We were visiting the OBX for the first time and wanted to see the wild horses so we signed up with Coastal Explorations. When we arrived we were delighted to find out we were the only ones signed up for this time. So we got an entirely private tour! Ashton was a wealth of knowledge and even was so kind as to take a photo of us in front of the horses. Their pricing was reasonable and it was a great experience. Highly recommend! read more

We had such an incredible tour with Cathy! We saw so many horses both on the dunes and down by the waters edge. We even got to see some running and playing by the surf! Very comfortable seats as well. Highly recommend. read more

Coastal Explorations - Horses at the beach - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Currituck, North Carolina

See all

I'm one of the guides here at Coastal Explorations and I just like to share some of my beautiful photography in hopes that others will join in this experience. read more

See all

We had an amazing time! Our group did the sunset kayak tour. Our guide, Nate, was incredible. He was kind and knowledgeable. He made our trip so much fun and snapped pictures and videos of us during our adventure. He provided us with some history about the area as well and pointed out different animals too. Such a beautiful area to kayak. Highly recommend this company! Something that stood out was their responsiveness while booking. They kept in touch throughout the process and were very responsive. Check them out! read more

Coastal Explorations - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Currituck, North Carolina

See all

We were unable to take a kayaking trip due to seasonal limited hours and their weather concerns. I think it would have been fine for a short jaunt, but you should call at the very beginning of your trip to book them in the spring months. They won't let you take them out other than with tours, and were open 9am-1pm. They brought us some basketed bikes, though, and we really enjoyed peddling our way around Corolla. Very kind people and the most beautiful launch spot. The reeds in the sound sing to you as you walk along the pier, and the Currituck Lighthouse in the background is incomparable. read more

Beautiful, amazing experience! We did the sunset tour and absolutely loved it (each one of us, aged 8 to 67)! Our guide, Kai, was so fun, friendly, and very knowledgeable about the habitat. We saw egrets, herons, geese, ducks, a cottonmouth snake (from a distance) and a gorgeous sunset! If you are in the vicinity, this kayak experience is a MUST! read more

Coastal Explorations - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Currituck, North Carolina

See all

I saw Coastal Explorations advertising a sunset kayaking tour while driving by - starting in just 10 minutes. Sold! And it was only $30, can't beat that. Cooper was my groups guide and he was just incredible. There didn't seem to be a question he didn't know the answer to. He was funny and really personable, and brought our whole group together effortlessly. The company has single and double kayaks. This tour was located right off their dock out back and is perfect for beginners - placid waters and beautiful views. read more

Anna was a fantastic guide for our sunset kayaking trip. Super knowledgeable and very helpful to our whole group. Our group also did the paddle board tour and loved it 3 years ago. That's why we returned. read more

Did a kids kayak tour with my twin four years. Amazing fun, just an hour which was perfect and we had a great super friendly tour guide! Highly recommend this tour for young kids! read more

Nicole was our tour guide for the sunset kayak tour. We were fortunate to have an incredible sunset the night we went and being out on the water for it was perfect! I took my phone in a waterproof case but Nicole took pictures of everyone as well so you don't have to bring a phone if you don't want to. I hope to do this again soon! Definitely recommend Coastal Explorations and Nicole! read more

See all

Family excursion win (July 2018)! Even though the water was choppy during our excursion, we were all able to paddle and enjoy kayaking. Our family were total kayaking newbies and range in fitness levels. We received excellent training on all the techniques we needed. The 9 year old kayaked with Dad due to age. The 13 was paired with 15 year old due to weight. That left me solo! Our guide taught us about the wildlife, vegetation, and history. We will do this again and highly recommend this. read more

Run don't walk to this great kayaking site. Wonderful owner, guides and top of the line kayaks. Spent Sunday morning with Hadley and my friend kayaking on this beautiful sound. Even after 15 years living in Corolla kayaking in this lovely nature area still amazes. We had the entire sound all to ourself! First class operation! Can't wait for our next one at sunset! read more

Still the classiest, cleanest, nicest boat rental experience in the Corolla/Duck area. Do not hesitate going here. Its the best around.

