Catch the Breeze
Choose Kitty Hawk in North Carolina’s barrier islands for a relaxing time-out.
The air that links the soft blue North Carolina sky and the sandy beach below is filled with seabirds. Technically, this is the troposphere, that realm of space between the ground and heavens where weather happens and planes fly.
In the small coastal town of Kitty Hawk, this airy domain carries a special significance. The very sky above the barrier islands that make up the Outer Banks was once occupied by the flying machine created by Wilbur and Orville Wright. Here these imaginative brothers turned their fascination with transportation into an airborne adventure that would change the way we move around the world.
The setting where the Wrights chose to test their manned gliding machine lies just a few miles south of Kitty Hawk, on the coast of Kill
Devil Hills. The choice of this particular stretch of shoreline came after consultation with aviation pioneer Octave Chanute, whose own experiments led him to suggest North Carolina as one of several possible testing grounds. It was crucial to select an area with reliably steady air currents — and as a bonus, the thick, sandy beaches near Kitty Hawk offered a relatively cushioned place to aim for when it was time to reconnect with terra firma.
The beaches and breezes are still a draw. Today’s visitors can explore the natural terrain with Native Birding Tours. Knowledgeable guides can introduce you to some of the 427 bird species recorded in the surrounding landscape’s tapestry of dunes, maritime forests, freshwater habitats and tidal saltwater marshes.
For an active afternoon, head to Kitty Hawk Kayak & Surf
School. Certified instructors offer year-round professional coaching, whether the goal is to shred big waves or glide through a tranquil local creek on an eco-friendly kayak expedition. You can also feel the coastal breezes sweep across your face at Sea Scape Golf Links, where sand dunes and woodlands combine to create a par-70 layout. The public course, designed by Art Wall, opened in 1968. There’s an on-site pro shop with club rentals available.
While you’re exploring, visit the Monument to a Century of