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The beach is the primary place for outdoor fun in Duck and Southern Shores, whether it's swimming, surfing, fishing, sea kayaking, walking or just lazing in the sun. But don't overlook the soundside.
The Currituck Sound is the perfect place to fish, sail, paddle a canoe or kayak, parasail, Jet Ski and windsurf.
Several outfitters offer kayak tours and watersports equipment rentals on the sound.
Other than watersports, recreation in this part of the Outer Banks is pretty low key. There's a paved bike path along N.C. Highway 12/Duck Road that starts in Southern Shores and Duck that's perfect for biking, jogging, walking and strolling babies. If your kids are looking for somewhere to skate, you might want to take them up to Island Revolution Skate Park in Corolla, (252) 453-9484, instead of turning them loose on the bike path. |
We give the address for many Duck businesses in this chapter as Duck Road, which is the same road
as N.C. Highway 12.
View All | 10 Great Things to Do in Duck | Duck Municipal Park | Bicycle Rentals | Day Spas | Fishing | Fitness | Running | Tai
Chi | Tours | Water
Sports | Yoga | Annual
Events
10
Great Things to Do in Duck
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Shop ’til you drop! Duck is best known for its shopping opportunities. Park the car and walk to scores of shops around town.
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Join the crowds on the Duck Trail – walk, jog, ride bike, stroll babies, inline skate. Bikes and strollers are available for rent in town.
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Hit the beach. Duck’s wide, uncrowded beaches have been ranked among the top in the nation. But the town has no public beach accesses, so you have to be staying in Duck to enjoy the beach here.
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Get pampered. Duck has several day spa/salons to make you feel relaxed and radiant.
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Sit on the lawn and listen to live music under the stars on Tuesday and Thursday nights in July in the Duck Municipal Park.
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Get wet. Go parasailing or Jet skiing, take a kayak tour, rent a sailboat or a power boat. Take a surfing lesson or hire a fishing guide.
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Take the kids to watch the ducks swimming in the sound at The Waterfront Shops.
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Enjoy an afternoon treat: Duck has ice cream parlors, coffee shops and restaurants with award-winning wine lists to choose from.
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Dine with a view. Nab a waterfront table and enjoy the sunset and a seafood dinner.
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Enjoy the natural beauty of the Duck Municipal Park! This 11-acre soundside park includes a boardwalk, kayak/canoe launch, picnic shelter, playground, gazebo and walking trails. Tai Chi and Pilates classes are offered here too.
The Duck Municipal Park
Be sure to visit the Town of Duck’s Municipal Park. This is a fabulous 11-acre, soundside green space that’s tucked into the commercial district of Duck. Park amenities include a soundside boardwalk, public kayak/canoe launch, picnic shelter, playground, gazebo and walking trails. Visitors can enjoy an evening concert (see Events), participate in an exercise class on the green or just relax and enjoy the park’s natural beauty. The park is pet friendly and provides a doggie water fountain near the playground area.
Bicycle
Rentals
The
following companies rent bikes in Duck:
Duck
Village Outfitters, (252) 261-7222
Ocean Atlantic Rentals, (252) 261-4346
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Day
Spas
Okay, it may not be recreation for everyone, but there are many people who can think of nothing more fun than getting a massage and a spa treatment. For those people, there are four options in Duck and Southern Shores.
Aqua Essence Day Spa
Duck Road
(252) 261-9709
The name for Duck’s newest day spa was inspired by its waterfront location and by its commitment to satisfying all your senses with serenity. Have a manicure or pedicure while looking out over the Currituck Sound. Enjoy a massage, facial, aromatherapy or hot Polynesian shell therapy with organic body and face products. Linger in the spa lounge for a healing tincture, cleansing tea or a light and invigorating spa lunch. This spa is upstairs, over Aqua S Restaurant, so make plans to stay the day.
Complements
Salon
Scarborough Lane Shopping Center
(252) 255-1940
Complements is a full-service salon offering complete hair care, massage therapy, facials, manicures, pedicures, waxing and body treatments. Packages for weddings and other events and gifts certificates are available.
Diva’s Day Spa and Salon
Southern Shores Crossing Shopping Center
(252) 255-1772
Diva’s offers hair styling, makeup application, manicures and pedicures, skin care and facials, massages and body scrubs and wraps. Whether you simply need a little pampering or you’re preparing for a special occasion such as a wedding, Diva’s will treat you right. This salon has a laid-back but stylish atmosphere.
