The tallest natural dune system in the United States, Jockey's Ridge State Park (jockeysridgestatepark.com) allows kids to explore sand dunes. Kids can try their hand at sand-surfing on the dunes, fly a kite or just spend the day climbing up and down the dunes. The park also has areas for swimming, windsurfing and kayaking. All park areas are free to the public and are open March through October. Throughout the year, the park sponsors special programs and events that kids would enjoy, all of which are free and open to the public. Programs include the Animal Track Search that takes kids on a search for the tracks of the different species of animals that call the dunes home, and the Skins and Skulls program shows kids the furs and skulls of many of the animals that live in the dunes.
For kids with a daring streak and interest in extreme sports, the Kitty Hawk Surf Company (khsurf.com) offers surf lessons, kayak tours and paddleboarding classes. Lessons can be done as part of a group for $60 per person or families can sign up for private lessons with varying prices depending on the number of people participating. All classes include over an hour of in-the-water practice time and all necessary equipment. Kids must be at least seven years old to participate in the lessons. The Kitty Hawk Surf Company also sells surf, kayak, paddleboarding and skimboarding equipment.
The Nags Head Dolphin Watch (nagsheaddolphinwatch.com) company offers dolphin and nature tours ideal for kids to get an up-close look at the wildlife of Nags Head. Tours are led by dolphin researchers with over 16 years of experience and take place onboard a 40-foot pontoon boat with canopy, padded seats and bathroom for a comfortable ride. Along with bottlenose dolphins, kids can observe other sea life including birds and fish. Tours cost $29 for adults and $15 for kids 12 and under and occur Monday through Saturday, as of April 2011.
Kids will enjoy visiting the Outer Banks Bear Factory (stuffabearstore.com) to make their very own stuffed animal to take home as a Nags Head souvenir. At the store, kids pick out their own animal from the hundreds to choose from, ranging from alligators to zebras. A store employee helps each child stuff their animal, pick out an outfit for the animal to wear and give the animal a name. Each animal also comes with its own birth certificate to commemorate the day.
Kids can also take advantage of public beaches (townofnagshead.net) for swimming, kite-flying and building sandcastles. Over 40 public beach access points can be found across Nags Head and ten of the access points have lifeguard stands. Several of the beach access points also offer bathhouses, picnic shelters and special entrances for strollers and wheelchairs to accommodate families and the disabled. All of the beach access points include free parking.
