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December 2019 by Jonathan U.
On a whim I decided to climb this lighthouse. And it was a good thing I did! It turns out, in the off-season this was the only one I passed by that was still open to climb at the end of November. After hearing Cape Hatteras and Bodie Island were both closed for climbing I decided that if I wanted to climb a lighthouse on my trip, I'd better make it here. It's very well taken care of and the grounds are quite nice. The woman at the main entrance to the lighthouse takes your payment and lets you in right there. There's no ticket, but you will get a sticker at the end that proudly proclaims "I climbed Currituck Beach Lighthouse". The tickets are $10 per person. There is a wonderful 360 degree view outside at the top. A little terrifying if you're not a fan of heights as there's little more than a railing. Down at the ground there's a gift shop which I skipped over - did not need to spend any more money. There was a sign also pointing to a library/book store nearby too. Very cool experience for the price.
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September 2019 by Maria T.
I love lighthouses and this natural brick structure was impressive. It's my favorite of all the OBX lighthouses. We loved the drive into Corolla to find this historic lighthouse tucked away among the trees. The grounds were beautifully kept and we saw some cool birds, pretty butterflies and shy turtles around the area. The 214 steps up to the top offers gorgeous views of the Ocean and Currituck County. The lines were short and I was happy to see this area hadn't gotten too touristy. The lighthouse gift shop was packed with knick-knacks, magnets, t-shirts, lamps, jewelry and gifts for lighthouse and nautical lovers! They not only had figures of the Currituck Lighthouse, but also the other popular OBX lighthouses too! Seeing this lighthouse was the highlight of my visit, a true beacon of inspiration!
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August 2019 by Reem C.
We drove from Nags Head to check out the lighthouse on the way to see the wild horses in Corolla. Admission is $10 a person. Children 7 and under get to climb for free. The lighthouse is airy thanks to the windows and a fan on almost every floor as you make the climb. I wouldn't recommend climbing on an extremely hot day. The temperature was a high of 85 degrees when my son and I made the climb. The view from the top is amazing. Luckily, we didn't have to wait no more than five minutes to climb. That was not the case for the Bodie Island Lighthouse, which had a 30-45 minute wait. If you don't have bad knees and you aren't afraid of heights, take the time to climb the lighthouse. You'll be thankful once you get to the top.
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August 2019 by David A.
This place is ok. For just walking up a lighthouse it's a bit pricey. We have been a few times and the kids love it.
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August 2019 by Courtney K.
Bottom Line: A historic gem that offers sweeping views of Currituck, Corolla and the Atlantic. I really enjoyed my most recent visit to the 144 year old Currituck Beach Lighthouse located in historic Corolla. On a Wednesday morning in late July parking was pleasantly easy about 9:45am. It was a little confusing where to buy tickets but I finally figured out that you pay inside the lighthouse right before the climb. We had about a five minute wait before paying our $10 per persons fee and heading up the spiral staircase. We enjoyed some of the exhibits along the way as well as the architectural details and found the climb to be easy. It wasn't too hot or crowded, thankfully. At the top we admired the views of the sound, Atlantic Ocean and Whalehead Club. We took some photos and enjoyed the breeze before our quick descent to the bottom and trip to the gift shop. The gift shop is located in the small lighthouse keeper's house. It is quite tight inside so there was lots of squeezing by people and merchandise. We bought a Christmas ornament and a few other trinkets before heading out. Unlike other Outer Banks lighthouses, the Currituck Beach Light is privately owned by the Outer Banks Conservationists, a private non-profit organization who's mission is preserving the character of the Outer Banks. The organization does a great job maintaining the grounds and the structures.
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July 2019 by David D.
Overall: Great lighthouse due to mainly, in my opinion, unpainted brick and set among trees. Service: 3.75 stars- The female cashier in the museum was nice and friendly. Lost a star due to the gentleman outside giving safety instructions. Didn't feel welcomed with his presentation, mannerisms and at best was matter of fact. He may have been hot but he wasn't the right person for tourism interactions. The person inside the lighthouse was professional but not really welcoming either. Environment: 5 stars- Great unpainted brick lighthouse set amongst the trees. Each level has a story to tell and the views were great from the top. Museum was tight but had a great selection of items for purchase.
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July 2019 by John C.
This place definitely gets the blood pumping. 200+ steps to the top. A dinky see through railing at the top. I found out I was afraid of heights. Once I got the to the top I had to come right back down. But I found it exciting at the same time. Talking to staff they tell you fun facts about the lighthouse and area. But that climb. It still gives me chills just thinking about it.
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June 2019 by Meleah S.
