Perfect Beach Getaway - SunRise Views - Wild Horses! - Hot Tub - Fire Pit

Corolla, North Carolina
$761 avg/night
Bed 4

Bed

Bath 4

Bath

Home Private Vacation Home

Property Type

Sleep 10

Max Sleeps

Let us host you for the trip your family deserves: the only place in the US where you can drive on the beach *and* vacation alongside wild horses for a week! Create magical memories to last a lifetime in the northern Outer Banks.

Our home, Sandy Claws NC, is a semi-ocean front home with direct walking access to the beach 25 yards away.

VERY SECLUDED: You need 4WD to drive almost three miles up a beach road of sand to reach the house.

**No Hidden Fees. Nightly rate covers all basics.**

Known locally as the Christmas House, Sandy Claws NC sat unused for years before we bought it and renovated it in 2021/2022. It’s located three miles up the beach in Corolla, near MM 15.5. Containing 4BRs and 3.5Baths, and a bonus sleeping area, the home can sleep up to 10 comfortably.

PROPERTY LOCATION
The house sits at an angle between two other homes (both back decks face north east toward the ocean) to maximize views of the water. Enjoy your own private sunrises over the ocean from the back of the home, and later enjoy sunsets from the front deck, setting over the sound side of the island. Truly spectacular visuals you’ll want to capture in a pic.

PROXIMITY TO BEACH
Our back fence post is located less than 25 yards from the dunes — a short trip with our provided beach wagon and cooler. You can walk directly, or drive your 4WD vehicle over the nearest dune access point and park directly on the beach, as this area is one of the few remaining in the country that allows beach driving.

*AWD vehicles with high clearance can also be used, but you drive them at your own risk. For the best traction while driving on the sand, it’s suggested to air down all tires to 10-15PSI. Your tires won’t pop, they won’t be damaged, but you will be able to drive easily on the beach without straining your engine or creating ruts in the beach.

UNIQUE PROPERTY FEATURES
How often can you vacation with loved ones next to a wildlife refuge with wild horses roaming your property The local harems visit almost daily, staying away only in inclement weather. Please note, it is illegal to feed the wild horses (it can kill them, no joke) and you must remain 50 feet from them at all times. Allowing them too close to you will eventually cause them to become tame, resulting in their removal from the wild.

STRESS-FREE VACATION
If you're here for a family vacation and don't want to cook, a dinner meal service can be arranged with local restaurants and caterers who offer catering and delivery to the 4x4 area. Reach out to us for information to organize it direct.

ON-SITE AMENITIES
Sandy Claws caters specifically to families and offers a scavenger hunt for young children. Additional on-site activities include three smart TVs (living room, King Beach, and gaming alcove), numerous puzzles and games, books, a sand box, a seven-person hot tub, plastic Adirondack and traditional beach chairs and a wagon, a fire pit with eight chairs, tether ball, corn hole, and many more outdoor and indoor games.

REMOTE WORK
Each bedroom is equipped with a 30x20 fold down laptop desk mounted to the wall, in case someone needs privacy for a work call, project, or school assignment. Despite Brightspeed’s reliable coverage, severe winds and weather can affect signal availability. We've found it is possible to work remotely from the house, as long as Mother Nature cooperates.

RENTAL PREFERENCE
We rent our home to family groups and adult groups over age 25. At least one person in your party must be 25 years old, sign the lease, and be present at the house for the entire duration of the lease. No parties or events without prior permission from owners, and no pets allowed. Bringing your pet to our non-pet home will invalidate your rental agreement and you must board the pet(s) or leave immediately, with no refund.

We may entertain Pet Friendly at a later season, but not at this time, no exceptions, so please don't ask.

To read last season’s reviews, please search for our house site Sandy Claws NC where we are currently offering a 10% off early bird discount for travelers booking six months in advance. No third party fees (online travel agencies like this one charge high “guest service fees” which can be $500-$1500) and we offer a permanent year-round 10% military/first responder/teacher/essential worker discount (discounts can’t be combined) with a four night minimum stay. Our cancellation policy is the exact same no matter where you book, before 60 days you get a full refund. Within 60 days of arrival we can only refund for what we re-rent the property for.

