Advertisement
Kitty Hawk Kites Hang Gliding School

Kitty Hawk Kites Hang Gliding School

Kitty Hawk Kites Hang Gliding School
4.5
About
The largest hang gliding school in the world! Located at Jockey's Ridge State Park, Kitty Hawk Kites has taught well over 300,000 people how to hang glide since the school was founded in 1974 by pioneer hang glider John Harris.
Duration: 2-3 hours
Suggest edits to improve what we show.
Improve this listing
Tours & experiences
Explore different ways to experience this place.
What is Travellers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.

Top ways to experience Kitty Hawk Kites Hang Gliding School and nearby attractions

The area
Address
Reach out directly

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Popular mentions

4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles287 reviews
Excellent
238
Very good
30
Average
13
Poor
1
Terrible
5

matt27098
Georgetown, KY10 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2021 • Family
We booked this experience hoping it would be the highlight of our trip. We showed up on a beautiful day. Sat through a great 20 minute presentation with our instructor and were fit up with gear. We walked to the dunes where we were told that it was too windy to fly and were told that we could have a “wind check” to come back within a year (not a good option since we live 12 hours away) or we could have a refund minus $39.00 per person plus tax for the ground school we attended. $160 for a family of four to receive 20 minutes of instruction is not a good value. I would not recommend this if you are traveling from out of town.
Written March 31, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thanks for your feedback. We are sorry to hear that the wind did not cooperate for your lesson. There also appears to have been a miscommunication. A wind check is good forever. You can return to fulfill your lesson at any time in the future. We honor wind checks from the '80s and '90s regularly. We understand your frustration, however.
Written June 17, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

David L
1 contribution
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2022 • Business
Bate and switch !! Glider listed for $6400 on website. speak to them about buying in over the course of several days. Then they said the price was too low and changed it to $7500 ! Plus shipping. Used glider no less. Four year old glider and they are selling it for more than a brand new 2022 model goes for . Super unethical. They have had glider for sale for four years and as soon as they got a serious buyer they change the price ?! Wow. Oh and i found out that in 2018 the glider was $5700.

Super shady business practice. very disappointed.
Written August 15, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

kendelld
Latham, NY18 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
The bioluminescent trip sounded neat and sounded better than kayaking in the 95+ degree heat we had this summer. Obviously you can't see anything at night and the biting insects in the Marsh were ridiculous. Then when we finally got to the open area where the bioliminescent critters were supposed to be-what a joke. If you ran your fingers through the water just right, you would see little tiny sparkles from the dinoflagellates. Dinoflagellarea are microscopic creatures. No one even realized that this was what we actually came to see-we all though it was a stop along the way.

Our guide was nice-hes a student intern working nearby and he was nice enough to share his bug spray. If it weren't for that, I'd have been eaten alive-i apparently missed a spot and had 23 bites on the inside of my arm! And the itchiest bites I've ever had. Probably would be nice if the salespeople told you to be prepared too.
Written August 26, 2011
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

USFamily7
Gatlinburg, TN57 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2014 • Family
We had a fantastic, uplifting hang gliding experience with Kitty Hawk Kites during two of our vacation days on the Outer Banks – we stayed in Corolla for a week with our extended family in celebration of our parents’ 50th wedding anniversary. On our first hang gliding day, we took lessons on the dunes of Jockey’s Ridge State Park in Nags Head. 16 of the 18 family members in our group participated, including two 6-year-old children, two 8-year-olds, two 11-year-olds, a 14-year-old, a 17-year-old, and 8 adults. We started with an indoor ground school in a classroom, which lasted for about 45 minutes, included a mini-lecture by a terrific instructor named Alex, and was entertaining, informative, and child-friendly. Following ground school, each hang glider in our group was outfitted with a helmet and a harness, and we walked to the sand dunes, about a 15-minute strenuous uphill trudge through the powdery sand. Incidentally, the 2 members of our group who did not participate were our older parents; our father has difficulty walking, and our mother wanted to stay with him. However, the state park ranger service has 4x4 jeeps and, by special request, preferably in advance, they can drive onto the dunes people who cannot walk there on their own. This is a complimentary service subject to the rangers’ availability, and we were fortunate and deeply grateful that they were able to drive our parents onto the dunes – our parents loved watching all of their children and grandchildren hang glide while they sat there like a king and queen in beach chairs at the top of the tallest natural dunes on the eastern seaboard!

