If you’re planning a vacation for 10 to 14 people across three generations, Ocean Lakes Family Campground is one of the strongest options on the East Coast for a single rental house big enough to hold everyone. The largest Dune Life Rentals properties sleep up to 12 guests across 4 to 5 bedrooms, and the wider Ocean Lakes inventory includes houses that sleep up to 20 (per Ocean Lakes Family Campground’s official site, https://www.oceanlakes.com/).
This guide covers what to look for when you’re booking a big-family week, which of our properties work for groups that size, and the small details that make the difference between a great multi-gen trip and a tense one.
After years of renting houses inside Ocean Lakes, the multi-gen trips are the ones I remember most clearly. Three generations, one porch, a full week. Here’s how to make it work.
What does a “multi-generational” vacation actually need?
The math on a big-family rental works on three things: bed count, bathroom count, and enough separate living spaces. A house that sleeps 12 on paper isn’t the same as a house where 12 people can comfortably be themselves at the same time.
A few questions worth asking before you book any multi-gen rental:
– How many actual bedrooms are there, and how do the beds break down? Twelve guests can mean four bedrooms with mixed configurations, or it can mean four bedrooms plus a pullout couch in the den.
– How many bathrooms? For 10 or more guests, three bathrooms minimum is the realistic threshold.
– Do you have a single-floor option for grandparents who can’t manage stairs?
– Can the porch or outdoor space seat everyone for dinner?
– Is the kitchen actually equipped to cook for a crowd?
Which Dune Life Rentals properties work for 10-14 guests?
These are the largest properties in our 34-house portfolio, pulled live from our booking site (https://booking.duneliferentals.com/all-listings):
| PROPERTY | SLEEPS | BEDROOMS | BATHROOMS | GOLF CART |
| Site X-8 | 12 | 4 | 3 | Yes |
| Site 1027 | 12 | 5 | 4 | Yes |
| Site M5 | 9 | 4 | 3 | Yes |
| Site 1581 | 8 | 3 | 2 | Yes |
| Site 8039 | 8 | 3 | 2 | Yes (limo cart) |
| Site MH-513 | 8 | 3 | 2 | Yes |
Site X-8 and Site 1027 are the two properties that legitimately accommodate 12 guests. If your group runs larger than 12, we sometimes have other inventory that can stretch with a pullout couch. Text or call me at 336-382-1415 before you book so we can talk through specifics. Inventory shifts seasonally, so the list above reflects what’s currently bookable on our direct booking site.
How should bedrooms get assigned across three generations?
There’s no universal rule, but the layout that works for most multi-gen trips puts each generation in its own wing or zone:
– Grandparents get the bedroom closest to the bathroom and farthest from the kid noise. If there’s a master suite, this is usually it.
– Adult parents take the next-quietest room. Light sleepers should be near a bathroom but away from the living area.
– Kids and teenagers get the rooms farthest from the master and closest to each other. Bunk rooms or multi-bed rooms work well here.
When you tour a property’s photos before booking, count the bathroom-to-bedroom ratio. For 10 to 14 people, you want a minimum of three bathrooms. Two is workable for a short weekend, but it creates real morning friction over a 7-day week.
What about the grandparents?
A few things that matter more than the brochure suggests.
Stairs are the first one. Some Ocean Lakes properties are single-story, others are two-story with bedrooms upstairs. So, if you have grandparents who can’t manage stairs, ask before you book. Walk-in showers versus tub-only is the second one. Older guests usually prefer walk-in showers. Distance to the pool and beach matters too, since a short golf cart ride is fine but a longer walk in 88°F Myrtle Beach July weather (per Myrtle Beach climate data, https://www.currentresults.com/Weather/South-Carolina/Places/myrtle-beach-temperatures-by-month-average.php) is not.
The last thing is the porch. Multi-gen trips live on the porch! Think coffee in the morning, drinks in the evening, kids running in and out. A big porch is the most underrated multi-gen feature in any house.
Do larger Ocean Lakes homes include a golf cart?
Yes, on all of ours. Every Dune Life property with 8 or more guests includes a complimentary golf cart, and several of our largest homes include a Limo Golf Cart (6 passengers) instead of a standard 4-passenger cart. Site 8039 includes a limo cart specifically because eight guests can’t move together in a four-person cart.
A few houses in the wider portfolio include two carts, which is useful when you have grandparents and grandkids who want to head in different directions at the same time. If you need a property that’s confirmed for two carts, just ask me when you call.
How far in advance should I book a multi-gen week at Ocean Lakes?
For peak summer (June through August), our largest properties book out 6 to 12 months in advance. Ocean Lakes peak season runs from approximately May 15 through Labor Day Weekend (per Ocean Lakes Family Campground, https://www.oceanlakes.com/rates/discounts/), with July as the busiest month. With that being said, if you’re targeting July 4th week or a holiday week with 12 people, you should be booking in the fall of the prior year, not in the spring.
However, if you’re flexible on dates, shoulder season (May and September) gives you a 30 to 50 percent discount on most properties with the water park still open. For a multi-gen group where the kids are the main reason to be at Ocean Lakes, May and September are often the better value.
What about meals? Cooking for 12 in a rental kitchen.
The kitchens in our larger properties are equipped for actual cooking, not just heating things up. That said, cooking three meals a day for 12 people is its own challenge. A few things that help:
– Plan one or two nights of takeout or delivery (Myrtle Beach has plenty of options within a 10-minute drive)
– Hit Food Lion or Lowes Foods on arrival day for groceries
– Use the Sandy Mart inside Ocean Lakes for the small stuff you forgot
– The Coffee & Creamery and Sandy’s Meet n’ Eat are walking distance for breakfast and lunch on the days no one wants to cook
Frequently asked questions
What’s the largest house Dune Life Rentals offers? Site X-8 and Site 1027 both sleep 12 guests. Our largest Site, 1027 has 5 bedrooms and 4 bathrooms. The next largest site, X-8 has 4 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms.
Can a single rental at Ocean Lakes sleep more than 12 guests? Yes. The wider Ocean Lakes inventory includes beach houses that sleep up to 20 guests. Dune Life Rentals’ largest current options top out at 12.
Do you have any single-story properties for grandparents who can’t do stairs? Some of our properties are single-story. Call me at 336-382-1415 before booking so I can match you to the right house. The booking site doesn’t filter for this directly.
Is Ocean Lakes accessible for guests with mobility challenges? Ocean Lakes has a handicap access page on their official site covering the campground’s accessibility features. Individual rental homes vary, so ask about the specific property before you book.
Can we bring a pet on a big-family trip? Some of our properties accept pets. Ocean Lakes has a dog park and DIY dog wash stations on property. Filter for pet-friendly properties or ask me directly.
How does check-in work for a group this size? Check in works the same as any rental: door code, golf cart instructions, and arrival info come from me before your stay. For big groups, I recommend designating one person as the point of contact for guest passes and questions.
What’s the cancellation policy on larger properties? The full cancellation policy is listed on every property page on booking.duneliferentals.com before you confirm the booking.
Last updated: June 4, 2026
About the author: Shawn Huffines runs Dune Life Rentals, an independent vacation rental company managing 34 family homes inside Ocean Lakes Family Campground in Myrtle Beach, SC. He has hosted dozens of multi-generational family reunions and milestone-birthday weeks across the larger properties in his portfolio. Reach Shawn at 336-382-1415 or shawn@duneliferentals.com.