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Posted By: ajs

Subject: Things to do on 4x4 beaches

We are thinking of renting two large homes on the 4x4 beach next May, for a group ranging in ages from 27-60, with 3 kids ages 3-8. Anyone have thoughts on if this is a spot a lot of people would like, or if it only appeals to those who prefer solitude? We just vacationed in So. California and people went surfing, on bike rides, and could run out to the stores quickly if need be, so I have a feeling this will be much different. Does the area have things to do for people who want to be active outside? Is it difficult to get to a nearby area to do shopping, get some town life? Having never been there, your expertise is much appreciated!

Message Replies:

33669: RE: Things to do on 4x4 beaches

4/10/2009 11:51:29 AM

Posted By: Guest

stick to corolla, close enough to visit 4 x4 beaches, but you still have paved roads and other nice things

33672: RE: Things to do on 4x4 beaches

4/10/2009 12:01:21 PM

Posted By: Frank

My kids(10&12)like to catch a pony to keep at the house for a week. We just bring down some rope to keep it in the backyard.

They can usually get one on the 1st day of vacation but having it at the house keeps them occupied all week.

33675: RE: Things to do on 4x4 beaches

4/10/2009 12:33:15 PM

Posted By: Guest

Don't so it! do you know how much trouble you'll get in if you're caught? Huge fines and maybe jail time. They're protected.

33676: RE: Things to do on 4x4 beaches

4/10/2009 1:08:10 PM

Posted By: Guest

33672 - I hope you are kidding about catching an keeping a pony at the house for a week! If you are not, you must be a moron. Better be careful, one of these days you'll be tied up for a week or longer, the only yard you'll see is the yard at the prison! If I ever saw you doing that, I'd be the first one to report you!

33679: RE: Things to do on 4x4 beaches

4/10/2009 2:28:50 PM

Posted By: Guest

33672 is just either kidding or dumb or both either way i would see a doctor. stick to corolla the 4x4 beaches are a little far back from shops stick to corolla.

33683: RE: Things to do on 4x4 beaches

4/10/2009 3:37:30 PM

Posted By: Guest

If you are looking for a vacation home in Corova, Seaside Vacations has the perfect home for you. I have included the link so that you can view some photos. Our family absolutely loved this home last summer

http://www.outerbanksvacations.com/rental/house.html?ID=320&Avail=&Stay=

33711: RE: Things to do on 4x4 beaches

4/11/2009 5:34:24 AM

Posted By: local

nothing but you and the beach up here. After So Cal you'd be bored stiff day two in the 4X4 and Corolla as well.

33718: RE: Things to do on 4x4 beaches

4/11/2009 7:37:41 AM

Posted By: Guest

4X4 territory is isolated from shopping and dining and other amenities, but not from people driving up and down the beach day and night, and even setting up for the day with kids, dogs, tarps, fishing rods and etc.
I would suggest Corolla, maybe Corolla Light Resort or Whalehead. Nothing beats an oceanfront house with a private walkway to the beach. Here is some Corolla information for you:
http://www.twiddy.com/homes/corolla/

33738: RE: Things to do on 4x4 beaches

4/11/2009 11:22:18 AM

Posted By: Guest

Dodge traffic on the beach

33780: RE: Things to do on 4x4 beaches

4/12/2009 9:42:51 AM

Posted By: Guest

Gotta love it. Want to take a beach vacation and then you ask, what is there to do? If you need constant shopping and entertainment, the Outer Banks is not for you. It's all about the beach here, not much else around. If entertainment is what you're looking for, check into one of the big cities in the USA or try Disney World.

33785: RE: Things to do on 4x4 beaches

4/12/2009 11:32:53 AM

Posted By: Guest

33780 hit it on the head. You come to the Banks for relation and and sunshine. If you want shopping and activities you need to look elsewhere. Oh and your not supposed to go anywhere near the ponies.

33900: RE: Things to do on 4x4 beaches

4/13/2009 5:59:57 PM

Posted By: ajs

Just as an update to my original post - we are not looking for constant entertainment. I'm just a good hostess in knowing that not every single one of the 45-50 people wants the same thing. I know some of them only get two weeks of vacation per year. I may be OK with the beach, but if someone wants to play golf, I was trying to find out if they'd be easily able to get to a golf course. If one of the 50 people doesn't want to eat the meal we are cooking out there, can they easily get to a restaurant? If someone forgets their swim suit, can they get to a place to buy one? If my dad, who rides his bike every day at home, wants to ride it during his week of vacation, would he be able to? I had hoped this board would be a place for me to have questions answered, I'm kind of surprised I'm just getting saracastic and almost rude responses.

