Nature
is the main attraction in Kill Devil Hills, and the town’s beautiful
beaches bring visitors to our shores year after year.
Below, we’ve provided some information on how to enjoy Kill Devil Hills’s beaches safely and with respect for the fragile ecosystem of the barrier islands and the power of the ocean. Whether you’re a surfer, kiteboarder, kayaker or sunbather, Kill Devil Hills is the perfect place to pursue your favorite outdoor activities.
You can’t visit the Outer Banks without seeing the place where flight began. Visit the Wright Brothers National Memorial. There are several temporary additions to the site that were placed there during the centennial celebration, so this is a great time to visit and see the special exhibits.
Don’t forget to take a look at our Calendar of Annual Events. There are exciting things happening on the Outer Banks year round, so you may just have to come back!
Kill Devil Hills Attractions Index. Click on each Attraction below to read more.
The Beach I The Sound I Wright Brothers Memorial | Annual Events
The Beach
The beach comes first on the Outer Banks. Everyone comes to these islands for the beach. We all want to set up a spot on the sand and watch the ocean for hours or swim, surf, snorkel, build sandcastles, take a walk or have a picnic. The options are endless for enjoying the sun and surf. See Kill Devil Hills Recreation for some businesses that can help you enjoy your time better (places that rent beach chairs, surfboards and fishing rods, for example). We’ve also listed a few fun activities for those times that you can’t enjoy the beach. But before getting started, here is some helpful information about the beaches of Kill Devil Hills.
Kill Devil Hills has more public beach accesses than we can list here, though we do provide information on the ones that have full amenities, below. In most areas there is a public access every few streets; look for signs posted along the Beach Road. Most have ample off-street parking and showers for rinsing sandy bodies. Many beach accesses have wooden walkways that make trekking over the dunes much easier. Lifeguards are posted along the beach from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. from Memorial to Labor Day. Roving lifeguards also patrol the beaches. It is good practice to always swim in front of a lifeguard. Not every access has a lifeguard, so this may require seeking a different beach access or walking down the beach to position yourself in front of the lifeguard stand. Look at signs posted on the lifeguard stand for important information about the ocean conditions such as the water temperature and the danger of rip currents.
A word on rip currents: They occur along the Outer Banks with regularity. A rip current forms when water rushes out to sea in a narrow path. They often occur around sandbars; look for differences in the water's color or surface and an area of water that streams away from shore. Rip currents can pull you out toward sea for a short way, and where most inexperienced swimmers get in trouble is that they panic and try to swim straight back toward shore. Don't do this; the current is too strong to swim directly against it. Instead, float for a minute to calm yourself then swim diagonally to shore to move out of the rip current, then you can swim back to the beach or catch a wave in.
On days when ocean conditions make swimming too dangerous, red flags will be flying at beach accesses. This means all swimming is prohibited. Please respect the lifeguards' decision and do not attempt to swim or let children wade in the water. Enjoy other beach activities instead - take a long walk, play games or hunt shells. Or, head to the soundside to a watersports headquarters for kayaking, parasailing or Jet skiing.
A few beach accesses with wooden walkways, handicapped parking, lifeguard and showers are:
The Sound
Heading to the soundside is a different beach experience. The sound is usually warmer, calmer and more shallow than the ocean. Still, the sound is affected by wind for depth and turbulence, so a mean southwest wind can whip up some waves, though they won’t really rival ocean waves. Because the sound is typically very shallow, even far from shore, you’ll often see kayakers, kiteboarders and windsurfers in the sound. Wading in the sound on calm days is ideal for small children, who are often overwhelmed by the noisy ocean. There are no lifeguards on the sound side in Kill Devil Hills, so use caution when swimming or wading, and don’t let the little ones out of your sight.
A sound access with parking, pier and picnic area is:
Dogs are allowed on the beach in Kill Devil Hills from mid-September to mid-May. They must be on a leash, and owners must clean up after pets and dispose of waste properly (meaning in a trash can, not buried in the sand.) Bringing a dog to the beach in the summer could result in fines. Dogs aiding the handicapped are allowed year round.
Personal Watercraft like Jet skis or Waverunners are allowed within town limits, but they cannot be operated within 300 feet of the shoreline or fishing piers.
Bonfires are not allowed on the beach in Kill Devil Hills.
