Located on the beach, Tar Heel Motel is in Whalebone, a neighborhood in Nags Head. Nags Head Golf Links and Pirate's Cove Marina are worth checking out if an activity is on the agenda, while those wishing to experience the area's natural beauty can explore Jockey's Ridge State Park and Festival Park. Don't miss out on a visit to North Carolina Aquarium at Roanoke Island. Take an opportunity to explore the area for water adventures such as fishing. Visit our Nags Head travel guide
Located close to Jennette's Pier and Pirate's Cove Marina, Tar Heel Motel provides a terrace. Guests can connect to free in-room WiFi.
Other perks at this motel include:
A seasonal outdoor pool
Free self parking
Express check-out, express check-in, and smoke-free premises
A vending machine, barbecue grills, and luggage storage
Room features
All guestrooms are individually decorated, and feature comforts such as furnished patios and laptop-compatible safes, as well as thoughtful touches like free WiFi and air conditioning. Guest reviews speak positively of the clean rooms at the property.
Extra conveniences in all rooms include:
Bathrooms with tubs or showers and free toiletries
As of 23 October 2026, prices found for a 1-night stay for 2 adults at Tar Heel Motel on 24 October 2026 start from AED 305, excluding taxes and fees. This price is based on the lowest nightly price found in the last 24 hours for stays in the next 30 days. Prices are subject to change. Choose your dates for more accurate prices.
Is Tar Heel Motel pet-friendly?
Yes, pets are allowed at this property. There's a fee of USD 50 per accommodation, per day. Service animals are exempt from fees.
How much is parking?
Self parking is free at this property.
What time is check-in at Tar Heel Motel?
Check-in start time: 4:00 PM; Check-in end time: 10:00 PM.
What time is check-out at Tar Heel Motel?
Check-out is at 11 AM.
Where is Tar Heel Motel located?
Located in Whalebone, this motel is 1.6 mi (2.6 km) from Nags Head Golf Links and within 6 mi (10 km) of Jennette's Pier and Pirate's Cove Marina. Jockey's Ridge State Park and Nags Head Fishing Pier are also within 6 mi (10 km).
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Reviews
Tar Heel Motel Reviews
8.4
Very Good
All reviews shown are from real guest experiences. Only travelers who have booked a stay with us can submit a review. We verify reviews according to our guidelines and publish all reviews, positive or negative.
Contactless check-in was a breeze. Great location! Plenty to shop, see, eat and do just minutes away. Staff was friendly and accommodating. Our only complaint were the beds being a little on the old side. Would definitely stay again!
Clean and close to the beach. Check in after hours was pretty easy, considering no one was there. Access code to the room takes a little getting used to and parking is odd, but overall a good stay. Would stay again!
I couldn't have picked a sweeter motel for my first trip to the Outer Banks. This quaint little motel provided all of our basic needs and less than 1 block from beach access. Walking distance to shops, ice cream and restaurants. Be courteous with parking at your unit and no issues. Just an awesome place with a retro feel.
Very peaceful and older motel. Everything seems to be upgraded and nicely decorated, The bed was comfortable and the towels were plentiful/thick. The pool had plenty of chairs and was very clean. Early access was a great surprise as well
We love staying here. The tar heel rates are very reasonable, especially compared to other places. Its very clean. Pool area is very clean and a nice setup. I love the location. Pulblic beach access is directly across the road in front of property. Its close walking distance to the pier. There's a restaurant right beside property thats delicious. The outlet mall, Wings and a very nice miniature golf place are right across street behind the property. The location is awesome! Very convenient to alot of things. You wont regret staying here!
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2026
Verified review
6/10 Okay
George
4 October 2026
The pictures show a cleaner, brighter, and more updated motel than the current condition. Check in is a texted keypad number for your room which was great and seamless. They do not offer housekeeping during your stay but the cleaning ladies were friendly and offered fresh towels each day when we saw them. There's no fans in the bathroom so things didn't dry overnight so the fresh towels were appreciated.
The AC unit kept the room cool but was incredibly noisy and would make a loud noise every time it cycled on which was about every 15 mins making it hard to sleep without earplugs. Beds were average. Everything was a bit worn and tired.
Location was great! A 2 min walk had you on a great beach with awesome shelling.
Parking is wonky but we never had a problem finding a spot by our room.
It worked for our 3 night stay but we wouldn't stay here again.
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2026
Verified review
8/10 Good
Cari
7 July 2026
Liked: Cleanliness, amenities
The room was clean but the use of a high fragrance cleaner gave us a headache. Thankfully we were able to air it out a little. We never came in contact with staff. The property was well maintained for being beach side and the rooms being newly renovated was pleasant. For the price and what we got it was very fair.
Room was clean, no one at front desk had to call a number, was there 3 days room never got cleaned while staying. The outdoor shower at pool to rinse sand off feet was broke. So had sand tracked in our room and room never got cleaned while we was out. Asked staff for extra towels and she didn’t speak English. But let me get 2 towels off her cart. Very convenient to beach right across from public beach access. Cute older motel worked perfect for just sleeping. Didn’t know there was quite time and couldn’t sit outside to talk on phone after 11 pm
Great little place for a weekend getaway that did not break the bank. Room was very clean with solid amenities. Really enjoyed the boutique hotel experience the Tar Heel offered.
They did a great job renovating the Tar Heel motel. Clean, comfortable rooms. Bring K-cups with you if you are a big coffee drinker and don’t pack heavy. This is the best of old school Outer Banks, reminds me of when my parents would take us to OBX in the 70’s staying at the Beacon.