$10 to climb and well worth it! We enjoyed the views from the top, as well as the sound view nearby. We visited after a three mile walk so my legs were certainly burning when climbing the steps but it was a great experience! I definitely recommend visiting this lighthouse!
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June 2019 by Christopher C.
The last time we were in OBX during the winter of '17 the lighthouse was understandably closed. This time coming in June we knew it was time for another visit. A few random observations regarding coming here in season: * While there is a fair amount of parking here, at least during our most recent weekday visit it wasn't as much as you would think. There are three parking lot areas on Village Lane but that is shared with everyone else coming for the lighthouse, Whalehead, the wildlife education center, to use the air pump area where you can inflate/deflate before you go out on to the sand in Carova plus all of the kids sports activities. We did find parking but it was tough and note that if it does rain the lot does not drain well which equals large puddles everywhere. * The obvious thing to do is to want to save coming here for a drizzly or overcast day except of course that everyone else is thinking the same thing. We came on a Tuesday about an hour after opening and the line to climb was legit 50 deep. We stayed but the wait to climb was probably give or take 25 minutes. * Their website doesn't list this but they now accept plastic for admission. * If things are really busy skip the gift shop as it is very, very small with little room to maneuver. My wife was inside near the rear emergency exit door (nowhere else to stand) looking at buying a book or two when a member of the staff barreled in from the outside and knocked into her. No apology, just walked past to get behind the counter. Needless to say, she left the books there. #ignorantstaffrudeness With that said, the view here is incredible. You have a great look at the village, the sound and the ocean. The admission fee of $10 per person (8 and over) is a little steep but it hasn't changed in a few years and honestly is fair considering the view plus the excellent placards/displays that exist on the bottom two or three levels as you climb/descend. Hatteras is of course a much better climb than Currituck but this one should still by all means be on your list of non-beach things to do if you're in the Corolla area.
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June 2019 by Gerald S.
This light house was so out standing!! It was so big and it took me an hour but I climed it! My girl friend had to practically drag me! An elevator would be nice for us out of shap folks...but who am I kidding I need the exercise!! Great view and the staff was help ful and kind to us we love exploring the great obx and all it has to offer to us!! Wish I took the opportunity to propose to my girl friend at the top but I didn't buy a ring yet!! We have been together for a year and she is the love of my life! I'm not climbing the light house again to propose now though I will have to have another opportunity maybe when we play putt putt. Does anyone know where I can get a nice ring in obx?
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May 2019 by Aivy H.
Out of the lighthouses we climbed this was probably my favourite. I really cant tell you why it was, I was just much more comfortable climbing this one versus the others. Once you get to the top it's super windy so hold on to your hats!
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April 2019 by Tara G.
My husband and I were on our way back to Northern Virginia from the OBX and visited 3...count 3 lighthouses in a weekend (Cape Hatteras, Ocracoke Island Lighthouse and this one). We've already seen the Bodie Lighthouse and the Roanoke Marshes Lighthouse on a trip to the OBX last year. Although we didn't climb, I really enjoyed the view of this one, just as much as the others. The grounds were all green and in bloom for spring, and it looks different from the others with the unpainted brick. From what I'd read, they left it unpainted so that you could really see the aged beauty of it. It was truly just a nice view. There is plenty of parking and a park next door, so you can make a day of it. Although we would have never made a special trip to the area just to see this lighthouse, it was a great stop on the way home from a wonderful extended weekend getaway.
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April 2019 by Kris W.
we visited this beautiful light house again. I never tire of looking at light houses. this one is haunted. we didn't climb it. we just looked at it. I got some really good pictures.
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April 2019 by KC C.
Great view of the area, especially on a clear day. Remember to bring a jacket since it can get pretty windy up there. If you don't like heights, you might not enjoy the top since it's pretty exposed, but at least you can climb the steps and look out the small windows.
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December 2018 by Bethany E.
After visiting many other lighthouses in the Outer Banks area, we finally found one we could go climb to the top. The difference is Currituck Lighthouse is privately owned versus owned by the National Park Service. It's a minimal charge to climb the stairs but this fee keeps it funded and open to the public. I'm more than happy to do it! The climb up isn't bad at all. The winding staircase leading up has several larger areas if you need to stop and take a breather. You can read historical information at these stopping points if you'd like. I just wanted to race to the top and take in the scenery. It's gorgeous. You can see far and wide from the viewing area. If you're physically able then I would recommend making the climb. After the site of the Lighthouse, continue on the path to the gift shop. They have two levels of gifts and souvenirs. Items sold here also keep the light house funded and preserved. It's surely a beautiful place that I was happy to enjoy.
