At the north end of Corolla the pavement stops. You let some air out of the tires, ease over the ramp, and the beach becomes the road. Eleven miles of open sand run north to the Virginia line, with the surf on one side, the dunes on the other, and wild horses grazing among beach houses no paved road has ever reached. Windows down, salt on the breeze, and your dog with his nose in the wind.

Off-Roading with Fido turns that drive into a game. It runs on your phone, chapters open as you reach each stop, and every stop is somewhere your dog is welcome. Rent the 4x4 from us and the game is included. The dog rides free too: no pet fee, any size or breed.

Book a 4x4 — Kill Devil Hills pickup

What comes with the rental

A real 4WD built for sand. Wrangler Willys, four-door Wranglers, Gladiators, a Silverado pickup and three-row SUVs. See the fleet and pricing.
Both beach permits already on the vehicle. The Currituck County beach parking permit for Corolla and Carova, and the Cape Hatteras National Seashore ORV permit. Nothing to buy, nothing to print.
The dog rides free. No pet fee, no size or breed limit. The full policy is on our pet-friendly rentals page.
Off-Roading with Fido, included. The link to claim your game is in your booking confirmation. It’s a $29 game and it’s free with every rental.
An air-down walkthrough at pickup, with the tire gauge and a portable compressor in the vehicle.
Open all year, seven days a week. Pickup is in Kill Devil Hills, about 40 minutes south of the Corolla ramp.

The game

Think of it as your own guide for the day. It points you to each stop, tells the story behind the place, and keeps the whole car busy with trivia questions and photo challenges where the dog is the star. No app to download, no tour group, no start time. Up to six players, on one phone or each on their own. Don’t finish? Nothing happens. The beach will still be there.

What’s waiting up the beach

The wild horses. Descended from Spanish horses, the herds have roamed these banks for centuries. There’s no telling where they’ll be on a given day, so half the fun is the search. Stay at least 50 feet back, and keep him leashed or in the vehicle.
A village under the sand. Penny’s Hill is the highest natural point between Corolla and the Virginia line, and it’s still moving. It swallowed the village of Seagull, which once had its own post office. The game has you work out the year the mail stopped.
The station that watched for wrecks. The 1917 Wash Woods Coast Guard station is still standing on this beach. It’s a private office now, so you admire it from outside.
A stone with no sign. Near the Virginia line, about three-quarters of a mile down a mostly shaded trail, a stone marker sits right on the state line, first surveyed in 1728. No sign points to it. A photo of him beside it is worth bonus points.
Water without waves. Carova Beach Park sits on the sound side, with calm water, a break from the surf and the only public restroom up there. A good stop to plan lunch around.
The end of the road. The fence where North Carolina ends and False Cape State Park begins. No vehicle goes past it. Finish here and he goes home a Certified Sand Dog of Carova, which is exactly as serious as it sounds.

How the day goes

Pick up the 4x4 in Kill Devil Hills. Your game link is already in your confirmation email, so open it whenever you like.
Drive north to Corolla. North Carolina Highway 12 ends at the beach ramp; air down there and head up the sand. It’s best near low tide.
The beach unlocks the story. Reach a stop and the next chapter opens. Eleven miles from the ramp to the Virginia line, with the stops worked out for you.
When you leave the beach, air back up to 38 PSI at an air-up station or with the included pump.

Bringing the dog

A leash. Out of the vehicle means on the leash everywhere on this beach; Currituck County has no off-leash exception, whatever the blogs say.
A harness or travel crate for the drive, plenty of fresh water and a bowl, and shade for him.
Test the sand before he walks on it: back of your hand, flat, ten seconds. If you can’t hold it there, neither can his pads. Walk him on the wet sand instead.
Rinse the salt water off him when you’re done. The county’s dog rules, checked against the county itself, are on our sister site: dogs on the 4x4 beach.

Have your own 4x4?

You can buy the game on its own. $29 covers up to six players and the dog. With a full car that’s under $5 a person. The link lands in your inbox right after you buy, and there’s nothing to install or print.

Buy the game — $29 for up to six

Not sure your own vehicle is up to it? Carova is soft-sand driving. If you’re in an all-wheel-drive crossover, leave it at the house. Here’s what it takes to get to Carova.

Questions

Is the game really free with the rental?

Yes. Every Beach4x4 rental includes one game, and the link to claim it is in your booking confirmation. Pick Off-Roading with Fido and your total for the game is $0.

How long does it take?

Plan on a full day. It’s eleven miles of beach each way, and the stops are worth lingering at. You can play at whatever pace suits you, and nobody is waiting on you to finish.

Which vehicles can I bring the dog in?

Any of them. Dogs are welcome in every vehicle in the fleet, at no charge. Bring a harness or crate so he’s secure while you’re moving.

Do I need a permit for the beach?

Not when you rent from us. Both beach permits are on the vehicle when you pick it up.

Can we play without renting?

Yes. The game is $29 on its own for up to six players and the dog, as long as you have a true 4WD to drive the beach.