About Us~

Close-up of a woman with light brown, shoulder-length hair smiling at the camera, in an indoor setting with framed pictures and colorful items in the background.

My name is Helen. My husband Mike and I have two children, Kaylee and Michael. The other two four-legged children in our house are Wookie (a very spoiled Morkie) and Sammie, who happens to be Wookie's daughter. I am a full-time educator and Mike is retired. Our daughter, Kaylee, recently graduated from college and is working full time while pursuing her graduate degree. Our son, Michael works full time and he is an avid fisherman and hunter. Our family had a condominium on Caswell Beach, NC, but sold it in 2020 in favor of our home in Surf City. We have thoroughly enjoyed making Above and Beyond our own, and we know that you will enjoy the canal (and all our home has to offer) as much as we do!

We chose Above and Beyond as the name for our vacation home for two reasons. First, we feel blessed beyond measure to call this our home away from home. Second, we have tried very hard to go “above and beyond” in terms of providing our guests a vacation home and amenities that maximize your comfort and enjoyment!

A small, light-colored dog with a happy expression lying on a wooden deck, with a white Adirondack chair and a blue object in the background.
A small dog standing on a blue kayak on a body of water, with houses and docks along the shoreline in the background under a clear blue sky.
A golden retriever dog sitting in a boat, looking at a black electronic device mounted on the boat's wall, with a lake and a colorful sunset sky with clouds in the background.

Then beach is absolutely “pawfect'“ as long as our sweet Wookie is with us!

Calm ocean with gentle waves and a partly cloudy sky.

Our Approach to Hosting

Above and Beyond is more than just a vacation rental—it’s our family’s home, and we care deeply about how it’s experienced and cared for.

For that reason, we take a more personal approach to hosting and ask guests to submit an inquiry before booking. This allows us to get to know a bit about who will be staying and to ensure the best possible fit for both our guests and our home.

We’ve found that this approach helps create a more relaxed, respectful environment—and leads to the kind of stays that guests return to year after year.

🐾 We’re also proud to be pet-friendly, because we believe the best memories are made when the whole family—paws included—can be part of the experience.