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

About this Property

• Sleeps 6
• 3 Bedrooms
• 2 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 Included: 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 included - 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 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 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 excellent 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 gorgeous 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 elegant 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 relaxing 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 handsome. 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 striking 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

Getting the best rental home experience:

When to visit Emerald Isle & When to book:

• Summer is the most expensive season in the Morehead City area. Booking your vacation rental in Fall or Spring is a good way to save money on your rental home. Rental rates are lower, and you'll find a larger selection of acceptable homes. Speaking of the off-season, don't overlook the holidays for a Morehead City vacation! Who wouldn't love a holiday on the coast? Christmas, Thanksgiving, and New Years Eve are great times to gather with friends and family at the beach.
• In the Morehead City area, The sooner you can book a vacation rental, the easier your search will be. The most desirable properties are booked early. Reserving your vacation property up to 12 months before your travel dates is recommended. Christmas, Thanksgiving and New Years Eve are excellent times to plan and reserve your vacation rental.
• Some property management companies offer rate reductions for veterans and active duty military. Ask your host or property manager if special offers are available for your family before you book.
• Property management companies typically offer their guests an option to add vacation insurance protection. Trip insurance, which usually will cost between 1% - 5% of the booking price, offers visitors reimbursement of costs for any missed days as a result of medical-related catastrophes or weather, as well as hurricane evacuation charges, such as an unexpected hotel or additional gas expenses. Trip insurance might be a a welcome relief if the unforeseen occurs. Ask the property owner for specifics.
• Many rental management companies and vacation rental houses supply Morehead City area visitor guide magazines that include special offers, either offered independently by local businesses, or through a partnership between the rental management company and the business itself. You can also find Morehead City visitors guide magazine and coupon books at local grocery stores, shopping centers, and visitor centers.

Narrow your Search:

• First, have your group commit to date ranges and a budget.
• Note the number beds and the configuration you need. Oceanfront, Family Atmosphere has 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. If you need a larger or smaller rental, use our Morehead City vacation rental search.
• Precise details about bedrooms and bed counts & types is often accessible on booking pages. If they are not listed, call the property owner before reserving your rental. Note that most property listings specify the maximum guest capacity, which frequently includes pull out couches in living rooms. You'll need to work out what bed configuration is suitable for your vacation family.
• If there's a specific Morehead City attraction you simply love, look for homes that are either near by, or those that cater especially to your desires.
• Proper accessibility can make or break a vacation for those with limited mobility. .
• If your family is bringing pets, you must reserve a pet-friendly property. Get specifics on breed, size, and type requirements. Note that some hosts charge additional pet fees.

Additional considerations:

• Take a copy of the owner's phone number and check in/check out procedures for your rental.
• During arrival, record any damages to the property and immediately alert the host. Record all coorespondence.
• Ask questions. You may need instructions for a fireplace, A/V setup or thermostat. Contact your host. They are there to help! A brief phone call prevents quite a few difficulties.
• Be respectful. Often times, nearby homes are filled by permanent residents. Respecting late-night noise limits and parking rules is the right thing to do.
• Speaking of neighbors... Ask a local! Locals can often help you find the best spots in town. Who better to ask where to order the best nachos, have a great night out, or the best spots for fine dining?
• Lock your vacation home while you're out. Protect your property!
• Re-check every room of the rental property to make sure that you've packed all belongings at check-out. Re-check closets, dressers, garages, and bathrooms for hidden treasure. Clean the refrigerator and take or dispose of leftovers.
• Go through the rental a final time and look for any damage. We suggest inspecting the property with the host whenever possible. If the manager isn't available, take photos and video of the rental to record its condition.
• Leave feedback! Hosts rely on great reviews to drive new bookings. They'll be thankful for your feedback. Alternatively, if something wasn't as described, other vacationers will will be grateful for your review and help them have the best future vacation. Please be objective. If something fell short of expectations, consider whether the owner could control the issue, and if so, whether they responded reasonably to solve it.