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Classic Oceanfront Cottage w/ Private Walkway, 2 Decks, Easy Walk to Carolina Beach Fun

Beachfront holiday home with kitchen and balcony

Photo gallery for Classic Oceanfront Cottage w/ Private Walkway, 2 Decks, Easy Walk to Carolina Beach Fun

Private deck overlooking the dunes and the ocean!
Relax inside or out and listen to the sounds of the ocean
True oceanfront home! See the dock!!! Why stay in a condo when you can have your own place with a private dock
The owner's suite offers a queen bed, tv, ensuite and faces the ocean!
Just step over your own dune, knock off your shoes and you're there, the beach!!!

Reviews

9.4 out of 10
Exceptional
4 bedrooms4 bathroomsSleeps 12167.2 sq m

Popular amenities

  • Air conditioning
  • Dryer
  • Washer
  • Barbecue grill
  • Kitchen

Explore the area

View map
  • Place, Carolina Beach
  • Place, Carolina Beach Boardwalk
  • Place, Carolina Beach Fishing Pier
  • Airport, Wilmington, NC (ILM-Wilmington Intl.)

Rooms & beds

4 bedrooms (sleeps 12)

Bedroom 2

1 Queen Bed

Bedroom 3

2 Single Beds

Bonus Surfer Room

2 Single Beds and 1 Double Bed

Owners Suite

1 Queen Bed

Sunroom Living Area

1 Queen Bed

4 bathrooms

Garage Bathroom

Shower only

Hallway Bathroom

Shower only

Owner's Suite Private Bathroom

Bathtub or shower

Sunroom Bathroom

Bathtub or shower

Spaces

Deck or patio
Kitchen
Balcony
Separate dining area
Dining area

About this property

Classic Oceanfront Cottage w/ Private Walkway, 2 Decks, Easy Walk to Carolina Beach Fun

Unplug, relax and take a trip back in time when things were simple. Miller's Whimsy has been an original Carolina Beach family oceanfront cottage for decades. This is a private, single family home with its own boardwalk to the beach and unobstructed views of the ocean. No searching for parking or long runs with beach toys and drinks, just stroll down the dock and you’re there!


Fresh linens and towels are included in the cleaning fee, so no need to worry about extra charges!


Miller's Whimsy is centrally located to all the activity, restaurants, shopping, boardwalk, pier and drive on Freeman Beach Park. If you’re looking for a simple beachfront home, no frills, a cottage homey feel, with fantastic views of the ocean, large living area for family and friends to gather, then Miller's Whimsy is the place for you!


PROPERTY INFO
Location: 516 Carolina Beach Ave N, Carolina Beach, NC 28428 ; 4 blocks away from the Carolina Beach Boardwalk
Home: 4 BR / 4 BA / Sleeps 12 / 7 Beds


SLEEPING ARRANGEMENTS:
*Bedroom 1: Queen
*Bedroom 2: Queen
*Bedroom 3: 2 Twins
*Front Sunroom room: Full size pullout bed (there is a sunroom in the front of the house and in the back, this pullout is in the sunroom closest to the road, not the ocean)
Bonus room under the house: 2 Twin beds and 1 Full bed (Large bonus room is on the 1st floor with it’s own full bathroom, which has a completely separate entrance (does not have access from the top floor) which is perfect for a group of friends)
*King (0), Queen (2), Full (2), Twin (4)
*Beds are all made with clean linens upon your arrival.
**When you go under the house there is a side entrance into the bonus room. The bonus room is not connected to the top floor, it is connected to the garage. There is a room that locks in the garage with the 2 twin beds and a full bed. Also in the garage there is a pool table and full bathroom.**


PROPERTY HIGHLIGHTS:
-OCEAN FRONT
-Charcoal Grill
-Large deck
-Full Library and a beautiful Sunroom to enjoy your read! Great views of the water
-Private boardwalk to the beach!
-Parking: 4 spaces available. 2 short cars in the garage, 2 in the driveway. There is a height restriction. *Please do not try to park a large vehicle here unless approved by us*
*Do not park in the sand in front of the house - condo next door does not allow driving on the pathway next to the house anymore*


