2 to 3 hours (approx.)
Daily Tour
4 people
English
Let the story of the Wright Brothers uplift you on this self-guided driving tour of the Carolina Dunes, where they made their first flight. Find out how these two young men went from repairing bicycles to building the first airplanes (and why those who came before failed) as you explore the majestic North Carolina seashore where the brothers made history. Visit the Wright Brothers National Memorial, stop by the garage site where they built their prototype, and then continue to take in some stunning views at the Currituck Beach Lighthouse and Corolla Beach. After booking, check your email to download the separate Audio Tour Guide App by Action, enter your unique password, and access your tour. These steps require good internet/Wi-Fi access. From there, follow the audio instructions and the route. New, extra validity — now yours for an entire year! Use multiple times over multiple trips! This isn't an entrance ticket. Check opening hours before your visit.
Welcome to The Outer Banks and Carolina Sand Dunes! This tour is packed with breathtaking nature, historic shipwrecks, and epic first flights. So let’s get going!
Note: This 37-mile-long tour covers the essentials of the Wright Brothers Carolina Dunes in 2-3 hours.
10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Jockey’s Ridge State Park in Nags Head, North Carolina, isn’t just a coastal haven; it’s where nature’s wonders merge with history. This unique park, with its vast sand dunes and maritime forests, connects visitors to a rich heritage. From Native American footprints to the park’s role in aviation history, Jockey’s Ridge State Park offers a journey through time, inviting all to appreciate the natural beauty and historical significance of this North Carolina treasure.
10 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included
The Wright Brothers National Memorial in Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina, isn’t just a monument; it’s where history and innovation took flight. From the Wright brothers’ pioneering first powered flight to their enduring spirit of exploration, this iconic site invites all to appreciate both its historical significance and the birth of aviation.
10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
If you’d like to visit Avalon Pier, turn right onto E. Sportsman Drive ahead. It’s a 440-foot-long wooden pier that has a fantastic view of the ocean and lots of restaurants and shops. The fishing is great from there too!
10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Want to see where the Wright Brothers built one of their earliest gliders? Like all great American inventors, they got their start in a garage! I’ll tell you where to turn in a moment to see the site of the garage where it all began.
10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
We’re driving through the town of Kitty Hawk. You’ve probably heard the name before. After all, historians credit this town with being where Wilbur and Orville took their first flight. But technically, the brothers took their flight a few miles south of the town line, in a place called Kill Devil Hills. Quite a name, I know! Since that wasn’t an official town in 1903, Kitty Hawk gets the credit for Orville and Wilbur!
10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Coming up on our left is the Duck Town Park Boardwalk. This scenic park features waterfront trails, shops, restaurants, and more. If you’d like to visit and stretch your legs, turn left at the sign that says, “Town of Duck.” Otherwise, continue straight.
10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Coming up is the Pine Island Audubon Sanctuary, containing 2,600 acres of preserved land. This land is home to hundreds of species of birds, but it would have been home to many more if not for the hunting craze that took over this part of the Outer Banks over a century ago.
10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
We’re entering the town of Corolla. Off to our right, beyond the houses, stretches the seemingly infinite expanse of sand known as Corolla Beach. The locals here number around 500, but in the summer, the population surges into the thousands! Vacationers come here from all over to enjoy the small-town feel, the watersports, and that herd of wild horses.
10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Currituck Beach Lighthouse is coming up in a few minutes. I’ll let you know when to turn if you want to see it.
On December 1, 1875, engineers finished construction on this “first-order” lighthouse. “First order” means the biggest kind of lighthouse. The Fresnel lens at the top of the tower stands about eight and a half feet tall and stretches to around six feet wide! Its light can be seen from 21 miles away! The lighthouse itself stands 162 feet tall.
10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
In the late 1800s and early 1900s, this area became the go-to place for wealthy Americans who wanted to do a little hunting. Edward Collings Knight, Jr. was heir to so many fortunes—sugar, railroads, and steamships! And he and his second wife bought a huge tract of land here in 1920 and started building a house on it. The resulting house is called the Whalehouse Club. It’s a 22,000 square foot home designed in the Art Nouveau style. The Knights used it and offered it up to their friends as a hunting lodge.
10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
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