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Entire home

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

Cottage in Nags Head with kitchen and balcony

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

Beach nearby
Exterior detail
Fridge, microwave, oven, stovetop
Dining
Exterior
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 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

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  • Washer
  • Dryer
  • Free WiFi
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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

Located in Nags Head, this cottage is near the beach. Wright Brothers National Memorial and Monument to a Century of Flight are local landmarks, and some of the area's attractions include Destination Fun and Stop-N-Shop Beach Shop. Full Throttle Speedway and Mutiny Bay Adventure Golf are also worth visiting. Jet skiing and scuba diving offer great chances to get out on the surrounding water, or you can seek out an adventure with hiking/biking trails and cycling nearby.
Visit our Nags Head travel guideOpens in a new window
View more Cottages in Nags HeadOpens in a new window
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

  • ‪Biscuits N’ P*rn - ‬3 min drive
  • ‪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
  • ‪Poke Box - ‬3 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 within a 15-minute walk of Nags Head Fishing Pier, Jockey's Ridge State Park, and Dowdy Park. Tracks in the Sand and Seaside Art Gallery are also within 1 mi (2 km).

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

Reviews

10

Exceptional

Rating 10 - Excellent. 253 out of 264 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 9 out of 264 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 2 out of 264 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 264 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 264 reviews

10/10

Cleanliness

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Chrissy K.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, location, listing accuracy
Very cute and clean its also close to the beach!
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2025

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

Gabriel H.

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

Yearly MN pals trip

We loved our stay. Spent lots of time on the beach and meeting the surrounding outer banks enjoyers. Lovely cottage with great AC.
Stayed 4 nights in Jun 2025

10/10 Excellent

Tiffany P.

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

Amazing

Another great trip to the mermaids tale. Loved all of it…house, location, decor, cleanliness, and Cindy.Thanks again!
Stayed 4 nights in Jun 2025

10/10 Excellent

MICHAEL O.

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

Nags Head Trip

The home was very clean, and close to the beach. We enjoyed the central location to grocery stores and to decent restaurants. It was a short walk to Jockey’s Ridge State Park, a popular place to take pictures on the sand dunes. Cindy did a nice job decorating the house and it was very comfortable for my wife and I. If we return to the Nags Head we would be interested in staying here again.
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2025

10/10 Excellent

Tom M.

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

Perfect stay

Everything about this property was perfect. Location, layout, communication. We loved the porch and the outdoor shower. We also loved the beds, and I know a few reviewers didn’t. But we thought they were great. Would definitely stay here again.
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2025

10/10 Excellent

sharon f.

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

Great house

Had fun
Stayed 3 nights in Apr 2025

10/10 Excellent

Marc E.

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

House was great!

Perfect place to stay for my family! Location was awesome!
Stayed 5 nights in Sep 2022

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

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

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

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

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

Kerianne P.

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

Best mother daughter trip

We absolutely loved our stay. The house was perfect. We will definitely be back.
Stayed 4 nights in Jun 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

lynn s.

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

Fun at the outter banks

Peaceful stay in the cottage you can be as busy as you want or take time to enjoy your surroundings. Very near good places to eat and across from the beach.
Stayed 6 nights in Sep 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

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

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

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

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

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

Jason H.

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

Great week

We have stayed at this property before, and it did not disappoint. The location is perfect and the cottage is great for a small family. Hope to stay again.
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2023

10/10 Excellent

Michael P.

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

Perfect Getaway

We found the cottage perfect for the 2 of us and the location couldn’t be any better. Surrounded by great restaurants, just a few minute walk to the beach, and right next door to the best frozen yogurt I’ve ever tasted.
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2022

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

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