On the Beach
The Currituck Outer Banks
The Currituck Outer Banks may be nestled
away in the northeastern-most corner of North
Carolina, but our beaches are wide open.
The ocean is our number-one attraction
for good reason: Twenty miles of wide, sandy
beaches grace our
shoreline. Our other
shore, along Currituck
Sound, provides
endless opportunities
for outdoor adventure.
From sparkling
sunrises to glorious
sunsets, our beaches will entice you for
celebrations and family time, for rejuvenation
and memory making. Like a sand dollar on the
shore, a dolphin in a wave, a wild horse on the
dune, a kite tail flapping overhead, a lover’s
whisper in the moonlight, a child’s squeal in
the surf, or the glint of joy in a grandparent’s
eyes, our beaches are tucked away to make each
moment uniquely yours.
For your convenience, this guide has been divided to
highlight both the wonders of our majestic Outer Banks
and those on the Currituck Mainland. The Currituck
Outer Banks attractions begin here. For information
on attractions on the Mainland, please see page 18.
HoWrsields
of Corolla
Legends. We’re drawn to
them, their mystique and their
origins, but encountering a
living legend is something
else entirely. Some people hike
through wilderness, others
go on safari and some go to
the beach. Yes, the beach,
specifically the Currituck
Outer Banks.
The legendary wild horses
of Corolla roam the beaches
north of the paved section
of Route 12 in Corolla on the
7,000-acre Currituck National
Wildlife Refuge. Accessible
to four-wheel-drive vehicles
only, this area draws visitors
who testify that encountering
these majestic creatures
against this storied sandy
backdrop is the highlight of
their vacation.
While these horses are
known to be descendants of
Spanish Colonial Mustangs
that have grazed, bred and
galloped here for almost
five centuries, the question
of how they arrived here is
a matter of some debate.
One legend holds that these
gentle beasts swam ashore
from a shipwrecked Spanish
galleon as it attempted to
cross the “graveyard of the
Atlantic” as early as 1528,
The wild horses are best enjoyed from a safe distance of at least
50 feet and cannot be fed. (Please remember, they are wild.)