The hands-on lessons on the dunes were great. After climbing up to the top of a high, steep sand dune, we were divided into three groups – Group One for the smaller children, Group Two for the older children and younger adults, and Group Three for the slightly-less-young adults. There were a total of 4 instructors, each of them outstanding in hang gliding skill as well in child and adult psychology – Alex, Robert, Alan, and Willy were great with adults and children alike, motivating and reassuring all of us, calming everyone who was nervous (terrified?) of hang gliding. Each person took five turns, alternating with the other members of his or her group. A turn consists of the following: First, you harness yourself solo into a hang glider (a “kite,” they call it), which puts you in a prone position parallel to and a few inches above the ground. The control bar of the kite is now just beneath your chest, and you hold onto this bar while the instructor talks you through what’s called a “hang check” to make sure your harness is secure. Then, you stand up, holding the control bar – and you are amazed, thrilled, and also somewhat nervous, as you feel the kite straining and bucking in the strong wind coming off the ocean onto the dunes. The kite feels like a restless pet pulling at its leash, ready to leap up into the turbulent air as soon as you release it to its will. At your instructor’s signal, you begin to walk down the dune, then jog, then run – and after a few steps, you feel the strong lift of the kite, you elevate your legs, and suddenly you find yourself airborne! What exhilaration! You glide down the dune, 5-15 feet in the air. Your instructor runs alongside your kite, holding a rope attached to one of the wings to prevent the wind in your wings from lifting you too high. He instructs you to either push out or pull in on the control bar, which is how you control the angle of your wings and therefore your speed and altitude. As you near the bottom of the dune, he shouts at you to flare by pushing full out and up on the bar, and if you do this correctly, your wings will angle steeply up, your body will move with the wings from parallel with the ground to perpendicular to it, and you will land nicely on your feet. Personally, this was the most challenging part. For my first 4 turns, I failed to flare correctly and belly-flopped into the fortunately-fluffy sand; once, my instructor gave me the dubious compliment of mine being the most graceful crash landing he has ever seen. These graceless landings did not hurt at all because of the soft sand, resulting only in a pained grin and bruised ego – and sand in my clothes, sneakers, and socks (how does it get THERE???) and grit in my mouth for the rest of the day. My fifth and last turn, however, was a horse of a different color; I finally felt completely in control, and I flared and planted my feet perfectly. A beauteous run, if I must say so myself. For the children and younger adults, 2 instructors were assigned to each kite, holding a rope on each side and keeping the kite in rigid control. Once your turn is over and you successfully flare, or eat sand, at the bottom of the dune, you hike back up to the top of the dune (there is no “dune lift” or rope tow, as those of us who are skiers in the winter might expect), and your instructor carries the kite back to the top to begin another turn with someone else in the group.

Overall, we had a thrilling, educational, sandy, and perfectly safe experience on the dunes learning how to hang glide, and this was thanks to our terrific instructors Alex, Robert, Alan, and Willy.

On our second hang gliding day, which was supposed to be the following day but needed to be rescheduled for the day after due to high winds, we took tandem aerial-tow lessons to 2000 feet up. Our group drove to the Currituck County Airport in Jarvisburg, an uncontrolled airport with two landing strips, one concrete and one grass. At the airport, an experienced hang gliding instructor named Dennis gave us a safety talk and basic instructions. 14 of the 18 family members in our group participated, including one brave 8-year-old, two 11-year-olds, a 14-year-old, a 17-year-old, and 9 adults – INCLUDING our 70-something-year-old mother!!

