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Family-Friendly Oceanfront Property- Sleeps 14

Photo gallery for Family-Friendly Oceanfront Property- Sleeps 14

Morning Cup of Joe.
 Cottages A, B, and C.
Ocean view beachfront deck.
View from the deck.
View of deck and cottage A from beach.

Reviews

10 out of 10
Exceptional
7 bedrooms2 bathroomsSleeps 18

Popular amenities

  • Dryer
  • Parking available
  • Washer
  • Pet-friendly
  • Kitchen
  • Barbecue grill

Explore the area

Map
Surf City, NC
  • Surf City Pier
    ‪8 min walk‬
  • Southside Park
    ‪10 min walk‬
  • The Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center
    ‪5 min drive‬
  • Wilmington, NC (ILM-Wilmington Intl.)
    ‪43 min drive‬

Rooms & beds

7 bedrooms (sleeps 18)

Bedroom 1

1 Queen Bed

Bedroom 2

1 Queen Bed

Bedroom 3

1 Single Bunk Bed

Bedroom 4

1 Queen Bed

Bedroom 5

1 Double Bed

Bedroom 6

1 Queen Bed

Bedroom 7

1 Double Bed

2 bathrooms

Bathroom 1

Bathtub or shower · Toilet

Bathroom 2

Bathtub or shower · Toilet

Bathroom 3

Toilet · Shower only

Bathroom 4

Toilet · Shower only

Bathroom 5

Outdoor shower

Spaces

Deck or patio
Outdoor shower
Kitchen
Kitchenette
Dining area

About this property

Family-Friendly Oceanfront Property- Sleeps 14

Simple Serenity is the perfect name for this wonderful beach property. As you arrive, you will immediately feel the peaceful, nostalgic memories of a childhood beach vacation or perhaps a scene from a "feel good" book or movie. There is nothing fancy about Simple Serenity - it is just a clean, cozy, updated cottage by the sea. The cottage and guest cottage apartments sit on an oceanfront lot just 3 blocks from the center of Surf City. This location is within easy walking distance of the fishing pier, numerous restaurants and bars, a grocery store, seafood markets, a playground, ice cream shops, coffee shops, public boat ramps, sightseeing, and just about anything else you would want to do on a relaxing beach vacation.

It consists of a cozy, updated 3-bedroom, 2-bath, oceanfront cottage and two smaller 2-bedroom guest cottage apartments connected by a shared courtyard. This property is ideal for small gatherings, celebrations, reunions or to just get away from the craziness of everyday life.

As you arrive at Simple Serenity, you will first discover the two nicely furnished 2-bedroom connected guest cottages. These units are a perfect private space to give grandparents, parents with young children, or the late-night young adults some personal space from the main cottage group. They have two small bedrooms (a queen bed in one and a full-size bed in the other), a bathroom, and a kitchen/living/dining area. They each have a smart TV with basic cable and Wi-Fi. The apartments share a nice-sized deck with a table and chairs. This makes a great spot for early morning coffee, an evening beverage or to share a meal in the salt air.

Just off the deck is a common courtyard with a hammock, a gas grill, a picnic table, an outdoor hot/cold enclosed shower, and plenty of open space for a group. This space is ideal for group cookouts, games, or just relaxing out of the sun or the wind when the beach is a little too sunny or breezy. A walkway to the side of the main cottage provides direct ocean access for the guest cottage apartment guests.

When you enter the beachfront cottage, you will be WOWED by the view. Seeing the beach and beautiful sea over the sea oats and dunes is breathtaking. The cheerfully decorated open kitchen/great room space has everything you need to relax and feel at home. The kitchen is well stocked with enough dishes, glasses, cookware, blenders and large pots for a big family seafood boil or Sunday turkey dinner. There is a smart TV with expanded basic cable service. There is also WIFI for those guests who feel they may need to remain connected to the outside world. The beachfront deck is a great place for sunning, reading, watching the surfers, children playing in the sand, kites, sipping a cup of coffee or your favorite beverage, daydreaming, or enjoying an afternoon nap.

