1945 Coastal Retreat, 5-Acre Estate, Tower + Dock - Vacation rental home in Oak Island, NC

Feel the first home constructed on Oak Island, a private 5-acre ocean estate — where a rare 1945 knotty pine cabin sits on the island's highest hill, reigning above virgin maritime forest, with a private boardwalk to the beach, a lookout tower with 360° vistas, and a dock for your boat or sunset fishing. This is not a typical rental — it’s a birdwatcher's heaven, one of the most unique and secluded properties anywhere. Modest wonder guests return and return!

Folly Hills is a one-of-a-kind coastal property offering total privacy, commanding vistas, and a sense of history you simply won’t find in modern beach homes. Set on more than five acres of virgin maritime forest, the home is surrounded by nature, wildlife, and uninterrupted vistas in every direction.

A private boardwalk leads you through the trees to the ocean, while the elevated lookout tower delivers expansive sunrise and sunset vistas over the water, forest, and sky. The backside of the property offers a private access to boat dock, a peaceful place to fish, read, or watch the light change across the marsh.

The home itself retains its original 1945 character — simple, authentic, and deeply connected to its surroundings. This is a place to unplug, breathe, and experience the coast the way it used to be.

Review after review confirms this an owner's home, not your typical rental, with all the amenities: entirely equipped, gourmet kitchen; Gigabit wifi; Sonos sound throughout; private beach access and dock; high quality sheets, beds and Turkish towels; striking plantings on wide, sunny decks; and much more.

This is a historic home, not a freshly refreshed luxury build. If you’re looking for granite bathrooms and wall to wall carpeting, this may not be the right fit. Folly Hills is, of course, completely air-conditioned.

If you value privacy, nature, history, and space — there are few properties like ours anywhere in the world, connecting beach with sound over the highest hill in miles in any direction. You'll have full run of the home, private pathway to the beach, a handsome old pine cabin, undisturbed maritime forest and dock 68 stairs down behind the home. The home is on a single level, but is some 15 steps up from the parking area. The parcel is just short of 5 acres.

Bring mud boots if you're interested to discover the wilder parts of the property... and do remember the insects, chameleons, songbirds, hawks, deer, raccoons, and other animals you'll see have made their home there long before you.

4-nighttime min with 15% off for week, 20% for monthly.