We didn’t just buy a vacation property we fell in love with a place. And we’ve been sharing that love ever since.
Nearly 25 years ago, we came to Emerald Isle for the first time with our girls still young — the kind of trip where you arrive with luggage and sunscreen and leave with something harder to name. The water was that particular shade of green the island is known for. Dolphins crested just offshore. We knew before the week was out that we had found something rare.
What started as a family beach escape slowly became the beating heart of our family’s story. Over the years, Dune Castle has been the backdrop for birthday celebrations that spilled across both decks, family reunions where cousins who barely knew each other became inseparable, and quiet mornings watching the sun climb out of the Atlantic with a cup of coffee and no agenda.
Our daughter Ashlie said her vows right on the sand in front of the cottage. We have watched 11 grandchildren take their first steps toward the ocean here, eyes wide, arms out, completely fearless. There is no place on earth we love more.
We share Dune Castle with other families because we know firsthand what this place can mean — and because a beach house this good deserves to be loved by as many people as possible. We hope it becomes part of your family’s story too.
Our Journey
Every great place has a history. Here's ours: 25 years of love, family, and one very special stretch of North Carolina coastline.
The whole family fell in love with the island on our very first trip. The water was that particular shade of green the island is named for, dolphins crested just offshore, and we knew before the week was out that we had found something rare. We had to come back and keep coming back.
After several summers renting on the island, we found the property and made it ours. The duplex layout was perfect: enough space for the whole extended family to be together without being on top of each other, with the Atlantic right outside every door.
Our daughter Ashlie said her vows right in front of the cottage with the Atlantic as her backdrop. The whole family gathered on the sand as the sun set behind the dunes. One of the most beautiful days of our lives and proof that this place holds far more than just vacations.
We completely renovated both units from the ground up: new kitchens, bathrooms, flooring, and finishes throughout. Every detail was chosen to give guests a home that feels both fresh and genuinely warm. The soul of the place stayed exactly as it should be. The bones were already perfect.
The beach house that raised our girls is now raising the next generation. We watch 11 grandchildren race toward the ocean, eyes wide and arms out, completely fearless. We share Dune Castle with families like yours because we know firsthand what this place can mean. We hope it becomes part of your family's story too.
