Wright Brothers National Memorial
Wright Brothers National Memorial (originally the Kill Devil Hill Monument), located in Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina, commemorates Wright Flyer; the first successful, sustained, powered flights in a heavier-than-air machine. The site is run by the National Park Service. Some 342K visitors came through in 2025.
A national memorial inside Kill Devil Hills
Visits fell 16% in 2025
The National Park Service counted 341,576 visitors in 2025, down from 406,593 the year before. Visitors ↓
Best month: Oct
October is mild and quieter than average, with a high of 72°. When to go ↓
You can stay in Kill Devil Hills
Wright Brothers National Memorial is inside Kill Devil Hills, which has 48 places to stay, so you won’t need a base farther out. Where to stay ↓
Established in 1931
Wright Brothers National Memorial dates from 1931 and is run by National Park Service and United States Department of War. About ↓
Written from National Park Service visitor counts, NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Overture places to stay, Census town figures, Wikidata and Wikipedia. Updated when the Park Service posts a new month.
Busy months and weather
Crowds at Wright Brothers rise and fall through the year, as below.
Wright Brothers National Memorial
Wright Brothers National Memorial (originally the Kill Devil Hill Monument), located in Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina, commemorates Wright Flyer; the first successful, sustained, powered flights in a heavier-than-air machine. From 1900 to 1903, Wilbur and Orville Wright came to North Carolina from Dayton, Ohio, based on information from the U.S. Weather Bureau about the area's steady winds. They also valued the privacy provided by this location, which in the early twentieth century was remote from major population centers.
- Type
- National Memorial
- Established
- 1931
- Elevation
- 10 ft
- Run by
- National Park Service · United States Department of War
- Listed
- National Register of Historic Places (1966)
- Wikipedia readers
- 15K a year
- Official site
- nps.gov/wrbr
Before you set off
- Per Person$10
- Commercial Entrance - Sedan$25
- Commercial Entrance - Van$40
- Commercial Entrance - Mini-bus$40
Where to base yourself for Wright Brothers National Memorial
The closest lodging is in Kill Devil Hills (48) and Nags Head (35).
Nags Head
3,117 people · 32% vacation homes
6 mi southeast of Wright Brothers Visitor Center and Museum · 5 mi to the park
Kitty Hawk
3,670 people · 33% vacation homes
4 mi northwest of Wright Brothers Visitor Center and Museum · 4 mi to the park
Manteo
1,585 people · 24% vacation homes
9 mi south of Wright Brothers Visitor Center and Museum · 8 mi to the park
Compare 8 towns
| Town | From the visitor center | Drive | Places to stay | People | Typical home | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kill Devil Hills 36% vacation homes | in town | — | 48 31 hotels · 4 motels · 7 inns & B&Bs · 2 lodges & cabins · 2 campgrounds · 2 RV parks | 7,731 | $442K | — |
| Nags Head 32% vacation homes | 6 mi southeast | 10 min | 35 18 hotels · 9 motels · 1 inn or B&B · 7 lodges & cabins | 3,117 | $491K | D |
| Kitty Hawk 33% vacation homes | 4 mi northwest | 5 min | 19 12 hotels · 2 motels · 1 inn or B&B · 1 lodge or cabins · 1 campground · 2 RV parks | 3,670 | $535K | C+ |
| Manteo 24% vacation homes | 9 mi south | 15 min | 17 5 hotels · 2 motels · 7 inns & B&Bs · 2 lodges & cabins · 1 campground | 1,585 | $444K | — |
| Duck 47% vacation homes | 12 mi northwest | 20 min | 12 12 hotels | 736 | $768K | — |
| Wanchese | 13 mi south | 20 min | 4 3 inns & B&Bs · 1 campground | 1,956 | $312K | — |
| Southern Shores 37% vacation homes | 8 mi northwest | 10 min | 1 1 inn or B&B | 3,110 | $712K | B+ |
| Coinjock | 28 mi northwest | 40 min | 1 1 lodge or cabins | 543 | $226K | — |
Day trip from
Straight-line miles.
Getting there
Nearest airports with airline service, from the visitor center
Make a day of it near Wright Brothers
All of these are within 68 miles.
16 mi National Historic SiteFort Raleigh National Historic Site267K visitors a year
53 mi LighthouseCape Hatteras Lighthouse
215 mi LighthouseBodie Island Light
67 mi MuseumMacArthur Memorial
67 mi Stadium & arenaNorfolk Scope
50 mi National SeashoreCape Hatteras National Seashore2.7M visitors a year
62 mi City parkMount Trashmore Park
67 mi MuseumNauticusPhoto credits
Fort Raleigh National Historic Site: Sarah Stierch, CC BY 4.0 · Cape Hatteras Lighthouse: Henryhartley, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Bodie Island Light: RyanGRodgers, CC BY-SA 3.0 · MacArthur Memorial: Unknown, Public domain · Norfolk Scope: Cag1970, Public domain · Cape Hatteras National Seashore: Vbofficial, Public domain · Mount Trashmore Park: Kubigula (talk), CC BY-SA 3.0 · Nauticus: Ewelch1, CC BY 3.0
In 2025, 341,576 visitors
Here are the yearly counts from 2016 to 2025.
Visiting Wright Brothers: the answers
Is Wright Brothers National Memorial in Kill Devil Hills?
Yes. It’s inside Kill Devil Hills, NC. The address is 1000 North Croatan Highway, Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948.
When is the best time to visit Wright Brothers National Memorial?
October, with a high of 72°. July is the busiest month (about 65,725 visitors).
How many people visit Wright Brothers National Memorial each year?
341,576 in 2025, according to the National Park Service. The record is 482,191, set in 2021.
How far is Wright Brothers National Memorial from Virginia Beach?
About 56 miles north of Virginia Beach, as the crow flies.
What is the closest airport to Wright Brothers National Memorial?
Norfolk (ORF), about 67 miles away.
Where should I stay near Wright Brothers National Memorial?
Kill Devil Hills (in town, 48 places to stay), Nags Head (6 mi, 35 places to stay) and Kitty Hawk (4 mi, 19 places to stay).
Notes from people in Kill Devil Hills
No one has shared advice yet; Kill Devil Hills’s Town Square takes questions.
Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · National Park Service visitor use statistics · NOAA climate normals · U.S. Census.