Jockey's Ridge Archives | Kitty Hawk Kites

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What to Book for Your Outer Banks Vacation: Activities, Tours & Experiences

Shop for Travel Day at Kitty Hawk Kites Plan, browse, and pre-book your Outer Banks adventures This is your shopping guide for Outer Banks recreation—built for travelers who…

Published

January 13, 2026

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Why Dune Hang Gliding with Kitty Hawk Kites Should Be On Your Bucket List!

Looking for unforgettable things to do in Nags Head or ready to cross hang gliding in the Outer Banks off your bucket list? There’s no better place…

Published

October 13, 2025

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Things to Do in Nags Head, North Carolina: Family Fun, Festivals & More

If you're planning a trip to Nags Head this summer, you’re in for a memorable experience. From one-of-a-kind festivals and breathtaking sunsets to iconic landmarks and exciting family-friendly…

Published

June 23, 2025

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Giving Back: Doing our Part to Preserve the Outer Banks

In observance of Plastic Free July, Kitty Hawk Kites recently partnered with the Outer Banks chapter of the Surfrider Foundation for a beach cleanup. The event took place…

Published

July 7, 2023

Blog

Professional Kite Flyers’ Guide to the OBX

This past weekend, Kitty Hawk Kites celebrated the 41st Annual Rogallo Kite Festival. Dozens of professional kite flyers traveled to the OBX for friendship, food, fun, and of…

Published

June 22, 2023

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Celebrate the Holidays with Kitty Hawk Kites

Kitty Hawk Kites has everything you need to get ready for the holiday season!

Published

November 10, 2022

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50th Annual Hang Gliding Spectacular

The Kitty Hawk Kites Hang Gliding Spectacular is the longest running hang gliding event in the world! This year, the Kitty Hawk Kites Flight School is proud to…

Published

May 19, 2022

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Free Things To Do On the Outer Banks

The Outer Banks is full of fun things to do. As a popular tourist destination (thanks, Netflix!), most local businesses rely on tourists during the summers, ourselves included.…

Published

March 17, 2022

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49th Annual Hang Gliding Spectacular Recap

This past May 13th-16th, we hosted the 49th Annual Hang Gliding Spectacular at Jockey’s Ridge State Park and the Cotton Gin in Jarvisburg, NC. Pilots from across the…

Published

May 27, 2021

Billy Vaughn flying a Wills Wing Sport 3 at the Aerotow Hang Gliding competition

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A Spectacular Hang Gliding Competition

This past weekend, something amazing happened. Against all odds, the 48th Annual Hang Gliding Spectacular Competition took place on October 25-27. The Spectacular is the longest continually running…

Published

September 30, 2020

John Harris presented with Visit North Carolina Winners Circle Award

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Founder, John Harris, Honored for Contributions to North Carolina Tourism

https://youtu.be/Jri6FZ5jZeU Visit North Carolina, a unit of the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina, honored John Harris as a recipient of its 2020 Winners Circle Award for his…

Published

September 7, 2020

Blog

What to Bring on Your Hang Gliding Lesson

So you want to learn how to fly. Great! But before you head out to the dunes, there are a few things that we recommend you bring with you on your hang gliding lesson.

Published

July 20, 2020

John Harris hang gliding at Grandfather Mountain

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The 46th Anniversary of Hang Gliding at Grandfather Mountain

On this day 46 years ago, July 13, 1974, Kitty Hawk Kites founder John Harris became the first person to hang glide at Grandfather Mountain.

Published

July 13, 2020

Blog

The OBX: More Than Just a Beach

As a string of barrier islands off the North Carolina coast, the Outer Banks offers over 100 miles of beaches. But that's not all. The Outer Banks has so much more to offer.

Published

June 25, 2020

A kid smiling during hang gliding lessons

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Have You Been Hang Gliding Yet?

https://vimeo.com/431846177 When people think of the Outer Banks, one of the first things they think of is flight. As home to the Wright Brother's National Memorial and boasting…

Published

June 23, 2020

Blog

Teaching The World To Fly For Over 45 Years

Kitty Hawk Kites has celebrated its 45th anniversary this year. Since then, our mission has been teaching the world to fly! But have you ever wondered how it all started? So we asked John Harris, founder and president of Kitty Hawk Kites, to give us in his words how he started this great company.

Published

October 22, 2019

Blog

A First Flight Story

hang gliding launch My name is Sara, and I’m a competitive hang glider pilot. I’ve been obsessed with free flight since my first lessons in 2013. And suspect…

Published

December 19, 2018

Blog

How Learning to Fly at Kitty Hawk Kites Made Me into a Better Competition Pilot

In 2013, I began my first summer as a hang gliding instructor at Kitty Hawk Kites. It was here that I first learned to fly. My fellow instructors…

Published

August 20, 2018

Blog

Earning Your Hang 1 at Kitty Hawk Kites

If you’re ready to take adventure to a whole new level, then it’s time to earn your Hang 1 certification at Kitty Hawk Kites. So if you’re looking…

Published

August 7, 2018

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Our Lesson with Jockey’s Ridge State Park Super Intendant, Joy Greenwood

Since starting as the Jockey's Ridge State Park Superintendent in 2017, Joy Greenwood watched our hang gliders flying nearly every day. But with her position comes a sizable workload,…

Published

February 19, 2018

Blog

Winter Hang Gliding Images

Some pictures from our instructors Tycho and Wolf, enjoy! Stay tuned for the video!

Published

January 19, 2018

Blog

Kites We Love!

This Valentine's Day we wanted to change things up! We decided instead of telling you about a bunch of products that are red and have hearts, we would…

Published

February 10, 2017

Blog

A day in the life: The 34th Annual Rogallo Kite Festival

It was a beautiful weekend for the 34th Annual Rogallo Kite Festival! Typical with any kite festival, the wind was not completely cooperative. But it was good enough to…

Published

June 23, 2016

Blog

Hang Gliding Spectacular Celebrates 44 Years of Fun and Flight; May 13-16

Nags Head, N.C. (April 22, 2016)The 44th Annual Kitty Hawk Kites Hang Gliding Spectacular will return to the dunes of Jockey’s Ridge State Park from May 13-16. Nearly 50 top-level competitors…

Published

April 22, 2016

Blog

Sandboarding Fun at Jockey’s Ridge State Park

A lesser-known activity that’s available at Jockey’s Ridge State Park is sandboarding. The dunes are recognized as being one of the best spots to fly a kite on…

Published

July 29, 2015

Blog

A Great Day for Rogallo Festival

[caption id="attachment_1324" align="aligncenter" width="580"] Flying a nine-stack of stunt kites at the 33rd Annual Rogallo Kite Festival.[/caption] Friday was the first day of the 33rd Annual Francis Rogallo…

Published

June 6, 2015

Blog

Jockey’s Ridge State Park Turns 40 This May

It's likely that few North Carolinians can recall the circumstances that lead to Jockey’s Ridge becoming a state park on May 31, 1975. The rolling sand dunes – spotted…

Published

May 27, 2015

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