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Coquina Beach
Coquina Beach
8 miles south of U.S. 158
Nags Head, NC 27959
252-473-2111
Good-for-Kids Rating
Babies
Toddlers & Pre-KSchool-Age KidsPre-Teens & Teens
Beach
Coquina Beach Description
Public access to a beach is usually par for the course in the Outer Banks. But if you're making a day trip to Cape Hatteras or Nags Head, spend some time at one of the widest, most peaceful beaches on the Outer Banks. It's far from businesses so crowds are thin, which means kids have lots of room to roam. It got its name from the edible coquina clams that burrow in the beach (which kids dig up enthusiastically) -- adventurous gourmets may want to take a few dozen home to create a coquina chowder. This beach has something else you don't typically find: the wrecked schooner Laura A. Barnes. What kid doesn't love a shipwreck?
Kid Tips
Toddlers & Pre-K: The beach is flat and wide, with almost white sand -- ideal for toddlers and preschoolers.
Pre-Teens & Teens: Older kids will enjoy the weekly campfire on the beach, during which a park ranger tells stories of pirates, shipwrecks, and more. Bring a beach chair, a flashlight, and bug spray.
Planning Notes
- Spend the day. Pack a picnic and you can spend the day.
- Learn more. Numerous programs are offered at the Bodie Island Visitor Center, including crabbing (hint: bring chicken necks as bait), seining, a pirates program, and a session about turtles. Call (252) 441-5711 for details.
- Amenities. Although the beach is quiet and protected from development (as part of the Cape Hatteras National Seashore) it has parking, showers, and restrooms.
Just the Facts
Hours: Beach is always open, but the lifeguards keep seasonal hours. The Bodie Island Visitor Center is open 9 a.m.-6 p.m. mid-June through Labor Day, and 9 a.m.-5 p.m. the rest of the year.
Fees: Free
Recommended Time: Full day
Reviews of Coquina Beach
Nice Beach but Archaic Name
By vafamtwennboys October 12, 2010
Babies
Toddlers & Pre-K
School-Age Kids
Pre-Teens & Teens
What we loved:
Wide beach, shallow water
What we didn't love:
No clams
This is a wonderful beach for small children--wide, with shallow gradient into the water. However, we went in seach of the coquina clams but could not find any after two of us searched for an hour with a clam rake. I dont recommend getting your kids excited about finding clams here or elsewhere in the Outer Banks. They just dont exist in appreciable numbers, at least not in places we could find. Clams sold in the local seafood markets are farm raised. Read More
Best beach for Toddlers & Younger kids!
By mkaye715 April 16, 2010
What we loved:
Not crowded, always clean, showers, restrooms close. Plenty of parking!
What we didn't love:
NOTHING!
Whenever my family wants a weekend getaway to the beach we ALWAYS choose Coquina Beach! We go there several times a year and its the best beach for toddlers! I have a 2 year old and its not overcrowded, it has restrooms and showers close by, and Ive never seen trash laying around on the beach! I would recommend this beach to ANYONE looking for a quiet beach! Read More
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