Amenities:
-Smart TV's (no cable)
-Full Library
-Pool Table
-Beach chairs (not guaranteed)
-Beach toys
-Charcoal Grill
-Washer/Dryer
-Crockpot
-Dishwasher
-Microwave and Toaster
-Drip Coffee Maker and Keurig
-Wifi and Internet
-Linens (beds made upon arrival)
-Bath towels
-A small starter kit of toilet paper, paper towel, detergents and hand soap is also provided
-AND MORE!
**We do our best to ensure that all items are there for your visit; however we cannot guarantee condition and quantity due to guest use**



POLICIES/RULES
**Please make yourself aware of our cancellation policy. Insurance is highly recommended.
***NO SMOKING & NO PETS allowed at this property.
**Maximum Occupancy: 12 Occupants - Children must be counted within the maximum occupancy unless they are under the age of two (2) and are sleeping in a crib.
**Tenant Requirements: Tenant stated on the Agreement/Booking must be at least twenty-five (25) years of age, and acknowledge that they will occupy the Property during the entire tenancy.***
* Manager and owner of the rental property are not responsible for citations received while staying at the property.
* Be respectful of the house and contents - it is someone's home. Respect the neighbors and neighborhood.
* No events or parties- If determined that a party/event is taking place at property, management has the right to evict tenants and guests with no refund given.
* If determined that a party took place on any of the nights reserved, reservation guest will be charged $500, no exceptions!
* No uninvited guests without permission


***Each reservation includes applicable taxes, a cleaning fee, and a Limited Damage Waiver Fee***


PLEASURE ISLAND ACTIVITIES:
- Carolina Beach and Kure Beach Pier - Fishing, Restaurants, and more
- Paddle Boarding and Biking with "Paddle NC" or "Pleasure Island Rentals"
- Surfing - Go to Surf School for the week with Tony Silvagni
- Marina/Boating - Boat Tours with “Endless Summer Day Tours” or “Sea Legs Pedal Pub”
- Hiking at Carolina Beach State Park
- 4 Wheel Drive-on Beaches at Fort Fisher and Freeman Park in CB
-Sunday nights there are FREE MOVIES playing at the lake (in the summer)
- Fireworks - Every Thursday night during the summer at the Carolina Beach boardwalk
- Music - FREE live music at the Carolina Beach boardwalk every Thursday night during the summer months (or seasonal concerts and events at local bars and restaurants)
- The Carolina Beach boardwalk - doesn’t just have live music and fireworks, there are also shops, arcades, festival rides, BRITT'S DONUTS, and more!
- NC Aquarium at Fort Fisher
- Fort Fisher
- Southport-Fort Fisher Ferry - Take your car to Southport for the day on the car ferry from Fort Fisher!
-Rent a golf cart from Sun Fun Rentals!
-And More! Visit http://www.pleasureislandnc.org for more info

Add dates for prices

Amenities

Kitchen
Washing machine
Dryer
Free WiFi
Air conditioning
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

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 indicated that there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property
Host has indicated that there is a smoke detector on the property
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher

We should mention

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

About the area

Carolina Beach

Located in Carolina Beach, this holiday home is on the beach. The area's natural beauty can be seen at Carolina Beach and Wrightsville Beach, while Carolina Beach Boardwalk and North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher are popular area attractions. Carolina Beach Arcade and Odysea Surf and Kiteboard School are also worth visiting. Make sure you get close to the area's animals with activities such as game walks and birdwatching.
Map
Carolina Beach, NC

What's nearby

  • Carolina Beach - 1 min walk - 0.0 km
  • Carolina Beach Boardwalk - 12 min walk - 1.0 km
  • Carolina Beach State Park - 18 min walk - 1.6 km
  • Carolina Beach Fishing Pier - 4 min drive - 2.3 km
  • Freeman Park - 4 min drive - 2.6 km

Getting around

  • Wilmington, NC (ILM-Wilmington Intl.) - 36 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪Island Burgers And Bites - ‬9 min walk
  • ‪McDonald's - ‬10 min walk
  • ‪SeaWitch Cafe & Tiki Bar - ‬8 min walk
  • ‪Crush & Grind - ‬9 min walk
  • ‪El Cazador Carolina Beach - ‬11 min walk

Frequently asked questions

Is Classic Oceanfront Cottage w/ Private Walkway, 2 Decks, Easy Walk to Carolina Beach Fun pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

What time is check-in at Classic Oceanfront Cottage w/ Private Walkway, 2 Decks, Easy Walk to Carolina Beach Fun?

