Boating is exceptionally popular in the Currituck Sound, both for mariners passing through on the ICW, and for anglers and kayakers who want to explore the open Currituck Sound waters.

Mariners who are exploring locally will want to bear in mind that the average depth of the sound is 4' feet and should plan accordingly. Public boat launches that access the Currituck Sound can be found at the following locations.

  • The Whalehead in Historic Corolla in Corolla
  • 2205 Bay Street in Kill Devil Hills
  • 129 Brumley Road in Knotts Island
  • 482 Waterlily Road in Coinjock
  • 458 Poyners Road in Currituck
  • 101 Poplar Branch Road in Poplar Branch
  • 126 Creekside Drive in Moyock

Mariners who are passing through via the ICW can stop at the Midway Marina and Motel or the Coinjock Marina for supplies. The Coinjock Marina features an on-site restaurant, while the Midway Marina has a small waterfront motel for ICW travelers who need to stop for the night.

Watersports

Watersports are very popular in the Currituck Sound and there are an abundance of fun activities to choose from.

Kayaking - kayaks can be rented at a number of locations along the Currituck Beaches, including Ocean Atlantic Rentals, Coastal Explorations, Just for the Beach Rentals, and Corolla Water Sports. Kayaks are often rented on an hourly basis, and kayakers can launch from the waterfront shop itself, or from the Historic Corolla Park adjacent to the Whalehead in Historic Corolla. Several local companies, like Kitty Hawk Kites in Corolla, also offer guided eco-tours or sunset tours for beginners.

Kiteboarding - Kiteboarding is popular in Corolla in the spring and fall months when the wind is consistently strong and averages 10 - 20 mph.Visitors can schedule lessons and pick up equipment rentals in Corolla at Corolla Kiteboarding, Island Revolution, or Kitty Hawk Kites. Kiteboarders can launch at the Historic Corolla Park or via a soundfront vacation rental with an advertised watersports launch.

Windsurfing - Similar to kiteboarding, many wind sports enthusiasts attest that windsurfing is an easier, gentler way to enjoy fast-moving rides on the open sound waters. Lessons and equipment can be found in Corolla at Kitty Hawk Kites and other watersports companies.

Stand-up Paddleboarding - This relatively new sport is an easy way for active visitors to get their toes wet in the Currituck Sound. Lessons and equipment can be picked up at Corolla Surf Shop, Island Revolution, Kitty Hawk Kites, and Nor'banks Sailing and Watersports.

Sailing - Though not the most popular watersport in the region, sailing in the Currituck Sound is picking up steam thanks to an abundance of open terrain to discover. Nor'banks Sailing and Watersports in Duck offers both equipment rentals and sailing clinics for newcomers and visitors.

Wave runners and Jet Skis - Large portions of the Currituck Sound are open for waver runners and jet skis. Visitors can rent vessels by the hour at Corolla Water Sports, Kitty Hawk Kites, and Promenade Watersports in Kitty Hawk.

 

Sound Feet Shoes
Wild Horse Adventure Tours
Brew Thru

No trip to the Outer Banks is complete without cruising through Brew Thru, the Outer Banks’ original drive thru convenience store. Whether you’re looking for a refreshing cold beverage of Coke, Pepsi and other soft drinks on the go, stocking up your cooler with refreshments to enjoy at the beach or piling up on beer and wine for a party, Brew Thru is a fun and unique experience all vacationers need to see for themselves.

Drive-Through Beer & Gear

Brew Thru is Your One-Stop Shop at the Beach

The year was 1977, and Dana and Becky Lawrentz were chatting with friends over brews in their hometown of Akron, Ohio. They got to talking about a gas station convenience store in the area that had built a makeshift drive-through. Everyone agreed it would be pretty great if you could actually drive through a convenience store and pick up everything you needed without getting out of the car. But what would you call a place like that?

Well, you’d call it a Brew Thru.

It was an idea they couldn’t shake, so the Lawrentzes moved to the Outer Banks and built the first Brew Thru with the help of a partner. The idea was that people could come buy everything they would need for their trip to the beach—beer, wine, soft drinks, snacks, ice—without getting out of the car. That same year, a t-shirt salesman visiting the store and talked them into adding t-shirts to their product line—and 44 years later there are now more than five million Brew Thru t-shirts out in the wild.

The Lawrentzes’ daughter Brandy and her husband Philip Foreman purchased the business from them in 2002, and they now operate five locations across the Outer Banks.“We love being the one-stop shop for folks on the way to their beach house,” Foreman says. “Our car tenders are the friendliest people at the beach. We’re here to greet you, get you everything you need for your trip, load it up in the trunk for you, and have you leaving with a smile on your face.”

The store is quite expansive, featuring more than 100 brands of beer, dozens of wines and even a vast selection of cigars—not to mention all the snacks, t-shirts and other gear. To make ordering a little easier, customers in line get a menu—fondly known as the Summer-y—that outlines everything available at the store. These Summer-ies are also available in many of the beach rentals, which allows vacationers to decide what they want before driving through.

For customers who would like to get out and stretch their legs, there’s the Brew Thru Shop in Kill Devil Hills, where you can find their world famous t-shirts and other gifts. New t-shirt designs are created each year, making a yearly Brew Thru t-shirt a favorite of locals and annual visitors to the Outer Banks.

The Foremans both grew up in the Outer Banks, and they love that Brandy’s parents’ vision for a friendly and convenient place for people to grab their brews and other beach stay essentials is continuing to flourish.

“Our family has been welcoming people to the Outer Banks since 1977,” Foreman says. “We love this beautiful place, and we want everybody to get to enjoy it.”

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