Duck Recreation including Southern Shores

Coastal Kayak Touring Company

• 1240 Duck Road, at North Beach Outfitters
• Duck
• (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. Stand up paddleboard (SUP) tours are available at Pine Island Audubon Sanctuary and Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge. Children are welcome as long they are at least 30 pounds, but certain trips are better for kids than others. Reservations are required.

Corolla Wild Horse Museum Store

• 1177 Duck Road, Scarborough Faire, Suite 302
• Duck
• (252) 453-8002

The Corolla Wild Horse Museum Store is a mission-related store profiting the management of the wild Spanish Mustangs in Corolla. Everything for the horse lover (or even if you just like them!) is here.  Here, you can make a reservation to see the wild horses, riding along with the experts who care for them. And, kids! Every Tuesday and Thursday from 2:30 to 4:30, you can paint a wooden horse. There are three sizes to choose from. (This activity happens May 28 through September 5, 2013.) Paints, brushes and aprons are provided. Costs range from $5 to $35. Then, every Wednesday from 2 to 5 (May 29 through September 4, 2013) you can ride a formerly wild Spanish Mustang. Cost is $6. These activities are weather permitting. All proceeds go back to benefit the care and protection of the wild horses roaming the beaches and dunes north of Corolla

Diving in Duck

• Outer Banks
• Duck

There are no opportunities for scuba diving in Duck, but if you’re into the sport, see our Nags Head, Roanoke Island and Hatteras sites.

Duck

• General Information
• Duck

The small seaside town of Duck is a popular beach destination for good reason. The 7 miles of private beaches are wide and uncrowded, the town offers a variety of upscale accommodations and the charming self-contained village is full of top-notch restaurants and shops. And, with an extensive biking/walking trail and quiet side streets, Duck is one of those places where you can ditch the car and get around on bike or foot.

Duck is a shopping and dining destination even for those who are staying elsewhere on the Outer Banks. You could easily spend a day shopping in Duck, and the dining options are some of the best on the Outer Banks. Watersports are also big in Duck, especially on the Currituck Sound.  Duck’s main attraction is its soundfront Duck Town Park, complete with a playground, kayak launch, soundside boardwalk and amphitheater. This is the heart of the village, and the Town of Duck fills the park with activities in the summer. The popular Duck Jazz Festival is held in the park in October.

Duck Cycle

• 1211 Duck Road, Duck Commons
• Duck
• (252) 261- 0356

Tucked into Duck Commons near Sweet T’s and Savvy Home, Duck Cycle is a friendly place to rent bike shop-quality cruisers for the whole family, including baby seats and child trailers. This year Duck Cycle has added kayaks, surf, skim and body boards as well as standup paddleboards. Offering daily and weekly rates, they also deliver from Duck to Nags Head. If you have a need for speed and you’re looking to rent a road bike, you’ll find one at their other location, Kitty Hawk Cycle Company.

Duck Research Pier/Field Research Facility

• 1261 Duck Road
• Duck
• (252) 261-6840 ext. 2

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. 

This 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.

Duck Village Outfitters

• 1207 Duck Road
• Duck
• (252) 261-7222

In addition to being a great village surf shop, Duck Village Outfitters offers bicycle, kayak, surf, SUP 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 needed equipment, 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 the sport with an experienced instructor. If you rent kayaks here by the hour, you can launch them across the street at Duck Park.

Eden Day Spa & Salon

• 1245 Duck Road
• Duck
• (252) 255-0711

Whether you want a full day of pampering or a quick hair cut, Eden Day Spa & 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.

