Entire home

Ocean & Sound Views; 2 King Suites; Elevator

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Interior
5 bedrooms, iron/ironing board, WiFi, bed sheets
Smart TV, Netflix, Hulu, DVD player
On the beach, sun loungers
Exterior

Reviews

10 out of 10
Exceptional

Entire home

5 bedrooms4 bathroomsSleeps 142300 sq ft

Popular amenities

  • Kitchen
  • Washer
  • Dryer
  • Air conditioning
  • Outdoor Space

Explore the area

View in a map
Surf City, NC
  • Place, Surf City Beach
    ‪1 min walk‬
  • Place, Surf City Pier
    ‪8 min drive‬
  • Place, Wrightsville Beach
    ‪58 min drive‬
  • Airport, Wilmington, NC (ILM-Wilmington Intl.)
    ‪54 min drive‬

Room options

Similar properties

About the neighborhood

Surf City

With a stay at this vacation home in Surf City, you'll be on the beach, within a 10-minute drive of Surf City Beach and Thomas Tackle and Seafood. .This beach vacation home is 2.8 mi (4.5 km) from Topsail Skating Rink Topsail Beach and 2.9 mi (4.6 km) from Missiles and More Museum.

What's nearby

  • Surf City Beach - 1 min walk - 0.1 miles
  • Surf City Pier - 8 min drive - 4.1 miles
  • University of North Carolina at Wilmington - 52 min drive - 42.5 miles
  • Riverwalk - 56 min drive - 43.7 miles
  • Wrightsville Beach - 58 min drive - 39.4 miles

Getting around

  • Wilmington Intl. Airport (ILM) - 48 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪Shaka Taco - ‬22 min drive
  • ‪Shaka Taco - ‬7 min drive
  • ‪Sear's Landing - ‬9 min drive
  • ‪Daddy Mac's Beach Grille - ‬7 min drive
  • ‪Beach Shop & Grill - ‬5 min drive

About this property

Entire place

You'll have the entire home to yourself and will only share it with other guests in your party.

Ocean & Sound Views; 2 King Suites; Elevator

Welcome to The Seldom Thing (named for an Irish saying, “The Seldom Thing is Wonderful”- which reminds us to value what is rare in life)!

Our spacious single-family home with 5 bedrooms/4 full baths provides stunning unobstructed water views from sun-up to relaxing sunsets over the Sound.

Look for dolphins, birds, shrimp boats, surfers, and beautiful sunrises from the home's three unobstructed ocean view decks, enjoy gorgeous sunsets on the two Sound-side decks, or relax and BBQ on the huge ground level deck. Located on Topsail Island with a quiet, peaceful stretch of the beach with deeded direct beach access 2 doors down, the home also offers a semi-private pier on the Sound at the end of our block for launching paddle boards, small watercrafts, or kayaks. Complimentary two single kayaks with carry carts, beach chairs, umbrellas, and sand toys.

The home also provides a convenient elevator at all levels perfect for multi-generational families, or those looking for an easier way to bring in luggage and groceries.

We are located approximately 2.5 miles to the center of either Surf City and Topsail Beach restaurants and activities.

LIVING & KITCHEN AREAS

This 2,300+s.f. home is family-friendly, provides a fully stocked kitchen and pantry, and a bright and airy open floor plan in the Main Floor Great Room entertaining space with comfortable couches around a 65" smart TV with 10 seat dining table, flanked by a 2-person coffee bar overlooking the ocean and 4-person elevated counter eyeing the kitchen.

The open kitchen features full-size stove and fridge, microwave and toaster oven, blender, coffeemaker, dishwasher, generous cabinets and counter area. The level also features a full covered deck with captain's chairs/tables for unobstructed ocean views, a queen bedroom, full bath, and a sunset deck with captain's chairs.

BEDROOMS & BATHROOMS

The home sleeps up to 14 guests in five bedrooms.

Each bedroom has a full deck with three of the largest bedrooms having generous views of the ocean and/or the Sound and two rear bedrooms overlooking the back deck and offering serene sunset views. The home features high-speed internet and each bedroom has a smart TV preloaded with access to Netflix, Hulu, Prime Video, and other popular channels.

