OBX Vacation Rental Home Locations

As a service to Atlantic Realty’s guests and all visitors to the Outer Banks we are providing the “standard location terminology” that has been in use for decades.

Location is an extremely important factor when booking a home – it’s what helps determine the cost and convenience of getting to the beach.  Be sure you have a good understanding of the location of your rental home before you commit to renting it.

OCEANFRONT

This means that there are no other buildable lots between you and the beach.  Oceanfront may or may not have an ocean view due to the sand dunes.  Actual distances to the ocean may vary.

SEMI-OCEANFRONT

Semi- Oceanfront homes are one property away from the ocean.  Depending on the town in which they are located, they may or may not have a road between you and the ocean.  Some Semis offer unobstructed views, while others may not. 

OCEANSIDE

An Oceanside house is East of NC 12. The distance to the beach varies widely.  Some of these homes are less than 50 feet away, while others can be much farther.

SEMI-OCEANFRONT/ FRONTS BEACH ROAD 

If your house is located here, that means it is located on the West side of NC 12 (beach road) with only one other property between NC 12 and the ocean.  However you will have to cross NC 12 to access the nearest beach. 

FRONTS BEACH ROAD

This term is used for properties located from Kitty Hawk to South Nags Head. These homes are on the Westside of NC 12 (Beach Road) facing the road.  This means you will have to cross NC 12 to access the beach.  If your property is located in South Nags Head, you will be West of Old Oregon Inlet Rd. 

BETWEEN THE HIGHWAYS

Properties located between NC 12 and Route 158 from Kitty Hawk to Nags Head are referred to as between the highways (BTH).

WESTSIDE/SOUNDSIDE

Properties West of Route 158 from Kitty Hawk to Nags Head  and West of NC 12. In  Southern Shores, they would be considered WestSide/SoundSide

SOUNDFRONT

These homes directly faces the sound, just as an Oceanfront faces the beach.  While many Soundfront properties do have their own sound access, this is not always true. In many cases you will need to rely on the community’s access or public access to get to the beach.