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Stunning Oceanfront - Expansive Views - Nightly Sunsets. Near Shops & BHI Club

Beachfront holiday home with kitchen and balcony

Photo gallery for Stunning Oceanfront - Expansive Views - Nightly Sunsets. Near Shops & BHI Club

Life on the Sea - directly across from the beach - 5 bedrooms, 5.5 bathrooms
Life on the Sea - directly across from the beach - 5 bedrooms, 5.5 bathrooms
Plenty of outdoor seating with views of the dunes and ocean
Glorious Natural Light - vaulted ceilings with skylights and ocean views
Glorious Natural Light - vaulted ceilings with skylights and ocean views

Reviews

10 out of 10
Exceptional
5 bedrooms5+ bathroomsSleeps 12260.1 sq m

Popular amenities

  • Parking available
  • Air conditioning
  • Dryer
  • Gym
  • Barbecue grill
  • Washer

Explore the area

View map
Bald Head Island, NC
  • Place, Bay Beach
    ‪3 min walk‬
  • Place, Bald Head Island Country Club
    ‪20 min walk‬
  • Place, Bald Head Island Lighthouse
  • Airport, Wilmington, NC (ILM-Wilmington Intl.)

Rooms & beds

5 bedrooms (sleeps 12)

Downstairs - Bunk Room

2 Single Beds and 2 Double Beds

Master - Downstairs

1 King Bed

Master - Upstairs

1 King Bed

Queen - Downstairs

1 Queen Bed

Twin Room - Upstairs

2 Single Beds

5 bathrooms, 1 half bathroom

Bathroom - Downstairs Bunk Room

Toilet · Shower only

Bathroom - Downstairs Master

Toilet · Shower only

Bathroom - Downstairs Queen Room

Toilet · Shower only

Bathroom - Master Upstairs

Toilet

Bathroom - Upstairs Twin Room

Bathtub or shower · Toilet

Half Bathroom Downstairs

Toilet

Spaces

Deck or patio
Kitchen
Balcony
Dining area

About this property

Stunning Oceanfront - Expansive Views - Nightly Sunsets. Near Shops & BHI Club

Welcome to Life on the Sea – Your Oceanfront Escape on Bald Head Island

Wake up to endless ocean views and spend your days surrounded by comfort, style, and salty air. Thoughtfully designed and professionally decorated, Life on the Sea is the perfect getaway for families or groups looking for a luxury stay that still feels like home.

5 Bedrooms • 5.5 Baths • Sleeps 12 Comfortably
With two primary suites (one upstairs, one downstairs), everyone gets their own space. Each bedroom has a private bath, and four of the five rooms are oceanside with direct deck access.

Light-Filled Living & Dining
The first-floor living area is framed by floor-to-ceiling windows and skylights, flooding the space with sunshine and breathtaking views of the Atlantic. Gather around the large dining table for eight, or unwind with a movie on the 50-inch HD Smart TV.

Gourmet Kitchen & Bar
Cook and connect in the open-concept Thermador kitchen with granite countertops and breakfast bar seating for five. A dry bar with beverage fridge and ice maker makes entertaining easy — whether it’s coffee at sunrise or cocktails at sunset.

Upstairs Loft Retreat
The second-floor loft is a cozy spot for games, reading, or an evening movie. Enjoy another 55-inch HD TV, and a game table.

Outdoor Living
Step out onto expansive oceanfront decking with rocking and Adirondack chairs, along with two high-top tables perfect for morning coffee or sunset chats. Downstairs, rinse off in the large outdoor shower, grill dinner on the propane grill, and enjoy two golf carts (6-seater + 4-seater) for easy island exploring.

Club Access
Guests may purchase a temporary Lifestyle Membership to the Bald Head Island Club, featuring golf, tennis, fitness, pools, and both casual and fine dining. We’ll provide the form and details—just reach out when booking!

Things to Know
• Beach towels provided
• Large laundry room
• No parties or events allowed
• Professionally managed and maintained for your comfort


REVIEW
Date of Stay - March 13, 2016
Five Stars! Our party of 10 enjoyed a wonderful spring break week at Life on the Sea! The home offered plenty of room and privacy for our group of 4 adults and 6 college students. The home is definitely a great vacation spot for all ages and occasions! We love to cook and enjoyed the well-appointed kitchen. The beachfront location is ideal and the views from the house are magnificent. The home was very clean and so nicely decorated. It was nice to have two golf carts to explore the island. Lots of fun was had by all! We will definitely be back and will recommend this lovely home to all our family and friends!

REVIEW
5 Stars!
Date of Stay -Jun 16, 2017
We enjoyed our stay at Life on the Sea! The location is ideal. We were so happy to find nice beach chairs. The layout worked well for us and we appreciated having private bathrooms off of each bedroom and a separate space for the kids to watch movies. The views and the light in the house because of its windows and its openness make it an uplifting place to be.