Driving on the beach is allowed from October 1 to April 30. The suggested speed limit is 15 m.p.h. Stay off the dunes. The vehicle must have valid registration and license plate, and the driver must have a valid license. Keep in mind where you are while on the beach because beach driving is not allowed in Kitty Hawk, the neighboring town to the north. Nags Head, the neighboring town to the south, requires a beach driving permit.
Fireworks are often tempting to vacationers. In Kill Devil Hills, fireworks that explode or fly through the air are illegal. These types of fireworks include bottle rockets and Roman Candles. Legal fireworks include sparklers and cone fountains, but these can still be dangerous. Never use fireworks in a crowd or without a responsible adult present. Use fireworks away from buildings and dune grasses. Always dispose of litter caused by fireworks. Dispose of used fireworks only after first soaking them in water. For any questions regarding fireworks, contact the Kill Devil Hills Fire Department at (252) 480-4060.
Trash One last thing to remember: Whatever you bring to the beach, take home from the beach. That includes all trash. We all come to the Outer Banks for the beach. If we all do our part in taking care of the beach, everyone’s experience will be great.
Wright Brothers National Memorial
The Bypass, MP 8, Kill Devil Hills
(252) 441-7430
The Wright Brothers National Memorial is the site of the world’s first powered, sustained and controlled flight. Orville and Wilbur Wright of Dayton, Ohio, traveled to the Outer Banks for their flight experiments because of the wind, slopes without trees or shrubs and sandy soil for soft landings. On December 17, 1903, the Wright Brothers were successful with four powered flights. The first lasted 12 seconds and carried Orville 120 feet, and the last, longest flight lasted 59 seconds and carried Wilbur 852 feet.
The Memorial includes a visitor’s center with a bookstore, exhibits on the Wright Brothers and full-scale replicas of both the 1902 Wright Glider and the 1903 Wright Flyer. On the grounds are markers of all four flights that took place on December 17. There are replica buildings of the Wright brothers’ living quarters and hangar. The centennial pavilion includes exhibits on the Wright Flyer, the First Flight Centennial celebration, NASA and the future of flight and the Outer Banks at the turn of the century. A 30-minute film is shown daily in the pavilion center on The Machines of the Wright Brothers from 1900 to 1903. There is a gift shop filled with First Flight Centennial memorabilia such as Ts, hats, glassware and even a Century of Flight edition of Monopoly.
On top of the 90-foot dune known as Big Kill Devil Hill is a 60-foot granite monument. You can climb the hill to get a striking view of Kill Devil Hills, the ocean and the sound.
The Wright Brothers National Memorial is open year round. The admission fee is $3 per person and is good for seven days. Children and teens 16 and younger are free, and seniors 62 and older are free with a valid Golden Age Passport. An annual admission pass is $20.
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Kill Devil Hills Annual Events
January
Outer Banks Wedding Weekend and Expo
Kill Devil Hills
The Outer Banks Wedding Weekend and Expo, organized by the Outer Banks Wedding Association, is an opportunity to view local wedding businesses and start planning your dream Outer Banks wedding. Register for door prizes and the Outer Banks Dream Wedding Grand Prize, an entire package of wedding goods and services. The show is held at First Flight Middle School. For more information, see the Outer Banks Wedding Association website.
Outer Banks Wedding Show
Kill Devil Hills
Also held in January, the Outer Banks Wedding Show is another opportunity to see the best that local wedding vendors have to offer you. Local publisher Three Dog Ink organizes the wedding show. Book all your wedding services in one weekend! Register to win a honeymoon giveaway and have a great time sampling the best in Outer Banks weddings. For more information, see the Outer Banks Wedding Show website.
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February
Artful Fund-raising Gala
(252) 473-5558
This is an annual fundraiser for the Dare County Arts Council. There is always a fun theme and costumes are encouraged. Support the local arts scene and have fun with music, door prizes, food and art.
The Vagina Monologues
(252) 267-4125
Presented annually as part of the worldwide efforts to end violence against women and girls, this production of Eve Ensler’s work features local women in the play and local men and women behind the scenes. Look for location and times several weeks before the event in local media.
