COAST

Wright Brothers National Memorial

1401 National Park Drive, Manteo nps.gov/wrbr

Wilbur and Orville Wright’s dream of flight became a reality in 1903, when they achieved the first successful airplane flights in Kitty Hawk, changing our world forever. View the locations where their flights took off and landed, see their living quarters and touch artistic representations of the moment of the first flight. View interactive exhibits in the visitor center and see the impressive monument built in the Wright Brothers’ honor.

North Carolina Aquariums

900 Loggerhead Road, Kure Beach

1 Roosevelt Blvd, Pine Knoll Shores

374 Airport Road, Manteo

7223 South Virginia Dare Trail, Nags Head ncaquariums.com

Explore North Carolina’s oceans, estuaries, rivers, streams and other aquatic environments at the North Carolina Aquariums in Kure Beach, Pine Knoll Shores, Manteo and Nags Head. All four aquariums feature dive shows, live animal encounters and feeding programs. The smaller aquarium at Jennette’s Pier in Nags Head features native fish species and fishing opportunities.

Battleship North Carolina

1 Battleship Road, Wilmington battleshipnc.com

Moored along the Cape Fear River since 1962, World War II’s most recognizable battleship beckons visitors to walk her decks and envision the daily life and fierce combat her crew faced in the Pacific. Learn about ship terminology and the inner workings of the vessel as you tour the galley, kitchen, staterooms, repair shops and sick bay. Through oral histories and mementos, discover the men who served their country during its greatest time of need.

“The Lost Colony”

1409 National Park Drive, Manteo thelostcolony.org

What happened to the “Lost Colony” of Roanoke?

Explore one of America’s oldest unsolved mysteries that dates back to 1587, when a group of 115 English settlers arrived on Roanoke Island. Witness the pageantry of Queen Elizabeth I and her court, and celebrate the birth of Virginia Dare, the first English child born in America. This 86-year-old outdoor musical offers a Native American cultural preshow performed by Indigenous cast members. The 2023 season runs June 2–August 26.