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 Supplied: 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; enormous 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 numerous months during the year when the sun and moon rise and set over the ocean. The unique view of sunrises and sunsets can be beautiful. 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 appreciated 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 outstanding to see.

Pelicans
Pelicans are very huge 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 striking 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 handsome 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 beautiful. 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 gorgeous 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

Tips and Tricks to get the best vacation rental experience:

Sticking to your rental budget:

• The earlier you can book a rental home, the better your selection will be. The best properties are reserved early. Reserving your vacation property six to twelve months before your vacation dates is recommended. Holidays such as Christmas and Thanksgiving are excellent times to search for and book your rental.
• June, July, and August are the most expensive months in Emerald Isle. Book your rental in Fall or Spring months to enjoy beautiful weather while saving money and avoiding crowds. Speaking of the off-season, don't overlook Winter holidays for a New Bern vacation! Who wouldn't love a holiday vacation near the ocean? Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years are great times to gather with loved ones at the beach.
• Property managers sometimes offer promotional rates for veterans and active duty military. Remember to ask your property manager if special offers are available for your group.
• Property managers typically offer guests an option to buy trip insurance. Trip insurance, which generally will cost anywhere between 1% - 5% of the base stay price, offers visitors reimbursement of their vacation costs for days missed as a result of personal medical-related emergencies or weather disasters, as well as evacuation costs, such as an unexpected hotel overnight or additional fuel expenses. Trip insurance might be a a bank account-saver if the unforeseen happens. Ask the property owner for more information.
• Look for your local New Bern area magazine when you check-in. If your rental property doesn't have one, you can find them at local grocery stores, shopping centers, and visitor centers. In addition to great articles, visitor guide magazines contain deals for nearby accommodations and attractions.

Choosing and booking the bestrental:

• Select vacation dates and maximum budget.
• Determine how many beds and what type of bedroom configuration your group needs. Oceanfront, Family Atmosphere has 3 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms.
• Precise descriptions of bedrooms and bed counts & types is commonly accessible on booking pages. If they are not listed, contact the property management company before you reserve your rental. Remember that most property listings specify the maximum guest capacity, which usually includes pull out couches in living rooms.
• Are you traveling with furry, four-legged family members? Although a number of vacation homes allow pets or animals, guidelines and costs vary per property. Allowable pet type, breed, and size are often limited. Remember to ask the property manager before booking, and study your agreement! Additional fees or costs could be applied to your agreement.
• If there's a certain New Bern beach you simply love, keep an eye out for properties that are either close by, or those that cater to your requirements.
• Proper accessibility amenities can make or break a vacation for the less-mobile. Confirm all required amenities are included before reserving a rental.

Additional considerations:

• Be sure you get the property manager's phone number and check in/check out procedures for your rental.
• Ask questions. You may need instructions for a hot tub, television set or coffee maker. Contact your owner. They are there to help! A brief text message prevents quite a few concerns.
• Lock your rental while you're out. Protect your property!
• To make sure that damages aren't linked to your family's visit, make note of any problem areas when you arrive. Call the host right away to record any pre-existing damages. If there is a dispute, having the recorded problems and contact attempts will be valuable.
• Respecting quiet hours and parking restrictions can make a stay significantly more pleasurable. You will enhance your chance to make some new local friends, and resident neighbors are often a fantastic resource to find the best local restaurants, beaches, and hangouts.
• Speaking of neighbors... Ask a local resident! Locals can often help you find exactly what you're looking for. Who better to ask where to order the best nachos, have a great night on the town, or the best spots for bird watching?
• On check-out day, take a final walk-through to make sure you didn't forget any personal items. Remember to check bathrooms, garages, and back yards for hidden treasure. Clean out the refrigerator and take or dispose of leftovers.
• Document the condition of the property at check-out. We recommend taking a video during your final walk-through.
• After your trip, leave feedback! Property managers rely on excellent reviews to inspire future reservations. They'll be grateful for your feedback. Alternatively, if something wasn't right, other vacationing families will will be grateful for your review find their best vacation rental. Remember to be objective. If something fell short of expectations, consider whether the property manager had any control over the issue, and if so, whether they responded reasonably to remedy it.