This was kind of a wild experience! A bit overwhelming for me. Due to that I took my time and only wandered around a portion of the entire store (or collection of different stores?). Maybe a good two time visit for those like me with sensory issues. There is so much! All sorts of beach-y items, touristy trinkets, souvenirs, clothing, footwear, fun randomness, gear and such that you might need for water adventuring (surfing? Scuba diving? IDK honestly! Not my area). AND kites! Stunning ones. Highly recommend this particular Kitty Hawk Kites. I know there are a few others among the Outer Banks. This one seems like the best or most epic store to wonder about. Bonus (for me): there is a bar upstairs! With a great view of the ocean. read more

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This is a toy store like none other on the island. If you like toys, especially kites... this is a great shop. The staff was super helpful and engaging. We bought about five kites... several for grandkids. Some for us grandparents. They have a lot of really interesting quality gifts and toys. If you are on the island (especially if you have kids) you should definitely stop by. read more

Came here for a jet ski rental. Staff were super kind! Walked us through everything before we even stepped on the pier. Once we were there, the staff that was in charge of our safety for the jet ski reiterated everything, answered questions, and was patient as it was our first time. He even gave rec's for our next visit of where to go! read more

This place is huge, excellent selection, friendly staff, great place to find rare hot wheels and squishmallows in the toy section. Always have cool shirts for sale too. Coupons for this place can be found on the backs of certain coupon books. read more

Skip the predictable Super Wings and the raunchy, dirty Reef shops. Go to Kitty Hawk Kites instead! You will not be disappointed. Quality and selection is much better. It's clean, well maintained, and the staff are great. They really love helping you learn about kites and surfing. read more

We signed up for the surfing lessons as it was always a dream of mine to try it out. Couldn't have been happier with choosing Kitty Hawk Kites/Surf Co. Our instructor, John D., was extremely enthusiastic, informative, and patient with all of us. He explained the process very easily and all of us had a wonderful time. My youngest son became a natural by the end of the day! Cannot wait to keep practicing. Side note- I liked the Rodanthe location because it seems a bit quieter than the more northerly destinations. Thanks John! read more

Items are nice and they have a good variety of items, however, the staff was unnecessarily rude and unpleasant. After a long day at the beach with my kids I needed some items. I had about $200 worth of items in my hands to purchase and got confused where the line was for the register. I ended up on the other side where the register was and started asking another customer if I was on the right or wrong side and when I realized I was on the wrong side the cashier came up and seemed upset I was on her side of the register....mind you there is no barricade or anything else that I would inherently know right away that I wandered in the wrong area. She then scolded me and said "that was not cool" like I was trying to steal from her....I get you have to be cautious but I told her that I just got confused where to check out since there was no one there. If you are that concerned with people wandering in that area either stay at the register or put up a barricade or sign so folks can't get so confused. If I didn't need the items for the next day I would have just left and not giving them my business but I ended up still making my large purchase. I also witnessed the same cashier be rude to another customer who had just purchased a bracelet that broke in the parking lot and she gave her a hard time about getting her money back or exchanging it after she had literally just bought it. Would not go here again! read more

We went there to rent some bikes. We left without renting any bikes or getting any information. There were two staff members: a girl who was clearly batting her eyes and flirting with the guy who was there. We weren't greeted when we came in, they didn't bother to stop their conversation until we stood right next to them for a full minute, and her demeanor and speech was CLEARLY of someone who was NOT AT ALL INTERESTED in providing any help or service to us. It was a pathetic display. read more

A relatively new establishment out in Rodanthe. This location was built specifically to cater to the kiteboarding tourists. Half of the shop is for kiteboarding, the other half is for toys (beach toys and single line kites), souvenirs, and women's clothing. The staff were all friendly and helpful when approached. The good winds restaurant is on the 2nd floor in the same building. There's a "Good Life" brand shop and a coffee shop attached as well on the same floor at the main store. Outside they have access to the lesson and rental storefront. It's a small concrete basement/cave on the back corner of the building. A boon to kiters, you'll find compressed air hoses lining the prep and launch areas. Not so great though, the compressed air system has a bit of a leak (or it's letting too much condensation in) and water is being sprayed with the air. Not good for your kite bladders. Compared to REAL Watersports, just down the street, the vibe here a bit more laid back. The employees don't all have matching outfits. Also they let all kiters come and use their facilities. REAL, you have to take a lesson there in order to use their launch/land area. read more

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Great shopping options and good prices. Staff was pleasant and talkative. Also I got a really nice pair of Chacos on sale here. We came here 2-3 times to buy shirts and other gifts read more

This facility was just as large as every other Kitty Hawk Kites. There were not multiple levels spaced out by stairs like I usually see- a positive in my mind. I visited with several family members, and we each picked out a few things to purchase that were mixtures of touristy items and practical items. The line appeared to be a bit backed up due to social distancing standards, but another employee quickly opened another register to speed up the check-out process. read more