REVIEW
October 2017
We spent a wonderful week here for our daughter's wedding. The house is incredible! We enjoyed being across the street from the ocean. Our 80-year-old grandmother appreciated having her room on the main floor and she had no difficulty with the steps going to the beach. Interestingly we discovered bioluminescent photo plankton on the beach. Stomping the sand or swishing your foot on the sand at night create a dazzling sparkle show. Amazing. The property manager was so helpful and everything went so smoothly could not have asked for a better place or a better property manager.

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Amenities

Kitchen
Washing machine
Dryer
Air conditioning
Gym
Outdoor space

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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

No pets allowed
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Smoking

Smoking is not permitted
Within two weeks of booking, guest must acknowledge having read the Rental Agreement by messaging property management thru the VRBO platform.

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 indicated that there is a smoke detector on the property
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher and a deadlock

We should mention

A car is not required for transport to and from this property

About the area

Bald Head Island

Located on the beach, this holiday home is in South Beach, a neighbourhood in Bald Head Island. Smith Island Museum of History and Fort Johnston-Southport Museum & Visitors' Center are cultural highlights, and some of the area's activities can be experienced at The Clubs at St. James and Southport Marina. Travelling with kids? Consider North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher and North Carolina Maritime Museum at Southport. Make sure you get close to the area's animals with activities such as game walks and birdwatching.
Map
Bald Head Island, NC

What's nearby

  • Bay Beach - 3 min walk - 0.3 km
  • Bald Head Island Country Club - 20 min walk - 1.7 km

Getting around

  • Wilmington, NC (ILM-Wilmington Intl.) - 48 min drive

Restaurants

  • Fishy Fishy Cafe
  • Oliver's on the Cape Fear
  • Provision Company
  • Frying Pan
  • Silver Coast Winery Tasting Room

Frequently asked questions

Is Stunning Oceanfront - Expansive Views - Central Location near Market & BHI Club pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

What time is check-in at Stunning Oceanfront - Expansive Views - Central Location near Market & BHI Club?

Check-in begins at 4:00 PM.

What time is check-out at Stunning Oceanfront - Expansive Views - Central Location near Market & BHI Club?

Checkout is at 10:00 AM.

Where is Stunning Oceanfront - Expansive Views - Central Location near Market & BHI Club located?

Nestled on the beach, this South Beach holiday home is within 1 mi (2 km) of Bay Beach and Kent Mitchell Nature Trail. Bald Head Island Conservancy and Bald Head Island Lighthouse are also within 3 miles (5 km).

Reviews

10

Exceptional

9.4/10

Cleanliness

10/10

Check-in

10/10

Communication

10/10

Location

10/10

Listing accuracy
Rating 10 - Excellent. 105 out of 114 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 9 out of 114 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 0 out of 114 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 114 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 114 reviews

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Susan D.

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

Amazing beach week!

This is an amazing house. Beautifully furnished and comfortable. Plenty of beach equipment. It was truly a home away from home
Stayed 5 nights in Apr 2025
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Steve B.

Fabulous getaway. Golf carts in great shape, bikes too. Home is beautifully decorated and very comfy

Island is beautiful. Wildlife and sunsets will make you want to stay forever. Beach is pristine.
Stayed 6 nights in May 2016
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Susan C.

Wonderful House

We loved our stay here. The house has been updated; it is clean; the kitchen is fully-equipped with everything you need to prepare a meal; and owners/property manager were helpful. The house is in a great location, and the club access was fun for our family. Would stay here again and highly recommend.
Stayed 4 nights in Apr 2016

8/10 Good

sharon m., corbin, ky

Wedding week

Great place for the week to celebrate! It was just as pics show. Only down fall was the water pressure. Nice part of the island and close to beach .
Stayed 7 nights in Apr 2019
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

8/10 Good

Amy K.

Best Kept Secret on the East coast!

This was our first visit to Bald Head Island and we could not have enjoyed our stay more at Life on the Sea. The house is very well appointed, the kitchen is wonderful, common areas are well designed. The location is terrific too. My only disappointment was the lack of usable beach chairs, and prepare to rent your own bikes if biking is something you intend to do. Other than that the place was amazing and I would certainly consider coming back!
Stayed 3 nights in Apr 2017

8/10 Good

Lauren H.

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

A great house

We enjoyed our stay at this house! It’s very nicely furnished and updated. The living room needs new slip covers though ...they are badly stained. The kitchen was well equipped. The location is great! Short wAlk to the beach and short ride to the market! This is a great house for two families. The golf carts are in great shape. There are a ton of beach chairs and beach towels. I would stay here again! The property manager was very nice and attentive if we needed anything.
Stayed 14 nights in Jul 2020

10/10 Excellent

Hallie W.