I can't say enough great things about this company. They were all so nice and friendly. Our guide Anna was amazing. She put this first timer right at ease and had me standing up within minutes. The sound is of course gorgeous and she was very informative about our surroundings. We can't wait to go again. read more

I've been wanting to try SUP for years and finally got around to it on my vacation in Corolla. I came across Coastal Explorations when doing research on companies and I'm so happy with my decision to go with them! My sister in law and I did the SUP lesson and tour with Hannah and it was awesome. We were both first timers and Hannah was a great instructor. As we paddled around the sound, she gave us a history of the area and had great recommendations for things to do. She also took photos that were awesome and emailed them to us! All of the staff we encountered were super friendly and the company building is clean and charming. The sound area where we paddled was beautiful and private. I would recommend this company to everyone and will definitely use them again. read more

Nice equipment, good price, great time! I'd highly recommend them to anyone looking for some kayaking fun in the Churituck sound. read more

A group of six of us went on the sunset kayak excursion with Coastal Explorations. The price was very reasonable and it was a great experience from the beginning. Initially, there was a slight communications issue and it looked like our excursion might not happen. But Nate didn't miss a beat and had us lined up with a guide, Nick, and at the dock right on schedule. Following a brief tutorial on paddling and the art of getting in and out of the boats, Nick took us on a nice, relaxing, 90-plus minute ride, describing the history of the area and pointing out a lot of the local flora and fauna. He really knew his stuff. He had us pull over at an optimal spot to watch the sunset before leisurely guiding us back to our departure point. At the end of the tour, he airdropped us the photos that he took of our group. We (kids and adults) all had a great time. read more

Had a great time paddleboarding! Nate was super friendly and helpful over the phone which is why I decided to go here vs another place right down the road. I'm glad I did! The dock was huge and absolutely stunning! It was so quiet and private in that part of the sound. Nate even came to chat with my parents while I was out paddleboarding. I'm sure my dad will reach out next year for a boat charter! My only complaint is the dog wasn't there read more

We had a great morning on the sound with Hadley as our guide. She was very knowledgeable, personable, and helpful. The weather was perfect and the water calm, so we saw egrets, herons, an eagle, and one tiny cottonmouth. The info on the history of the sound was very interesting. read more

We took a sunset kayak tour last night and we had so much fun. Nick was our tour guide and he did a fantastic job. He had everything set up and ready to go and we were on our way in No time. He took excellent pictures, so we were able enjoy the experience and not fiddle with our phones. This will be on our list of things to do next year - they even have a moonlight kayak tour! read more

Super mellow tour and was like kayaking in the bath tub! Our guide Ann was on top of her game on all things that live in and around the sound we cruised through. Great first thing in the morning activity and would most def recommend to anyone looking to get their yak on. Came out from Cali and was not let down at all. I will be back hopefully next summer and will hit this tour again and rent out the kayak to enjoy the peaceful surroundings. read more

What a great place to rent paddle boards and other water equipment! We rented four paddle boards last week and the kids (two 14 year-old and a 38 and 40 year old) had a fun two hours on the sound. They paddled down the shore to the Whalehead Club and we met them there to get a closer look. I'm 71 and tried my luck getting on and paddling around for a few minutes. Didn't fall in! The staff there were great, really helpful and we will definitely rent again from them again read more

If I could give more starts I would honestly! The place is great the staff are awesome and the tour was amazing, tbh I was a bit skeptical about kayaking by myself but I had a blast once I was out there, really recommended it. :) read more

We are vacationing in Corolla NC and decided we wanted to go kayaking. We called around and Corolla Explorations had the best deal. There were nine adults and one twelve year old. Our tour guide Anne was awesome. We went outside, put on our life jackets, and went down to the dock. Not all of us had kayaked before so she went over the basics, matched us up with our kayaks and loaded us into the water. Once in the water and on our way, our very knowledgable guide Anne began to tell us about the area and pointed out various critters along the way. She made a point to learn everyone's name and also take pics of everyone that she emailed to us the next day. All of us were very happy with our experience and can't wait to go back next year. I have a feeling this will become a family tradition!!! read more