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Eden Day Spa and Salon
Duck Road
(252) 255-0711
Whether you want a full day of pampering or a quick hair cut, Eden Day Spa and Salon can fill the bill. This full-service salon offers massage therapy, European facials, makeup application, pedicures, manicures, hair treatments and a full menu of head-to-toe spa treatments. Wedding preparation is their specialty, and group appointments and spa packages are available. |
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The Sanderling Spa
Duck Road, north of Duck
(252) 261-4111, (800) 701-4111
This exclusive resort has a world-class spa offering an amazing menu of spa treatments. With a tranquil view of the Currituck Sound you can indulge in massage therapy, facials, body wraps and treatments, manicures, pedicures, hair and makeup treatments, and a spa lunch. Packages are available. You do not have to be a guest of the resort to book treatments at the spa. The Spa also offers yoga and Pilates classes that are open to the public. |
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Fishing
The waters around Duck provide opportunities for surf fishing in the Atlantic and inshore fishing in the Currituck Sound. You can also book charters to go fishing elsewhere along the Outer Banks. If you want to go offshore fishing in the ocean, you'll need to book a charter boat that heads out of Oregon Inlet or Hatteras Inlet. Oregon Inlet is about a 40-minute drive from Duck, while Hatteras Inlet is a good two hours from Duck. For charters out of Oregon Inlet, try Oregon Inlet Fishing Center, Pirate’s Cove Marina, Broad Creek Marina or Thicket Lump Marina for charter services.
Bob’s Tackle Shop
Duck Road
(252) 261-8589
Bob’s has been serving the needs of northern Outer Banks anglers for 28 years. Occupying the oldest original building in Duck, Bob’s will outfit you with any of the bait, tackle, gear and advice you need for surf fishing or inshore fishing in Duck. Bob’s also sets up 13 different types of charter fishing trips on the Outer Banks, everything from fly-fishing in the Currituck Sound to offshore fishing in the Gulf Stream. They also provide surf-fishing clinics that will teach you everything you need to know about the sport.
Fitness
OBX Adult Fitness Center
Southern Shores Crossing, Suite 105
(252) 489-9132
This circuit-training fitness center offers a 30-minute workout for any person of any age and any fitness level. The progressive exercise program offers a complete workout that includes cardio, strength training, flexibility and endurance with no impact. Hands-on instruction is available, and there are two circuits that can accommodate up to 35 people at a time, so they promise you'll never have to wait. Daily, weekly and monthly memberships are offered. Support services, such as nutritional guidance and health products, are available as well.
Curves
Sandy Ridge Center
(252) 449-2878
Curves offers the original 30-minute, full-body workout for women only. This location honors Curves memberships from other locations as long as you have a travel card from your home location. One-day trial passes are available.
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Running
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OBX® Marathon, Gateway Bank Half-Marathon
& Kelly Hospitality Group Fun Run
If you’re a runner or walker, you don’t want to miss this event on a flat course with awesome scenery and the spirited residents of the Outer Banks cheering for you all along the way. On Sunday, November 9, 2008, you can participate in the third annual OBX Marathon, the Gateway Bank Half-Marathon or the Kelly's Hospitality Group Fun Run. The course for the marathon begins in Kitty Hawk, travels on through Kill Devil Hills and around the Wright Memorial, goes through Nags Head and ends on Roanoke Island. The Gateway Bank Half-Marathon begins in Nags Head and ends on Roanoke Island. Walkers are welcome. There is a $25,000 prize purse for the OBX Marathon. For information and to register, go to www.obxmarathon.org, but register early because this event will sell out. |
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Tai Chi
Tai Chi is offered on the Duck Town Green on Tuesday and Thursday from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m., beginning on July 10 and concluding on August 9 for 2007. Tai Chi is a gentle art of health and well-being for people of all ages and health conditions. It incorporates slow, graceful movements to increase strength and flexibility, and it improves balance and circulation. Julia Daniel from Outer Banks Yoga is the instructor.
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Tours
Duck Research Pier/Field Research Facility
Duck Road
(252) 261-6840 ext. 234
frf.usace.army.mil
For a scientific perspective of the Outer Banks, take a tour of the fascinating Duck Research Pier. Located just north of the Town of Duck on the east side of N.C. Highway 12, the Duck Research Pier, officially known as the Field Research Facility, is an internationally recognized coastal observatory that was established by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in 1977. |
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This unique facility conducts research of the ocean processes affecting the coast, such as storm impacts and beach erosion. Instruments constantly monitor the waves, winds, tides and currents along the beaches, with the use of highly specialized equipment and an 1,840-foot-long pier. The facility offers access to both the ocean and sound, and it is often used by visiting scientists and researchers.
The Duck Research Pier offers free, guided public tours during the summer months. On a tour you will see all of the amazing instruments the scientists use, plus learn about the Outer Banks environment and coastal processes.
Tours begin in mid-June and run through mid-August. They are offered Monday through Friday at 10 a.m. only and last approximately one hour. Reservations are not required, but the gate is only open for tour admission from 9:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. If you arrive after 10 a.m. you will not be admitted. The walking tour is held outdoors and takes place on a sand trail, so physically challenged visitors may find it difficult to navigate.
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Water
Sports
Kayaking, Jet Skiing, parasailing, sailing, windsurfing and surfing are the most popular watersports in Duck. Several outfitters make it easy to participate in these sports, offering all the rental gear, safety gear and instruction you need.