33912: RE: Things to do on 4x4 beaches

4/13/2009 10:17:17 PM

Posted By: Guest

ajs,
My wife & I live in the 4x4 area full time. I will offer my advice. Without knowing where you will be staying you could be anywhere from 3 to 10 miles from the hard paved road in Corolla, shopping,eating out, etc. Beach driving could be a big issue. The beach gets deeply rutted & "cut up & soft. The roads behind the dunes to many rentals will be deeply rutted & filled with water as they are now. Not alot of activities up here other than those you can create to entertain yourself. Your Dad will have to load his bike in a suv & drive it to beach or lug it across the beach to ride it on the front of the beach at low tide & if the sand is hard packed. You have such a large group & diverse ages I think it may be difficult to please everyone & I think beach driving will be a chore for you. The novelty might wear off on day one when one or more of your group gets stuck. Golfing would be at the Currituck Club & tee times have to be reserved. For exclusive places to vacation, try Buck Island or Pine Island. Pricey but, all the bells & whistles. Not trying to discourage you from trying out the 4x4 area. Its not for everyone. Enjoy your time on the Outer Banks where ever you stay.

34582: RE: Things to do on 4x4 beaches

4/27/2009 5:39:48 AM

Posted By: Guest

a vacation with 45 to 50 people is not a vacation. and if this is your first time to obx, the 4X4 is not where you want to start. trust me.

34851: RE: Things to do on 4x4 beaches

4/30/2009 5:53:19 AM

Posted By: Guest

ajs..with that many folks I would try the Corolla area. It is just south of the 4x4 but you still have easy access to shopping, restaurants, etc. Here is some info on Corolla. For rental agencies recommend Twiddy and Brindley Beach Vacations have provided excellent service over the years. You can be as busy as you want. Grocery shopping is convenient Food Lion and Harris Teeter) and there are a number of shops and restaurants located in Tim Buck II Shopping Village just across from the Food Lion complex. Go to the top of the page. Type in 'Tim Buck II' in the search window. Or 'google' Tim Buck II. Should find good info regarding the shops, etc at Tim Buck II. Just a little north of the Food Lion complex (shops and restaurants as well in that complex)is the Corolla Light Village Shops. More shopping and restaurants. You can watch the sunrise on the beach in the morning and the sunsets over the sound in the evening. The Corolla Lighthouse, the Whalehead Club, the Wildlife Education Center(history of the Sound..very nice) are great. If you think you would enjoy a kayak tour of the Sound sign up early in the week at the Wildlife Education Center. Check out NC Bar-b-que just north of the Corolla lighthouse (Currituck Lighthouse is the official name). Rent a Jeep and drive the 4x4 beach. Maybe see some horses. Or book a spot for a paid tour of the four wheel drive area. Don't know what you are into but you can rent jet skis on the Sound, fly huge kites on the beach, go parasailing over the Sound, boogie boarding, golf is nearby, fishing, crabbing, volley ball on the beach, bike riding, putt-putt,etc. We like the Dockside Seafood Market in the Food Lion complex for fresh sea food. Below is the Corolla Village website. Provides a brief history, list of restaurants, shops, etc. Duck is south of Corolla...nice village with more nice shops/restaurants. And if you want to see other area attractions you can drive south to the other lighthouses, Jockey Ridge, Wright Bros Memorial, etc. Hatteras is approximately 70 miles or so south of Corolla. From Hatteras you can take the ferry to Okracoke Island. Nice day trip. At the top and bottom of this page you will find "RESTAURANTS","WHAT TO DO", "PLAN YOUR TRIP", "OBX TOWNS" (maps). On the left of this page are a number of popular topics (FAQs). Helpful info. I should add the communities south of Corolla are nice. The further south you go (Rodanthe, Waves, Avon, Hatteras, Okracoke) the less congestion. But fewer shops and restaurants. Below is the Corolla website. Should add...favorite things to do is go to the beach, read a book on the beach, doze a little on the beach, walk along the beach, boogie board. All interspersed with a Corona or two. Hope this helps.
http://www.corollaguide.com/information/

35291: RE: Things to do on 4x4 beaches

5/4/2009 2:02:34 PM

Posted By: Guest

What the kids 4x4s go by all day like the highway

35497: RE: Things to do on 4x4 beaches

5/6/2009 1:58:08 PM

Posted By: Guest

wow i didn't really do a lot of studying up on the 4x4 area before renting a house there. I plan on having a wedding on the beach can someone who lives there or goes there alot give me an idea what to expect with the traffic and all i mean the wedding its self could only possibly last half hour tops, but from reading this blog i have a bad feeling i might be in a lot of trouble wife the bride.

37196: RE: Things to do on 4x4 beaches

5/30/2009 8:00:23 PM

Posted By: Guest

When they say 4x4, that doesn't mean a suburu or a small suv. Seen all kinds of small SUV's getting stuck, thats only going maybe 50 yards or so from the end of the black top. You need a decent size 4x4, and let most of the air out of your tires. Gonna be a pain in the arse if you need to be constantly going back to the blacktop to buy stuff or go do other stuff, this area is mostly for peace and quiet. Recommend other areas with large groups. Tow trucks are on the beach to help pull you out if you get stuck, but expect a hefty price tage to pull you out.

