Situated along the coastal bluffs on Indian Beach is a gorgeous 5 bedroom, 4-1/2 home called the Southern Charm. Conveniently located near Emerald Isle, this retreat is the perfect location for your next Crystal Coast family getaway.
This family vacation was sponsored in partnership with The Crystal Coast. As always, I only recommend destinations and establishments that I enjoy and all opinions here are mine alone.
My little family and I recently took our very first vacation to The Crystal Coast of North Carolina.
We arrived on a Friday afternoon and picked up our keys from Bluewater Vacation Rentals. The Southern Charm is one of their most popular beach houses; it’s three stories tall and features a private pool, outdoor kitchen, elevator, media room and is equipped with two oceanview decks! To state the obvious, we were speechless upon arrival.
My father, Grandpa Ray, stayed in the ground level suite.
It almost seemed like this space was its own apartment, as there was a separate entrance, media room with a 60″ HDTV, and easy access to the outdoor private pool. The bedroom had twin bunk beds and an expansive bathroom that was equipped with double sinks. This in-law unit would be great option for older children as well.
The second level of the home featured three gorgeous bedrooms, each with their own private bath.
The master bedroom was located on this floor and came with a king bed, flat screen tv, a glorious bathroom with sitting area, deck access and ocean views. Our older son, Dylan, stayed in the adjacent coastal view room that was fashioned with a king bed, flat screen tv, private bathroom and similar deck access. The third room was located along the back of the home with a queen bed, flat screen tv, private bath and pool views. Each room was spacious, comfortable and thoughtfully decorated. There’s even a coffee station in the main hallway for morning convenience.
The third story of this home was an entertaining paradise.
There’s a gourmet kitchen, walk-in pantry with extra refrigerator, sitting room overlooking the pool, an open-air living and dining room combo along with a massive deck where we relaxed and enjoyed the sea breeze. The fifth and final bedroom was located on this level; it came with a queen bed, flat screen tv and has easy access to a beautiful half bath. With so much space, we invited my Great Aunt Barb, her daughter Linda, and granddaughter Melinda to come spend the weekend with us.
The living area featured a massive flat screen tv with access to a DVD player and Netflix. This was especially convenient when we wanted the boys to sit down for some “quite time”. The main level had a ton of seating too; we loved having family over to hang with us. I’d also like to note that the sitting room, just off the kitchen, was cozy and great for reading books and catching up on emails (or blog writing 😉 ).
Since I’m a food blogger, let’s chat a little more about this jaw-dropping kitchen.
You know that feeling when you go on vacation and forgot your can opener (or something else equally important)? Welp, that won’t happen here. This place came with EVERYTHING we needed for cooking, entertaining and storing (yes, that means pots, pans, utensils, plates, and even tupperware). The pantry had fun gadgets too – like an ice cream maker, blender, slow cooker and coffee machine. I made my famous family-sized enchiladas the first night we were there.
Here’s my recipe below so you can make a batch during your upcoming stay.
- Cooking Spray + Olive Oil
- 2 pounds Ground Beef, Chicken or Shrimp
- Seasonings of choice
- 1 Yellow Onion, sliced
- 1 (4-ounce) can Diced Green Chiles
- 2 Jalapeños, seeded & chopped (optional)
- 1 - 2 large cans of Red Enchilada Sauce
- 12 large Flour Tortillas
- 4 cups Mexican-Blend Shredded Cheese
- 1 small can sliced Black Olives (optional)
- ½ cup Fresh Cilantro, chopped
- Sour Cream
- Hot Sauce
- Heat oven to 350°F. Meanwhile, grease a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with cooking spray and set aside.
- Cook your meat of choice in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat with desired seasonings (+ olive oil, if necessary). Once fully cooked, take the meat out of the pan and set aside.
- Add the onion to sauté pan with a dab of olive oil and cook until it is soft and translucent. Add the green chiles and optional jalapeños and cook for an additional minute.
- To assemble the enchiladas: simply pull apart the flour tortillas into several smaller pieces and layer the dish like a lasagna. Pour a small amount of enchilada sauce in the bottom of the baking dish and use a spoon to spread the sauce over the entire dish. Then do a single layer of tortillas, meat mixture, onions, more sauce and then cheese. Repeat until you've used all ingredients. This is usually three layers. If you like black olives, add them to the top of the enchiladas prior to baking.
- Bake uncovered for 25 - 30 minutes. If you like a brown-crispy crust, broil for 1 - 2 minutes at the end. Remove from oven and serve immediately with chopped fresh cilantro, sour cream and hot sauce.
The Southern Charm sits right above picturesque Indian Beach.
We spent a ton of time down by the water. There’s a private beach-access path that’s adored with palm trees and a fire pit. This place had everything you could ever want in a beach vacation home. Our toddler loved collecting sea shells along the coast, and we even spotted a few dolphins in the water!
To say that we had a wonderful vacation is an understatement. The Southern Charm was one of the nicest places we have ever stayed as a family and we absolutely cannot wait to return. We had such a fabulous time… I can confidently tell you that we will be traveling to The Crystal Coast at least once a year (if not more) for a beach getaway going forward. If you’re looking for a little assistance while packing, make sure to check out my Ultimate Beach Packing List!
PIN THIS FOR LATER:
Hi Jess!
Could you provide some info on the elevator? Did it provide access to all floors? Also, how was the path to the beach? We want to stay at Souther Charm, but my mother needs limited number of stairs, etc.
Thanks!
Hey Shanna! The elevator was great, had access to every floor. My Grandma’s sister came to stay with us, who also needed limited stairs. The path to the beach has been refinished since we’ve been there, so I’m not sure how many stairs it has now. There’s plenty of beaches nearby though that have drive-up access. Enjoy your stay!
Hi Jess,
Could you tell me if this house has beach chairs and umbrellas that guests can use?
Thank you so much.
Andrea
Hi Andrea! I recall there being beach items in the garage for guests to use. I haven’t been there in a few years though so you might want to check with the rental property manager before you go. Enjoy! Such a beautiful spot in NC!