Kill Devil Hills, located in Dare County on the Outer Banks of North Carolina, is famous for one event that occurred on December 17, 1903. This event changed the destiny of mankind and proved that powered flight was possible. That’s (w)right;, the Wright Brothers used the dunes and the wind and flew a machine powered aircraft and thus began the age of aeronautics. However, if you ask Kitty Hawk residents they may disagree on the location and we won’t even mention Dayton, Ohio. Nothing like a good controversy, right??
As with most of the barrier islands of the Outer Banks, Kill Devil Hills dates back to the late 1700s. Because of the treacherous waters off the coast there were numerous shipwrecks resulting in the nickname “Graveyard of the Atlantic”. When these wrecks occurred the crew would scavenge as much cargo as possible before the ship sank and hide it in the sand dunes ashore. Quite often the booty consisted of barrels of rum, the most popular of which was called “Kill Devil Rum”. As a result, the natives had vast quantities of rum to consume and they did so with great gusto; so much in fact that they drank enough to kill the devil.
Incorporated in 1953, Kill Devil Hills is truly a family vacation destination. The beaches aren’t crowded, the town is small and friendly and there aren’t any high rises. If you’re looking for bright lights and fast paced action, this is not the place for you.
However, there are restaurants to fit anyone’s taste. Burgers and fries, fresh seafood, steak or international eateries can be found in this area. There are several grocers selling locally caught seafood, quality beef, and produce fresh from the garden and accoutrements to embellish and enhance the flavors if you want to stay in and cook.
Isn’t a vacation a place to rest and recharge your internal batteries? Shouldn’t you have time to yourselves without an itinerary to keep you on task? If your to do list has “rest” on it, Kill Devil Hills is the place to accomplish this goal!