Hike
Hiking may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you head to the beach, but Nags Head has some great locations. Jockey Ridge State Park has the largest natural sand dunes in the eastern United States. You can trek up and down the dunes on your own, or follow the one-and-a-half mile nature trail that leads you back to Roanoke Sound. The Nags Head Ecological Woods is a maritime forest that covers over 1,000 acres. This diverse forest takes you from a sandy beach environment to a wooded forest zone and back.
Kayak
You have plenty of options when kayaking along the waters of Nags Head. If you are up for some adventure, head into the Atlantic Ocean with your own kayak or a rental. Looking for something a little more relaxing? Head down the Alligator River or put in at Roanoke Sound.
Surf
Don't expect to find the big waves that you may find on the West Coast, but there are surfing opportunities in Nags Head. The area immediately north of Nags Head Pier offers consistent surf conditions, although it can get crowded at times. Further up the coast, the Kitty Hawk Pier and the Laundromats--an exposed beach break in Kitty Hawk--offer consistently good surfing as well. Surfers frequently report sharks in these areas.
Hang Glide
Head back to Jockey's Ridge State Park to try your hand at hang gliding. Many of the dunes at Jockey's Ridge top 80 feet, making them perfect for launching hang gliders. If you have never done it before, Kitty Hawk Kites' Nags Head location, across the street from Jockey's Ridge, provides lessons and equipment.
Water Adventures
Kitty Hawk Kites has several locations along the Outer Banks and provides lessons and equipment rentals for those interested in parasailing and kite boarding. Their kite-boarding instructions take place south of Nags Head in Rodanthe, with direct access to Pamlico Sound. Parasailing is available at both their Duck (north of Nags Head) and Manteo (south of Nags Head) locations. Kitty Hawk Water Sports, located at milepost 16, offers lessons and rentals in windsurfing and stand-up paddle boarding.
Fish
Fishing is one of Nags Head's most popular activities. Fish from Nags Head Pier, stand in the surf or head out into the ocean on a deep-sea charter.