HOME DETAILS

FIRST FLOOR
— Entire first floor is handicap accessible, with 36” wide doorways and hand rails in King Beach's bath (located near toilet and in shower).
— Ground floor elevator travels only to first floor. It is not a cargo elevator and the access key will only be available to guests in need of mobility assistance.
— Expansive kitchen with a movable island cart and two chairs, double wall ovens, and a six burner gas cooktop. Equipped with a Keurig type coffee maker as well as a traditional Mr Coffee with filters and an extra insulated carafe.
— Pantry is well stocked with baking dishes, three plastic pitchers, a roasting pan, mixing bowls, ceramic place settings, two crock pots, rice cooker, reusable food storage containers, an electric hand mixer, a frozen drink blender, as well as a large stock pot and a tiered steamer pot.
— Two wall mounted Alexa echos act as a sound system in the kitchen and dining room.
— Dining room is equipped with a large round dining table, wall games, conversation games, and two wall mounted arcade game systems (old school video games), plus curtains to hide the games while eating.
— Large half-bath off elevator entry alcove.
— King Beach is a master suite with an attached bath, direct access to back deck, and a view of the ocean. It contains a dresser, a free-standing open closet with hangers, a chair, a bench, a folding luggage rack, a fold-out twin sized cot, two nightstands with lamps containing an outlet and a USB plug in the base, and a wall mounted folding desk.
— First floor deck contains a covered cooking area with a gas grill, deck bar tops with ten chairs, and a kid’s sized table and chairs for kids under five.


SECOND FLOOR
— Queen Dune is a master with its own private bath, it also boasts an ocean view while sitting in bed. The room contains a small closet with hangers, a chair, a luggage rack, two floating nightstands with USB & AC plug lamps, and a wall desk.
— Queen Beach is a master with direct access to the top back deck, full views of the ocean, and shares a bath with Twin Dune via connecting doors. The room contains a closet with hangers and a cube storage piece, a chair, a luggage rack, two floating nightstands with USB & AC plug lamps, and a folding wall desk.
— Twin Dune contains two twin beds, a fold out twin ottoman, a cube storage unit, an adjustable night light with USB plugs, a chair, and a folding wall desk.
— The living room has seating for seven, four floor cushions for extra seating, and a large flat screen TV with an Amazon Fire stick.
— Gaming alcove contains a full-sized futon, built-in book shelves with hundreds of books, a smaller flat screen TV, shelves stocked with games and puzzles, plus a beverage fridge and countertop ice maker.
— The top back deck has six Adirondack chairs and two tall captain’s chairs.

OUTSIDE IN YARD
— Fire pit with eight Polywood Adirondack chairs
— Sand box
— Charcoal grill
— Seven person hot tub
— Outdoor shower
— Yard games
— Beach chairs, eight lightweight plastic Adirondack chairs, beach folding tables, drink holders, & a beach wagon



**PLEASE NOTE: There are no refunds for not arriving or for leaving early. Please purchase travel insurance to protect yourself. To protect our investment, we collect a security deposit and perform a weekly inventory. Guests will be charged for missing items and damages. Refunds of deposit occur within 14 days of check out.

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  • Feature Features
  • Map Map
  • School District Rates & Availability
  • Review Review

Feature Features

  • PETS

    No Pets Allowed
  • BEACH

    Beach Sun Loungers Beach Towels On The Beach
  • DINING

    Dining Table
  • SAFETY

    Carbon Monoxide Detector Installed (host Has Indicated There Is A Carbon Monoxide Detector On The Property) Deadbolt Lock Fire Extinguisher First Aid Kit Smoke Detector Installed (host Has Indicated There Is A Smoke Detector On The Property)
  • BEDROOM

    4 Bedrooms Bed Sheets Provided
  • GENERAL

    Double-glazed Windows Locally Sourced Food Is Prioritized Recycling Reusable Coffee/tea Filters Unit Size: 2150 Sq Ft (200 Sq M) Uses Some LED Lighting
  • KITCHEN

    Cookware/dishes/utensils Dishwasher Lobster/crab Pot Microwave Oven Paper Towels Refrigerator Stovetop Toaster
  • LAUNDRY

    Laundry Facilities Washing Machine And Dryer
  • PARKING

    Onsite Parking Wheelchair-accessible Parking And Van Parking Available
  • INTERNET

    Free WiFi
  • OUTDOORS

    Firepit Gas Grill Outdoor Furniture Patio
  • POOL/SPA

    Hot Tub
  • BATHROOMS

    4 Bathrooms Hair Dryer Shampoo Shower Soap Toilet Paper Towels Provided
  • WORKSPACES

    Desk Desk Chair
  • LANGS SPOKEN

    English
  • THINGS TO DO

    Fishing Nearby Kayaking Nearby Parasailing Nearby Sailing Nearby Surfing/body Boarding Nearby Swimming Nearby Water Sports Equipment Whale Watching Nearby Wildlife And Game Walks Nearby Windsurfing Nearby
  • ENTERTAINMENT