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

Beach House Growing Up :)

We have stayed at many homes on Bald Head Island, but this was a fan favorite! This house was the perfect combination of being well appointed but not too much so. It reminded us of beach houses we grew up going to, and you can tell a lot of love and care is put into this house. Its location right across from the beach access is wonderful, SUPER easy to get on/off beach. Also, it is on a very private street which dead ends so we never felt like there was any traffic and safe for kids to walk across the road. We had read reviews commenting the golf carts were old. We did not feel that way at all and actually got comments on how plush the seats were! (For context, we have stayed in homes where the carts were much older.) The bunk room was a hit for our 3 kids, 3/5/7. The king bed on the first floor is memory foam, so that took us a night to get used to, but it was very comfortable! Kitchen was well appointed, everything you needed for a week at the beach. I would make sure to bring a fly swatter, when the doors open the flies seem to make their way in :) The only other note I will make is make sure to bring shoes (splinters) and for older adults, you do need to be able to walk up and down a flight of stairs to access the main living spaces :) Bathrooms were small on top floor but not bothersome to us. We would CERTAINLY return, this is a lovely house!! Thank you for allowing us to stay!!
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2024

10/10 Excellent

maggie j., Maidens , Virginia

What a great house!!!

If you are like us, and spend hours looking at houses on VRBO, then hold your breath when you arrive on the Island hoping the photos and on line description did it justice... then here is a house for you!!! Edie, the manager is a joy to work with and very efficient and timely in her responces. The house is perfectly situated, mid Island (easy to get every where quickly), steps from Beach Access 21 (so you don't have to haul your chairs etc. far), with spectacular views. The owners have done an amazing renovation job and have maximized the floor plan to provide great socializing flow, nooks for the kids to snuggle into and separate living areas for adult vs kid pursuits. The rooms are open and airy with beautiful natural light, soft beach colors and comfortable furniture. The bedrooms offer a variety of bed set ups, gorgeous bathrooms, comfortable linens, towels and mattresses. The whole house was spotless! The kitchen is efficiently set up and was well organized with everything we required to cook family meals and had a variety of seating options (very kid friendly). The refrigerator is large and spacious enough to hold a weeks worth of groceries. The full size washer and dryer were much appreciated! The golf carts were in good working order and there were more than enough beach chairs, beach towels, sand shovels etc. to keep everyone happy. We hope to return again next year!
Stayed 3 nights in Mar 2019

10/10 Excellent

Dale R.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Awesome 1week stay at “Life on the Sea”!! A perfect fit for our family of 12 (grandparents, parents & kids) All was spotless and kitchen was well appointed (excellent appliances) to make cooking for our group very easy. Appreciated the beach chairs, beach carts & boogie board. (Even a life jacket for the youngest!). Would definitely stay there again!!!
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2025

10/10 Excellent

Caroline S.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
perfect location and great house layout for a big group.
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2025

10/10 Excellent

Kara D.

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

Perfect location for our BHI stay!

This was our first time on BHI! Life on the Sea was so convenient to the BHI Club and the Market. We loved that we were right at the beach access and had a large, quiet stretch of beach so close!All of the bedroom suites were comfortable and were beautifully decorated. Each of the four adult couples had plenty of room to spread out in their own space. We enjoyed hanging out in the common areas upstairs and down. My son-in-law was our on-site chef for the week. He found everything he needed in the spacious and well-appointed kitchen. The property had everything we needed. Edie and Katie were attentive to all our questions both before and during our stay.We made so many wonderful memories this week! We will definitely make plans to come back!
Stayed 7 nights in May 2025

10/10 Excellent

Katie G.

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

Second time staying here

We enjoyed our time and hope to stay here again. It really is a beautiful house in the perfect location.
Stayed 5 nights in Apr 2025

10/10 Excellent

John P.

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

Silversides Review

Great location!!
Stayed 7 nights in Oct 2024

10/10 Excellent

Shirley B.

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

Great location - Perfect for Family Vacation

Good house, updated. Nicely laid out. Perfect location to BHI Club which has amazing pool area for kids!
Stayed 7 nights in May 2024

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

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

Wonderful home and location

Clean, family-friendly vacation home very close to walkover to beach. Golf carts were in great condition. All was as listed. We will return!
Stayed 7 nights in May 2024

10/10 Excellent

Mary Ben R.

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

Wonderful Home in BHI for a fun week!

