Outer Banks

The long strip of islands, known as the Outer Banks of North Carolina, is accessible by bridge on the northern end, middle and ferry to the south. Wide, unspoiled and uncluttered ocean beaches span the ocean villages of (from north to south) Corolla, Duck, Kitty Hawk, Kill Devil Hills, and Nags Head.

Élan Vacations offers luxurious Outer Banks Vacation Rental Homes in the following Outer Banks Communities:

Corolla

Corolla's Wild Horses on the Outer Banks of North Carolina Currituck County's northern beaches around Corolla have been described by USA Weekend as ''one of the 10 best undiscovered beaches on the East Coast.'' The northernmost accessible town on the Outer Banks of North Carolina, Corolla has seen rapid development over the past ten years. Up until 1984, when the state extended Highway 12 north from the Dare County line, the town was a sleepy seaside village. Today, multimillion dollar Corolla Vacation Home Rentals dwarf the village proper and make Corolla one of the most desirable upscale vacation destinations in the country. Ironically, it was the opening of the road and the ensuing traffic that eventually led to the relocation of one of Corolla's most famous attractions, the wild ponies. .

More about Corolla | Corolla Rentals Search | Outer Banks Rental Search

Duck

Named for the sheer numbers of waterfowl that once flocked here during migratory seasons, Duck has experienced exponential growth over the past ten years. Duck is a thriving year-round town in the Outer Banks of North Carolina, as well as vacation destination. Duck Rentals are popular vacation rentals on the Outer Banks. Duck, North Carolina has been named by the Travel Channel as one of the best family beach destinations in the United States. Duck has beautiful, clean beaches and wonderful beach vacation rentals from ocean to sound. The village of Duck is a quaint waterfront town with boutique shops, world-class restaurants, entertainment, and a thriving sounside park. The Duck Town Park is the premier community recreation area with an 11-acre soundside maritime forest and features weekly music concerts, theatre, excersie and children's events. Vacationer's in Duck also love the walking and biking trails that connect all the Duck Rentals Home Communities and the village of Duck.

Elan Vacations has wide variety of Duck Rental Homes...perfect for any Duck Vacation. We feature Duck Rental Houses in premier Duck Communities like Sanderling, Four Saesons, Bayberry Bluffs, Ocean Crest, Poteskeet, and throughout Duck. View all Duck Vacation Rentals here!

More about Duck | Duck Rentals Search | Outer Banks Rental Search

Kitty Hawk

Once a remote area, Kitty Hawk has grown into a summer resort area and provides some of the best beach recreation on the Outer Banks of North Carolina.

When Orville Wright stepped ashore in Kitty Hawk Village in the fall of 1900, he probably knew that he and his brother were destined to make history as the pioneers of flight. They had chosen this remote fishing village on the Outer Banks of North Carolina partly for privacy from prying eyes. Three years later, they would break the bonds of earth for the first time in their heavier than air flying machine.

From that moment forward, Kitty Hawk would forever be associated with the Wright Brothers as the birthplace of aviation -although the actual flight took place four miles south from the base of Kill Devil Hill. Today, the once-tiny sound side village is one of the largest townships on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. On the ocean-side, thousands of rental homes, restaurants and shops are part of the development that has characterized the northern Outer Banks from Nags Head to Corolla.

But along the Albemarle Sound, the village remains a treat for those who to choose to take a drive off the beaten path. Shaded lanes wind along the marshes. Quaint clapboard cottages and fishing boats line a series of canals that lead to the open waters of the Sound. And life takes on a more leisurely pace that is reminiscent of the way people used to live in the Outer Banks of North Carolina.

More about Kitty Hawk | Kitty Hawk Rentals Search | Outer Banks Rental Search

Kill Devil Hills

Kite Flyers at the Wright Brothers Monument Not to be confused with nearby Kill Devil Hill of the Outer Banks of North Carolina, where the Memorial Pylon stands, Kill Devil Hills is the largest incorporated municipality in Dare County.

Kill Devil Hills is the Outer Banks of North Carolina’s oldest township, established in 1952. But the landmark that lends the town its distinctive name has been around much longer. At one time, the northern Outer Banks was characterized by a series of sand mountains over 100 feet high. These dunes stretched from sound to sea, from Corolla south to Nags Head. Kill Devil Hill was one of the larger of the dunes, and stories about how the monolith got its name are varied and colorful; the generally accepted one is that it is named for ''Kill Devil,'' a brand of rum found washed ashore during the colonial period.

Whatever the origins of its name, the dune was the site of the Wright Brothers first heavier-than-air flight in 1903, which placed Kill Devil Hills forever in the history books. In the 1930s, workers planted hearty grasses on the dune to prevent it from continually shifting and then constructed the impressive Wright Brothers Memorial which is visible for miles along the Outer Banks of North Carolina.

Today, Kill Devil Hills is one of the most popular vacation destinations on the Outer Banks. With thousands of rental homes, great restaurants, sports and activities, and shopping, Kill Devil Hills is at the center of an Outer Banks of North Carolina vacation.

Search All Outer Banks Rentals

Nags Head

Jockey's Ridge on the Outer Banks of North Carolina When many people refer to the Outer Banks, they use the term ''Nags Head'' to generically describe the area. The truth of the matter is that Nags Head was first a physical location on a map, then a township, and finally, the most recognizable of all the northern Outer Banks of North Carolina vacation destinations.

Early maps of the Outer Banks of North Carolina show Nags Head as a promontory of land characterized by high sand dunes visible from miles at sea. Tales of land pirates that lured ships ashore in stormy weather may be the possible origin of the town's name. Or it may have been carried across the sea by English explorers who were reminded of a similar location of the English coast, a high point on the Scilly Islands, the last sight of old England that the earlier explorers were to see on their voyage to the New World.

We'll never know the true origin, but legend and lore insists that early 18th century ''Bankers,'' realizing how profitable piracy was for sea-going scoundrels such as Blackbeard, developed their own unique method as land-based pirates. Horses with lanterns tied to their necks were walked up and down the beach at night. Merchant skippers in the off-shore waters would mistakenly think the lights were of other ships closer to shore. They would then change course and run aground, with the Bankers pillaging their cargo.

Around 1830, Nags Head became known as a plush resort area and remains so today, with a wealth of activities nearby to please a variety of tastes. Jockey's Ridge is the last vestige of the giant moving sand dunes that once towered over the beaches and greeted the first explorers. Surrounding Jockey's Ridge State Park, thousands of vacation homes beckon travelers of a different sort to the wide sandy beaches and relaxed atmosphere of an Outer Banks of North Carolina vacation. Modern day Bankers no longer need a lantern tied around a horse to lure visitors. With plenty of beaches and world-record fishing, golfing and shopping to nature trails, wildlife refuges, shipwreck remains and historic sites, its all here!