    Books Games Stereo Smart TV
  • LIVING SPACES

    Living Room
  • CLIMATE CONTROL

    Air Conditioning Heating
  • FAMILY FRIENDLY

    Children's Books Children's Dinnerware Children's Games Children's Toys Playground
  • LOCATION HIGHLIGHTS

    Near The Bay Near The Ocean Near The Sea On The Waterfront
  • SERVICES AND CONVENIENCES

    Chef Iron/ironing Board Local Meal Delivery Service
  • SUITABILITY/ACCESSIBILITY

    4 On-site Accessible Parking Spaces Elevator If You Have Requests For Specific Accessibility Needs, Please Contact The Property Using The Information On The Reservation Confirmation Received After Booking. Smoke-free Property Wheelchair Accessible Wheelchair-accessible Parking Wheelchair-accessible Van Parking

CheckIn Check-in : 04:00 PM CheckOut Check-out : 10:00 AM
No Wheelchair No smoking No pets Children allowed
Occupancy Max occupancy : 10

Map Map

School District Rates & Availability

Review Review

  • Judith

    Submitted Oct 4, 2025

    Stayed Sep 27, 2025

    We are absolutely in love!! Everything is perfect!! Beach days have been amazing! The kitchen is a delight to cook in and easy cleanup!! Lots of family games. The horses on the property everyday!! Breathtaking view We will be back every year!!!! I’ve never had a cottage this wonderful before!

  • Crystal B.

    Submitted Aug 16, 2025

    Stayed Aug 1, 2025

    Enjoyed our stay and working on booking our next trip.

  • Grace O.

    Submitted Apr 22, 2025

    Stayed Apr 12, 2025

    Gorgeous location, beautiful and clean house, cotton sheets, great for kids. Host was kind and responsive, had a great time!

  • Ray B.

    Submitted Oct 14, 2024

    Stayed Oct 6, 2024

    Very well maintained and modern home. Owner goes above and beyond to make sure the stay was incredible. Everything was better then expected

  • JULIE G.

    Submitted Jul 19, 2024

    Stayed May 17, 2024

    My friends and i were there for 2 birthday celebrations. We couldn't have chosen a better place! The weather didn't cooperate, but there was so much to do inside that we kept ourselves very busy. The kitchen/dining area is open and everyone can be seen and heard. All the bedrooms were spacious. The hose is beautiful inside and out. Thank you, Stephanie!

  • Holly R.

    Submitted Jul 19, 2024

    Stayed Jul 5, 2024

    A trip to North Carolina had been on our vacation list for awhile. We knew we wanted to find a house on the ocean and we found exactly that and so much more staying at Sandy Claws. From the sweet town of Corolla, to the drive on the sandy beach getting to the home, to the wild horses that we woke up seeing every morning, to the picturesque sunrise view, and the thoughtful welcome gift that was left for us, we could not have asked for a better experience. The location was perfect! The listing was spot on with what we got. Everything was clean, comfortable, and very spacious. We received very detailed instructions ahead of time for anything we may have had questions for. We rent vacation homes often and this was one of our favorites. We would absolutely recommend to friends and family and hopefully we will return someday.

  • Christie B.

    Submitted Jul 5, 2024

    Stayed Jun 28, 2024

    We had a great time- super apace

  • Submitted May 29, 2024

    Stayed May 23, 2024

    We enjoyed our stay very much. Stephanie was great and gave very good directions for driving on the beach. House was very well equipped with everything you could possibly need.

  • Linda S.

    Submitted May 17, 2024

    Stayed May 10, 2024

    We had a wonderful week enjoy seeing the horses and quite an experience driving on the beach Will definitely visit again

  • Scott M.

    Submitted Aug 8, 2023

    Stayed Jul 28, 2023

    After staying in OBX many times, this was by far our best experience…great home that is organized, clean and has everything you need. Location was also excellent. Only a short drive from the main road but far enough. Horses came around almost everyday which was a bonus. Stephanie (owner) was very communicative and informative. Overall great experience, so much so that we plan to go back the Sandy Claws!

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Total

Includes taxes and fees
$761+
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