Suite Spot: Sanderling Resort, Duck, N.C.

Guests can take one of the resort’s orange beach cruisers into the quaint town of Duck, less than 4 miles away, or check out the nearby 2,600-acre Audubon Pine Island Sanctuary.

Balconies serve as outdoor living rooms and oversized bathrooms gleam with stone tiling in guest rooms, where the new design palette reflects the sandy surroundings.

Two dune-side pools with fire pits encourage lingering outdoors, while locally sourced restaurants such as the fine-dining Kimball’s Kitchen, casual Lifesaving Station and the newly expanded Sandbar offer culinary Southern comfort and craft cocktails.

There’s no shortage of water activities, among them stand-up paddleboard yoga, kite boarding, wake boarding, sunset kayak tours on the sound and pontoon tours to a local vintner for wine tasting.

Guests also have exclusive four wheel drive access to a sanctuary for wild horses.

Through September, the resort’s twice-weekly Mermaid School, open to hotel guests and others, offers hour-long sessions on swimming while wearing a mermaid tail.