OUTDOOR AREA

Outside the home, enjoy a spacious 36-foot ground level deck featuring an enclosed hot/cold shower, with comfortable deck furniture and lighting that offers a great place to enjoy an evening meal, sunset, or another quiet outdoor space for reading and relaxing -- or corn-hole competition! There is also a gas grill and a picnic table and captain's chairs out on the lower deck.

The home offers ample parking; 6+ cars/SUVs depending on size.

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT BEDROOMS

*Master Suite Level with Private Balcony Facing the Ocean – King Bed plus Futon/Sleeper, ensuite Full Bath with Separate Shower and Whirlpool Jet Tub Overlooking Glorious Sunsets on Topsail Sound.

*Master Bedroom #2– King Bed, ensuite Full Bath, and Full Deck with Unobstructed Ocean Views. (Two other bedrooms are on the same level).

*Main Level Bedroom #3 – Queen Bed, Full Bath Across Hall, and Full Deck with Views of the Sound. (Same level as kitchen/main living areas).

*Bedrooms #4 and 5 – Queen Bed in one room and a Full Over Full Bunk Bed in other room with Shared Full Bath, Each with Full Deck with Garden Views. (Same level as Master Bedroom #2).

*We provide very comfortable twin size fold out beds to accommodate two additional persons -- these beds may be placed in any of the bedrooms.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

*Dogs considered based on size and training - inquire at booking. $150 fee per pet.
*Linens included. (Light blanket, full bedding set, and towel sets including washcloths, hand and bath towels).
*Complimentary shower (body, shampoo, conditioner), hand soap; dish soap, sponge, and kitchen towels; laundry detergent; bathroom paper products to start you off.
*Beach chairs, beach umbrellas, boogie boards, cornhole, and beach toys.
*Two single kayaks with carriers and mandatory life vests.
*Gas grill (guest responsible for replacing tank when empty with owner reimbursement; guest to clean grill after each use).
*Keyless entry check-in and check-out.
*Washer and dryer.
*No smoking in the house or on the decks.
*Must be 25 years old or older to rent this property.
Make yourself comfortable in this air-conditioned vacation home, featuring a kitchen with a refrigerator and an oven. There's a private balcony or patio. A Smart television with Netflix is available for your entertainment, and a DVD player is also provided. The bathroom has a jetted bathtub.
Take in the views from a garden and make use of amenities such as gas grills.
Featured amenities include laundry facilities and an elevator.

Property amenities

Beach

  • On the beach
  • Beach loungers

Internet

  • Available in the house: WiFi

Parking and transportation

  • Car recommended
  • Onsite parking options include a carport

Kitchen

  • Blender
  • Coffee/tea maker
  • Cookware, dishware, and utensils
  • Dishwasher
  • Electric kettle
  • Lobster/crab pot
  • Microwave
  • Oven
  • Paper towels
  • Refrigerator
  • Spices
  • Stovetop
  • Toaster
  • Toaster oven

Dining

  • Dining table

Bedrooms

  • 5 bedrooms
  • Bedsheets provided
  • Sofa bed

Bathroom

  • 4 bathrooms
  • Bathtub
  • Bathtub or shower
  • Shower
  • Soap
  • Toilet paper
  • Towels provided

Living spaces

  • Dining table
  • Living room
  • Separate dining area

Entertainment

  • Books
  • DVD player
  • Games
  • Hulu
  • Netflix
  • Smart TV with cable/satellite channels
  • Streaming services

Outdoor areas

  • Balcony
  • Garden
  • Gas grill
  • Outdoor furniture

Laundry

  • Laundry detergent
  • Laundry facilities
  • Washer/dryer

Work spaces

  • Office

Comfort

  • Air conditioning
  • Heating

Pets

  • Pet friendly
  • 3 pets total (up to 50 lbs per pet)

Suitability/Accessibility

  • Elevator
  • Smoking not allowed
  • Note from host: No smoking in the house or on the decks

Services and conveniences

  • Iron/ironing board

Location highlights

  • Near a health/beauty spa
  • Near a hospital
  • Near the bay
  • Near the marina
  • Near the ocean
  • On the waterfront