I wanted to find something different for my family to do on vacation and stumbled across their shop while exploring old town Corolla. The person behind the counter was very helpful answering all questions and was not pushy trying to up sell a tourist. We decided to go crabbing. Ultimately, the experience was much more than that....we got a casual tour of the sound, saw while horses, stopped by Monkey Island, and harvested 22 crabs. Great activity for all ages. read more

One of the best, family friendly activities in the Outer Banks! Nick, our tour guide, was terrific; informative and personable. We had two double kayaks and one single to accommodate our family. The tour was 2 hours, but didn't feel long at all. The kids (8, 8 and 15) loved it. The guide even took pics along the way and emailed them, so we didn't have to worry about cameras/phones in the kayak. I highly recommend and look forward to making this a repeat activity every year! Affordable and fun! Thank you Coastal Explorations! read more

Excellent adventure for me and our two oldest kids. It was a bit chilly, and really windy, but Hadley was excited to take us out anyway. Equipment was new'ish and in great shape. We hit the water and had a wonderful experience. My son and I paddled in one kayak, daughter and Hadley in the other. I can't wait to go again. Outstanding experience. read more

Amazing time for a bunch of beginners! Our guides were so kind and non-judgemental. Awesome views and a great trip!

What a phenomenal experience! 6 of us had the opportunity to take the Sunset Kayak Tour. Egrets, Blue Heron, River Otters, a picturesque sunset from the water and a full moon above the lighthouse made for a memorable experience. Truly one of the best OBX experiences in over 30 years of vacationing here. The tour accommodates seasoned kayakers as well as kayak newbies. The staff at Coastal Explorations (including Junebug) are top-notch. Highest recommendation! read more

What a professional, yet laid back outfit. Great instructions, patience and above all, knowledge of area. Our guide, Zack, was great, Kayaks were in great condition and the scenery, surroundings were superb. read more

what an amazing experience every year...whether you choose the sunset boat cruise, kayaking or renting a bike...every moment is fantastic. Can't imagine visiting the outer banks without a coastal explorations experience. Hadley you are an amazing business owner and I look forward to seeing you again this week and next year. The kids love your dog too! read more

This was a lovely time with our grandchildren (ages 4 and 7). We chose the nature tour. If you are an inexperienced paddler I would definitely recommend it. We would have loved to have gone farther out in the sound but we have kayaks at home so were very comfortable on the water. Our guide Jesse was wonderful with the kids. read more

We did the sunrise kayak tour!! It was my birthday, and this was an amazing way to celebrate the day. We put into the water before first light, and went paddling around as soft colors began to fill the sky. We saw many birds: great egrets, great blue herons, a bald eagle, osprey, and a rarely-sighted rail. TJ was a fantastic and very knowledgeable guide, and took some pictures of us out on the water, which he then promptly emailed to us. Thank you for a wonderful experience! read more

Great, relaxed kayaking trip. We took a small child with us, and the tour guide was so patient and understanding with her many questions. The price is reasonable, and we saw a fair amount of wildlife (cormorants, egrets and even a bald eagle flying overhead). Would definitely do one of their tours again next year. The only thing they should improve is the signage around the village, if that is possible; it was a little tricky to find the place! read more

Lovely trip today. Great guides. Learned about local history. It's all about location and access to the wildlife. We saw eagles, osprey,snakes, turtles and ducks. They have an incredible board walk that goes way out into the marsh. Great value. read more