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April
Outer Banks Bike Week
Various Outer Banks locations
(252) 255-5922
What better way to see the Outer Banks than from a motorcycle? Outer Banks Bike Week includes gatherings up and down the beach at local restaurants for live music, great food and drinks and even a bikini contest.
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July
Annual Wright Kite Festival
Wright Brothers National Memorial
The Bypass, MP 8, Kill Devil Hills
(252) 441-4124, (877) FLY-THIS
This festival takes place in mid-July at the Wright Brothers Memorial. Enjoy stunt kite demos and games. Kids can create and fly their own kites.
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August
OBX Boomerang Competition
Wright Brothers National Memorial
The Bypass, MP 8, Kill Devil Hills
(252) 441-4124, (877) FLY-THIS
The annual Boomerang Competition is organized by Kitty Hawk Kites and takes place at the Wright Brothers Memorial. Watch as the top boomerang throwers in the nation compete. There are also free boomerang demos and kite making for kids.
National Aviation Day
Wright Brothers National Memorial
The Bypass, MP 8, Kill Devil Hills
(252) 441-7430
National Aviation Day is celebrated on Orville Wright’s birthday, August 19, at the Wright Brothers National Memorial. The celebration includes programs on flight, visits by descendants of the Wright Brothers and activities for kids.
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September
Annual Outer Banks Stunt Kite Competition
Wright Brothers National Memorial
The Bypass, MP 8, Kill Devil Hills
(252) 441-4124, (877) FLY-THIS
This stunt kite competition is on the Eastern League Circuit for sport kite flying. Organized by Kitty Hawk Kites, you’ll see kite ballet, team flying competitions and more. There are activities for the kids like kite demos and kite making. The competition takes place at the Wright Brothers Memorial.
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Jolly Roger Fall Fishing Tournament
Outer Banks Beaches
(252) 441-6530
Hosted by a popular Kill Devil Hills restaurant, the Jolly Roger tournament is a surf fishing competition. Party down after the tournament at the Jolly Roger restaurant with free food and prizes.
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October
North Carolina Big Sweep
North Carolina beaches and waterways
(800) 27-SWEEP
Big Sweep is typically scheduled to take place in early October. Big Sweep is an organized day of cleanup of North Carolina waterways. To participate, find a Big Sweep volunteer at a local beach access. They provide trash bags, and it’s a good idea to wear gloves and avoid any potentially hazardous materials. There is usually an after party at a local restaurant where the cost of admission is the bag of trash you’ve cleared off the beach. This is a great way to help keep our beaches beautiful. To learn more, call the number above or visit www.ncbigsweep.org.
Annual Artrageous Art Extravaganza
Dare County Family Recreational Park
Mustian Street, MP 8.5, Kill Devil Hills
(252) 473-5558
This is a great event for the whole family. Meet artists and see how they work, hear live music and enjoy food from local vendors. There are lots of arts and craft activities for the kids, and the whole event takes place at the County Family Recreational Park. The event always occurs the first full weekend in October. The festival is held on Saturday, and then on Sunday night there is an auction for adults with plenty of art, food, drinks and music. Proceeds benefit arts education in local schools and arts programs in Dare County.
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November
OBX Marathon & One-Hill-Only Half-Marathon
Register at active.com
The first ever OBX Marathon starts in Kitty Hawk and travels along the Outer Banks by the Wright Brothers Memorial, Nags Head Woods and Jockey’s Ridge before ending on Roanoke Island. The Half-Marathon begins at Jockey’s Ridge and ends on Roanoke Island. Races are open to walkers and there is also a group fun run. Don’t miss the opportunity to participate in this first-ever event! For more information visit obxmarathon.org.
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December
102 Anniversary of the Wright Brothers First Flight
Wright Brothers National Memorial
The Bypass, MP 8, Kill Devil Hills
(252) 441-7430
Each year on December 17, the anniversary of the Wright Brothers’ first powered flight is celebrated at the National Memorial in Kill Devil Hills. Events include guest speakers, parachute jumps and military and civilian fly-bys. All events are free and open to the public.
Outer Banks Hotline's Festival of Trees
(252) 473-5121
The Outer Banks Hotline’s Festival of Trees is an annual fund-raising event for Hotline, a local nonprofit crisis intervention and prevention center. Beautifully decorated Christmas trees and Holiday items are auctioned off and there are several festive events.
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