Check-in begins at 4:00 PM.

What time is check-out at Classic Oceanfront Cottage w/ Private Walkway, 2 Decks, Easy Walk to Carolina Beach Fun?

Checkout is at 10:00 AM.

Where is Classic Oceanfront Cottage w/ Private Walkway, 2 Decks, Easy Walk to Carolina Beach Fun located?

Nestled on the beach, this Carolina Beach holiday home is within a 15-minute walk of Carolina Beach and Carolina Beach Boardwalk. Carolina Beach Arcade and Odysea Surf and Kiteboard School are also within 15 minutes.

Reviews

9.4

Exceptional

9.0/10

Cleanliness

9.8/10

Check-in

9.8/10

Communication

10/10

Location

9.2/10

Listing accuracy
Rating 10 - Excellent. 93 out of 122 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 23 out of 122 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 4 out of 122 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 1 out of 122 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 1 out of 122 reviews

Reviews

8/10 Good

Amanda E.

Liked: Check-in, communication, location
Loved our stay in the charming classic beach cottage in an absolutely fantastic location!
Stayed 6 nights in Jun 2025

4/10 Poor

Shelley H.

Liked: Location
Disliked: Cleanliness, communication, listing accuracy
We were asked to contact privately before sending in a public review. Despite their prompt responses, the management service is remiss in a number of ways. They are quite strict about things such as: - A late departure fee or threatened damage fee for towels and yet you provided us with no compensation for one less bathroom due to ceiling leak that sprung ; a door that should not be used due to wind; or a basement area which they advertise as extra sleeping rooms for four, but is totally unusable because it is full of mold due to its proximity to a damp garage. They claim this has not been pointed out to them before. - They leave an inadequate number of supplies: one thin soap tablet per bathroom, and no beach towels or shower gel.We were asked to remove all the garbage for collection on Monday but weren’t leaving until Tuesday. They should supply at least one extra garbage bag . - Although the house is attractively decorated, the upkeep is marginal - there are numerous worn and broken blinds, a non sliding screen door, worn seaside porch furniture and a non working fan lamp. We fixed a circular metal plate on the front door repeatedly. It needs proper installation with a longer screw. -The "professional cleaning service”left the carpet full of sand burrs. Since they insist we leave our shoes at the door, in bare feet we found them over and over again. it’s difficult to give Miller’s Whimsy a good review because so many things malfunctioned and the mold.
If we did not have an industrious 5 year old collecting sand burrs
These would have all been in our feet
The source grows along the walk
The ceiling in a newly renovated bathroom sprung a leak on Sunday. No one was sent to look at it on Monday
Stayed 5 nights in Oct 2025

10/10 Excellent

Kristi M.

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

Kristi

Great vacation home for a family trip , my only regret is we couldn’t stay longer !!! I hope we can return in the future .
Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2024

10/10 Excellent

Idella A.

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

Great times!

Beautiful sunrises and beautiful time with family. This house is in a perfect location. This house offers a uniquely comfortable "homey" environment. I would stay there again.
Stayed 4 nights in Mar 2024

10/10 Excellent

Kathy D., Fuquay-Varina, North Carolina

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

Great Family vacation

We loved the rental from the very beginning. Everything was perfect for our family.
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2020

10/10 Excellent

Melissa F.

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

Amazing Beach House

We loved our stay, the house was perfect for a large family. We loved the private boardwalk to the beach, the house had so many amenities, kids toys for the beach, beach chairs, well stocked kitchen & board games. The decor was beachy and fun. We would definitely rent this house again, our youngest son wants to move in permanently :)
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2022

10/10 Excellent

Tim V.

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

Just right

The property suited exactly what we needed. It is not fancy, but serves it's purpose. A cost effective, ocean front property in a perfect location!
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2022
This review comes from a trusted partner site and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Kyle E.

Miller’s whimsy

Had a great guys fishing and golf week staying g at Miller’s Whimsy. The location was perfect, right on the beach for easy access and yet still walking distance to all the restaurants. T gf e Ed d as pace was everything we needed. Thanks
Stayed 4 nights in Oct 2022

10/10 Excellent

eva g.