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Coastal Kayak Touring Company
North Beach Outfitters
Waterfront Shops
(252) 261-6262 or (252) 441-3393
You haven't seen the Outer Banks until you've seen it from the water, and Coastal Kayak can take you there. They offer trips to four different areas of the Outer Banks: Pine Island Audubon Sanctuary (between Corolla and Duck), Kitty Hawk Woods, Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge on Hatteras Island and the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge on the Dare County mainland. The Pine Island trip, on the Currituck Sound, is the closest to Duck. Tours last two to three hours. The guides offer kayaking instruction if you need it, plus they narrate about the local history and ecology along the way. Single and tandem kayaks are available. Children are welcome, as long they are at least 30 pounds, but certain trips are better for kids than others. Reservations are required. |
Duck Village Outfitters
Duck Road
(252) 261-7222
Duck Village Outfitters offers bicycle, kayak, surf and beach-gear rentals, including body and skim boards and wetsuits. They offer two-hour, nature-watching kayak tours in the waters around Kitty Hawk Woods, about 10 minutes from Duck. The guide will meet you there with all the equipment you need, and you can choose from single or double kayaks. DVO also offers two-hour surf lessons, board included, in which you can learn the fundamentals of surfing with an experienced instructor.
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Grog's
Watersports
Duck Road, behind Sunset Grille and Raw Bar
(252) 261-6866
Grogs rents sailboats, Waverunners, kayaks and pontoon boats and offers parasailing. It's located behind Sunset Grille and Raw Bar, at the gazebo at the end of the pier. Package deals for combination Waverunner rentals and parasailing trips are available, and early bird discounts are available for Waverunner rentals. Grog's is open daily from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. in season. |
Kitty Hawk Kayaks
Kayak & Surf School
MP 1, 6150 N. Croatan Highway, Kitty Hawk
(252) 261-0145 or (866) 702-5061
Enjoy a kayak tour to some of the finest flat-water kayaking destinations on the Outer Banks. Kitty Hawk Kayaks offers 18 specialty tours across the Outer Banks, including tours in Kitty Hawk Woods, Nags Head Woods (hike and paddle), Roanoke Island, Alligator River and Pea Island National Wildlife Refuges and in Corolla. Kayak rentals are also available. The Surf School offers daily lessons and three-day surf camps throughout the summer. You can also take surf kayak lessons and ACA-certified kayak lessons. The friendly, professional staff promise your entire family will have fun.
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Kitty
Hawk Kites
Duck Road
(252) 261-8483 watersports center, (252) 261-4450 retail store
One of many Kitty Hawk Kites Watersports Centers on the Outer Banks, this one is on the sound near Wee Winks Square in Duck. This location offers parasailing trips, kayak rentals and Jet Ski rentals. Kitty Hawk Kites provides great kayak tours, but none of them are directly in Duck. The closest kayak tours are in Corolla or Kitty Hawk Woods. You can book one of their many kayak tours at the Duck store, or you can call the main reservations number at (877) FLY-THIS. Extra parking is across the street behind the Carolina Outdoors store. |
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Kitty Hawk Sports Surfin' Sports
Wee Winks Square
(252) 261-8770
Kitty Hawk Sports rents kayaks, body boards and surfboards from this location. The store also sells watersports gear and apparel. |
Outer Banks Surf Shop
Duck Road
(252) 261-4160
Outer Banks Surf Shop rents surfboards, boogie boards and bicycles and also offers surfing lessons.
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Nor’Banks Sailing Center
Duck Road
(252) 261-2900
In a perfect location on the Currituck Sound just north of the Duck Fire Station, Nor'Banks is a complete sailing and watersports center. They have a one-acre site, a 200-foot pier, a grassy lawn, bathrooms, picnic tables and umbrellas, so this is a great place to spend the day. They also have a great selection of rental sailboats -- everything from Windrider Trimarans to Hobie Cats to 19-foot Flying Scots -- that the whole family can fit in. Their U.S. Sailing Instructors provide a variety of professional instruction programs for youth and adults. Other activities you can pursue include kayak rentals (for onsite use or to take away to the site of your choice), Parasailing, motorboat rentals and Waverunner riding. Nor'Banks also sells sailboats, kayaks and accessories. |
North Duck Watersports
Duck Road
(252) 261-4200
When you’re ready to get on the water, head to North Duck Watersports. It’s on the sound at the north end of Duck, near the border of the Sanderling community. This is the original and longest-running watersports company on the northern Outer Banks. They rent four-stroke Waverunners, kayaks, pontoon boats, sailboats and windsurfing gear. Lessons or instruction are available if you need them. North Duck Watersports also offers Parasailing trips that allow you to soar high over the Currituck Sound.
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Ocean
Atlantic Rentals
Duck Road
(252) 261-4346
Ocean Atlantic Rentals offers the gear you need for outdoor fun. Bikes for the whole family, a variety of kayak styles, surf boards, wetsuits, body boards, skim boards, beach gear and strollers can all be rented here, and they'll deliver it to your cottage and pick it up when you leave. |
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Yoga
Outer Banks Yoga
The Sanderling Spa
Duck Road, north of Duck
(252) 480-3214
Outer Banks Yoga has a main studio in Kitty Hawk and also offers classes in season at the Sanderling Spa in Duck. Classes are open to everyone, not just guests of the Sanderling. The classes are a wonderful mix of rejuvenation and relaxation. They offer Pilates mat and multi-level yoga classes. You can purchase a single or multiple class pass.
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2007 Annual Events
Click here for Duck Annual Events. |