Life on the Sea is a very comfortable home at BHI. Our multi-generational family had plenty of room to spread out and we loved the location. You can get anywhere on the island very easily. And the beach access is right across from the driveway which made it super convenient with two toddlers! The house is beautifully renovated with cozy furniture and a large kitchen where we enjoyed cooking. The property managers are wonderful to work with and even offered us an extra cart and early check in! Plenty of beach chairs for everyone and a large deck for relaxing and star gazing! We have stayed in many properties on the island and this was a favorite.
Stayed 8 nights in Sep 2023

10/10 Excellent

Edie H., Richmond

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

Family Beach Trip

The property we stayed at, Life on the Sea, was perfect. We had a wonderful time there, and the house was very comfy and user-friendly for our whole family.
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2023

8/10 Good

Lupe R.

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

Great location - priced too high

This was our 4th trip to BHI. This house had a great location on the island with access to everything and convenience. For the price we expected a bit more. Beds were not comfortable and squeaky, refrigerator does not have a water line and freezer was not working well. For an island I would think they would not want so much waste of water bottles and would have a filtered water line. We had a family of 10 and went through more than a case a day and had to buy gallon jugs as well. Kitchen faucet while cute was not functional. Bummed there was no ocean view from main level. You can only see the ocean from the top floor 2 bedrooms (not the bonus space). One bedroom with King has the smallest bathroom I've ever used (I left a drawer open and locked my husband inside) and the other bedroom has twin beds. The large golf cart is old and in need of repair (windshield broken, steering was a workout in itself) the second one is old but in decent condition. But all in all a great house, space, access to the beach. Storage and shower under house was fantastic. I would have given it a 5 star if the cost was less but we paid $14k and just expected more.
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2023

10/10 Excellent

JANE T.

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

Voted favorite beach by our family

We have spent many summers at Kiawah and Figure Eight and we were surprised we liked Bald Head even more! There were 5 adults and 3 children under 8 in our group. The ferry ride over was magical to the children as well as the adults and everything worked seamlessly. The house was clean, comfortable and well stocked. The beds were comfortable, the location on Silverside Trail was very convenient to the entire island and the beach in front was huge….even at high tide. The property managers were dreamy to work and responded very quickly to every question we had. It’s a wonderful house for families and we hope to return.
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2023

10/10 Excellent

Sue P.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location

BHI Summer Get Aeay

We have been coming to BHI for years and love it! Life on the Sea accommodated our family of 9 with age ranges 1-70 (4 were children) very well! House is roomy, good kitchen items, lots of porch space, 2 golf carts and close to market! We were disappointed that we could not see the ocean from the main floor or from main floor porches as it is oceanfront property. The proximity to the beach was great especially with children and beach toys/chairs! We did have issues getting TV on and with fridge beeping due to filter change needed. We had a fun week at Life on the Sea!
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2023

10/10 Excellent

Jayne S.

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

Loved our 2nd Year at Life on the Sea!

We are a group of 3 couples that have an annual trip to BHI each spring. We loved our 2nd year staying at this property. It is perfect for our group for many reasons - beach access, large deck, kitchen/bar, location to market & BHI Club, bedrooms with private baths, 2 golf carts. Edie and Katie are great - always check in on us and care that everything is in order. Plan to book again for next year!
Stayed 7 nights in Apr 2023

10/10 Excellent

todd l.

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

review

Property was great
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2022

10/10 Excellent

Una K.

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

Kelly family vacation

Katie was extremely responsive, house was all that we had hoped for and we got to see the turtles hatch right in front of the house. Amazing
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2022

10/10 Excellent

katherine b., Richmond, Va

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

First BHI oceanfront rental!

Loved being right near the boardwalk to beach. Three grandsons loved the chance to boogie board several times a day. House is beautifully decorated with pleasant colors throughout. Loved having two kings and the children’s bunkroom was perfect. Central location close to market and BHIC was great. Missed having bicycles for us to ride with our grandsons. Edie is great to work with and trust she will take care of any problem that might come up. The massive windows all throughout the house add so much to the experience. Missing our Life at Sea already!
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2022

10/10 Excellent

Bethany B.

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

Family fun

The house was wonderful! The walk to the beach was unbeatable! Easy check in and the house was equipped with everything we needed . Hope to stay again !
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2022

About the host

Hosted by Edie Surratt and Katie Barker

Host profile image
(Homeowners) We live in Davidson, North Carolina and have two (almost adult) boys, We enjoy sports, travel, fishing, and yoga.

Our manager, Edie, is a real estate broker with Island Vacations, who also owns a house on BHI in Cape Fear Station. As a small business owner, she understands the importance of offering a high-quality product along with personalized customer service.

Why they chose this property

(Homeowners) Our family has been coming to Bald Head Island since the mid-90s when our boys were young. When an opportunity to buy an older home arose, we realized our dream to create our perfect vacation retreat. We designed the house for maximum comfort and living efficiency with space for family times, as well as privacy.

What makes this property unique

Life on the Sea is a wonderfully located home that combines the feeling of a beach house with luxurious comfort. The views from the house are gorgeous and unobstructed.

Languages:

English

Premier Host

They consistently provide great experiences for their guests