Moyock is located on the very edge of the Virginia and North Carolina state border, and often serves as the first introduction to Currituck County and NC in general for Outer Banks visitors who are driving to the area from the northern half of the country.

Fairly substantial with a handful of popular roadside tourist attractions, Moyock is considered a good place for long-distance drivers to take a break from the road, stretch, and get their first look at coastal North Carolina.

About the town

Moyock's northern borders are the Virginia State Line and the southern end of the Chesapeake Expressway toll road. Because of its locale just 25 miles away from Norfolk and Virginia Beach, Moyock is a popular residential community for Hampton Roads commuters.

As a result, and because its distinctive locale on the Virginia / NC state line, the town is home to a range of fast food restaurants, local businesses and services, and several big and noticeable tourist attractions, namely Southland and the Border Station.

Both of these sprawling travel plazas / souvenir shops have a wealth of southern-themed knick-knacks, fireworks, cigarettes and tobacco products, and ice cream or other grub. Located on either side of the main US Highway 168 to the Outer Banks, both establishments are popular "rest stops" for tourists who are heading to the Outer Banks.

The region is noticeably quieter off the main highway, and Moyock also has a pretty and relatively secluded waterfront on its eastern edge that borders the Northwest River and Tulls Bay.

History

Like the majority of Currituck County, Moyock was settled fairly early in the late 1600s and became a popular farming and port community. In the late 1700s, Moyock was actually adjacent to a now long-gone inlet, Currituck Inlet, which connected the region with the Atlantic Ocean.

This locale and the town's early distinction as a port town led to several 1800s and 1900s businesses, spearheaded by local entrepreneur Fred Poyner, including the ''Poyner Oil Company" and the ''Moyock Bottling Works." (Subsequently, the Moyock Bottling Works was the only cola drink producer in the county.) His father M.C. Poyner opened three general stores in Moyock from 1898 to 1903.

In the 1930s, the Cavalier Kennel Club (CKC) moved to Moyock after being shut down by Virginia state officials, and the town attracted a new crop of visitors to gamble and watch the regular dog races.

The CKC was shut down a second time, this time by North Carolina state officials, and the quarter mile oval track was transformed into a NASCAR course. From 1962 until 1966, the new "Dog Track Speedway" (DTS) hosted seven NASCAR races until it was finally shut down for good, due to poor revenues and the onslaught of newer, nicer North Carolina race tracks.

Today, Moyock is an interesting mix of tourist attractions and residences for Hampton Roads commuters, and it remains one of the most populated and visited towns in mainland Currituck County.

Quick Facts

  • Moyock has a population of 3,759, which makes it one of the larger Currituck County mainland communities.
  • During the Dog Track Speedway's 1960s heyday, a number of famous drivers came to Moyock to race, including Ned Jarrett, (who won the most races at the track), and "The King" of racing, Richard Petty.
  • Visitors can view an entire three-block area of historic homes at Shingle Landing Walk, which boasts a collection of late 19th century and early 20th century homes that were originally close to the Shingle Landing Seaport.
  • Drivers on US Highway 168 will spot the remnants of the original Moyock railroad, which runs parallel to US HWY 168 and 158, and was originally constructed and used in the early 1900s.
  • Moyock is home to the Currituck County Welcome Center, which is located on 106 Caratoke Hwy, and which offers a wealth of tourism information for both the mainland and barrier island destinations.
  • There are 20 restaurants in Moyock, including pizza parlors, American grills, fast food restaurants, and BBQ joints.
  • Because both businesses straddle the VA / NC border, the impossible-to-miss Border Station and Southland are popular spots for certain types of discounted fireworks, which are legal in Virginia but illegal in North Carolina.
  • Southland is an especially popular travel plaza for tourists, as the establishment features a convenience store, gift shop, discount cigarette and tobacco store, and a separate on-site restaurant.
  • A public boat launch with 30 parking spaces is located on 129 Creekside Drive in Moyock. This boat launch accesses the Northwest River, and eventually connects with the Currituck Sound.
  • Poyner's Road Park, which features picnic facilities, fishing, and a public North Carolina Wildlife boat ramp, can be found at 458 Poyner's Road in Moyock. The park is free and open to the public.

 

Back Country Safari Tours

Back Country Safari Tours

Discover wild Spanish Mustangs and our unique Barrier Island ecology on the Wild Horse Safari. Explore over 30 miles of "off road" beach, dune and sand trail and ride with a professional naturalist guide in a custom 4x4 open-air Safari Cruiser, or experience the Beach Cruiser and Kayak Safari combination tour to paddle in the placid waterways of the wildlife rich Currituck Sound. The Outer Banks Leader in off road Eco-Adventures! Where the Road  Ends....The Adventure Begins.

Super Wings

Super Wings

Best store on the beach! Everything you need for your vacation. The newest ladies' and girls swimsuits, 20% off every day! Largest selection of beach supplies and the best deals on T-shirts, sweatshirts and mens, ladies, and kids, apparel, swimwear and resort wear. Get all your souvenirs, suntan lotions, beach towels, floats, kites, and more. The only 1 stop shop on the beach.

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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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