Corolla, NC
Currituck County's northern beaches around Corolla have been described by USA Weekend as ''one of the 10 best undiscovered beaches on the East Coast.''
The northernmost accessible town on the Outer Banks, Corolla has seen rapid development over the past ten years. Up until 1984, when the state extended Highway 12 north from the Dare County line, the town was a sleepy seaside village. Today, multimillion dollar vacation homes dwarf the village proper and make Corolla one of the most desirable upscale vacation destinations in the country. Ironically, it was the opening of the road and the ensuing traffic that eventually led to the relocation of one of Corolla's most famous attractions, the wild ponies to the NC Wildlife sanctuary (just north of Corolla).
At the center of the village is the Whalehead Club and Currituck Lighthouse complex. Millionaire industrialists built the Whalehead Club in the 1920's as a base for waterfowl hunting expeditions to the Banks. Today, the Club has been restored to its original glory and serves as a waterfowl museum.
Next door, the red brick Currituck lighthouse towers over the landscape. The northernmost of the Carolina lighthouses, the 180-foot structure is open for climbing in the summer months and features a small museum and the restored lightkeeper's house.
The world's largest travel community named the Outer Banks as the #1 Family Beach. In February 28, 2007, TripAdvisor ®, the world’s largest travel community, picked the Outer Banks of North Carolina as #1 in the TripAdvisor® list of top ten best beaches in the United States for families. According to the world's largest travel community, with 5 million unbiased opinions and 20 million website visitors, the Outer Banks is a “Money Spot to Deposit Family”. Families can enjoy plenty of beaches as the "lovely Outer Banks islands are surrounded by 900 square miles of water." According to a recent TripAdvisor ® survey of nearly 400 travelers with children age 18 or younger, 78% will take a beach trip with their children this spring or summer, and 92% will specifically seek out family-friendly beaches.