New Chapters...Sunrises to Chase

If you’ve followed our story for a while, you’ll know that the Atlantic Inn has never just been a building to us…..it’s our home.  It’s been an adventure, a labor of love, a test of stamina, creativity, faith, and sometimes even sanity 😅. It’s been the setting for countless 5 a.m. coffee-fueled porch chats, impromptu renovation discoveries, and some of the most heartwarming connections we’ve ever made.

But as JB and I sit sipping our morning coffee on the front porch of our beloved inn, watching the sun rise over Hatteras in that magical way it always does. The waves are whispering their secrets, the pelicans are soaring overhead, and Bodie and Pumpkin are sprawled out beside us, probably dreaming of their next big adventure. It’s one of those perfect Hatteras mornings that makes your heart feel so full… and yet, today, it’s also a little bittersweet. Because we have some news to share - news that will mark the end of one chapter and the beginning of another for us.

You see, after much soul-searching, JB and I have made the difficult decision to put The Atlantic Inn up for sale. I know - it’s a big change, and believe me, it wasn’t a decision we made lightly. This inn, this island, and all of you who’ve become part of our extended family over the past six years have been the heartbeat of some of the most incredible years of our lives.

As some of you know, before JB’s late father passed last year, we made a promise that we would not “leave things too late” – We all have a precious amount of time here on our little blue planet and our pledge was to make sure that we didn’t stay so busy, working for so long, that life would pass us by and not afford us the opportunity to take the adventures we had promised ourselves over the years. I’m sure you’re all too familiar with “I’ll have the time to do [insert adventure big or small] one day”, “one day we’ll find the time”, “I’ll just work one more year….”, unfortunately sometimes life just doesn’t work out that way, and some simply run out of time.

Here's the thing about life – sometimes it whispers to you, and sometimes it practically shouts. Lately that whisper has been growing louder, closer to a shout, reminding JB and I of all the adventures we still want to have, places we want to see, friends and family we want to spend time with, and dreams we want to pursue while we are still youngish (ok, maybe not so young :o) and able. We don’t have a “bucket list”, you see, I never liked the term “bucket list” it always reminds me of a list of things you want to do before you die – Instead, we have a whiteboard of “Sunrises to Chase”.

One of those “sunrises” I started “chasing” last year when I finally began writing a book that has been formulating in my head for such a long time. What started as just a book, has become so much more….and I’m so excited about this project, but most certainly need to devote a lot more time to this venture than I have right now.

When we first stumbled upon this century-old gem back in 2020, it was a tired, run-down hotel with a leaky roof and more “unexpected surprises” than we could count (remember the leaking, rusted bathtub in the Starboard bathroom, the upper deck rails that were hanging on by a nail, ready to collapse at any minute?). But we saw its potential, its history, its incredible magic. We poured our hearts into restoring it to its former glory, renaming it The Atlantic Inn to honor its 1928 roots as The Atlantic View Hotel, the first hotel to be built on Hatteras Island .

Over the years, we’ve transformed it into a haven of serenity - a place where guests could escape the hustle and bustle, where so many friendships were forged over breakfast in the main lounge, and where the Atlantic Effect worked its magic, melting away stress with every coffee sipped on the porch and every sunrise stroll on the beach.

We’ve cooked almost 10,000 breakfasts (JB’s French toast is still a fan favorite!), welcomed guests from nearly every state in the US, and from countries all around the globe, celebrated milestones like being awarded TripAdvisor’s Travelers’ Choice Award every year, Airbnb’s Superhost status and maintaining 100% rating on all our environmental health inspections…..not bad for two people out of clinical research that had no hospitality experience! We’ve laughed over kitchen mishaps (oh, those early days when we were more Laurel and Hardy than innkeepers!), cried over the loss of loved ones like JB’s Mom & Dad and our beloved yellow labrador Bailey, marveled at the community that’s grown around this special place, and the incredible love and joy we’ve found here.

We’ve always known our journey wouldn’t end here, the same restless souls that brought us to Hatteras are now whispering lots of new dreams to us – Taking to the road in our awesome little RV, exploring all those places that we love, and discovering new favorites along the way - the USA is an incredible place to explore, writing more, living more and loving more........maybe we'll even chase some Scottish sunrises - and of course we still need to visit the Shetland Islands!!! We intend to work our way through our “Sunrises to Chase” adding more adventures as they come to us.

So, with a mix of excitement and more than a few tears, we’ve listed The Atlantic Inn for sale. We’re hoping to find new owners who will love this historic gem as much as we do - someone who’ll continue its legacy as a place of warmth, connection, and serenity.

This certainly isn’t goodbye just yet, we’re still open for the 2025 season, and we’d love nothing more than to welcome you back - or meet you for the first time before this chapter closes. There’s still time to book your stay, sip coffee on the Courtyard Deck, and feel the Atlantic Effect work its magic. And who knows? Maybe you’ll be the one to write the next chapter for The Atlantic Inn. If you’re interested in learning more about the sale, you can always contact us directly.

For now, JB and I are soaking in every moment we have left as innkeepers. I’ll be taking my morning strolls to the beach, watching the dolphins dance in the waves, while JB whips up something delicious in the kitchen. We’ll keep sharing updates on the blog, because this adventure - whether at the inn or beyond, is far from over.

Thank you, from the bottom of our hearts, for being part of The Atlantic Inn’s story. You’ve made these years so special, and we can’t wait to see where our restless spirits take us next - and where yours take you too.

So come visit us one more time, let’s share a laugh over breakfast, and celebrate the magic of Hatteras together. And who knows? Maybe we’ll cross paths again on some far-off adventure, chasing the same sunrise.

Until then, 

Love and Hugs,

Pam, JB, Bodie and Pumpkin

www.theatlanticinn.com