A wide stretch of beach break on the Outer Banks that wakes up with any swell of real size, Old Station (now commonly called Laundromats) sits just south of Milepost 2 in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. North swells at high tide hold the best shape, though SE and NE swells both fire up peaks across the broad clearing where cottages once stood before nor'easters took them. Low to mid tide is optimal, with SW wind keeping faces clean. The expansive beach spreads the crowd across shifting peaks, meaning you can stroke into a decent wave without getting snaked if you position well. Bottom: Sand. Season: Late summer tropical cyclones, fall and winter nor'easters and frontal swells. Consistency: Storm-dependent, fickle in flat periods. Watch for debris in the shallows including chunks of old road and house foundations buried in the sand, and water quality drops after heavy rain from leaky septic systems nearby.
Moderate crowds. The big parking lot draws a wide range of skill levels including a heavy SUP presence. Localism is manageable but expect competition on a good south swell when the peak narrows. SUP riders dominate the shoulder on smaller days so factor that into where you sit.
Park at the Bath House south of the Black Pelican or in the Lillian parking area. Street parking will get your vehicle towed. The road runs directly past the break, so you can read conditions on the drive and keep moving if it looks poor. Water quality is fair and degrades after storms due to leaky septic drainage.
If Laundromats is blown out or flat, run south along the Beach Road where multiple beach break peaks offer similar conditions with thinner crowds on off-peak days. Buxton on the southern Outer Banks picks up more swell exposure and can fire when the northern beaches are marginal.
Forecast by Windy.app