You will be lulled to sleep and be gently awoken by the gentle sounds of the sea from the oceanfront primary bedroom with a private bath. The second cheerful oceanfront queen-size room and bunkroom guests share a nice hall bathroom with a tiled shower. There are a large capacity washer and dryer, dishwasher, and convenient outdoor shower to minimize your family chores.

Please note:
-Sheets and towels are not provided (to keep rates reasonable). Guests are welcome to bring their own or rent from Sweet Dreams Linens.
-There is adequate parking for 6 vehicles.
-One well-behaved dog may be considered with a pet fee of $30/night. Please discuss with owner before finalizing the booking.






Keywords: Ocean Front property includes a 3 Bd/2Ba cottage and 2-2Bd/1Ba guest cottage apartments.

Property manager

Babs wagner

Add dates for prices

Amenities

Kitchen
Washer
Dryer
Pet-friendly
Free WiFi
Air conditioning

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House Rules

Check in after 4:00 PM
Minimum age to rent: 25
Check out before 10:00 AM
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Children

Children allowed: ages 0–17
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Events

No events allowed
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Pets

Pets allowed
Will consider one well behaved dog . See policies.
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Smoking

Smoking is not permitted

Important information

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
On-site parties or group events are strictly prohibited
Host has not indicated whether there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property; consider bringing a portable detector with you on the trip
Host has not indicated whether there is a smoke detector on the property

About the area

Surf City

Located in Holly Ridge, this cottage is on the beach. The area's natural beauty can be seen at Holly Shelter Game Land and Surf City Beach, while Seacoast Art Gallery and Missiles and More Museum are cultural highlights. Ohana Paddle Sports and Thomas Tackle and Seafood are also worth visiting. Make sure you get close to the area's animals with activities such as game walks and birdwatching.
Map
Surf City, NC

What's nearby

  • Inis Spa - 1 min walk - 0.2 km
  • Surf City Pier - 8 min walk - 0.7 km
  • Ohana Paddle Sports - 10 min walk - 0.9 km
  • Southside Park - 10 min walk - 0.9 km
  • The Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center - 5 min drive - 4.0 km

Getting around

  • Wilmington, NC (ILM-Wilmington Intl.) - 43 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪McDonald's - ‬4 min drive
  • ‪Shuckin' Shack Oyster Bar - ‬4 min drive
  • ‪Buddy's Crab House & Oyster Bar - ‬5 min walk
  • ‪Salty Turtle Beer Company - ‬4 min drive
  • ‪Sears Landing Grill & Boat Docks - ‬3 min drive

Frequently asked questions

Is Family-Friendly Oceanfront Property- Sleeps 14 pet-friendly?

Yes, pets are allowed at this property.

What time is check-in at Family-Friendly Oceanfront Property- Sleeps 14?

Check-in begins at 4:00 PM.

What time is check-out at Family-Friendly Oceanfront Property- Sleeps 14?

Checkout is at 10:00 AM.

Where is Family-Friendly Oceanfront Property- Sleeps 14 located?

Situated on the beach, this cottage is steps away from Inis Spa and Seacoast Art Gallery. Escape Spa and Surf City Beach are also within 5 minutes.

Reviews

10

Exceptional

Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.
Learn moreOpens in a new window
Rating 10 - Excellent. 63 out of 67 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 3 out of 67 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 0 out of 67 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 1 out of 67 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 67 reviews

9.8/10

Cleanliness

10/10

Check-in

10/10

Communication

10/10

Location

9.8/10

Listing accuracy

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Daniel S.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great place right on the ocean.

This place came exactly as advertised. 3 bedrooms in the main house and 2 bedrooms in each of the cottages on the property. This worked out great for our family group of 14 people. Right on the ocean and within a 5 minute walk to downtown Surf City. The owner was great and allowed us to go in a couple hours early. Great place and experience.
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2024

10/10 Excellent

David G.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Farastic Stay

Wonderful location. House was as described and perfect for our family getaway. The separate cabanas are pefect for older teenagers who want aome alone time. Love that our dog was allowed to vacation with her family too.
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2024

10/10 Excellent

susan h.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Family trip 2023

Perfect place for large families. We had 6 adults & 6 kids 2-12) cottages are great for grandparents! Location was awesome, right on beach with large deck looking out at the beach! Would definitely stay again!
Stayed 4 nights in Aug 2023

10/10 Excellent

Karen V.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Cottage getaway

We had a wonderful week! Loved having the separate cottages for the grandkids to have their own space to go to when needed. Favorite part was being only steps away from the beach!!
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2023

10/10 Excellent

Preston R.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Fun family trip

Great space and amazing host
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2023

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Fantastic!

