Hilton Garden Inn Outer Banks/Kitty Hawk on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean offers beach access, a fishing pier, and ideal location to the famous sand dunes at Jockey’s Ridge State Park.
Off To The Sand Dunes to Fly a Kite
It’s no secret that I am a traveler that often sees a photo of a cool destination and immediately adds that location to my travel bucket list. Well, awhile back, I watched a YouTube influencer walking up a bank of endless sand. I assumed she and her family were visiting Egypt or somewhere exotic. Nope. It was in North Carolina! In fact, it was a trip to the Outer Banks/Kitty Hawk area and the sand dunes were at Jockey’s Ridge State Park, the largest East-Coast natural sand dune.
Well, on a recent trip to West Virginia, we were driving east to I95 and decided to veer (way) off the highway and head towards the coast in search of these legendary sand formations. I wanted to see the dunes in person and fly a kite while running in the sand.
Picking a Hotel in the Outer Banks Area
There are a number of accommodations right near Jockey’s Ridge State Park, but we were looking for an affordable option for two nights, so we found a hotel that was an easy 11-mile drive to the park. The Hilton Garden Inn Outer Banks/Kitty Hawk offered a decent mid-range nightly rate (around $197) and it earned more than 4 stars with thousands of impressive guest reviews.
To give you an idea how remote this area is from the interstate, the Norfolk International Airport in Virginia is approximately 77 miles north of the Outer Banks, at least a 90 minute car ride. There is no hotel airport shuttle. In other words, even if you take a flight, you’ll still have a pretty long drive to the area.
The hotel sits on the Outer Banks Beach and just steps from the Kitty Hawk Fishing Pier so those perks sealed the deal for us. Even better, just about every hotel room has an ocean view balcony so you can enjoy endless Atlantic Ocean scenery.
In addition to the sand dunes, the hotel is convenient to shopping, dining, and nearby attractions such as the Wright Brothers Monument (no relation to my “Wright” last name,) Wild Horses of Corolla, North Carolina Aquarium, Cape Hatteras National Seashore, and Cape Hatteras Lighthouse.
About the Hotel
The hotel is very similar to most other Hilton Garden Inns, but the beach access is what sets this hotel apart from the others nearby. The lobby was nice and bright with a bar, restaurant, and little market.
We checked in around 4:30pm with a very friendly front desk agent. While we appreciated the free Wi-Fi, there was no complimentary breakfast. But there was the recently renovated restaurant and bar in the lobby called Aviator Tavern.
Note: Parking is free but you MUST get a parking tag from the front desk and place it visibly in the front windshield to avoid towing that is continually enforced. There are many non-hotel guests trying to sneak in a park for free beach access.
The hotel is pet friendly, requiring a non-refundable fee of $75.00. Maximum pet weight is 75 pounds.
Ocean View From EVERY Hotel Room!
Because we booked last-minute on a drive from West Virginia, we opted for a 2 Queen Beds guest room (instead of a King room) on the 5th floor with an ocean view balcony. Note that all rooms have either a full or partial Atlantic Ocean view.
The room says that it can sleep up to 5 guests so the room felt spacious for the two of us. There was free Wi-Fi, HDTV, mini-refrigerator, coffee maker, and a microwave.
The room was quiet during the night and the bed was plush and comfortable thanks to the soft down comforter and down pillows.
There was a big, HDTV with premium cable channels. The large desk and comfortable desk chair was a nice feature even though we were not doing any business work during this quick stop.
The bathroom had granite counters, shower was a walk-in (no tub), providing easy access to get in and out. The water pressure was strong and the free Neutrogena bath amenities were much needed as we finished our trial size shampoo and soap back in West Virginia.
Dining and Drinks
The Aviator Tavern features an open display kitchen, serving breakfast, dinner, and lunch at the Surf Shack (weather permitting).