Kitty Hawk Kayak & Surf School

• MP 1, 6150 N. Croatan Highway
• (252) 261-0145, (866) 702-5061

Enjoy a kayak tour to some of the finest flatwater kayaking destinations on the Outer Banks. Kitty Hawk Kayak and Surf School offers multiple specialty tours across the Outer Banks, including tours in Kitty Hawk Woods, ocean paddling, night paddling at the Alligator River and Pea Island National Wildlife Refuges and in Kitty Hawk, Nags Head and Corolla. New this year is a night-time Bioluminessence Tour in Nags Head. Surf kayak and standup paddleboard lessons and rentals are also available. Ask about the overnight trips on the Roanoke River and their Coastal Explorer Camps for kids with field trips, surfing lessons and kayaking. The Surf School offers daily lessons and three-day surf camps throughout the summer plus yoga and surf retreats during the fall and spring. Surfboards are available for rent as well. All instructors and guides are ACA and NSSIA certified. The friendly, professional staff promises your entire family will have fun.

Kitty Hawk Kites Watersports Center

• Duck Road
• Duck
• (252) 255-0664

One of many Kitty Hawk Kites Watersports Centers on the Outer Banks, this one is on the sound near Wee Winks Square in Duck. You can ride Waverunners, parasail, go wakeboarding/waterskiing/tubing, book a kayak tour, or rent a kayak or stand-up paddleboard to glide around on your own. You can also have fun on a Segway tour of the Corolla area or book a surfing lesson. You can rent boogie boards and surfboards here, too. Call (252) 441-4124 or (877) FLY-THIS for reservations. The on-site store sells toys, kites, flags, Ts and sweats, souvenirs, pirate paraphernalia and other fun stuff.

Kitty Hawk Surf Co.

• 1213 Duck Road, Wee Winks Square
• Duck
• (252) 261-8787

Sporty, outdoorsy types love the selection at Kitty Hawk Surf Co. Here you’ll find all the hot surf-apparel brands like Quicksilver, Roxy, Volcom, Billabong, Peace Frog and more. And check out hot new Kitty Hawk Surf Co. branded apparel. They sell swimsuits, T-shirts, clothing, shoes, sunglasses and accessories for the outdoor lifestyle, plus water equipment like kayaks, bodyboards, surfboards, stand-up paddleboards and more.

North Duck Watersports

• 1446 Duck Road
• Duck
• (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.

Outer Banks Marathon / Outer Banks Sporting Events

• Throughout the Outer Banks

If you’re a runner or walker, or if you like to swim-bike-run, you don’t want to miss out on these events on a mainly flat course with awesome scenery and the spirited residents of the Outer Banks cheering for you all along the way. On November 10 and 11, 2013, you can participate in the annual Outer Banks Marathon, Half-Marathon or a 8K or 5K. 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 Half-Marathon begins in Nags Head and ends on Roanoke Island. Walkers are welcome. There is a $25,000 prize purse for the marathon. Several other events are held on Saturday, November 10, including an 8K, 5K and a 1-mile Fun Run. The Outer Banks Triathlon is scheduled for September 21 and 22, 2013, and includes Sprint, Half and Olympic distances. The Triathlon races start on Roanoke Island. On April 12 and 13, 2013, the Flying Pirate Half-Marathon and First Flight 5K are held on the central beaches. For information and to register, go to www.obxmarathon.org.

Outer Banks Sporting Events

• 2004 S. Croatan Highway, Kill Devil Hills
• (252) 255-6273

Outer Banks Sporting Events is an event-planning nonprofit that organizes the extremely popular Outer Banks Marathon, Outer Banks Triathlon and several other fitness-oriented events. The Outer Banks Marathon Weekend, always held on Veteran’s Day weekend (November 9 and 10 in 2013), offers a weekend full of events, including the Marathon from Kitty Hawk to Manteo, the Half Marathon from Nags Head to Manteo, plus an 8K, 5K and Fun Run. The Marathon is a Boston Qualifier. The Outer Banks Triathlon is held in September (September 21 and 21 in 2013) on Roanoke Island and includes Sprint, Olympic and Half distances. The Flying Pirate Half Marathon Weekend in April (April 13 and 14 in 2013) includes the Half Marathon from Kitty Hawk to Nags Head, the First Flight 5K and a new event called Storm the Beach, which combines a 5K distance with obstacles and challenges on the beach. One hundred percent of the proceeds of these events support two Outer Banks nonprofits — Outer Banks Relief Foundation and Dare Education Foundation — and this is why the slogan of Outer Banks Sporting Events is “Run for a Reason.”

