There are seemingly endless opportunities for vacation home rentals in Wilmington and along North Carolina’s southern coast; from Topsail Island in the north to Sunset Beach in the south, it's safe to say there is a vacation home for any taste and budget. The number of rental offices on the southern coast - nearly 100 - suggests the tremendous scope of the rental business. Whole houses, duplexes, condominiums and apartments are readily available, though early reservations are increasingly advised. Finding a place to rent in the Topsail area could not be easier.

Renting a vacation home is very different from checking into a hotel. There's no room service - a bed left unmade in the morning will still be unmade when you get back from a romp in the surf, and there's no restaurant downstairs to call for room service. You take care of your own needs, which is actually the best part of this kind of beach vacation. It's your schedule and the opportunity to enjoy your own home away from home; to relish the sense of absolute privacy that simply isn't part of the hotel experience.

In most cases, vacation homes are someone's special investment, second only in importance to their regular homes. The owners may visit their homes several times a year, and it is apparent, in many cases, that the homes bear distinct imprints of the owners. There may be photo albums of the host family and guests. There will likely be a guest book for visitors.

Fitting into someone else's second home can be an intimate experience that often leads to friendships between renter and owner. Along with the money that changes hands in this agreement, there is also an exchange of trust. Some of the more desirable homes develop a list of regulars, and getting into line for these can create a bit of a wait. But once on the list in a favorite spot, you'll be able to count on it for many years to come and will be regarded as a member of an extended family you may never actually meet.