Duck Recreation including Southern Shores

Beach Driving

• throughout Duck
• Duck

Driving on the beach is not allowed in Duck.

Coastal Kayak Touring Company

• 1240 Duck Road, at North Beach Outfitters
• Duck
• (252) 261-6262 or (252) 441-3393

You haven’t seen the Outer Banks until you’ve seen it from the water, and Coastal Kayak can take you there. They offer trips to four different areas of the Outer Banks: Pine Island Audubon Sanctuary (between Corolla and Duck), Kitty Hawk Woods, Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge on Hatteras Island and the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge on the Dare County mainland. The Pine Island trip, on the Currituck Sound, is the closest to Duck. Tours last two to three hours. The guides offer kayaking instruction if you need it, plus they narrate about the local history and ecology along the way. Single and tandem kayaks are available. Children are welcome as long they are at least 30 pounds, but certain trips are better for kids than others. Reservations are required.

Complements Salon

• 1171 Duck Road, Scarborough Lane Shopping Center
• Duck
• (252) 255-1940

Complements is a full-service salon offering complete hair care, massage therapy, facials, manicures, pedicures and waxing. Packages for weddings and other events and gifts certificates are available.

Diva’s Day Spa and Salon

• 1 Ocean Boulevard, Southern Shores Crossing Shopping Center
• Southern Shores
• (252) 255-1772

Diva’s offers hair styling, makeup application, manicures and pedicures, skin care and facials, massages and body scrubs and wraps. Whether you simply need a little pampering or you’re preparing for a special occasion such as a wedding, Diva’s will treat you right. This salon has a laid-back but stylish atmosphere.

Diving in Duck

• Outer Banks
• Duck

There are no opportunities for scuba diving in Duck, but if you’re into the sport, see our Nags Head, Roanoke Island and Hatteras sites.

Duck Duck Art

• 1211 N.C. Highway 12, Duck Common
• Duck
• (252) 261-0092

Duck Duck Art, located upstairs in Savvy Home Boutique, is an urban loft art studio offering fine art classes in painting and sculpture and art classes to kids of all ages. Classes are taught by local artists. Pre-registration is required, and a class fee and materials fee apply. Ask about girls’ nights, complete with hors d’oeuvres and wine.

Duck Research Pier/Field Research Facility

• 1261 Duck Road
• Duck
• (252) 261-6840 ext. 234

For a scientific perspective of the Outer Banks, take a tour of the fascinating Duck Research Pier. Located just north of the Town of Duck on the east side of N.C. Highway 12, the Duck Research Pier, officially known as the Field Research Facility, is an internationally recognized coastal observatory that was established by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in 1977. 

This unique facility conducts research of the ocean processes affecting the coast, such as storm impacts and beach erosion. Instruments constantly monitor the waves, winds, tides and currents along the beaches, with the use of highly specialized equipment and an 1,840-foot-long pier. The facility offers access to both the ocean and sound, and it is often used by visiting scientists and researchers.

The Duck Research Pier offers free, guided public tours during the summer months. On a tour you will see all of the amazing instruments the scientists use, plus learn about the Outer Banks environment and coastal processes.

Tours begin in mid-June and run through mid-August. They are offered Monday through Friday at 10 a.m. only and last approximately one hour. Reservations are not required, but the gate is only open for tour admission from 9:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. If you arrive after 10 a.m. you will not be admitted. The walking tour is held outdoors and takes place on a sand trail, so physically challenged visitors may find it difficult to navigate.

Duck Village Outfitters

• 1207 Duck Road, across from Nags Head Hammocks
• Duck
• (252) 261-7222

Duck Village Outfitters offers bicycle, kayak, surf and beach-gear rentals, including body and skim boards and wetsuits. They offer two-hour, nature-watching kayak tours in the waters around Kitty Hawk Woods, about 10 minutes from Duck. The guide will meet you there with all the needed equipment, and you can choose from single or double kayaks. DVO also offers two-hour surf lessons, board included, in which you can learn the fundamentals of the sport with an experienced instructor.

Eden Day Spa & Salon

• 1245 Duck Road
• Duck
• (252) 255-0711

Whether you want a full day of pampering or a quick hair cut, Eden Day Spa & Salon can fill the bill. This full-service salon offers massage therapy, European facials, makeup application, pedicures, manicures, hair treatments and a full menu of head-to-toe spa treatments. Wedding preparation is their specialty, and group appointments and spa packages are available

Kitty Hawk Kayaks—Kayak & Surf School

• MP 1, 6150 N. Croatan Highway
• (252) 261-0145 or (866) 702-5061

Enjoy a kayak tour to some of the finest flat-water kayaking destinations on the Outer Banks. Kitty Hawk Kayak and Surf School offers multiple specialty tours across the Outer Banks, including tours in Kitty Hawk Woods, ocean paddling, night paddling on Roanoke Island, Alligator River and Pea Island National Wildlife Refuges and in Corolla. Surf kayak lessons and rentals are also available. Ask about the overnight trips on the Roanoke River and their Coastal Explorer Camps for kids with field trips, surfing lessons and kayaking. The Surf School offers daily lessons and three-day surf camps throughout the summer, plus yoga and surf retreats during the fall and spring. All instructors and guides are ACA and NSSIA certified. The friendly, professional staff promises your entire family will have fun. 

