Currituck County is effectively divided in two by the Currituck Sound, which creates two distinct and ecologically diverse regions: the Currituck Mainland, and the Currituck Barrier Island Beaches.
The Currituck Beaches are also referred to as the Northern Outer Banks, Currituck Island, or just "Corolla," which is the primary town in this region.
The barrier island region of the county attracts the bulk of Currituck's visitors, due to its miles of shoreline, famed historic attractions, and vast selection of shops, activities and vacation rentals. As such, every Currituck County visitor should make one visit to this famed region, which is distinctive, beautiful, and an ideal vacation destination for beach lovers.
The Currituck Beaches are effectively split into two communities: The incorporated town of Corolla and the 4WD beaches, which are also generally referred to as "Carova." Both regions have their own unique qualities that are appealing to visitors.
Corolla was originally a small European settlement of a handful of locals, but the town rose to prominence once wealthy northerners began to build esteemed estates and hunt clubs on the prime waterfowl hunting grounds. Initially known as Jones Hill, the town officially took the name of "Corolla" in 1895 with the establishment of a US Post Office.
Mass development began in Corolla in 1967, when a development company from Virginia purchased a large parcel of land that was divided into roughly 2,000 lots. The initial asking price for these properties was around $8,000, and now lot prices in Corolla are in the $250,000+ range.
When the two-lane NC Highway 12 was established, development boomed in the 1980s and 1990s, and today the town is home to several thousand vacation rentals, resorts, hotels, condo complexes, and an array of shops and restaurants.
Today, Corolla is a considered an upscale beach vacation destination that still remains popular with northeastern and East Coast visitors. Most visitors stay in vacation rental homes, which are found in abundance along the oceanfront and soundfront.
Because Corolla is known as an elite vacation destination, visitors can enjoy a number of a typical beach or resort town activities.
The following activities and attractions are among the most popular things to do in Corolla.