38867: RE: Things to do on 4x4 beaches

6/16/2009 5:56:02 PM

Posted By: pag

We rented "The Mark Twain" house last summer in the 4x4 beaches. We had 11 families go and we had a blast. Only 2.5 miles from the paved road but still was very hard to get to. Out of the 11 suv's 2 got stuck and had to be towed. After watching the tow truck guy towing people out of the sand all week, we where convinced that he owned the huge house that we where staying in! The guys went out golfing a couple of days at the currituck club, they said it was very nice. Need reservations though (summer) not sure if you will in May. My plan was to go out sight seeing on the days the guys played golf but did not feel safe to drive down the beach with kids. Afraid of getting stuck!!!! So, I spent the week at the house only leaving once to shop at Wings for half hour. (one of the husbands who doesn't golf took us into town) Not that that's a bad thing, the beach is great, the water is beautiful, we had a nice big pool and ten of my best friends with me to hang out with. I would have liked to take off for a ride if I wanted to though. I am not sure getting married on the beach is a great idea. What time of day where you thinking? I would suggest anytime before 7 am or after 6 pm (not kidding!!!!) the traffic was terrible!! I thought we would be isolated and that nobody would be out there, WRONG! I called it the super sandy highway. It was like trying to play frogger (just dated myself) when you tried to cross the beach. There does seem to be alot of things to do in town if you have guests that like to stay busy but it is not any easy trip in or out of the 4x4 area.

39965: RE: Things to do on 4x4 beaches

6/26/2009 7:16:02 PM

Posted By: Guest

G0 BACK TOO CALF. , AND STAY THERE!

39966: RE: Things to do on 4x4 beaches

6/26/2009 7:17:03 PM

Posted By: Guest

G0 BACK TOO CALF. , AND STAY THERE!

40015: RE: Things to do on 4x4 beaches

6/27/2009 11:19:55 AM

Posted By: misty

I want to comment to the post #33672 FRANK What a jerk....My kids like to keep a pony at the house...I wish there was some way to report this a-----e....The horses are wild and deserve to be respected and left alone to enjoy at a distance...He would be upset if his kids got kicked or bitten..I have grown up my whole life around horses, they are beautiful animals but can be unpredictable, especially the babies and stallions You do not get yourself a pony to entertain the kids....That is your job as a parent....not sitting at the beach ignoring your children...

40209: RE: Things to do on 4x4 beaches

6/29/2009 6:58:46 AM

Posted By: jpr

With that many people and lots of different interests I would suggest Avon which is south on Hatteras Island. You can still drive on the beach at the southern most point of Avon, fish there or from the Avon pier, but there is plenty to do also. There are lots of nice shops, restaurants and also a large Food Lion, hardware store that has anything you might have forgotten, mini golf, go carts, kayak rentals, windsurfing rentals & lessons and a movie theatre. You can also take the ferry (45 minutes on ferry)from Hatteras over to Okracoke Island to shop, see the ponies or eat. As others have mentioned - you don't come to OBX for the entertainment - if you don't live close to the beach (we live 13 hours away) - you really go to just enjoy and love the beach and the beautiful unspoiled area. This beach is like the beaches were when I was a kid growing up in the north. Not many people even in the dead of summer. Got to love it!! It's the real deal. Wish we could live here. Hope your tip is great. It's a vacation - try to relax!

47446: RE: Things to do on 4x4 beaches

8/5/2009 1:42:00 PM

Posted By: Guest

Does anyone know if there are lifeguards on Carova Beach?

48364: RE: Things to do on 4x4 beaches

8/10/2009 5:20:42 PM

Posted By: Guest

NO lifegaurds on Carova beach

51611: RE: Things to do on 4x4 beaches

8/27/2009 6:17:36 PM

Posted By: Guest

4x4 is not a place for first time Outer Banks vacationers. If you're looking for a life guard, find a public beach access. The house's we've stayed at mostly don't have public beach accesses, but the ones that did were in Whalehead. If you're looking for entertainment, shopping and such, I'd try Buck Island Ocean Sands or Whalehead. There's a nice lake in Ocean Sands called Ocean Lake. Tim Buck Two is right across from Buck Island, it's a great shopping place. The Food Lion is right across from Buck Island as well. Harris Teeter's is better though...a lot more clean, and more selection. That is in Ocean sands I believe. Have a great vacation! It's great in Outer Banks!

51919: RE: Things to do on 4x4 beaches

8/30/2009 7:19:33 AM

Posted By: tim

Our FIRST stay at OBX was last year and we stayed about 8 miles up the beach in the 4X4 area. Took two kids and two dogs, never had one issue with traffic on the beach. It can be busy though during the day. I have a 1997 F250 4X4 went through the sand like a dream, soft or hard packed. There is some technique to driving in the sand, mostly common sense. In fact, my wife took my daughter and drove into Corolla on her own and didn't have any trouble whatsoever. We are going there again this year in October, staying about ten miles up the beach this time. We plan ahead and get all the groceries and other items we need prior to checking in. I go into town once or twice a week for bait since I am a avid surf fisherman. We also go into town, as a family, twice during the week for most of the day, to shop and eat out. Just plan ahead and arrive a couple of hours before check-in and get what you need prior to heading up the beach.

69962: RE: Things to do on 4x4 beaches

6/30/2010 5:27:44 AM

Posted By: Guest

Is there air at the on off spots or do I need to bring a portable compressor?

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