Free and Low-Cost things to do in Corolla, North Carolina

Corolla, North Carolina is a charming, family-friendly town in the Northern Outer Banks, and it’s full of fun activities to do for free or cheap. Nestled between the ocean and the sound, you’ll find plenty of natural beauty here. You’ll also find interesting history and picturesque settings. These are our recommendations for free or low-cost things to do in Corolla.

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1. Explore a Quaint Corolla Shopping Village

Corolla Light Town Center is a really cute shopping village with brightly colored cottages that house the shops and restaurants. There were several restaurants, a deli, a bakery, mini-golf, ice cream, and candy and souvenir shops.

Timbuck II is about 8 minutes south of Corolla Lights. It was a little larger, and had lots of unique shopping and dining options. Prices were not exorbitant and there were affordable restaurants. We grabbed some souvenirs at Beach Books used bookstore and Mystic Gift. Then we got a tasty treat at the very popular Big Bucks Creamery Homemade Ice Cream.

2. Watch a sunset at Historic Corolla Park

Quick facts about Historic Corolla Park:
What is it: The park features five unique attractions, space for hiking, biking, crabbing, fishing and hosting events, and a variety of annual festivals such as the Under the Oaks Art Festival.
Cost: Free, parking on site
Attractions: The next five attractions are located at the park.

Our Impression: This was a picturesque park. The footbridge to the Whalehead Club was so pretty. The gazebo, light house, and all of the other buildings were also picturesque. The kids also really enjoyed the large playground. We visited during the art festival, but it still didn’t feel crowded as there is plenty of greenspace. The park is nestled along the sound, and offered the perfect spot to watch the sunset.

3. Take a tour of the Whalehead at Historic Corolla Park

Quick Facts about the Whalehead at Historic Corolla Park:
What is it: a 1920s era mansion and museum which offers tours.
Hours: Monday – Friday 9am-4pm
Pricing: Tour (Self-guided) Pricing: Ages: 0-5 free — Ages: 6-12 $5 — Ages: 13-54 $7 — Ages: 55+ $5 — Military (Active) $5

Our impressions: This was a beautiful and unique building and the audio self-guided tour was very reasonably priced. It lasts about an hour and gives you a glimpse of the local history. This includes a peek into the opulent lifestyle of the Knight family of Philadelphia, who built the home as a winter retreat.

4. Visit the Outer Banks Center for Wildlife Education

Quick facts about the Outer Banks Center for Wildlife Education:
What is it: a nature center offering displays and outdoor programs about North Carolina’s coastal wildlife and natural history.
Cost: Free
Hours: Monday – Friday 9am-4pm

Our impressions: Both the Maritime Museum and the Center for Wildlife Education were free, and thoughtfully presented. The Wildlife Center had lots of interesting info on the birds, fish, animals and plants found in the Outer Banks, and the kids enjoyed looking at the various taxidermies. The film was well-done.

5. Climb to the top of the Currituck Beach Lighthouse (or just visit the gift shop!)

Quick facts about the Currituck Beach Lighthouse:
What is it: A lovely historic lighthouse that can be seen throughout Historic Corolla Park. Climb the 220 steps to the top for a grand view.
Cost to climb: $13, ages 4 and up; Grounds and museum are free
Hours: March to November, 9 to 5 daily

Our Impressions: We have climbed lots of lighthouses, and there are six of us, so it didn’t seem worth the cost to go up to the top this time. That being said, if I hadn’t had the whole family along I would have loved to see a panoramic view of this northernmost tip of the Outer Banks, with the ocean and sound on either side. We loved the adorable gift shop, which had all kinds of reasonably priced lighthouse souvenirs, set up in the keepers quarters of the lighthouse.

6. Check out the Currituck Maritime Museum

Quick facts about the Currituck Maritime Museum:
What is it: a museum showcasing historic watercrafts, and other exhibits featuring the local historical industries and culture.
Hours: Monday to Friday 10 to 4
Cost: Free
Our impression: We liked the nautical design of the Maritime Museum and enjoyed learning about the light houses, ships, decoys, fishing industry, and other related historical and cultural information that helped us get a feel for the local area.

7. Go to the Beach at one of the Public Access Beaches

Quick facts about Public Beach Access:
Where to find: The Northern Outer Banks has plenty of public access beaches. You can find a list of them at this website. You can filter the list to find those with parking, restrooms, and other amenities.
Cost: Free

Our impressions: We visited the Public Access Beach at Corolla Village Road. It was beautiful. You could see the lighthouse across the street at the park. The beach was wide, sand was soft, and everything was clean, including the broad wooden walkways on and off the beach. During the golden hour there were lots of families taking portraits. If you happen to have a 4 X 4 vehicle you can use it to enter the Northern beaches and spot the wild mustangs that roam that area. If you don’t have one but want to see the horses, you can pay for a tour (find tour centers in the shopping villages) or check out the bonus tip below.

Bonus tip: Stay at the Outer Banks West / Currituck Sound KOA to take a free boat tour up to Corolla

This is about an hour from Corolla, but if you’re looking for a budget-friendly option in the Northern Outer Banks, this will allow you to enjoy lots of amenities while still being close enough to explore the ocean side of the Northern Outer Banks.

Quick facts about this KOA:
Amenities: Campsites, RV sites, Cabins, Pool, pickleball, basketball, fishing piers, boat ramp, swimming piers, laundry facilities, playground, dog-park, jump pad, kayaks, paddleboard, nature trail, and more.
Boat tour info: The campsite offers complimentary boat shuttles to Carova Beach, home of the NC wild Mustangs, on a first-come, first-serve basis. They also offer sunset cruises for a small fee.
Our impressions: This was a fun place to stay. Our little pink cabin was right in front of the playground and splash pad which, of course, the children loved. We also enjoyed swimming in the sound off the swimming dock, and later in the nice outdoor pool. My husband and I tried kayaking, though to be honest, we struggled! We stayed close to the shore because it was hard to fight the sea and get where we wanted to go. We enjoyed giving it a try though!