Kill Devil Hills – A Relaxing Beach Getaway

Looking for a family travel destination that everyone will enjoy?  Kill Devil Hills is in the middle of the Northern North Carolina beaches. It’s name may strike you, and leave you wondering how did they name this town? One of the stories is that some buccaneers were sitting around drinking moonshine that was “strong enough to kill the devil.” There are so many things to do in the Outer Banks that it’s no wonder it is one of the most popular vacation spots in North Carolina.

Kill Devil Hills is a very centrally located area of the Outer Banks – with the Wright Brothers National Memorial and Jockey’s Ridge both located here (both of which I recommend). It is also the largest municipality in Dare County, so peak season may be a bit more “crowded” – however my version of a crowd is likely not yours haha!

I have compiled a list of the three A’s: Accommodations, Adventures, and Appetite!  If you have any questions about the Outer Banks or our trip please shoot me an email!

Accommodations

We stayed at the John Yancey Inn – a truly wonderful hotel for families (bonus – they are pet friendly!). Most of the rooms have been renovated, and we had the pleasure of seeing these modern updated rooms firsthand.

The John Yancey Inn has been around for many generations, my father-in-law actually stayed at the same hotel when he was a teenager! It is located in the heart of Kill Devil Hills at Milepost 10. They have a large pool, playground for the littles, and are beachfront. Yup, I’ll say it again – beachfront! Not only are they beachfront, but it is easily the most convenient beach access we have ever seen in OBX. We walked right out into the sand from our back balcony – this was heavenly with two small children.

FREE breakfast is another reason to stay at this newly renovated hotel. We visited during covid, so it was a take and go breakfast with many options and we were very happy with the service and covid precautions. And this view first thing in the morning is hard to beat…

Adventures

Jockey’s Ridge – The tallest sand dune on the Atlantic coast is a great location for releasing your inner child, flying kites, photos, and sunsets with a view arcing from the ocean to Roanoke Sound. Our little ones love to come here and climb up the dunes, and roll all the way down! It can get very hot and there is no shade so bring hats and sunscreen (try to avoid peak sun in the summer).

Relaxing – We were thankful to have this trip to unwind. You truly could not beat the ability to walk out from your porch to the beach – so the hotel was where we spent most of our time!

Apetite

Mama Kwan’s – The pork plate and fish tacos are a must when visiting the iconic Mama Kwan’s! The food here is delicious and local – highly recommend this fun tiki bar setting.

Kill Devil Grill Restaurant – We did not eat here on this visit but it was located right across the street from the hotel and was packed at all times. We heard nothing but good things! On our list for next time 🙂

Until next time…