their dreams of the fun they will be having tomorrow.

Ride the Waves
You can see any type of apparatus you can imagine in front of the beach home to ride the waves and water. They include surfboards, body boards, skim/body boards, paddle boards, kayaks, kite boards, Hobie cat sailboats, jet skis, and windsurfing, not to mention any kind of flotation device you can think of. Most of these items are available to rent and lessons are offered. Check the basket on the counter.

What You Can See at Nighttime
Your view of the universe as seen from our south facing decks over the ocean with no lights to interfere with your view can be impressive. Even if your knowledge of the cosmos is limited, you will be dazzled by looking edge-on at our own galaxy “The Milky Way”, the Moon as it goes through its fazes, planets as they appear to move faster than the stars and sometimes go backwards, constellations (Orion during the winter months is my favorite), and satellites as their steady star-like light appears to move rapidly through the stars. All of this plus an occasional meteor as you are laying on your back in our hammock can really open your eyes.

Lightning Fireworks Show
Occasionally at nighttime, you can be a witness to nature’s extraordinary lightning show display out over the ocean. These shows can usually be seen from March through October.

About the Area

Located in Emerald Isle, this vacation home is on the beach. Emerald Forest Golf and Bogue Inlet Fishing Pier are worth checking out if an activity is on the agenda, while those in the mood for shopping can visit Emerald Plantation and Salty Air Open Market. Salty Pirate Water Park and Emerald Isle Adventures are also worth visiting. Be sure to check out the area's animals with activities such as game walks and birdwatching.

Special Instructions

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy

Know Before you Go

A car is required for transportation to and from this property

Pet Policy

Pets not allowed

Finding the best Emerald Isle vacation home experience:

Getting the best rental value:

• Summer is the most expensive season in the New Bern area. Booking in Fall or Spring months is a good way to save money on your vacation rental. Rental rates are lower, and you'll find a better selection of acceptable homes.
• Book your vacation rental as soon as possible. Rental schedules often become available twelve months in advance (or in September just after the Summer season ends). Many families book their Summer vacations during Thanksgiving and Christmas get-togethers. Book before these holidays for best selection.
• Some owners offer rate reductions for veterans. It's always a good idea to check with your host or property manager to see if special offers are available for your family.
• Property managers often offer renters an option to purchase vacation insurance. Trip insurance, which usually will cost anywhere between 1% - 5% of the reservation price, offers visitors reimbursement of their vacation costs for any missed vacation time as a result of personal medical-related catastrophes or weather disasters, as well as hurricane evacuation costs, such as an unanticipated hotel overnight or additional gasoline expenses. Trip insurance can be a a bank account-saver if the unforeseen occurs. Ask your host for program terms and fees.
• Many rental management companies supply New Bern area travel guide magazines which often include special offers, either offered independently by local companies, or by way of a relationship with the property management company and the business itself. You can also find visitors guide and coupon books at local shops and grocery stores.

How to select the perfect vacation rental in the New Bern area:

• Select a group lead, choose your vacation week, and select a budget.
• Determine how many bedrooms and the bed configuration you need. Oceanfront, Family Atmosphere has 3 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms.
• Specific descriptions of bedrooms and bed types is usually accessible online. If they are not listed, email the property owner before booking your home. Note that most property listings specify the max. guest capacity, which often includes pull out couches in living rooms.
• Is your family looking for specific amenities? Most rental search websites include search filters with amenity lists.
• Appropriate accessibility can make or ruin a vacation for guests with disabilities. Make certain to ask about specialized equipment and wheel chair accessibility.
• If your group is traveling with pets, you'll need to book a pet-friendly vacation rental. Request specifics on breed, weight, and type requirements. Often, property managers charge pet deposits and fees.

More tips for your visit:

• Add the property manager's contact info to your smartphone. Take a copy of check in/check out procedures.
• Make a record of any damages to the rental upon arrival, and immediately send them to the property manager. We specifically recommend e-mails and text messages, as they usually contain time stamps that can be useful if damages are assessed.
• Hosts are there to help! Feel free to ask questions before, during, or after your stay.
• Be a good neighbor! You wouldn't like unpleasant visitors bothering your peaceful home life. Use the golden rule for best judgement. Happy residents may even recommend great beaches and places you would've not otherwise known about!
• Speaking of neighbors... Ask a local resident! Local residents can typically help. Who better to ask where to rent beach equipment, have a great night out, or the best spots for crabbing?
• Protect the owner (and your stuff!) by locking the property when you are away, just like you would back home.
• Just prior to departing, take a final walk-through to make sure you didn't leave anything behind. Re-check garages, decks, and cabinets for hidden items. Clean out the refrigerator and take any leftovers home.
• Inspect the property one final time and keep an eye out for damage. We recommend walking through with the host whenever you can. If the host isn't available, take video of the rental to record its condition at check-out.
• Leave feedback! Property owners rely on excellent feedback to drive new bookings. They'll be thankful for your review. Alternatively, if something wasn't as described, other vacationing families will appreciate that you share your experience and help them have the best future vacation. Be fair with your review. If something fell short of expectations, consider whether the host had any control over the issue, and if so, whether they responded reasonably to solve it.