North Duck Watersports

• 1446 Duck Road
• Duck
• (252) 261-4200

When you’re ready to get on the water, head to North Duck Watersports. It’s on the sound at the north end of Duck, near the border of the Sanderling community. This is the original and longest-running watersports company on the northern Outer Banks. They rent four-stroke Waverunners, kayaks, pontoon boats, sailboats and windsurfing gear. Lessons or instruction are available if you need them. North Duck Watersports also offers Parasailing trips that allow you to soar high over the Currituck Sound.

OBX Adult Fitness Center

• 1 Ocean Boulevard, Southern Shores Crossing Shopping Center
• (252) 261-5231

This circuit-training fitness center offers a 30-minute workout for any person of any age and any fitness level. The progressive exercise program offers a complete workout that includes cardio, strength training, flexibility and endurance with no impact. Elliptical cross trainers and recumbent bikes are available for those who want a longer cardio workout. Hands-on instruction is available, and there are two circuits that can accommodate up to 35 people at a time, so they promise you’ll never have to wait. Daily, weekly and monthly memberships are offered.

Outer Banks Marathon, Gateway Bank Half-Marathon

• Throughout the Outer Banks

If you’re a runner or walker, you don’t want to miss this event on a flat course with awesome scenery and the spirited residents of the Outer Banks cheering for you all along the way. On Sunday, November 14, 2010, you can participate in the fifth annual Outer Banks Marathon, the Gateway Bank Half-Marathon or the Kelly’s Hospitality Group Fun Run. The course for the marathon begins in Kitty Hawk, travels on through Kill Devil Hills and around the Wright Memorial, goes through Nags Head and ends on Roanoke Island. The Gateway Bank Half-Marathon begins in Nags Head and ends on Roanoke Island. Walkers are welcome. There is a $25,000 prize purse for the marathon. Several other events are held on Saturday, November 13, including an 8K, 5K and a 1-mile Fun Run. For information and to register, go to www.obxmarathon.org.

Outer Banks Surf Shop

• Duck Road
• Duck
• (252) 261-2907

Outer Banks Surf Shop offers two-hour surf lessons and provides all the equipment you’ll need. These lessons are suitable for ages 6 and older. They also rent and sell surfboards, paddleboards, body boards and skim boards. And, for all the skaters, they offer a huge selection of equipment such as blanks, completes, trucks, wheels, safety gear and longboards.

Outer Banks Yoga & Pilates

• 5230 N. Virginia Dare Trail, Ocean Centre, Beach Road, MP 1
• Southern Shores
• (252) 480-3214

Outer Banks Yoga & Pilates is a studio where you can enjoy yoga, Pilates mat classes and T’ai Chi. During the summer they do free T’ai Chi and yoga classes on Duck Common. You’ll also find comfortable yoga wear from OmGirl and Tyoga. They love to do private classes for individuals or groups either at your rental home or the studio. Plus, their wedding yoga is a great way to relax and de-stress during those last hours leading up to your big day. Gifted massage therapist David Henderson also works out of this space, and you can call to set up an appointment with him.

Tai Chi/Pilates/Yoga Classes

• 1200 Duck Road, Duck Town Park
• Duck
• (252) 255-1286

Here is a surprising treat! The Town of Duck offers free Tai Chi, Pilates and yoga classes outdoors in Duck Town Park, weather permitting, from April through September. The classes are geared to all levels of practitioners, so beginners are welcome. Bring your own yoga mat or towel. Yoga is held on Monday mornings, Tai Chi is held on Tuesday mornings and Pilates is held on Thursday mornings. Classes start at 7:30 a.m. The season runs from May 3 through September 30. The schedule is subject to change; call the number given for information.

The Glass Bead in Duck

• 1187 Duck Road, Loblolly Pines Shopping Center
• Duck
• (252) 255-0766

Whether you’re a serious beader and jewelry maker or you’re just looking for a way to entertain kids one afternoon, The Glass Bead is a fun stop. They have thousands of beads plus all the supplies you need to make necklaces, bracelets, anklets and earrings. Stock up on supplies to take home, or hang out and make your jewelry in the store with the assistance of the staff.