The way it worked was the following: There was one kite, with a dual harness that can accommodate two people, one below the other. Mike, the instructor who flew with us, secured himself in the lower tier so that he was lying prone, parallel to the ground, just above the control bar, and each of us, in turn, harnessed him- or herself just above Mike, parallel to him. The kite was attached in front by a long tethering rope to a small, single-engine propeller plane – this plane was a back-to-basics, bare-bones plane with the pilot sitting in the open air at the very front of the plane, with a fuselage that was completely open, and with a visible engine, fuel tank, and emergency parachute located just behind the pilot. The kite’s tow line was attached to the rear of the plane. The plane sat on the grass runway with the kite behind it on the ground, and when Dennis signaled the pilot, the plane began its takeoff roll, pulling the kite as well. Liftoff was quick – the kite became airborne after two to three seconds, and the plane a few seconds later. The plane towed the kite up to 2000 feet, at which point the pilot signaled Mike, Mike released the tow line from the kite, and we were on our own, soaring!!! The experience was unparalleled. The kite’s wings felt like an extension of ourselves, as if we were a large colorful bird soaring in the sky. While gliding high above the earth, each of us felt a mixture of exhilaration, serenity, and wonder. Our 70-something mother came back down whooping and exulting, and told us she had felt almost a spiritual high that she had never before experienced. Depending on which of us was flying, Mike either controlled the kite on his own, or allowed us to control it under his guidance and instruction. During my turn, he allowed me to control the kite, teaching me how to pull in on the control bar to lower the leading edge of the wing (causing the kite to speed up and descend, as if it were diving down), push out on the bar to raise the leading edge of the wing (slowing the kite and increasing its lift), and use my hips to initiate coordinated turns. Each of us soared for about 10 minutes, and eventually Mike brought us each back to solid ground, landing gently on the kite’s wheels on the same spot on the grass runway from which we had taken off. Mike is a fantastic hang glider, and an outstanding instructor. He is as comfortable with the kite as if it really were an extension of himself, and is able to land the kite on a dime. Although hang gliding may have a reputation as an extreme, risky sport, at no time did any of us feel unsafe; on the contrary, Mike’s quiet competence commanded complete confidence throughout. All of us said we would go hang gliding again, if presented with the opportunity, without hesitation and without fear. Also of note, the pilots of the tow plane were phenomenal and highly experienced. Our group started with Gabriel, who did a great job. Gabriel was relieved by Johnny, who seemed as comfortable in an airplane as in his own flip flops. In fact, he indeed did flip flops – each time after Mike would detach the tow rope at altitude, Johnny would put on an aerial show for the benefit of our group, rolling and diving his plane as he returned to Mother Earth.

Overall, the combination of our lessons on the dunes and the aerial-tow tandem lesson at 2000 feet gave us an outstanding introduction to hang gliding. These experiences not only taught us the basics of operating a kite, but also suffused us with a zest for the exhilaration and grace of unpowered flight.
Written September 11, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Beauregard70
Fort Thomas, KY150 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2018 • Family
My 11 year old son and I did the beginner hang gliding lesson and we are SO glad we did. The instructors were very engaging and knowledgeable (I had Jesse and Maurice) and the location was very cool. I will, however, say this...be prepared because this is strenuous. It's a 0.25 mile hike from the classroom to the top of the sand dune (awesome view by the way) and you will be gliding down and then hiking back up the sand dune roughly 5 times. It is VERY hot so dress appropriately and bring ALOT of cold water and sun screen!

This was a blast and I just want to say "hats off" to Kitty Hawk Kites! They have done a fine job here and hired some GREAT people! We will be back!
Written June 6, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

cynssmith
Baltimore, MD149 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2015
We went over Columbus Day Weekend. You pay $109 (check for coupons in the Sunny Day guide) and get about an hour lesson/video instruction inside called "ground school" and then off to the dunes. All told you spend about 3+ hours during this activity... plan accoridngly.

After ground school you trek (and it IS a trek) up the dunes to the hang gliding spot. Dress appropriately.... you'll be in the sun (unless it's raining, there's no shelter on the dunes... so bring a raincoat - they fly in the rain!) If it's windy -- bring a jacket and some sort of pack for your stuff --- SAND everywhere! On you, in you, in your stuff and it stings!! Particularly if you have little ones -- it's tough for them to take. Bring water, but keep it protected. Wear sunglasses even if it's overcast to protect your eyes from the blowing sand. Remember, your stuff will be sitting in the sand (as will you) while you wait... so don't bring too much. Also -- shoes -- they will let you do sneaks or barefoot but nothing that will fall off. You might be tempted to go barefoot but two warnings -- the sand can get hot AND there are sand burrs that get stuck into the bottom of your feet, pants, etc. And if your little one steps on one.... it's a LONG way back to the car for bandages, tweezers, etc.

Each instructor gets a group of 5 or 6 and takes you out for two "flights" at a time, but they are flexible if you have to get on the road (and it doesn't upset anyone else in your group). Flights are short and the instructors don't really let go of the tether. Depending on your adventure level, that's probably OK. I was fine with it -- only about 10 feet up, and a short jaunt down the hill -- but we're here to learn, I don't want to end up with a face full of sand! That said, if I went again, I'd do a tandem, to get a better idea of how it really feels to hang glide vs a few seconds in the air.

The little ones have two instructors -- one on each side -- so they don't really fly, but rather get guided down the hill.... but who wants to see their Wee One hurt? While they wait they'll play in the sand, fly kites, etc so you can all enjoy Jockey's Ridge as well. Just be sure to ask your instructor to alternate adults so someone is always with the Littles. You don't want them wandering off doing their Lawrence of Arabia impression!!!

