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Last summer, we had the pleasure of spending one week in Corolla, NC. I have lived in NC all my life, but I had yet to explore the northern Outer Banks. Vacationing in Corolla was an adventure to say the least!
Corolla, N.C. Beach Driving
There are a couple of really important things to know if you decide to visit Corolla. First, it is actually pronounced Cor-RAH-lah, not Cor-OLL-lah like the car. Second, and most importantly, you MUST have a 4WD to visit the northern parts of Corolla (AWD will not cut it). THERE ARE NO ROADS!!! You actually have to drive on the beach to access the northern neighborhoods of this town. We saw car after car stuck in the sand, and towing is not cheap.
Driving on the beach is a dream for some, but if I’m being honest, I was terrified! I was nervous enough about our own car, but other cars were just as inexperienced as us and spinning out everywhere. It was a lot like Southerners trying to drive in snow. Adam had to do all of the driving, and my kids have videos of me clinging to the car for dear life each time we hit the sand.
Something that I didn’t consider before our vacation is that you have to take air out of your tires to drive on sand; air pressure should be between 15-22 PSI. When you return to pavement, you have to blow them back up. There are air stations right before you reach the beach area and signs reminding you to do this. We had to plan extra time onto our outings each way to be able to do this.
Another thing that I didn’t think about before having my SUV on the beach is that you have to stay away from even the smallest amounts of water. Saltwater can do lots of damage to a vehicle, and you definitely don’t want to get stuck in the water as the tide starts to rise. Locals suggest rinsing the underside of your vehicle each time you leave the beach to get rid of any sand and salt that could corrode your vehicle.
If you don’t have a 4WD but really want to try driving on the beach or renting a house in Corolla, you can always rent a car. Outer Banks Jeep Rentals is one local place that you could do this.
And if you’re up for the adventure but don’t have a house, parking is $50 per week. A maximum of 300 passes are available per week.
More information on beach driving in Corolla, NC can be found here.
Corolla, N.C. Wild Horses
The one thing that I did know about Corolla before researching our trip was that it is home to wild horses. This was the main draw for our vacation, so we looked for a rental house that specifically talked about wild horses visiting their yard. We found an amazing house with a full wraparound porch, hammock, bench swing, picnic tables, and screened in porch section. Just as advertised, the horses stayed in our yard nearly all day and came close enough to the porch that we easily could have touched them (but didn’t).
Most of the accommodations on the 4×4 beach are houses, so if you want to stay in this part of Corolla, use a site like Vrbo to find a house. Here is a list of Vrbo houses that pop up with a Corolla, NC search. If you don’t want a whole house to yourself, you can stay at one of the few hotels in the area (many of which are quaint inns) or rent a condo.
For those who don’t rent a beach house (or don’t want to brave driving on the beach), there are tours that will take you to see the horses. We didn’t take any of these tours because the horses were permanently in our yard, but the three companies offering this in Corolla have great reviews. Below are their websites if you are interested.
Tours take 13-15 passengers in an open-air vehicle through neighborhoods and on the beach to search for the horses. The horses tend to hang out in the same places each day, so they are not too difficult to find. Cost for adults is $50-$70 and children is $39-$65 depending on company.
The wild horses truly make the Outer Banks a unique and magical place, and Corolla is one of the primary towns where you can see them. These horses made this vacation one that none of my family will never forget.
Corolla, N.C. Beach
Of course, the other big draw to the Outer Banks is North Carolina’s beautiful beaches. On Corolla’s beaches, you can park your 4WD right in front of your location for the day, making it easy to haul everything you need for your stay at the beach. Add in horses strolling past as you are in the ocean or lying out on the sand, and you’ve pretty much created a perfect day.
Historic Corolla Park, Historic Corolla Village, Whalehead, and Currituck Lighthouse
If you want to venture off the coast (and no one would blame you if you didn’t), there are several cool places to check out.
The Historic Corolla area is beautiful, and it makes for a great outing if you decide that you want to do some sightseeing. We spent an afternoon exploring the area, which includes Currituck Lighthouse and Whalehead.
All of the lighthouses in the Outer Banks have different looks; the Currituck Lighthouse is made of red brick. You can climb the 220 stairs for $12.00, but we did not do this on this trip. We went in July, so it was blazing hot, and I just didn’t feel like going all the way up with Ellie strapped onto me in a carrier. Looking at the outside of it was good enough for us, but I am sure that it would have been a fun activity at a different time. Information on the lighthouse can be found here.
Next to the lighthouse is Historic Corolla Village, which is full of restored landmarks and shops. You can see the Corolla schoolhouse and chapel, book a stay at the Corolla Village Inn, grab a quick bite at Corolla Village BBQ or coffee at The Kind Cup, or peruse Island Bookstore. Here is a map of the village to give you a better idea of what to see.
After this, we wandered to the other side of Historic Corolla Park to see Whalehead. On the way there, we made a quick stop into the Outer Banks Center for Wildlife Education to cool off. Admission to this is free, and they have great programs for kids, such as archery, fishing the sound, crabbing, and photography. Programs are also free, but you do have to register for them. We did not have time to try one of these on this trip, but it is something that I would look into if we ever went back.
From here, we walked across the bridge to the beautiful Whalehead Club, which is a 1920’s hunting retreat turned museum. We didn’t take a tour because the kids were hot and tired at this point, but it is supposed to be gorgeous. The outside of the building and surroundings are majestic in themselves. Tours run Monday-Friday from 10:00-4:00 and cost between $5 and $7 depending on age. Children 0-5 are free.
In addition to everything mentioned above, Currituck Maritime Museum can also be found in Historic Corolla. By this point, though, our kids were finished with touring and ready to go back to the beach house. We’ll have to explore this next time!
Timbuck II
If you want to do some shopping, Timbuck II is the place to go in Corolla! Wooden boardwalks link the stores, restaurants, and attractions, and some of this is waterfront. We all loved The Cotton Gin, Island Outfitters, Beef Jerky Outlet, and Nags Head Hammocks. When we finished shopping, we popped over to Mama Easley’s Grub Hut, which has both indoor and outdoor seating. We were all exhausted from a long day, but if you’re still looking for things to do, Timbuck II also has Corolla Raceway and Corolla Water Sports and Golf Links, which has an 18-hole Putt-Putt course.
A Night In Without Cooking
There were a couple of nights when we really didn’t want to cook, but we really didn’t want the hassle of a sit down restaurant with a baby either. Corolla Pizza and Deli was our easy answer. It is located at one of the air down stations that we frequently used, and there is an ice cream shop, Carolla Scoops and Sweets, right beside of it. We might have eaten at both of these places a couple of times on our trip.
Another option is Outer Banks Boil Company for a great seafood boil.
Other Things To Do
For most of our vacation, we stayed in town, but one day we decided to drive down the Outer Banks to tour Duck, some lighthouses, and the Wright Brothers museum. All of these are close by and make a great day trip.
One thing you do need to know if you leave Corolla, though, is that the traffic is miserable! We first noticed this when trying to make our initial arrival; it took at least an extra hour beyond what the GPS originally stated. We were hoping that this was a one-time thing, but it happened each time we tried to leave town.
There were so many things that we learned during our stay in Corolla, NC. Our vacation was such a unique experience, and I’m so glad that we decided to go there for our week-long vacation last year!
