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Entire home

Circa 1953 beach cottage...this is 'old school' beach at it's best!

Photo gallery for Circa 1953 beach cottage...this is 'old school' beach at it's best!

Beach nearby
Exterior
Dining
Fridge, microwave, oven, stovetop
Exterior detail
Escape to The Tale of A Mermaid, a cozy retreat on Beach Road in Nags Head. Steps from the ocean and within walking distance to the fishing pier, restaurants, and shops. Enjoy your stay with modern comforts like HVAC, WiFi, YouTubeTV and relax on either the front porch or screened porch.

Reviews

10 out of 10
Exceptional

Entire home

2 bedroomsSleeps 4600 sq ft

Popular amenities

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

Add dates for prices

About this property

Entire place

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

Circa 1953 beach cottage...this is 'old school' beach at it's best!

The Tale of A Mermaid is located on Beach Road in Nags Head across from the Nags Head Fishing Pier with great beach access. Amenities include: HVAC, YOu TubeTV, WiFi, fully equipped kitchen, front porch, screened porch, back deck, outdoor shower w/ hot & cold water, washer & dryer, charcoal grill, picnic table & outside seating. Bathroom has walk-in shower (no bath tub)

Please note: Linens are NOT provided. You will need to bring or rent your sheets, pillowcases & towels.

***You will need to provide your paper products: paper towels & toilet tissue***

Address: 3404 S. Virginia Dare Trail, Nags Head, NC 27959

***Sorry, pets are NOT allowed***


Tale Of A Mermaid is centrally located. Steps from the ocean, walking distance to fishing pier, restaurants & bars, seafood market, souvenier shop, flower shop and more. A short walk to Jockey's Ridge State Park...watching the sunset from atop this amazing sand dune is a must!

Property manager

Cindy Thornsvard

Languages

English

Property amenities

Beach

  • Beach nearby

Internet

  • Available in the cottage: Free WiFi

Parking and transportation

  • Car required
  • Parking on site

Kitchen

  • Blender
  • Coffee/tea maker
  • Cookware, dishware, and utensils
  • Ice maker
  • Microwave
  • Oven
  • Refrigerator
  • Stovetop
  • Toaster

Dining

  • Dining table

Bedrooms

  • 2 bedrooms

Bathroom

  • Hair dryer
  • Shower

Living spaces

  • Dining table
  • Living room

Entertainment

  • TV with cable/satellite channels

Outdoor areas

  • Barbecue grill
  • Deck

Laundry

  • Laundry facilities
  • Washer/dryer

Comfort

  • Air conditioning
  • Heating

Pets

  • No pets allowed

Suitability/Accessibility

  • Smoking not allowed

Services and conveniences

  • Iron/ironing board

Location highlights

  • Near a hospital
  • Near an outlet shopping mall
  • Near the bay
  • Near the marina
  • Near the sea

Things to do

  • Optional golf privileges
  • Birdwatching nearby
  • Cycling nearby
  • Fishing nearby
  • Golfing nearby
  • Hiking/biking trails nearby
  • Jet skiing nearby
  • Rafting nearby
  • Sailing nearby
  • Scuba diving nearby
  • Surfing/bodyboarding nearby
  • Swimming nearby
  • Water skiing nearby
  • Water tubing nearby
  • Windsurfing nearby
  • Winery tours 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 not reported (host has not indicated whether there is a smoke detector on the property)

General

  • Unit size: 600 square feet

Policies

Check-in

Check-in time starts at 4:00 PM
Contactless check-in available

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

Pets

Pets not allowed

Children and extra beds

Children are welcome

Events

No events allowed

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
Onsite parties or group events are strictly prohibited
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 not indicated whether there is a smoke detector on the property
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 required for transportation to and from this property

Property is also known as

Circa 1953 Beach Cottage...this is 'old School' Beach It's Best
Circa 1953 Beach Cottage...this is 'old School' Beach It's Best

About the neighborhood

Map
Nags Head, NC

What's nearby

  • Jockey's Ridge State Park - 10 min walk - 0.6 miles
  • Nags Head Fishing Pier - 1 min drive - 0.3 miles
  • OBX Laser Tag - 3 min drive - 1.7 miles
  • Outer Banks Hospital - 4 min drive - 3.1 miles
  • Jennette's Pier - 9 min drive - 6.2 miles

Getting around

  • Manteo, NC (MEO-Dare County Regional) - 18 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪Blue Moon Beach Grill - ‬3 min drive
  • ‪Dirty Dick's Crab House - ‬3 min drive
  • ‪Mulligan's Grille in Historic Cottage Row - ‬3 min drive
  • ‪Shaka’s Beach Bar And Grille - ‬3 min drive
  • ‪Morning View Coffee Company - ‬2 min drive

Frequently asked questions

Is Circa 1953 beach cottage...this is 'old school' beach at it's best! pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

What time is check-in at Circa 1953 beach cottage...this is 'old school' beach at it's best!?

Check-in begins at 4:00 PM.

What time is check-out at Circa 1953 beach cottage...this is 'old school' beach at it's best!?

Check-out is at 10:00 AM.

Where is Circa 1953 beach cottage...this is 'old school' beach at it's best! located?

Situated by the sea, this cottage is steps from Outer Banks Beaches and Nags Head Fishing Pier. Jockey's Ridge State Park and Dowdy Park are also within 15 minutes.

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Circa 1953 beach cottage...this is 'old school' beach at it's best! Reviews

Reviews

10

Exceptional

Rating 10 - Excellent. 251 out of 262 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 9 out of 262 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 2 out of 262 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 262 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 262 reviews

10/10

Cleanliness

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Andrew S.

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

3rd Time Staying

We love this place as our annual get-away!
Stayed 5 nights in Apr 2025

10/10 Excellent

Scott H.