There's a Go-Pro attached to the glider and you can purchase the video of your flight. The price isn't bad. $40 for your group -- so the more in your group the cheaper it is.

Here's where they could improve. In terms of the Little Ones, the reservationist said "4 or 40 lbs" but when we went in, they said, oh, no, of course we'll take her.... (or do you mean, "oh, of course you'll take your money") Size and weight matter on the glider, particularly if it's windier, so don't just make up rules, please. Either it's a rule, or it isn't.... so either you broke your own rule, or your employees need training.

Then... Our first day was VERY WINDY. Over 20 MPH winds and we had two young kids. You could hear the side conversations ("dude, 27 mph winds!!") so you knew things would be interesting. After trying to get us all up once (Including our 4 YO who basically just hung there because of the wind, she didn't even go down the hill) the instructors called it. This was a very good call but frustrating for a few reasons. I got the impression that the instructors were pretty sure before we went out that we wouldn't be able to compete 5 flights. I didn't like the first experience -- it was very difficult to control and felt like a roller coaster (not good on a Stack 'Em High full tummy). And this was because it honestly was too windy to have us out. We shouldn't have been taken out to begin with. I understand that in season you don't want to disappoint people and maybe they feel like they have to "try" to take us out to make it look like they did their best, but really. 20+ MPH winds... it wasn't happening. I'm glad they called it -- no one got hurt -- but again, I don't think we should have gone out in the first place. I think they just should have just done "ground school" and rescheduled everyone. The conditions were miserable -- sand stinging everyone, Little Ones could barely open their eyes. Sand everywhere, all day -- ears, hair, inside clothes.

They were very adamant they were trying again at 2 (we did the 10am) but of course... same wind situation..... so we still didn't fly.

If you don't complete the flights you get a "wind check" that never expires, which is great if you go every year for vaca but stinks if you go once every decade or so. They are transferable, but the onus is on you to sell/gift it. Or you can reschedule, but again, it's weather dependent so you might be stuck.

We made it the next morning but we did it more because if we didn't we wouldn't get our money back which is why I think they structure the "refunds" as such. They said it would only take about 2 hours because we'd already done ground school, but instead of letting the rescheduled people complete all their flights while the new group was in ground school, we only got one in. So, we were still there for a full 3+ hours which really messed up our drive home. We had to ask to finish our flights ahead of the rest of the group -- which the instructors thankfully did -- but knowing we were postponing our drive, they should have finished all of the reschedules before adding in the new students.

The instructors themselves were knowledgeable and personable and were able to handle adults as well as kids. Very kind, hardworking guys. Totally recommend them!! Very positive people to help make it a fun experience. We always felt safe and in good hands.

Recommendation -- really study the weather before you book, and book very early into your trip so you have multiple chances to reschedule. Look for something in mid temps, partly sunny, and little to no wind -- less than 8 MPH. If all this falls into place, you should have no issues and have a great intro to hang gliding!!
Written October 19, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Judy S
Bloomsburg, PA34 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2014 • Family
My daughter in law took her son Luke, 6, who is blind since birth, hand gliding at Kitty Hawk Kites last week while on vacation in the Outer Banks, NC. two wonderful employees took hours with Luke teaching him how to hold on, etc. and then finally....HE TOOK FLIGHT....with the two of them hanging on to the kite and running the hills so he could feel the wind in his face and the freedom of flying. They did this 5 times....up and down....and you could not wipe the smile off this little boys face for hours... Now, he is in to flying. He loves school, is a great student at Central Columbia High School,, plays the piano and will get his purple Karate belt on Wednesday. There is nothing he can't do but it takes people like the two young men and Kitty Hawk Kites to makes things like this possible for my precious grandson. I cannot thank them enough for taking the time and energy to give this boy some very special memories....Please support this type of business who show they care!!!!! THANK YOU KITTY HAWK KITES.
Written September 29, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

