Corolla, NC

Unlike the Toyota car, the northernmost town on the Outer Banks is pronounced 'cor-Aah-lah' and provides a home for the wild ponies that act as mascots around the entire Outer Banks. Visitors from all over come to see these famous horses gallop along the sandy beach shores, who have called this area home for more than 400 years. The horses are descended from Spanish Mustangs, who first trotted along the shores with the Spanish conquistadors of the 16th century. For centuries the animals were able to run free up and down the entire island, however in twenty years the population of the area has increased rapidly. Coupled with the influx of visitors from all over, preservationists saw a need for them to have a sanction area of land on the Outer banks, on the shores of Corolla which today is protected by the government.

Corolla is also home to one of the biggest landmarks in the area, the Whalehead Club. Built by Edward Collings and Marie Louise Knight, who resided here in the winter until 1934, the estate now serves as a park and tourist attraction. The 21,000 sq. ft. park houses a private residence, footbridge and boathouse that are open from sunrise to dusk. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, a tour the grounds provide a great day trip. In 1873, construction began on the Currituck Beach Lighthouse and it's the only North Carolina lighthouse still housed in the original structure. A place rich with history, Corolla remains a large tourist destination with upscale, beautiful homes built on the white sands.