I had a Greek Omelet with spinach, tomato, mushrooms, and feta cheese for breakfast and while it was delicious, the buttery grits on the side was the star of breakfast! I tasted the French Toast, yummy cinnamon battered pieces of Texas Toast was so good as well! Instead of tea, I opted for a Tropical Harmony smoothie with pineapple, passion fruit, papaya, and guava. Our breakfast cost $31.00 plus tip.
Dinner at the Aviator Tavern was even more pricey ($87.00) but it was well worth it, as we were exhausted from trudging through the sand dunes of Jockey’s Ridge State Park all day! With that being said, the Grilled Ribeye was worth every penny!
For our second and last full day in the Outer Banks area, we grabbed donuts and coffee nearby the hotel for breakfast. That evening, we ate dinner at Blue Moon Beach Grill, located down the road from Jockey’s Ridge, a recommendation from the hotel staff. I highly recommend the Chicken Cordon Blue Moon, a crispy fried chicken breast stuffed with prosciutto ham, provolone cheese, and country-style cream gravy.
Jockey’s Ridge State Park
While the hotel was very nice and offered incredible ocean views, competitive with cruise balcony views, Jockey’s Ridge State Park was as expected, the highlight of the trip.
Located in Nags Head on the Outer Banks, along US 158 or the “Beach Bypass,” you can’t miss it with the towering sand dunes that the park staff say can reach up to 100 feet tall! The park spans 420 acres, from the edge of the coastal dune ridge to Roanoke Sound. There is no entrance fee.
The Exhibit Hall near the entrance features many interesting displays about the origin of the sand dunes and the different species you can expect to see at the park.
Here’s an amazing fact: Sand dunes could be thousands of years old, remnants of the last ICE AGE! The dunes appear like the sand could easily get blown away but in reality, it is a pretty solid surface of wet sand (from the rain) mixed with powdery sand.
As I mentioned earlier, the park is the perfect place to fly kites but when we arrived, we realized that there is so much more to do on the sand dunes! There’s also hang gliding, sand boarding, hiking, kiteboarding, kayaking, and windsurfing. Watching hang gliding was fun.
However, the most fun we had was sitting on “top of the world” … well, basically it was sand, but it felt like the top of a mountain. As for flying the kite, it was a “fail” for me. I don’t run fast enough (especially in sand) and literally gave my kite away to a family with young kids.
Note: The walking is exhausting and the temperatures on the dunes are hotter, so bring lots of water, wear comfortable shoes, and expect to get tired with achy legs for days to come. Also pack sunscreen.
The breeze is insane at times! Be sure to monitor the weather because a thunderstorm would be quite dangerous (and scary) at the dunes. We were told that a warning siren will indicate the approach of a lightning storm for park visitors.
I’m always encouraging travelers to visit and view the National State Parks in person, and the dunes at Jockey’s Ridge State Park is a must-see destination. But I will tell you that it’s far from the interstate, I-95, so its out of the way location is something you want to plan carefully.
Final Takeaways About the Hotel
Hilton Garden Inn Outer Banks/Kitty Hawk made for the ideal location for our visit to the ancient sand dunes in Nags Head, and a pleasant experience for our two-night stay at the beach. Considering that the Outer Banks area is expensive, we thought the hotel fees were reasonable.
Final takeaways:
- Beachfront location with ocean views from every room
- Direct access to the beach and Kitty Hawk Fishing Pier
- Outdoor pool and heated indoor pool with jacuzzi
- Great front desk staff
- Pet friendly
- Meeting rooms with 24-hour business center
Author Bio: Originally from Long Island, New York, Donna Wright now calls Deland, Florida her home. An avid traveler, she has journeyed by air, land, and sea, to many cities in the United States, Canada, and the Caribbean to exciting destinations like California, Arizona, Las Vegas, San Diego, Myrtle Beach, Lake Tahoe, Reno, and more.
This content is provided for general informational purposes only and should not be considered travel or consumer advice. Inn amenities, prices, policies, and availability may change. Readers should verify all details independently and use their own judgment when planning travel.