I had no idea that this house would be located this close to the town of Surf City - it was perfect! Walking distance to everything you need, including the pier. Also, right on the water with great beach access! The house was spotless and clean, had working Wi-Fi, HVAC, and hot/cold water - plus whatever else you would expect! Perfect house, perfect location, spacious, and will definitely wish to stay here again!
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2023

10/10 Excellent

Tonya A., Buchanan, Georgia

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Awesome house!

We had an amazing stay. The house was wonderful with plenty of space for everyone (large family of 15). The location couldn’t be beat. Right on the ocean and walking distance to everything in town.
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2023

10/10 Excellent

Jeanne D.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great Place for Large Families

This is a great place if there are more than one family. The family of four with the kids stayed in the big house while the grandparents stayed in the cottages. Close enough to town so we didn’t need to drive anywhere. All the kitchens were well stocked and everything was very clean. Being right on the beach was the best part. Would stay there again if we get back to that area.
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2023

10/10 Excellent

michelle b.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Family vacation

The property had everything we needed and then some. There was plenty of room for all of us, including my son's growing family.
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2022

10/10 Excellent

Kathleen B., Leland

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

We loved it!

Our experience was exceptional. Working with Babs was great! She was always positive, available and provided us great care! We arrived to find the property exactly as expected. It was clean and very well equipped. The location was perfect!
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2022

10/10 Excellent

Sheila S.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Nice

Nice
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2021

10/10 Excellent

Molly D.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Just Perfect

Perfect place for my family! Had plenty of room, but distant enough to escape for some privacy! Very few stairs, which was great for my parents. Rode out a cat 1 hurricane and felt safe!
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2020

8/10 Good

Brent P.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great Location

The property is located right on the beach and near many of the island’s amenities.
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2020

10/10 Excellent

Angel S.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Excellent beach cottages for large extended family!

Our family had a great time and can’t wait to plan our next trip! Located directly in the heart of surf city and easy walk to local ice cream, coffee shop and restaurants!
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2020

10/10 Excellent

nicholas l.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

All I can say is great location

Loved it see you next year.
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2020

10/10 Excellent

christi h.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Wonderful Stay at Surf City

This exceptionally clean and thoughtfully equipped property is situated in an excellent location in Surf City. The house is close to the heart of Surf City so there are plenty of shops and restaurants in easy walking distance. Yet the beach, while busy in the high season, was never crowded. The main house is well-equipped and charming. It's an easy walk down off the dune to the beach. I believe this is the closest to the beach I've ever been in a beach-front house. Each cottage has two bedrooms (one bed in each), a bathroom, and an open kitchen/living area with sofa, coffee table, and drop-leaf table. The front door to the main house is a short walk from the cottages. You can also follow a short boardwalk along the side of the main house to access the back deck and the steps down to the beach. The size of the spaces in the property are modest, but they are full of extra touches to help efficiently utilize space - shelves, hooks, furniture pieces. The kitchens were appropriately provisioned. The owner was wonderful to work with and very accessible. If I could change one thing about the property, it would be to have larger oceanfront outdoor space with some shelter. Overall, an excellent stay. I did not want to leave when our week was over!
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2019

10/10 Excellent

Cindy C.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Amazing location. Babs was a fabulous and very attentive.