Outer Banks Surf Shop

• 1176 Duck Road
• Duck
• (252) 261-2907

Outer Banks Surf Shop offers two-hour surf lessons and provides all the equipment you’ll need. They also rent and sell surfboards, paddleboards, body boards and skim boards. And, for all the skaters, they offer a huge selection of equipment such as blanks, completes, trucks, wheels, safety gear and longboards.

Sanderling Spa

• 1461 Duck Road, north of Duck
• Duck
• (252) 261-4111, (855) 773-6857

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. A favorite Signature Treatment is a massage on the outside gazebo, where you can take in the beauty of your surroundings. The Spa also offers yoga classes seasonally. Bridal packages are available. The spa is open daily to the public.

Sharky’s Bait, Tackle & Charters

• 1245 Duck Road, Barrier Island Station
• Duck
• (252) 255-BAIT

Sharky’s offers a large selection of rods, reels, tackle and lures. They have fresh and frozen bait, including crab bait and supplies, and a selection of sharp T-shirts, hats and beach supplies. They offer personalized customer service, North Carolina fishing licenses, surf fishing clinics, rod and reel rentals, and the staff will even give you instructions and tips on how and where to catch fish and crabs. Want to book a fishing charter? Sharky’s has trips for beginners, family groups and experienced anglers. Try offshore, Inshore, ocean wreck, Gulf Stream, shark or sound charters. Half- to full-day charters, custom and make-up trips are available, in addition to head boat fishing, you can dolphin watches and sunset cruises.

Southern Shores

• General Information
• Southern Shores

The Town of Southern Shores, situated between Duck and Kitty Hawk, is predominantly residential. It’s made up mostly of year-round residents, but the town welcomes vacationers with nice accommodations near the ocean and a paved biking/walking trail that extends the length of the town. With much of its natural vegetation left intact, Southern Shores is a beautiful town. On the west side of town, dense maritime forest of live oaks and pines makes for a cool, shady area that feels far from the ocean. Southern Shores offers a handful of shops and restaurants, but its bordering towns offer many more options for shopping and dining as well as recreation. The town is home to the Duck Woods Country Club golf course.

The Bead Shop

• 1187 Duck Road, Loblolly Pines Shopping Center
• Duck
• (252) 255-0766

Whether you’re a serious beader and jewelry maker or you’re just looking for a way to entertain kids one afternoon, The Bead Shop is a fun stop. They have thousands of beads plus all the supplies you need to make necklaces, bracelets, anklets and earrings, and they also offer local paintings and textiles. Stock up on supplies to take home, or hang out and make your jewelry in the store with the assistance of the staff.

Village Yoga

• 1177 Duck Road, Scarborough Faire
• Duck
• (910) 523-1980, (252) 202-4582

Located in the upstairs of the Scarborough Faire shopping center, Village Yoga is a new studio offering multi-level classes, workshops and retreats on a daily basis. Saturdays and Sundays they offer a yoga by donation class and kids yoga classes on Wednesdays from late May to late August. Seniors, locals and students and teachers of Dare and Currituck counties receive discounted rates. Village Yoga also offers a class on Tuesday evenings at 5:15 at the Roanoke Island Maritime Museum in Manteo.

Wooden Feather Wildlife Gallery

• 1171 Duck Road, Scarborough Lane Shoppes
• Duck
• (252) 261-2808

The wildlife of the Outer Banks is captured in original wood carvings, paintings and photography at this unique gallery. The Wooden Feather showcases the exceptional work of more than 85 regional and nationally recognized artists and artisans. From the realistic to the whimsical, American artistic ingenuity is just the beginning. You’ll find delightful gifts and home and garden accents too.