Loving life at Miller’s Whimsy

We had the most wonderful time at Miller’s Whimsy. The place is right on the beach, close to shops and restaurants. It is very roomy although a bit outdated. The basement bedroom is a little bit creepy but one of our friends loved that she had her own “apartment” separate from the rest of the house. We would definitely stay there again and probably will next year!
Stayed 3 nights in May 2019

10/10 Excellent

Jennifer F.

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

Perfect for us!

Check in was as simple as receiving a text letting us kniw it was ready and our vacation was ready to begin. Location was convenient to everything. Beds were comfortable. Enough room for all 9 of us to relax and spread out. Quiet neighborhood and steps to the beach with the ocean always in view. Beautiful sunrises from the back deck. We just can't say enough about how much we loved our stay.
Stayed 6 nights in Jul 2021
This review comes from a trusted partner site and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Melissa H.

Perfect place for our short family getaway!

Miller’s Whimsy was the perfect place for our short family getaway! We have four young, energetic boys, and this place provided enough room and entertainment for all of us. The boys loved the games and using the skim/body boards. The downstairs room provided privacy and quiet for our live-in student. Having private beach walking access, functional kitchen and washer/dryer was a real plus. Thank you for making our stay fun and relaxing. We will be back!
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2018

10/10 Excellent

Laura M., River Vale, New Jersey

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

Family Vacation at Miller's Whimsy

The house is right on the beach. It is definitely a no frills house but has such great charm. Huge library, games, beach toys, chairs etc. We didn't use the "surfer room" because we had enough beds upstairs. The pullout coach in the foyer was actually very comfy. I slept in that bed. We brought our own towels and linens, although they do provide that for you. I just didn't want my family to lose or stain anything. Having a washer and dryer is great, but they should provide a laundry basket. I brought my own. The location was great. We could walk to the restaurants downtown. They have a very well stocked kitchen in terms of pots and pans, but I could have used a larger frying pan for making dinner etc. Another item they might think of investing in. It was a great trip for the entire family. We will be back next year.
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2021
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

8/10 Good

Christopher C., Morganton, NC

Great spot, could use a little updating

Miller's Whimsy is a great spot for a big family, or in our case, 2 families staying for Thanksgiving. Plenty of room and bathrooms for everyone. We got a lot of use out of the sunroom and rear deck that have great views.Our older boys liked staying in the Surfer's Room downstairs, but their bathroom was a little lacking. The house could use some updating all-around. Only 3/4 burners work on the stove top, and the ice maker was only semi-functional. Not deal-breakers, but they could be improved. It REALLY could use some wifi. Everyone is so connected these days, most of us have to still do some online work even on vacation. We knew ahead and had a hot spot that worked OK, but phone service was a little limited at the house. (AT&T and Sprint in our case) Still, for the money and the location, Miller's Whimsy is hard to beat for a stay at Carolina Beach.
Stayed 4 nights in Nov 2017

10/10 Excellent

Cathie O.

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

Wonderful casual family spot

Very large and had all of the kitchenware you could ever want! We couldn’t figure out how to run the tv/dvd setup and there weren’t any instructions so that was a bit of a bummer when we wanted to settle in at night and watch a movie. Also, many outlets did not work? We were having to go from one outlet to another to figure out which ones were “live” so we could charge 10 cell phones and 3 tablets. Sun porch is amazing, we spent as much time out there as we could but it got hot (no AC out there). Really a great family place, didn’t worry about disturbing a pristine showplace, this was just a great homey place and everyone commented how they felt so comfortable there. Beware though, I thought the only things not provided were beach towels, but there were no towels of any sort, dish, bath, or hand. Also if you’re like us you will need toilet paper after 2 days. Lucky there a dollar store close by!
Stayed 6 nights in Aug 2019
This review comes from a trusted partner site and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

MC L.

