The Beach Road Corolla NC

The village of Corolla is between the Currituck Sound and the Atlantic Ocean. We visited the Outer Banks last year, spending a day in Corolla. Wild horses roam through the village, along the beach and over the sand dunes. After having no luck last year, we returned to hike and, hopefully, see the horses.

Highway 12 is a 148 mile road traversing the Outer Banks of North Carolina. An 11 mile beach road begins where Highway 12 ends in Corolla. It runs all the way to the Virginia State line but only four wheel drive travel is allowed. Vehicles are required to lower the air pressure in their tires before going out on the sand. There are free air down/air up stations in Corolla. 

The road is above the high tide line in somewhat packed sand. We walked along the shore as cars drove next to us. The speed limit is 35 mph and vehicles are supposed to stay a minimum of 50 feet away from pedestrians and animals but the road can be narrow at high tide. There is no parking along the first 1.5 miles. Beyond this point, parking permits are required. We were surprised at how many vehicles use the road to drive north. Construction vehicles, including a cement truck, drove right beside by. The road provides access to the Carova beach neighborhood which is tucked into the dunes and has unpaved roads. The wild horses are known to hang out there.

The Corolla beach is dotted with remnants of 100+ year old ghost forests. The pines and cedars were destroyed by salt water and swallowed by the surf as the sea level rose. The power of the ocean is incredible. We discovered a massive green marker, sitting high in the dunes. It was most likely placed there during a storm.

We had a great day hiking the beach road in spite of not crossing paths with any wild horses. Maybe next time! We are certain that we will return.

Currituck Lighthouse beach view

Corolla Beach Houses

Beach Road

Cement truck on the beach road

Green marker high on the dunes

Pelicans over the dunes

Pelicans in flight

Ghost forest along Corolla Beach

 

Seagulls waiting

The Secret Room - Elizabeth City, NC

The Historic River City Lodge is on Fearing Street in Elizabeth City, North Carolina. The main building was built in the 1800s. It is advertised as a wedding venue with three suites available for your wedding party. In addition, there is a separate studio called The Secret Room. I'm not sure how it got it's name, however, it was nearly hidden from view, tucked between the lodge and the building next door. The windows were dark with heavy curtains and could easily be mistaken for an emergency exit. We kept that door locked when we were in the suite which was a good thing. Someone who was a bit lost tried to enter before realizing it was not the front door to the lodge. It felt private and separate from the other suites. We could come and go without being seen or seeing the hosts or other guests. The Secret Room shared walls with the lodge so we could hear everything going on in the main building and at the Biergarten. The lodge is in the historic downtown where roads are paved with Baltimore cobblestones. 

Historic River City Lodge - 1847

Cobblestone road - Baltimore bricks

The Secret Room was clean and comfortable. Our hosts, Donnie and Olivia left us snacks and a gift card to the local coffeehouse, Muddy Waters, just a couple blocks away. They also provided us with access to a local gym. The studio had a kitchen and private bath. A door in the back of the suite led to the Leatherneck Lounge where we could play pool and do our laundry for free. The River City Lodge Biergarten was just off the lounge. During the summer they offered music on the patio behind the lodge.

The Secret Room tucked between buildings 

Front door to the Secret Room

Reflections

Kitchen

Looking out of the Secret Room

Comfortable and inviting

Living area with lots of room

Kitchenette with bathroom down hall

Our hosts invited us to the St. Patrick's Day celebration. We joined many locals in full Irish regalia for karaoke. The place was mobbed. We took the last open table in a small entryway room by the door and enjoyed one beer, just a little disappointed that we didn't get to talk to anyone. On Thursday, the Biergarten was open again featuring great acoustic music. We sat by the bar and stage along with a moderate crowd. We met Alice who told us she'd moved to EC, (as the locals call the town), ten years earlier from Long Island. She had a strong New York accent that had weathered her time in the south. We sat with Alice and her husband, along with their friends, all night long, listening to their stories about back home and life in North Carolina. By the end of the night Alice was trying to convince us to move there. We really enjoyed the evening!

Alice took a photo of us on the Patio

St. Patrick's Day in EC

The lodge is close to the historic downtown restaurants and breweries. We got to know Elizabeth City on long walks through town. We visited both college campuses and spent a morning at the Maritime Museum learning about the nautical history of the area. We also walked along the Pasquotank River through the upscale neighborhoods.