Just completed 3 days of kiteboarding lessons. What an incredible sport! Difficult learning curve, but once you harness the wind to get you up and out of the water and flying across the sound you'll be hooked. My instructor, Sam, really knew how to communicate so that I made some great strides and I am stoked to get back on the water. Yes, "stoked" is a completely inappropriate word for a 50 year old man to use, but I'm embracing the culture, so step off... read more

This place taught me how to kiteboard, and I highly recommend it. I ended up going there 6 out of my 7 days in Rodanthe, so I know it pretty well. I planned my vacation to the Outerbanks around kiteboarding, and determined that KHK was the best place to learn; it was cheaper than the alternatives and still PASA certified. I signed up for the Fast Track camp. PROS * The staff: super friendly, really knowledgeable, unintimidating * The equipment: New. Safe. Kites are easy to relaunch * The lessons: Well-thought out geared towards mastering individual components before combining them for the water start * Instructors on jetskis so wind direction is not an issue * Emphasis on "kiteboarding" community over retail * Semi-public launch/land site (need PASA membership) * New facility * On-site showers for washing off the "funk of the sound" * The staff. Yeah, they're that good. CONS * Limited selection of kite brands (mostly Cabrinha) * Retailer mark-up on equipment; not price-gouging, but probably cheaper online THE DETAILS When we got there, the staff was really laid-back. They introduced themselves and talked to us about why we interested and shared their background. I was surprised by the number of snowkiters working there, interested in the excellent waterkiting. As would be a theme of our trip, the wind was not cooperating (bummer!). Didn't matter, the first half of the day we did classroom stuff -- mostly required for PASA -- safety knowledge about wind direction and speed, talked about the principles of kiting, show & tell with the equipment. The second half we practiced our board skills, getting up behind a ski and feeling for the correct stance / weight distribution. There was still no wind the second day. I was given the option for a refund, store credit or to reschedule for a three-hour private lesson instead of six-hour camp (The camp maxes at 6 students for 2 instructors.) I ended up rescheduling my private lesson three times before the wind was rideable. I kept going back, hanging out for a couple hours hoping the wind would pick up later and ultimately rescheduling again. During all this sitting around, I had a great opportunity to get to know the staff. These guys are awesome. I've participated in a bunch of "extreme" board sports, and I find that as a gross generalization, instructors are so infatuated with how cool they are that they're intimidating for a beginner to talk to. These guys, however, were incredibly supportive and relatable. Instead of talking about their mad tricks -- they shared stories of what they struggled with when they were learning and what lessons stuck with them the most. These guys seemed focused on having fun and loving a sport. Which isn't to say they weren't wicked good. I saw a guy doing such precision jump tricks over a dock that I was positive he would be decapitated by day's end. Some of the instructors are sponsored; some just make a weekend hobby out kiting. When I was out during my private lesson, I got up on the board both directions a pretty good number of times, with a couple 100 yard rides. They were concerned with safety first, and that meant getting used to a gut reaction of letting the bar go when out of control, even if it results in the flight kamikaze-ing the water.They use Cabrinha Converts, which are a great beginner kite. They launch from the water without effort and are very durable. We ended up buying all our equipment from KHK-- yes, going with the Convert -- and the last day we were there the wind was good enough to ride. They gave my boyfriend and me some good advice on a downwind route to practice our new skills. My boyfriend rode from Salvo back to KHK (~4 miles) Our instructors were there when he came in. Even while off the clock, they talked to him about his ride, answered his questions, and gave him some pointers about which skills to focus on developing on his own. Cheesy & cliche, but it felt like he came back home to proud parents -- amazing sport culture there. I certainly loved the kiteboarding experience, but my glowing review of KHK is independent of my adrenaline from flying on water. They really were just that good. THE TIPS * Wind forecasts tend to be optimistic. A lot of the days I rescheduled and couldn't ride were forecast for 15mph wind. * Ask about / pay attention to how to roll up the kite and put it away so you don't look like a doofus folding it five times before you can fit it in your bag. * Girls -- I wore spandex shorts over my bikini bottoms and attribute a large amount of sand *not* in my bottoms to them. read more

Best kiteboard shop in outer banks and newest distributor of Star kites...boutique manufacturer from Miami with testing center in Cabarete DR. Come say hello to Star pro rider Rocky Chatwell and check out the latest gear! read more

Kitty Hawk Kites Kiteboarding School - Beach Equipment Rentals Near Me - Rodanthe, North Carolina

If you are into Kiteboarding, whether taking lessons, renting gear, or shopping for new gear... this is the place to go in Outer Banks!! Awesome shop and great staff in the kiteboarding area. Sam is super helpful and really knowledgeable! All the kiteboarding instructors are really great! I actually am an experienced kiter, so rented their new and high quality Cabrinha gear. Thanks from Steve. While hanging out, I got a chance to watch and listen to the instructors with their students and the instruction, personalized attention, and patience was top notch. Go there for lessons if you want to learn at your own pace and have a fun experience!! read more