Our extended family was able to stay in one location. Enjoyed having three homes. Provided room for each family. It was lovely to wake up with the sunrise over the ocean shining through the windows.
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2019

10/10 Excellent

Tressa M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great time

We had a great time on vacation at this property. It was everything we expected.
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2019

10/10 Excellent

mike b.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Had an excellent time: Awesome location and property

We had a total of 17 people for our stay with a broad mix of small kids, teenagers, and adults. The three separate buildings are unique for a beach rental, and it gave us all some space and privacy when needed. The main cottage sits right on the beach and is perfect for keeping an eye on the smaller kids, and is a beautiful place to sit and relax. The location is also perfect for teens and adults to walk into surf city and we rarely were in cars, except to go roller skating on the other side of the island. We had several communications with Babs throughout the process and she immediately was back to us and easy to work with. If we go to Topsail next summer we will definitely rent the property. The week went by, unfortunately, all too fast.
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2019

10/10 Excellent

Kristen C.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Amazing Family Vacation

We absolutely loved staying at Sweet Serenity. The location is ideal. Just steps from the beach it is so easy for all ages to run back and forth from beach to house thus enjoying every outside minute possible. We love Surf City. Our family loves to park our cars for the week and enjoy all the great places to eat and shop without ever having to get back into a car. The main house and cottages have all that is needed. Nothing fancy. But yet all that is needed to enjoy a week at the beach was provided. The common area is perfect for all to gather for meals and conversation. We grilled out several times, pulled the additional "picnic tables" to the common area and all enjoy supper together nightly. Babs is the perfect host. Our entire family of 18 all agreed that this was the perfect place for us!! Thank you, Babs and Sweet Serenity for a wonderful vacation. See you next year!!!
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2019

10/10 Excellent

Bertha D., Free Union

Simple Serenity was simply wonderful!

We so enjoyed our stay at Simple Serenity on Topsail Island! We had room for everyone and really appreciated the separate spaces. The grandchildren loved having the beach right there and the adults loved being in walking distance of restaurants, grocery stores and other shops. We didn't have to drive at all - except for visiting the turtle hospital, which is a must see for anyone visiting Topsail. The mail house and cottages were well stocked with all the necessary utensils and equipment for eating in, and also games and books to keep us entertained when not on the beach. I'd highly recommend this property for a large family group.
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2018

8/10 Good

Diane S.

Great Family getaway!

Great location, nothing fancy but easy for extended family to stay at the beach with no worries!
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2018

10/10 Excellent

Erika A.

Great property!

The separate buildings were perfect for our large multi-generational group ! Being right on the water was so convenient- and close to restaurants coffee and stores too. Very clean and well maintained- even better than we expected.
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2018

10/10 Excellent

Margaret C.

Fun in the Sun

Best family vacation to date. Everyone had a great time. Lodgings were perfect for our 18 family members. Just a few steps to town for activities the kids had a blast. Can't wait to do this again next year.
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2018
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Cindy W.

Family friendly

We rented the Ocean front 3 bedroom house and the two cottages. It was so much fun for our extended families. The view from the house was great, and the yard between the house and cottages was a great place for games and activities for the kids.
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2017

About the host

Hosted by Babs wagner

Host profile image
We are beach lovers. We especially love family beach fun. We bought Simple Sernity as a retreat to to enjoy and share with other beach lovers. Because it is a simple older property, we always have a project, maintenance or upgrade on our list. We enjoy working on the cottage and just love to see our guests enjoy them.

We have four grown married children and 9!!!! grandchildren. We call it 'joyful Chaos'. There is nothing better for us than seeing the little ones gather together playing right here on the beach. When we bought the property, the oldest ones were just babies. Now they are riding waves, boogie boarding and learning to surf. It makes us realize that life flies faster than we ever imagined. And taking time to 'smell the roses' or to 'feel the sea breeze' is so important. For us, the beach is so grounding, healing, humbling and joyful all at the same time. It seems to have a spell on even the busiest Type A folks. We just love reading the happy comments in the guest book. We feel so blessed to have Simple Serenity and love to share it.

Why they chose this property

We moved to North Carolina from Pennsylvania 26 years ago. We had spent our childhoods vacationing at the New Jersey beaches. We saw them get crowded, expensive and really commercialized. When we first visited Surf City in 1986,we felt like we were back in time. We loved the comfortable but 'campy' feel of the property, bought it on the spot and just knew it would be a wonderful, restful vacation spot.

What makes this property unique

The property is in an ideal location. Close enough to walk to everything, but far enough away that the beach isn't crowded.