Enjoyable stay with private beach access

Our priorities were met with this well-loved beach house: Private beach access - check! Enough bedrooms for our teenagers to have their own space - check! In close proximity to local Wilmington relatives (so we could invite them to the beach and a dinner or two) - check! Bonus features we very much enjoyed: a 6min walk on the beach from house to Boardwalk for eating, shopping, skimboard rental, arcade, live music, and Thursday fireworks; a billiard table in the basement/garage for some friendly competition; outside hose and area for rinsing off sand; and a quick drive to grocery, seafood market, and other stores. Some information that would have been helpful before our arrival/for planning purposes: the height of the garage door openings is 67" tall and the hard fin antennae of a smaller vehicle barely fit, as we had some trouble (measure the height of your vehicle ahead of time and letting air out of tires helps). Also, we ended up not needing the sleep sofa, but we did pull it out one night for consideration - and there are several springs broken at the foot that makes it slope downwards and the mattress is more like a thin pad than a mattress. Anyone planning to use this for their headcount may want to know its condition. The house is full of books and board games for lots of family fun. The updated kitchen (new to the listing we saw) was bright and clean and had lots of counter space and cabinets and a large supply of plates/utensils/bowls/platters/pots and pans - we were not in need of anything. The huge table (sat 10 people) was great for meals and games. We had a wonderful stay and appreciated the owners' responsiveness to any/all of our texts and questions throughout our stay.
Stayed 6 nights in Jul 2023

8/10 Good

Jennifer F.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Our family had a great time during our stay. The house was clean and the kitchen was well equipped. Beds were comfortable. There were beach toys and chairs available in the garage. Had lots of fun playing pool! The internet was a bit challenging due to the fact that the router is not centrally located, but, we managed. The sunroom on the beach side is not air conditioned, so, we were unable to use that space as we were there in the middle of July. Otherwise, the property is great and our family of 11 were very comfortable during our stay. The property managers were great and quick to respond to our needs! Would recommend!
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2025

8/10 Good

Victoria L.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location
Great little place. Great location needs some updating and parking was a limited. Lots of movies games and books.
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2025

10/10 Excellent

Fallon M.

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

Beautiful memories

This beach house was nothing short of breath taking for our family. My great grandfather built this home some years ago and knowing that it's still there as well as taken care of so amazingly makes our family thankful! My mother spent her entire childhood growing up there. So seeing the happiness and joy in her eyes to now watch her grandchildren enjoy the beach and home as she once did, made it more of a memorable trip! Everything was so nice and organized. The instructions on your arrival all the way to the day of departure were very detailed and explained perfectly. The communication with the property owner's were over the top and super friendly! Booking a longer stay for next year!!! Thank you for letting our family feel at home!
Stayed 5 nights in Jul 2025

10/10 Excellent

Kain A.

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

Beautiful place!

We greatly enjoyed our stay. Beautiful place, may areas to hang out and socialize in, while still supplying adequate space from bedrooms/sleeping. Included chairs. umbrellas, and bikes, which also made the stay even more enjoyable. We highly recommend this place, and hope to stay again next year!
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2025
This review comes from a trusted partner site and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Janice C.

Fun Filled Family Vacation

We had a wonderful time at Miller’s Whimsy! My family and I were able to build a lot of lasting memories together!

10/10 Excellent

Joseph S.

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

Nice Place Right on the Beach

Great location on the beach in walking distance from the Carolina Beach boardwalk. Direct beach access, beach toys/chairs/shade available. Clean, good communication from the hosts.
Stayed 5 nights in May 2025

10/10 Excellent

Ivey P.

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

Just as described!

We had a great time at this location and it was as described! Kitchen has been renovated lately. Some other areas would benefit as well but it does not deter from the opportunity! Beds were comfortable as was the house. Loved the games that are on site as we played some UNO the last night. A great time was had by everyone in the party!
Stayed 3 nights in May 2025
This review comes from a trusted partner site and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Mandy C.

Miller’s Whimsey

Our family had a fabulous Easter weekend at Miller’s Whimsey! We enjoyed the cottage right on the beach which was so nice to be so close! We had plenty of room for everyone and will definitely be back soon! The Cousins Family

10/10 Excellent

Anne S.

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

Fischer sisters

Great spacious quiet place with lots of amenities and ambiance!!!,
Stayed 3 nights in Apr 2025
This review comes from a trusted partner site and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Patrick E.

April 2025

Perfect location right on the beach for an extended weekend! Clean house, fresh sheets & linens, well stocked kitchen, and even a billiard table! Check in and check out was very easy with ample parking. Highly recommend!

About the host

Hosted by North Carolina Beaches

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Premier Host

They consistently provide great experiences for their guests