We stopped at Kitty Hawk Kites in Avon, picked up some pretty good kites, even a $5 display model (always love a bargain). They had a pretty good selection of kites but it was kind of hard to focus on them with all of the other souvenirs in the place - tshirts, lawn ornaments, flags, beach jewelry etc. The staff was really knowledgeable. read more

Year after year after year. Same merchandise pretty much. I come to buy and walk away empty handed. 5 years ago may have been the last time I saw never t shirts and hats. read more

One of the most complete kiteboarding shops anywhere. The staff was really friendly and laid back but attentive. Their launch is really nice and they are very cool about letting people kite there. I don't think I'd change a thing. read more

On a recent trip to OBX, KHK, in Rodanthe was easily accessable. They had a large selection of fairly easy to use kite surfers. Prices were fair & staff was incredible. Personally I had no idea if I was even going to make it through the class, let alone actually kite surfing. The classes were great & instructors very knowledgeable & friendly. After the class came the true test. During my visit Jaquine was causing havoc on the east coast, but produced great winds in the more protected sound to learn. Wow, what an experience! The adrenaline, fear, excitement....every emotion you can imagine, as you take off that first time. LOL, yup I got to admit there is a great learning curve! After you're first time in the air, you become addicted and want more & longer flights. I went on 2 seperate days & had an amazingly dramatic, life altering great time! I can't thank the staff at KHK enough, they were, kind, friendly, encouraging, supportive.... all you would want & more. I shall return. On another day I purchased a few regular kites for us to play with. Here comes the kid inside you! When is the last time you flew a kite? It was amazing! All of us adults running around to keep our kites afloat & not nose dive or get tangled with someone else's kite. I am sure we looked crazy & childish, which is perfect! We certainally didn't care & had a BLAST! If you get the chance, try it, you will love it! All in all totally amazing experience from KHK. What's a girl to do? Next time someone tells me to go fly a kite, smile inside & out & take the great advice? read more

A big thanks to Mike who bailed me out with a replacement spar when the lower leading edge of my Prism Quantum stunt kite split after a hard landing. As this was my only stunt kite that I brought from PA, it would have been a while to get a replacement from Seattle. A terrific store with just about everything a wind junkie could desire. Thanks, Mike!! read more

New for 2009, was in construction last year. A little over priced seeing that all the souvenier shops have major sales going on this time of year. Not a good selection of kites, recommend stopping at store in Nags Head because it is massive! read more

This review is two part--first for KHK, and second for my instructor, Noah. KHK is an amazing location and great shop to learn kitbeboarding from. Easy to find, very helpful over the phone in helping me figure out the best way to get started and set up. Very small class size (just myself and another guy), new equipment. I appreciated both the attached shop and deli/restaurants. Excellent shallow place to learn, water was very warm (May). Great wind for learning. I would go back any day. Noah, my instructor, was excellent. Relaxed, thorough. I took a full-day package to get acquainted, and it was an excellent build of knowledge and skills throughout the day. I had a couple of rides by the end of the day, which was phenomenal--hooked now. Noah was thoughtful, related skills and knowledge easily, and made the whole day fun. Can't recommend him enough, and will be back to try and take some more lessons from him when I can. read more

This place is amazing - it is by far the best set up to learn to kite surf - shallow warm waters and great winds. The initial learn to kitesurf package is a great deal - with some basic teaching at the beginning which is invaluable (and not boring at all thankfully as you really need to understand the physics of it all) and plenty of time to get your feet wet - literally. The teachers are amazing - very enthusiastic about getting you to learn and love a sport that they hold dear. ONE OF THE MOST EXHILLERATING EXPERIENCES OF MY LIFE - and I only barely got started. There is kite surfing where I am up North - but I will definitely go back down to Rodanthe just to get my skills up a bit more before I set out on my own. ROCK ON! read more

This place is like the kiteboarding version of Disneyland! Great team of instructors, amazing accommodations, and a shop that had big kid toys and little kid toys out the wazoo! I am definitely coming back! read more

While traveling to the OBX with family, I got the nod from my wife to take a long desired Kiteboarding lesson. Kitty Hawk Kites in Rodanthe had the staff and equipment ready to go, and I jumped at the opportunity. I ended up taking a 2 hour private lesson. The staff was extremely knowledgeable and their gear seemed to be top notch. The lesson started with some time learning about the gear and technique and then we quickly transitioned to the water. The Location is great with a huge bay of waist deep water and a sandy bottom (perfect for learning)! The instructor was extremely patient and took the time to teach me in steps with demonstrations followed by me trying each step. When I mastered each part we moved on. By the end of the two hours, I was able to get up and ride on the board. My body was sore and the mind is happy. As a bit of an adrenaline junky, this was a huge thrill. I can't wait to get out and do it again soon! Thank you KHK for making this possible! read more