As a lot of my readers may know, I own and operate a vacation home cleaning business. In all of the years (approximately six years now), this is the first luncheon that I have been invited to. A few generous home owners honor the property management company that take such wonderful care of their beach homes. I'm not complaining, in fact I don't work directly for the management company, I am an independent contractor.

Being an independent contractor has it's advantages, I essentially work for myself, and choose to be on everybody's side. I love living on the Crystal Coast more than anywhere else in the Continental, United States of America. I represent my community as a whole, and have appointed myself an unofficial Emerald Isle Ambassador.

The homeowners of this lovely three bedroom condo in Indian Beach, NC were adamant that I attend. That astounds me, but I am very honored that I was able to meet them for the first time and attend such a lavish lunch. Mrs. H. really knows how to entertain. She provided several dishes (homemade no less) that I've not had in a gathering of so many people! Including a fresh fruit dessert tray accompanied by a fondue pot filled with delicious dark chocolate! My other favorites were the artichoke dip, smoked salmon, and the cream cheese / wasabi dip.

Thank you Major and Mrs. H for a lovely afternoon, and for the wonderful bottle of wine that I have yet to share with my husband, and thank you for the Virgina peanuts for my crew members. They are already enjoying them!

Today I had the privilege of meeting George and Ian from Greensboro, North Carolina. We met on the dock at the Cedar Street Soundside Park. There were a few local young guys around Ian's age, that he could hang out with. They were throwing a cast net to catch bait fish for later(which can be seen in the background, behind George and Ian)! The Cedar Street pier ends in steps that go down, into Bogue Sound. The two local guys walked out a fair way with their cast net in tow. The sound is shallow enough in most places to walk across from Emerald Isle, to Cape Carteret on the mainland, with exception of the Intracoastal Waterway/channels. I admire George and Ian for spending the morning and early afternoon together at the park. Quality time for parents and their children are precious, and the years go by quickly. I hope they will be able to return in the years to come and enjoy our beach each and every time!

If you are vacationing along the Crystal Coast, and you've got kids, you know you need to find things for them to do in Emerald Isle while you are here.

One of the best places to take them is to the only Emerald Isle water park: Water Boggan. Located at the corner of Reed Drive and Islander Drive (about half a mile from the Emerald Isle Bridge), the Water Boggan is one of the oldest amusement places on the island.

There are several water slides, a game room, and even a snack bar. Prices are pretty good for a day of fun, and you know your kids will love it.

This isn't a huge park like you might find elsewhere, with dozens of slides and numerous other water-related areas. Water Boggan has 4 or 5 slides, but they are fast and fun, and in the 'things to do with kids in Emerald Isle' department, it is very near the top of the list.

It is the busy time of year here in Emerald Isle as thousands of families come to our beautiful town for weekly vacations. There are hundreds of properties in town available for vacation rentals, and several rental agencies you can choose from.

We would encourage you to consider Bluewater GMAC for your Emerald Isle vacation rentals. Other rental agencies are professional as well, but Bluewater's rental house inventory is the best in our opinion. Note that many of the properties will already be rented, but there are still numerous weeks available for vacation rentals right now, so have a look.

They offer several pet-friendly homes, oceanfront and soundfront locations, and all sorts of styles and varieties to fit your vacation rental needs. Check them out at bluewatergmac.com. Note that if you are in the market to buy houses in Emerald Isle, you can use the Real Estate Sales tab to search through the houses for sale.

We hope to see you in Emerald Isle soon!

Lots of folks like to bring their dogs with them to Emerald Isle when the come on vacation. Many of the rental houses will allow dogs, but be aware that there are usually non-refundable pet fees that range from $100-$300 depending on the rental agency and the unit.

Please remember that Emerald Isle has a leash law: always keep your dogs on leashes and absolutely always clean up after your pet. Carry plastic baggies with you so that you can easily take care of your pet's poop.

We like our beaches to stay as clean as possible, and no one likes to step in dog poop, or worse, have their kids playing around it. Be considerate of others, and everyone can have a relaxing, enjoyable stay in Emerald Isle!

You can choose from several different Emerald Isle vacation rental agencies. By far, the two biggest in town are Bluewater and Emerald Isle Realty, which offer over 1200 properties between them.

Also consider looking at Prudential Sun-Surf Realty and Shorewood. Most any Emerald Isle vacation rental that you are seeking will be available from one of these agencies, though keep in mind that June through September is high season and you may not be able to rent the vacation property you want at the time you wish to arrive, so book early if you can.

You can find Oceanfront, Oceanside (including second row and third row, usually have a nice ocean view), Ocean View, Soundside, and Sound View units. You can also choose from vacation rental homes, duplexes, condos, and apartments. Emerald Isle is a great place for a relaxed family vacation, so choose your price point and your location on the island, and you can't go wrong by spending a week or more in Emerald Isle North Carolina!

You really can have the beach and Atlantic Ocean as your backyard if you get an Emerald Isle vacation rental house in the front row. Just a quick walk from your relaxing deck across the walkway and down the steps. A great way to relax and play with your family and friends in the relaxing beautiful vacation playground that is Emerald Isle. This photo was taken around the 2200 block.

There are several companies offering weekly beach house rentals in Emerald Isle. With over 1000 vacation rentals in Emerald Isle, there are certainly several to meet your needs. The high season from June to September will often see 50000 visitors to Emerald Isle, but because the town is mostly low-density, high-end beach homes, you never feel crowded, worry about loud neighbors, or concerned over traffic (aside from the Sat/Sun check in times!). Here are some agencies that can handle your Emerald Isle Vacation Rental needs:

Bluewater GMAC
Emerald Isle Realty
Sun-Surf Realty
Shorewood Real Estate

Carolyn Booth Properties has a nice long-term, off-season rental house available at 100 Periwinkle in Emerald Isle. From the listing:

Wonderful, traditional beach cottage with great views. Remodeled in '04 including new roof, siding, hardwood floors, and new decking. Inground heated pool, hot tub. Ground level covered giant sandbox and table tennis area. Beach access across the street. One of the nicest areas in Emerald Isle - no thru traffic. Available for off-season monthly rental.

If you've never spent time on the beaches of North Carolina, you've missed some of the most gorgeous sunsets on earth. In an hour's time in Emerald Isle, you'll see everything from bright Carolina blues to delicate peachy corals to stark purples and oranges. With beautiful Emerald Isle locations such as The Point, the pier, and the sound-side parks, you have unlimited views of breathtaking colors and infinite sunsets.