River Dunes in Coastal North Carolina Breaks Ground on New Amenity

Our North Carolina research trip took us north to the Pamlico Sound and to the home of the two time winner of Community Finder's Bliss Award™ for Best Boating Community of the Year. River Dunes is a charming maritime village with a deep water marina off the Intracoastal Waterway at MM 173. We observed three homes under construction during our visit and the community’s newest amenity approaching completion -two new Har-Tru tennis courts are scheduled to open Memorial Day weekend.

We grabbed bikes during the early morning hours to explore the neighborhood and couldn’t help but notice the lack of noise pollution, a priceless amenity. No rumbling traffic sounds. Just the sweet sounds water lapping near the docks, a gentle breeze swaying in the trees, and song birds saying hello. It was tough to decide which is more beautiful, the sunrises or sunsets. The sunsets over the water seemed to last forever.

River Dunes has incredible curb appeal and offers year round boating. Fourteen miles of natural shoreline provide all homes in the coastal North Carolina community privacy yet stunning views of the Intracoastal Waterway. Home styles include cozy coastal cottages, charming carriage homes and larger two story Charleston-style homes.

Boaters will be the first ones to tell you what an excellent marina River Dunes offers. During our visit, the marina was full of sailboats, yachts and cruisers. Grace Harbor Marina has 124 deepwater boat slips and is fully permitted for another 276. Set in the heart of the village, the one-of-a-kind inland basin marina offers a protected launching point for all types of boating activity. Additionally, the development team has done an excellent job of planning for sustainability, which includes achieving the honorable status of a North Carolina certified ‘Clean Marina’ since 2008. The consistently rated five star marina offers floating docks, high speed fuel, diesel and gas, free Wi-Fi, and pump out.

To us, River Dunes is in a perfect location, like a secret treasure waiting to be discovered. We enjoyed the ride from New Bern to River Dunes through miles of beautiful farmland and could feel our stress level disappear. The coastal North Carolina community is located just ten minutes from the charming fishing village of Oriental, home to waterfront restaurants, art galleries, antique shops and marine stores. In Oriental, the Sailing Capital of North Carolina, boats outnumber people; however, social, educational and cultural activities abound.

Amenities at River Dunes include:

• 11,500 Square Foot Clubhouse overlooking the marina with dining
• Grace Harbor Marina and Private 1,100 Foot Boating Access Channel
• 124 Deepwater Boat Slips with utilities
• Outdoor Swimming Pool overlooking the marina
• Fireside Hot Tubs and Cozy Cabanas
• Fitness Center with Steam Showers
• Tennis Courts under construction
• The Lake House for social events
• 238 Acre Nature Preserve Guest Cottages
• Riverside Chapel

The staff at River Dunes is busy preparing for the upcoming Leukemia Cup Regatta set for June 7 and 8, 2014. This significant charity event has raised over $300K for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of NC earmarked for blood cancer research and patient services. Events during the weekend include a Shoreside Celebration on Saturday June 7th. We applaud River Dunes owners and staff for the generous time, talent and resources they contribute to the local community.

We visited about a dozen boating communities in North Carolina this month, from one end of the state to the other and River Dunes stands above them all.