My husband and I stayed for a month and were joined during the last week by our adult children and grandson. None of us wanted to leave at the end of our stays. The view of the sound was breathtaking from the moment we opened the front door on arrival and every day after which is one of the many reasons it was difficult to leave. The entire outside of the property is - as advertised - a sanctuary. The fisherpeople in the family enjoyed a number of relaxing afternoons casting out from the dock (though the osprey were more successful than they were at catching fish). The house is well-appointed and very comfortable. The local and themed art in every room added to the pleasantry. A good book, the gas fireplace in the sun room and the beautiful views inside and out made even stormy days relaxing and enjoyable. We had all the cookware we needed for the month (including excellent knives!) and there was more than enough dinnerware and glasses. We were fortunate that last week to have a night when the wind was low and blowing in the right direction which meant we could have a s'mores making fire in the firepit...that evening looking through the fire out to the sound was priceless.
sara is an excellent host and provided lots of helpful information about the best places to eat, kayak and hike in the area! If you are looking for a beach vacation, it is a quick drive to the Nags Head beaches. We would come here for that season as well. However, we were looking for an off-season experience and the many, many nature trails in the Alligator River, Roanake Island and Nags Head Woods Refuges provided us with lots of opportunities for manageable hikes. If you are a geocacher, this is also a great location for many fun finds in beautiful settings. Can you tell we liked "Always Sonny"?!! I could say more but frankly I don't want too many people to discover this gem and make it difficult for us to rent again ;-)