BWHATTHEYTRAVEL Corolla, North Carolina

Destination: Corolla, North Carolina

The year of 2021 has been a crazy one. The COVID-19 pandemic took a toll in many things, including travel. So instead of taking a flight out of the country, I decided to visit North Carolina for my summer vacation. The Corolla area is known for its beautiful sunsets, wild horses and amazing beach houses. While I was only able to see two out of the three, it was still a very enjoyable trip. 

My family and I rented a beach house in the Pine Island neighborhood. The house had a total of 6 bedrooms, 6 bathrooms, a kitchen, dining room, living room, basement, rec room, a pool and hot tub. There were decks on all three levels and were accessible by all bedrooms, living room, and dining room. You could walk from your bedroom to the swimming pool, without leaving the front door. It was also really neat to have a beach so close by. The beach was less than a two minute walk from the house. The only downside to my stay was all the bugs. At night, the flying bugs would swarm any place that had light. So be sure to close your doors as soon as you are inside. On a positive note, the bugs do seem to die fast. On my last night in North Carolina, I went to the Duck Town Park and Boardwalk for the second time to catch the sunset. When I finally got back to my car, 50 bugs flew in with me. I had to drive with the windows down and shuu them away.

On day two of my trip, I visited the Currituck Lighthouse and later went to the Duck Town Park and Boardwalk. I had lunch at the NC Coast Grill & Bar. Out of the two restaurants I visited, this was my favorite spot to eat. So much so that on my last night, I decided to eat there again. The chef is amazing and everyone is so friendly. 

Currituck Lighthouse 

NC Coast Grill & Bar

Duck Rice Box

Blood Orange Scallops

Beignet

On day three, I visited the Elizabethan Gardens. This is the perfect spot to take memorable photos. There are so many gorgeous flowers, antique statues and fountains. The gardens were designed for Queen Elizabeth I. A bonus is that if you vacation in North Carolina with your dogs like I did, you can even take them to the gardens. Daily admission tickets are just $10 for adults, $7 for youths, $3 for children and dogs. The entire site is ten acres. You can see clips of my visit to the gardens in my vacation vlog video. 

The Elizabethan Gardens

Corolla, North Carolina Outer Banks Travel Vlog (6 days)! | Boardwalk, Elizabethan Gardens & More https://youtu.be/F68YuCGEQ1I

On day four, I chilled on the beach, tried riding a wave runner for the first time and ate dinner at Sunset Grill. The wave runner was $81 for a 30 minute ride and when I say the word riding, I mean holding on tightly to the back of my sister. I found out after I finished the ride that there were poisonous snakes in the water. It probably was best that I found out afterwards since I rainbow’s reflection in the water. Despite the gnats that kept jumping on me, the sight was was already nervous about falling in. Other than that, the ride was super fun. I screamed the majority of the time, but it was also nice to just look around at the water. It’s crazy to see how small we really are. I did not have my phone on me at the time, but I was able to see a very peaceful, if you do not count my screaming. 

Sunset Grill

Mahi Mahi Served with mango salsa, mashed potatoes, asparagus 

Lobster Shrimp Agnolotti

Fried Rockfish with fries

On day five, I visited the Wright Brothers National Memorial located in Kill Devil Hills. After spending most of the day at the beach, we arrived at the memorial with only an hour to look around before the gate would close. Luckily, my dad is a verteran and we all got in for free. My sister and I quickly walked through the whole area. I recommend driving all the way to the back once you come through the gate so you can start at the Wilbur Wright Orville Wright Monument. The monument sits on a big hill, so it may take some time to walk all the way to the top. 

Wright Brothers National Memorial

On day six, I tried axe throwing for the first time. My sister and I drove to Corolla Adventure Park to attempt to throw axes. There, you are accompanied by an employee that stays with you the entire time. The price was $25 per person and you have to sign a waiver. You can also choose to drink beer while you are throwing the axes, but since it was our first time, we figured it was better to get the drinks after. The Corolla Adventure Park has the cutest little bar station and there are so many other fun activities you can try. 

Corolla Adventure Park

In conclusion, if you are looking for a relaxing place to stay with beautiful sunsets in the United States you should definitely check out Corolla, North Carolina. Remember to check out my Youtube Video of the trip and until next time! 

XOXO,

BKD