Carova Beach - Outer Banks - NCCarova Beach - Outer Banks - NC
Carova Beach is on Currituck County's northern Outer Banks. This part of the Outer Banks is a pristine environment that offers wide sandy beaches, undisturbed dunes, and wild horses. Here you can enjoy nature with luxury.
Carova Beach is made up of communities that include, Swan Beach, North Swan Beach and Carova. There a no paved road so bring your four-wheel drive vehicle. The Carova Beach area consists of 11-miles of unspoiled beaches - stretching from the Virginia line to Corolla. The name Carova is derived from the names Carolina and Virginia. The area consists of million-dollar homes, along with the more modest homes of year-round residents, scattered among the dunes and facing the Atlantic Ocean.
You can't get here directly from Virginia which helps to maintain the treasured isolation of earlier times. You can get to Carova by following NC12 north through the Town of Duck and north beyond Corolla. Once you reach the end of the paved road - you take a left and head up the beach. Take in what you'll need because there 
are no grocery stores, gas stations, or restaurants.
The upscale rental homes in the area come equipped with all the features of a modern life in the middle of wilderness. These million dollar homes are well equipped with heated pools, hot tubs, media rooms, game rooms, WiFi connections, gourmet kitchens and fabulous views.
The northern Outer Banks are bounded on the east by the Atlantic Ocean, and on the west by the Currituck Sound, and feature some the broadest, cleanest beaches you'll find anywhere on the Outer Banks. Between the surf and the sound, tight, twisting tracks of hard-packed sand serve as roads around the dunes and through scrub pines, interspersed with the driveways and hardy lawns of homes that range from single-wide mobile homes perched on pilings to multi-million-dollar mansions.
Running wild are the protected Spanish Mustangs of the Outer Banks. The mustangs are not indigenous but trace their ancestry back to early colonial times. The horses are used to humans and to vehicles. Because the horses are protected - don't approach the mustangs - don't feed or pet them - they are wild so it's could be dangerous and you would be violating the law. If you get lucky, you may spot a few of the northern Outer Banks' Spanish mustangs, which roam free among the dunes and on the beach.
Although typically described as wild, that's something of a misnomer, as these animals are quite used to humans and their vehicles. Don't approach, attempt to ride, pet or feed the horses though, as it's against the law and dangerous for both the animals and people. To catch sight of them, take your time, drive slowly, and watch for tell-tale signs of the horses, such as droppings or hoof tracks.
Carova is the place for a real get-a-way - no malls, souvenir shops, fast-food restaurants, or crowds.
Several businesses in Corolla offer guided tours, along with rentals of four-wheel-drive vehicles. Although it's possible to navigate some of the roads and parts of the beach in a two-wheel-drive vehicle, it's not recommended. A permit is required to operate an ATV, and permits are only issued to county residents and property owners.