I went for a Stand-Up Paddleboard (SUP) lesson in early June. The staff (and owner) of Coastal Explorations were great about setting up a time that worked for me and maximized the enjoyment of the session based on weather forecasts. Once there, they were very personable and spoke to me about my experience level and about SUP in general. They paired me with a single instructor who was very laid back and took it slow in terms of teaching me how to get on the board. He explained everything in stages instead of trying to shove all the knowledge down my throat and overwhelming me. Everything was done at my pace and he never pushed me to try anything I wasn't comfortable with. When I did (inevitably) fall, he was encouraging, gave me refined advice, and then told me about an instructor there who had a much harder time than I did. As I became comfortable with standing up and paddling around, he led me around their area. For reference, their set up provides them access to a number of "ponds" in the marshy area on the sound side that are protected from the wind and waves, giving me a very stable body of water on which to learn. It was also very private and picturesque. Although he was very laid back, he was also personable and answered all of my questions concerning Coastal Explorations, the Outer Banks, the wildlife in the area, the history of the wild horses out here, and just about everything else. I was truly impressed and it made for a great experience. Overall it was a very successful event as I learned to SUP, learned about the Outer Banks, and just generally had a great time. I highly recommend Coastal Explorations based on my experience. read more

This is the first time I have ever been inclined to leave a review. Outstanding price, and no tourist vibe at all. We were a big group and went on the sunset Kayak tour with Ben. He took pictures as we went, and sent them to us the next day attached to an email asking how our tour was. Definitely worth the trip! read more

My kayak sucked and the people were nasty, would give zero stars if possible. Wouldn't recommend to anyone

Way over priced, poor quality equipment. Terrible and incredibly rude customer service. Avoid this one

It is just unfortunate the experience we had here. We had a group of 14. When we arrived I was spraying our kids with sunscreen. With a large group, it's just the easiest way to go. I couldn't help but notice a couple of under-the-breath comments of the owner about asphyxiating her with my spray. I appreciate her greenness, but I thought that was really rude given that the tourists like us are the bread and butter of her business. When we had arrived into her shop, she told us all we could put, and I quote, all of our belongings and flip-flops into the baskets underneath the bench in her shop. After we got everyone sprayed, much to her chagrin, the kids took off running down the pier in excitement and all of the adults followed with exception of my husband. As an afterthought, she told my husband, oh, btw, you might want to tell everyone to leave their flip flops on because the pier can get really hot. Too late! Everyone was out of sight. There are two docks. Everyone kept going because they assumed it would be the first dock and they were almost there. Wrong! It was the second dock way out and literally by the time the party got to the last dock almost everyone in the party had blisters on their feet. Because one of the party members was in so much pain, there was a pair of flip flops mid way in a bucket that she thought were left behind. She put them on her feet to go the rest of the way and left them at the second dock. She did not steal the flip flops. She needed them to keep her feet from blistering any further. But not for the HUGE oversight on the part of the owner, this would have never been an issue. We had a great time paddle boarding and kayaking and talked about how unbelievable it was that the owner had not told us to leave our flip flops on. But we made the best of it. When our time was over, when we got to the dock, there was a young man there who was not very helpful upon unloading, which did not go unnoticed either. He decided at 20 something it was his job to confront my friend who wore the flip flops from one dock to the next (and left them there) and comment on her lack of parenting skills and what kind of ethics is she teaching her children by stealing someone else's flip flops, etc, etc. I"m pretty sure this 20-something would not know the first thing about parenting . . . . or about blistering your customers' feet. This tirade went on and on and this ridiculous kid would not let up. This all happened in front of all of our children to boot. What happened to the customer service, the customer is always right. Where I am from that is the standard. Then once back to the shop, instead of the owner taking the high road, like most owners of a business would do, she made no apologies for the unacceptable behavior of her employee and told my friend that the money we spent there was not going to make or break her and that the one lousy review on top of her hundreds of good ones meant nothing to her. Are you kidding? Lousy attitude like that deserves a lousy review. I have to say I have never encountered such poor customer service anywhere, whether traveling or here at home. It is too bad this woman and her employee do not know how to treat the people that keep them in business. Considering she is part of the Twiddy Real Estate family who prides themselves on customer service, it is even more surprising. I guess she's right, she really does not need our money. Do yourself a favor and support a local business owner that actually has to work to keep their customers happy. My advice: Learn how to treat your paying customers and tell them to keep their flip-flops on! read more