Kitty Hawk is the town that got the credit. The first flight actually happened four miles south in what’s now Kill Devil Hills — but in 1903 the news went out over the government telegraph wire at the Kitty Hawk Life-Saving Station, the dateline read “Kitty Hawk,” and the name stuck to history. You can stand on that spot today: it’s a restaurant now, and the crab dip is good.
Beyond the famous name, Kitty Hawk is the quieter of the central beach towns — a lifeguarded beach with real public parking, a maritime forest most visitors never find, and a pier with a story. Everything below is pinned on the map.
Open this map full-screen in Google Maps — handy for saving it offline before you lose signal.
Things to Do in Kitty Hawk
Kitty Hawk Pier, at 5353 N Virginia Dare Trail, has stood since 1953 and is owned by the Hilton Garden Inn next door — but it’s open to the public for fishing with a daily pass, free if you’re a hotel guest. It’s a working pier, not a boardwalk attraction, and that’s the appeal.
The Regional Public Beach Access at 3840 N Virginia Dare Trail is the one to aim for: free parking, a bathhouse with restrooms and showers in season, lifeguards in summer, and a nearly flat walk onto the sand. Open 6 AM to 10 PM. If you’re day-tripping to the central beaches, this is the access that makes it easy.
Kitty Hawk Woods Reserve is a maritime forest and swamp preserve — one of the largest on the northern Outer Banks — with quiet marked trails through terrain most beach visitors never see. The easiest trailhead is at Kitty Hawk Park next to the dog park; map apps sometimes route to a dead-end street instead, so aim for the park. Bug spray is not optional in the warm months. The ticks are serious.
Sandy Run Park, at 4343 The Woods Rd, is a free boardwalk loop over ponds and marsh, with kayak launches, a fishing platform, gazebos, and more turtles than you can count. It’s one of the best quiet stops on the whole OBX and costs nothing.
The Black Pelican Oceanfront Restaurant, at 3848 N Virginia Dare Trail, sits on the site of the 1874 Kitty Hawk Life-Saving Station — the station from which news of the Wright brothers’ first flight was telegraphed to the world. Seafood and wood-fired pizza with ocean views, and a genuine claim to a spot in aviation history.
Where to Eat & Stay
For a meal with a backstory, the Black Pelican is the anchor — dinner on the site where the first-flight telegram went out. For lodging, the oceanfront Hilton Garden Inn sits right at the Kitty Hawk Pier, and the rest of the town is the classic OBX mix of rental cottages along the beach road. See our full Outer Banks Restaurants guide for the wider area.
Related OBX Guides
Go pier fishing or check the beaches nearby. Head down the beach road to Kill Devil Hills, where the first flight happened. Browse everything in our Things to Do in the Outer Banks guide.
Did the first flight happen in Kitty Hawk?
No — the flights happened four miles south, in what’s now Kill Devil Hills. In 1903 the whole area went by Kitty Hawk, and the telegram announcing the flight was sent from the Kitty Hawk Life-Saving Station, so the name got the fame. The telegram site is now the Black Pelican restaurant.
Can anyone fish from the Kitty Hawk Pier?
Yes — it’s owned by the neighboring Hilton Garden Inn but open to the public with a daily fishing pass, free for hotel guests.
Does Kitty Hawk have a lifeguarded public beach?
Yes — the Regional Public Beach Access at 3840 N Virginia Dare Trail has free parking, a seasonal bathhouse with showers, and lifeguards in summer.
Where is the Kitty Hawk Woods trailhead?
The easiest entry is at Kitty Hawk Park, next to the dog park and skate park. Map apps sometimes send drivers to a dead-end residential street — navigate to the park instead.
Is Sandy Run Park free?
Yes — free parking, free boardwalk, and the turtles don’t charge either.