Maritime Museum

Shad boat in Maritime Museum 

Pailin's Alley

Fire Hydrant Table in Pailin's Alley

Pool Street Park

Puschkinia was blooming everywhere

Elizabeth City Water Tower

Cool windows in deserted building 

The River City Lodge was a great spot for us to stage our week of adventures in the Outer Banks, as well as make visits to local communities. Since it was off season, our stay was very reasonable. The locals were friendly and our hosts were attentive without being invasive. We came and went from the Secret Room almost completely undetected. We would book the Secret Room again! It was worth it!

Enjoying a sunny day on the patio
at River City Lodge

The Journey Is Part Of The Adventure

We enjoy road trips and North Carolina has become our go to destination to escape the cold winters of the north. This year's adventure took us on a long drive south to Elizabeth City. Our journey began with a detour in Madison, Wisconsin to have dinner with our daughter, Brie. We met at Off Broad, one of our favorite pubs for eats and beer. After dinner we continued on to Bloomington, IL where we spent the night. We were lucky to get out of Minnesota when we did. A huge winter storm that dumped substantial snow moved in as we moved south.

Enjoying dinner in Madison

Our next stop was Hendersonville, Tennessee. We were delighted to see daffodils and glorious purple, pink and white Red Bud trees blooming along the roadside. It felt great to catch up to spring! Located just north of Nashville, Hendersonville is a beautiful town. We took back roads and wove through hills and valleys and over rivers and creeks before arriving at our destination. Our friend Marna moved from Minnesota to Tennessee several years ago with her extended family. We arrived at her house around 3:00 and chatted with her mom Eleanor, and sister Lynn until Marna got home from work. Dinner was at Jonathan's Restaurant where we met two more of our former Minnesota friends, Alia and Jay. The Friday night special was two for one beers. We sat on the patio and enjoyed the evening and a dinner of fish tacos. When we arrived back at the house, Eleanor was waiting up for us to share a nightcap with her. It was a wonderful visit.

With Marna and Alia at Jonathan's

With Eleanor and Marna

Lynn in the She Shed

In the morning, Marna took us on a gorgeous walk along the station Camp Greenway in Gallatin, Tennessee. The trail was busy with dog walkers and runners. We walked a three mile out and back section of the trail that wound through sunny and wooded sections, with several bridges that crossed back and forth over Station Camp Creek. It was a great way to begin our day. After our walk we jumped back in our car to head toward North Carolina.

Station Camp Creek Trailhead 

Hiking with Marna

We are lucky to be traveling with a flexible schedule. Our Airbnb was booked for Sunday which gave us two more days to get there. With time to explore, we stopped at the Bunker Hill Historic Covered Bridge in Catawba County, North Carolina. We enjoy visiting these historic landmarks but are always disappointed to find graffiti and vandalism. There was a half mile walking path through the woods to the other side of the bridge. A short path, called John's Overlook, looped around and through the woods, crossing Lyle Creek which enabled us to see the bridge from the other side. 

Bunker Hill Covered Bridge was close to Statesville, North Carolina where we stayed for the night. We slept well and were up and headed for Elizabeth City by 8:00 am. There were several towns we wanted to drive through including Edenton, which sits along the banks of the Pasquotank River. Edenton was cold, windy and rainy. The river was churning and the boats in the marina were dancing in their slips. We stopped long enough to walk along the waterfront then jumped back in the car for the drive to Hertford, a quaint town about 20 minutes west of Elizabeth City. We drove into town hoping to explore what we'd heard was a charming place to live. We parked at the City Hall lot and walked across the street to the local Microbrewery, but were disappointed to find it closed even though the sign said it should be open. The building had broken windows and bullet holes. I'm not sure what we expected, but Hertford was a small town that appeared to be worn and tired. It is going to need a boost to become charming once again. 

Roanoke River Light Edenton, NC

Blustery Edenton Waterfront

Muddy bottomed boat in Edenton

We arrived in Elizabeth City early in the afternoon and contacted our Airbnb host about checking in. We were settled in the "Secret Room" by 2:00 and headed out, ready to explore the historic downtown. Our first stop was Seven Sounds Microbrewery only blocks away.

Staying warm by the fire at Seven Sounds

Seven Sounds Brewery, sandy beach

We made the best of the long drive to North Carolina. When we were on our Great Loop Adventure aboard our sailboat, we learned that the journey to our destination held mystery and intrigue. Each travel day was filled with new experiences. Every passage was an opportunity to explore and learn new things. Our road trips work the same way. Our journey becomes part of the adventure and we do our best to enjoy the ride!