CleMkeTraveler
Milwaukee, WI3 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2013
I am a fit 34 year old woman and have done lots of adventure type things in multiple places. I mention this only to say thiscan happen to anyone- it is not likely but it can. On my 2nd flight a huge gust of air flipped me over and I landed upside down. I hurt bith legs, my shoulder and my neck. i went to urgent care, had xrays of my neck and actually had whiplash among other deep bruises, cuts, etc. I realize there are risks and accidents happen, that is not what bothers me. What I found odd was how 1) the instructors showed no concern other than offering ice packs and saying if I could not walk they can get the park rangers ( I could walk thankfully). 2) they did not take record of what my injuries were or anything (I would have thought they would have to report injuries that required medical attention). In summary, things happen and I know you sign a release for these sorts of things but just because you sign that should not mean that you are not treated with empathy if hurt or that you should not be able to see their safety record ( which I have since looked for and can't find) and even if they have one published it is not accurate as they don't have any knowledge of the treatment or injuries I sustained as they did not care. I even asked them if they needed my contact info or for me to call back for reporting or anything and they said no. I personally think that is shady. Accidents happen but they should be recorded so that consumers can see the record if interested. Shame on me for not asking before I did it.
Written July 6, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hello! Thank you so much for reaching out to let us know about this experience. I want to assure you that safety is one of the tenants of our core values as a company at Kitty Hawk Kites and we've always aimed to deliver a fun yet safe flying experience for our students. I have been in touch with our Hang Gliding School and I can assure you that someone will be reaching out to you very soon to find out more about the concerns you have posted here. Thanks again for bringing this to our attention. - Abbi Siler, Marketing Director, Kitty Hawk Kites
Written July 9, 2013
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

PartsUnknown4Evr
Columbia, MD309 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2020
As long as I can remember I have been fascinated with flight of all types and as a kid I used to jump off our outside air-conditioner unit with a towel around my neck as my "wing" hoping and thinking I could fly even for just a few seconds. I've even had dreams where I could lean into the wind just right and catch enough air to fly for a few seconds. Well, with my visit to Kitty Hawks Hang Gliding School all those childhood dreams finally came true. I visited with my wife in mid October 2020 after being on COVID lockdown in Maryland for 8 months. The weather was incredible - upper 60's lower 70's.

A few things I want to call out about my experience:
First, amazing thanks to EVERY member of the KHK Hang Gliding School who we interacted with: Wolf, Billy, Bowen, Nick, Charley, Drake, Gavin, Megan, Allison, Haley. If I missed someone I'm so sorry because you all deserver all the credit in the world.

These instructors and staff are across the board among the nicest people I have ever met. They do an UNBELIEVABLE amount of work not just teaching you to fly, but also carrying the gliders back up the hill each time (just walking up those dunes by yourself is a big effort even if you are in reasonably good shape, but then add a 70-lb glider on your shoulders, 50-60 times a day??? these people are amazing!).

I would encourage everyone who reads this to make sure you TIP your instructors well. They give their all and the deserve it. It's so cool to see them high fiving and yelling encouragement to each of the students on every flight. They seem just as excited on their 30th flight of the day as their first, and this makes it fun for everyone. If they are ever exhausted of having a bad day, you sure don't ever see it.

I went for my HANG-1 certification with lessons spread out over about 6 days and every lesson was an adventure. I worked with 4 different instructors and each one has a slightly different way of teaching so I got an excellent mix of techniques and tips and tricks. They are very serious about safety and I felt like I was in very competent hands at all times.

My wife enjoyed her beginner's lesson so much, she did a second one a few days later. Overall this was one of the best things I have ever done in all my travels and I cannot overstate just how great these people are. I highly recommend Kitty Hawk Hang Gliding School! And PLEASE don't forget to tip your instructors!
Written November 23, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thanks for your review! This is why we love what we do. Keep flying and come back in the spring (lockdown permitting) to earn your Hang-2!
Written December 21, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Psalm91bpp
Mount Pleasant, PA3 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2018 • Family
My 17 year old son is a cancer patient with a medi-port in his chest. We were concerned if he would be able to hang glide due to the port and harness. We called Bruce with our concern and not only did he talk to us he also sent us pictures of placement of harness and allowed my son to try harness in a simulation to be sure he was comfortable prior to booking our lesson.
Our flight instructor Jesse was tremendous and allowed us to have a fantastic time while assuring and showing concern for my son’s comfort the entire time.
Thank you Kitty Hawk kites for the memories. Highly recommend to anyone and would absolutely do it again!
Written July 8, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

…
Showing results 1-10 of 284
Is this your Tripadvisor listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim your listing

KITTY HAWK KITES HANG GLIDING SCHOOL - All You MUST Know Before You Go (2024)

All Nags Head HotelsNags Head Hotel DealsLast Minute Hotels in Nags Head
All things to do in Nags Head
Amusement Parks in Nags HeadDay Trips in Nags Head
RestaurantsFlightsVacation RentalsTravel StoriesCruisesRental Cars