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

Great location

Very quaint cabin close to beach access.
Stayed 3 nights in May 2023

10/10 Excellent

Greg W.

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

Perfect Beach Cottage

My wife and I absolutely loved this cottage!
Stayed 8 nights in Jun 2024
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Great Cottage!

Once again, a great stay. We love the decor and feel!
Stayed 4 nights in Dec 2016

10/10 Excellent

Susan P.

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

Great stay

Lovely and homey. Close to beach and shopping.
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2023

10/10 Excellent

Katie M.

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

July Vacation

The property was very cute, great location, and would stay again!
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2023

10/10 Excellent

Glenn T.

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

Great little cottage

This was the perfect little cottage for me and my wife. Had everything we needed and easy access to the beach. The screened in porch was great for morning coffee.
Stayed 6 nights in Sep 2024

10/10 Excellent

Martha B.

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

Cute little cottage, good location to activities and beach.

Well kept, clean, comfortable for two people.
Stayed 4 nights in Apr 2024

10/10 Excellent

Tiffany P.

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

Great destination!

This house was very thing we needed! Loved everything about it. Great location, decor, and simple amenities. We will stay there again
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2024

10/10 Excellent

Kristi R., Virginia

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

Getaway

We had a wonderful stay at the cottage. The location and amenities were just what we were looking for.
Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2023

10/10 Excellent

Matthew T.

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

Great Long Weekend

Easy to get to beach and nearby restaurants/bars. Showered in the outdoor shower and grilled after the beach every day. Wonderful, relaxing stay.
Stayed 4 nights in Jun 2023

10/10 Excellent

charles f.

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

50th wedding anniversary - memories made at Tale of a Mermaid

Just the right size for a couple to spend a few days in the Outer Banks. The property is close to shopping, restaurants, and site seeing venues.
Stayed 3 nights in Feb 2020

10/10 Excellent

Tracy K.

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

Girls weekend

The Mermaids tail cottage was perfect for our girls weekend/Jeep trip. Cottage had a great location across from the beach and had everything we needed. Host was great to communicate with and would definitely recommend.
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2024

10/10 Excellent

Mandi G.

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

Always the best!

We love this beautiful property. We've stayed here 4 years in a row and plan to come back next year. Highly recommend!!
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2023

10/10 Excellent

Larry A.

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

Terrific property

The cottage was absolutely spotless and location was very close to the beach access. Very safe and quiet area with great off street parking.
Stayed 6 nights in May 2023

10/10 Excellent

Brittany M.

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

Great experience for our honeymoon!

We loved this cottage! It was perfect for the two of us and the location was amazing. Right next to the fishing pier and easy access to the beach. The cottage decor was adorable and it was so clean! We also loved the screened in porch. We will definitely be back.
Stayed 6 nights in Jun 2024

10/10 Excellent

Andrew S.

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

Favorite place on the Outer Banks

This is a great rental that never disappoints. This is our second year in a row and envision more to come!
Stayed 5 nights in Apr 2023

10/10 Excellent

Michael S.

Great stay! Great location! We will be back!

We thoroughly enjoyed our week long stay over the 4th of July holiday. Perfect location for fireworks! Such a cute quaint place. Loved the outdoor shower. Cindy was very helpful and accommodating. We will be back!!
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2018

10/10 Excellent

Sarah K.

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

Lovely old-school beach home!

We hade a wonderful stay in this adorable property! It’s literally a 2 minute walk from the beach. The house was clean and comfortable, with enough space for our family of four. Looking forward to another visit next year!
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2020

10/10 Excellent

Chase B.

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

Wonderful Time

We had a wonderful time staying at this cottage. Although it rained most of our stay, the location of this cottage was ideal. On the rainy days, we were right near a ton a shops. Once the rain cleared up, we were right across from the beach. Perfect location. The cottage was very clean and had a homey feeling.
Stayed 3 nights in Apr 2023

10/10 Excellent

Jill P.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location

Mermaid Cottage fun

I loved this small cottage. So perfectly decorated with comfy beds. The outside porch was a nice place to relax, too. For older adults, we needed to know about the step up to the bedrooms. Also, directions to using the TV control would have helped. Overall a convenient place to stay in Nags Head. We loved our short walks to the pier.
Stayed 4 nights in May 2024

10/10 Excellent

Rhonda S.

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

Wonderful Beach House

Cute bungalow house across the street from the ocean. Pier across the street along with Pier House Restaurant. Jockey Ridge within walking distance. Stayed with my sister and we had plenty of room. Full kitchen had everything we needed. Plenty of room for parking. Highly recommend!
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2023

10/10 Excellent

Gregory Y.

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

Great Place!

Host was communicative and accommodating. The place was clean, had a great beach feel, and was in a nice central location. We loved the screened in porch for having a cocktails, coffee, hanging out, and even a quick nap in the chair! (Also, no mosquitos!) Located next to an ice cream shop was an added bonus. The place also had a nice back yard for our kid to play and had a turnaround so entering and leaving the property was easy/convenient. We would 100% stay there again
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2024

10/10 Excellent

Teresa D., Rochester, Michigan

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

Perfect!!

Couldn’t have been more pleased with our choice! It was smooth sailing in every aspect even more than I expected! We will definitely be back! Thank you Cindy!
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2020

10/10 Excellent

Nancy E.

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

Christmas at Nags Head

The Tale of the Mermaid was a perfect cottage for our Christmas getaway! The cottage was warm and welcoming, and Cindy was extremely accommodating. We saw a spectacular sunrise on Christmas morning and enjoyed walks on the beach during our stay. The cottage had a well stocked kitchen meeting all of our needs. The screened in porch was a favorite area to relax, as well. Thank you Cindy, we plan on a return trip in the near future!
Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2021

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