For this week's "What To Do", my husband and I packed up the kids and headed over to Currituck Heritage Park in Corolla with our picnic basket in hand. I drive past the park every day on my way to work, but I have never actually been there. Let me tell you- this is a MUST DO while on an Outer Banks vacation! We started by having a picnic lunch under the oak trees. Lunch didn't take too long because our oldest son was so excited to explore. From where we were sitting he could see the lighthouse, the beautiful bridge and The Whalehead Historic House Museum. After scarfing down our lunches, we headed over to the lighthouse. The Currituck Lighthouse opened in 1875 to help cover a "dark spot" between Bodie Island and Cape Henry Light. Just like the other lighthouses in North Carolina, this one still has a working beacon that helps mariners navigate the coast. The beacon can be seen for 18 nautical miles. The lighthouse is 162 feet high and has 214 stairs. To climb it was $7 for ages 8 and up. 214 stairs and I climbed them all carrying a baby! Seeing the view made it so worth it! Along the way, there were stops with pictures and information about history and about shipwrecks off the coast. One of our favorite things to do was listen to our voiced echo as we counted the stairs. 
Once we made our way down the lighthouse, we headed straight over to the Outer Banks Center for Wildlife Education. This is an awesome ( and FREE) exhibit of the wildlife on the Outer Banks that showcases history and nature! They also offer programs that vary throughout the summer that you have to check out! 
After the seeing the wildlife in the Center, we walked over to the bridge that connects the sides of the park. Here, we were able to see some wildlife in person! There were tons of people crabbing, beautiful birds flying around a gazebo and we even saw a black snake swimming in the water. I wasn't too keen on the snake but my son loved it! When you go I suggest you pack a few pieces of raw chicken, some sting, and a net for scooping up your crabs. Bring a bucket too if you plan to keep your catch! This was the one thing we didn't think of when we planned our day. We will definitely be going back for some crabbin'! 
Up next on our adventure was The Whalehead Historic House Museum. This is a historic home was built in the 1920's and was both a private home and a hunt camp for waterfowl. To get the most out of our tour through the home, we opted for the audio tour. The audio tour walked us through each room and pointed out specific things about each of the rooms. It was so fascinating to learn about the family that lived here. One of the coolest things I found was that this was one of the few hunt clubs that allowed women! 
Not only does the park offer many things to do on a daily basis, they also have tons of special events planned all summer long. They host an art show, a huge firework display for the Fourth of July, a music festival, and wine tasting every Wednesday night. Check out their events calendar before your trip so you don't miss out! You can't miss a trip to the Currituck Heritage Park while on vacation in Corolla. It really is an all day adventure for everyone in your family! I feel like we were only able to do some of the great things in our one day trip. I would love to go back when the Wildlife Center is offering one of their many programs for kids. We also plan to bring our kayak and launch it from the public boat ramp. Wanna see more pictures from our day? Click here For more information about Currituck Heritage Park, visit their website http://www.whaleheadclub.org/explore/currituck-heritage-park/ Let us know what you did while you were there! You can post picture on our Facebook Page or email me your story at mallory@corollaclassicvacations.com
July 2nd, 2012