Things to do

  • Kayak
  • Water sports equipment
  • Birdwatching nearby
  • Cycling nearby
  • Ecotours nearby
  • Fishing nearby
  • Hiking/biking trails nearby
  • Jet skiing nearby
  • Kayaking nearby
  • Motor boating nearby
  • Sailing nearby
  • Surfing/bodyboarding nearby
  • Swimming nearby
  • Water tubing nearby
  • Wildlife walks nearby
  • Windsurfing nearby

Safety features

  • Carbon monoxide detector not reported (host has not indicated whether there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property; consider bringing a portable detector)
  • Smoke detector (host has indicated there is a smoke detector on the property)
  • Outdoor lighting
  • Fire extinguisher
  • Deadbolt lock

General

  • Garden
  • Unit size: 2,300 square feet

Policies

Check-in

Check-in time starts at 4:00 PM
Minimum check-in age: 25

Check-out

Check-out before 10:00 AM

Special check-in instructions

You will receive an email from the host with check-in and check-out instructions
Information provided by the property may be translated using automated translation tools

Rules

Pets allowed with owner's written approval; $150 per pet fee; must be house-trained; and no issues chewing furnishings or causing other damage.
We strongly encourage you to purchase travel insurance that covers guest trip cancellations, including weather related cancellations.
Note that in North Carolina, hurricane season can be June 1-Nov. 30th

Pets

Pets allowed
Service animals are welcome, and are exempt from fees
3 total (up to 50 lbs per pet)
Restrictions apply; for more information contact the property at the number on the booking confirmation
Note from host: House trained; Non-Chew considered. $150/pet/stay

Children and extra beds

Children are welcome

Events

No events allowed

Smoking

Smoking is not permitted
No smoking in the house or on the decks

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
Onsite parties or group events are strictly prohibited
Long-term renters welcome
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 there is a smoke detector on the property
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher, outdoor lighting, and a deadbolt lock
This property is managed through our partner, Vrbo. You will receive an email from Vrbo with a link to a Vrbo account, where you can change or cancel your reservation

We should mention

A car is recommended for transportation to and from this property

Property is also known as

Vrbo Property

Ocean & Sound Views; 2 King Suites; Elevator Reviews

Reviews

10

Exceptional

Rating 10 - Excellent. 107 out of 111 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 4 out of 111 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 0 out of 111 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 111 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 111 reviews

9.6/10

Cleanliness

Reviews

Verified

10/10 Excellent

John H.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
My family and I really enjoyed our stay! It met all of our expectations!
Stayed 5 nights in Aug 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Julia M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Perfect amount of space, wonderfully appointed in the kitchen for a Thanksgiving meal, and fantasic location. Kevin was welcoming and super accessible. Everything in the place was exactly as described and in fact better than we anticipated. We would absolutely stay again!
Stayed 5 nights in Nov 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

richard p.

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

Great for families

Great property for a family weekend at the beach
Stayed 3 nights in Apr 2024
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Carolyn B.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Great communication with owner. Beds comfortable, any kitchen gadget you want is there. Loved the beach access and the decks facing the beach.
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Sean F.

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

Family Vacation

Had a wonderful time. A great place to stay!
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Scott W.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location

Roomy

Great place to stay. Great sunset views!!
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2024
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Amber M.

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

Great location and nice place!!!

Overall great place! Perfect view, easy check-in and check-out, and Kevin was an excellent host with ongoing communication.
Stayed 5 nights in Nov 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Audrey L.

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

Lovely beach

Great weather and lovely beach
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Charles S.

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

Great Location Pl

Location was great, Property was in good condition and clean
Stayed 4 nights in May 2020
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Rhonda H.

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

VRBO

This property was great to stay. Hope to go back and stay at the same place.
Stayed 6 nights in Sep 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Vicki F.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
This location of this vacation house was amazing! The views of the ocean were magical. A very well equipped home and had absolutely everything we needed to make our vacation perfect. Kevin, the owner, sent us all info needed for a seamless check in and then contacted us to make sure all was good. We would definitely love to stay here again and recommend it 100%.
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Tammy Z.

