4x4 Beach Driving Tips & Regulations

Please review the following safety tips before enjoying the 4x4 beaches of the Outer Banks...

• Always arrive before dark, as the beach is more difficult to navigate at night.
• Bring a tire pressure gauge. We recommend lowering your tire pressure to 18-20 psi. Free air hoses are available in the parking lot of the Corolla office for guests staying in the 4x4 area.
• Check area tide charts prior to arrival; low tide is ideal for beach driving.
• Avoid driving through the surf. Salt water is extremely corrosive.
• Most All-Wheel Drive (AWD) vehicles are not recommended due to low clearance.
• Please follow all posted speed limits (35 mph or 15 mph when within 300 feet of pedestrians).
• Drive either on the hard-packed sand near the edge of the water or on the soft sand just east of the dune line. Leave the middle of the beach for parked vehicles and beachgoers. 
• All parked vehicles should be in the middle of the beach (east of the dune line and west of the hard-packed sand near the water's edge). Do not block the flow of traffic with chairs, coolers, fishing lines or any other items. Always be alert for moving vehicles when walking across the hard-packed sand.
• No vehicle of any type may park or unload at the North Beach Access at any time. This must be done on the beach past the 1/2 mile mark. VIOLATORS WILL BE TOWED.
• Drivers must be 16 years of age and possess a valid driver’s license.
• ATVs are NOT permitted.
• Currituck County does not allow personal motorized watercraft on the ocean. Jet skis and personal motorboats are allowed on the Currituck Sound. The closest boat ramp is located at the Whalehead Club in Corolla.

For more information regarding Currituck County's rules and regulations, please contact the Currituck County Chamber of Commerce at (877) CURRITUCK or visit Currituck Chamber website.

There is limited space available for guests to park two-wheel drive vehicles while vacationing in the 4x4 area. Please plan accordingly. Daily parking may be available in Corolla for a fee.