Outer Banks History & Landmarks
The Outer Banks holds an outsized place in American history — first flight at Kill Devil Hills, the Lost Colony on Roanoke Island, generations of lifesaving stations and centuries of shipwrecks along the Graveyard of the Atlantic.
Wright Brothers National Memorial
The exact spot where Orville and Wilbur made the first powered flight in December 1903. Climb Big Kill Devil Hill, walk the four flight-distance markers, and tour the reconstructed hangar and living quarters.
Local tip: Arrive at opening — the visitor center gets busy by mid-morning in summer.
Fort Raleigh National Historic Site & The Lost Colony
The 1587 English settlement that vanished without a trace. Free grounds and visitor center by day; the long-running outdoor drama plays at Waterside Theatre on summer evenings.
Local tip: Pair with a walk through the Elizabethan Gardens next door.
Cape Hatteras Lighthouse
The tallest brick lighthouse in North America (198 ft) with its iconic black-and-white spiral. Famously moved 2,900 feet inland in 1999 to escape the encroaching surf.
Local tip: Climbs are timed-entry; reserve in advance during peak season.
Bodie Island Lighthouse
Black-and-white horizontal bands, a preserved keeper's quarters, and a boardwalk over the marsh where herons and egrets feed at dusk.
Local tip: Sunset here — with the boardwalk and lighthouse in one frame — is one of the best free photo ops on the Outer Banks.
Currituck Beach Lighthouse
Unpainted red brick, still using its original 1875 first-order Fresnel lens. The historic Whalehead hunt club and Currituck Heritage Park sit at the base.
Local tip: The climb is 220 steps — worth it for the view over the sound and the wild-horse territory to the north.
Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum
Free museum dedicated to the 2,000+ shipwrecks off these shores — pirate lore, WWII U-boat battles, Civil War ironclads and Coast Guard rescues.
Local tip: Combine with the Ocracoke ferry, which leaves from the terminal next door.
Cape Hatteras, Bodie Island and Currituck lighthouses are 100+ miles apart by car and a single scenic loop by air.
Book a helicopter tour