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

Highly recommended!

Kevin was fantastic with communication! The house was wonderful, with amazing views and everything we needed. We all thoroughly enjoyed the accommodations!
Stayed 4 nights in May 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Jeremy R.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
First time we stayed on the south side of the island. The house was in a great location. Beach access was right across the street, and the boat launch for the kayaks, that came with the house, was a short walk back a side road. This year was memorable because we were able to rescue 2 baby sea turtles on the beach in front of the house! Great location, great rooms, great owner...great experience!
Stayed 4 nights in Sep 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Christian P.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Everything about our stay was fantastic. Great communications with the host. House is exactly as described on the website and in the photos. Loved being able to see water in every direction from every floor. Beach access is super convenient as as the walk down to the bay. Plenty of room for three couples and kids.
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

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

Ocean siunds

We loved waking up to the ocean sunrise, the sound of ocean waves, and watching the moonlight shimmer over the ocean, all from our front deck! The house was great, host Kevin also great.
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

cokie L.

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

Very enjoyable

Our 3-generation family of 9 had a wonderful 1 week stay at the Seldom Thing. Kevin Branden was an ideal host who was always readily available and responsive. We would definitely stay there again.
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2024
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Melissa D.

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

Amazing Trip!

This property is beautiful! It is very clean & spacious. The views are breathtaking and the beach is right across the street. The property owner went above & beyond to make sure our stay was perfect. Anything we needed was addressed immediately and he was so kind. We can’t wait to book again next year!
Stayed 5 nights in May 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Chadd L.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
This was a great house in the perfect location! It is close to town, but far enough away that the beach is not crowded, and also in a narrow window where there is no beachfront house blocking your view. Nice big gathering area for the whole family to eat meals and play games. Sunrises from the front deck and sunsets from the back deck. And Kevin is a very attentive and friendly host.
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Abigail W.

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

Large Family Stay

Kevin was wonderful to rent from. The beach house was extremely clean and renovated. The beach views were unobstructed. Beach access is right across the road, and close enough for multiple breaks with small children. Would stay here again!
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2024
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Dan K.

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

Great trip to Surf City

The house was exactly as described. Kevin the host was incredible. Very helpful and informative. Went out of his way to make sure our stay was everything we wanted it to be. We would rent from him again.
Stayed 4 nights in Apr 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Teria E.

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

The perfect vacation rental!

We thoroughly enjoyed our stay here! We visit Topsail Island regularly, and this rental is by far the most accommodating of all the ones we’ve stayed in. It was clean, spacious, and the views of the ocean and sound are unmatched, you get the best of both worlds. The owner made sure to check in and have an open line of communication, which I appreciate so much! Our family will definitely stay here again!
Stayed 3 nights in Apr 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Mimi G.

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

Amazing Location

We were on the island for my daughter's wedding, Kevin's place was the perfect place to stay - plenty of room, great beds, clean and comfortable and most of all the location cannot be beat! Although you're across the street from the beach, there are no houses in your view so watching the ocean with your morning coffee couldn't be better.
Stayed 4 nights in Oct 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

William P.

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

Great family vacation

This house was a great spot for a family vacation. We had 6 adults, 5 kids. Right across the street from the beach, decks on every floor, lots of beach toys/chairs. Even 2 kayaks, although we didn't try them. We highly recommend this house.
Stayed 3 nights in Apr 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Gretchen B.

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

Wonderful long weekend getaway!!

This is our 5th year staying at the North Carolina beaches and this was by far the best place yet. It is dog friendly, all sheets and towels are extremely fresh and clean, beds are comfortable, matching glassware, plates, pots, pans etc for anything you want to cook. Easy access to the beach and the views are right on the beach and the sound. There are enough beach chairs and 2 sturdy kahaks to enjoy in the sound. We are definetely looking at staying at this place again next year!!
Stayed 4 nights in Sep 2024
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Susan K.

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

The Seldom Thing

The cottage was perfect for a family gathering! Spacious, well-equipped. We enjoyed the porches as well as the grill area. The views were beautiful of the ocean, and the sound view from top bedroom was spectacular 😊
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2024