Vacationers can stay in Corolla for a night or more at a hotel or generally for a week or more at a vacation rental home or condo.

To get to Corolla, visitors will want to head to the Outer Banks via the Wright Memorial Bridge in Currituck County, and head north on NC Highway 12, past the towns of Duck and Southern Shores.

Corolla is roughly 20 miles away from the Wright Memorial Bridge.

Carova 4x4 Beach and neighborhood

Carova / 4WD Beaches History and Landscape

The 4WD or Carova region of the Currituck Beaches begin where the paved road ends, at the northern borders of the incorporated town of Corolla.

The region was originally sought after by developers who wanted to continue the paved NC Highway 12, and make the landscape similar to that of neighboring Corolla. However, the establishment of the Currituck Banks Reserve on the northern Corolla borders, which covers the width of the island, put a halt to these plans. As a result, only vehicles with 4WD access can reach these beaches.

Even so, development did continue in the Carova area in the 1980s and 1990s, slowly at first, and then with a small but noticeable boom in the 2000s. Because there are limited zoning restrictions for residences in the 4WD area, Carova is actually home to some of the largest houses in the Outer Banks, which includes rental homes with 18, 20 or even 25 bedrooms.

Other than homes, however, there is no commercial development allowed, and ergo no businesses, restaurants, shops or services of any kind.

Carova is home to nearly 120 wild horses, which are believed to be the descendants of 16th Century Spanish Shipwrecks. The horses roam freely in the 4WD area along the beaches, in the two large parcels of protected land (the Currituck Banks Preserve and the National Currituck Wildlife Refuge) and even in the small residential communities.

Corolla Wild Horses

Activities to Enjoy in Carova / 4WD Beaches

Because of the lack of commercial development in the 4WD / Carova area, all popular activities in this region revolve around the great outdoors.

Visitors to Carova enjoy the following activities, in addition to plenty of time dedicated to just lounging on the beach.

  • Wild Horse Tours, including Corolla Wild Horse Tours, Wild Horse Adventure Tours, Back Country Safari Tours, and Bob's Corolla Wild Horse Tours
  • Hiking along the rugged paths and elevated boardwalk at the Currituck Banks Reserve
  • Hunting, fishing, and hiking in the Currituck National Wildlife Refuge
  • Bird watching in the reserve and refuge
  • Surfing
  • Surf fishing
  • Currituck Sound watersports and boating
  • Shelling
  • Clamming and crabbing along the soundside islands
  • At-home amenities, including private pools, game rooms, hot tubs, and theater rooms

Carova 4x4 Beach and neighborhood

Visiting Carova / 4WD Beaches

Visitors MUST have a 4WD vehicle to access the Carova / 4WD Beaches. Visitors will want to head north on NC Highway 12, through the town of Corolla, until the road ends at a 4WD sand ramp that leads to the beach.

There are roughly 11 miles of beaches to explore before the island is closed off at the Virginia State Line and the border of Virginia's False Cape State Park.

Visitors can stay at vacation rental homes in the region which are rented on a weekly basis. There are no condos, hotels, or motels in the 4WD area, and camping is not allowed.

 

The Farmer's Daughter

The Farmer's Daughter

Founded in 1984 on the coast of the Outer Banks, NC, Farmer’s Daughter still remains a destination for people wanting great quality, outstanding selection of unique clothing, accessories, and gifts at affordable prices. Committed to offering great customer service, we strive to bring the latest fashions and the most popular brands to our store, while constantly staying in touch with the latest trends. Our store remains one of the most unique shops on the east coast as we offer a huge variety of products, ranging from lifestyle apparel and custom clothing to handcrafted jewelry and gifts.

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Brew Thru

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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