Wright Brothers Carolina Dunes Self-Guided Driving Audio Tour Discount Tickets

Get your discount tickets for the Wright Brothers Carolina Dunes Self-Guided Driving Audio Tour, save up to 9% !

Overview

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/text to download the separate Audio Tour Guide App by Action while connected to WiFi or mobile data. Enter the password, download the tour, & enjoy it offline. Follow the audio instructions and route from the designated starting point. New, Lifetime access, no expiry. Use it anytime, on any trip, as many times as you want. This isn't an entrance ticket. Check opening hours before your visit.

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting point

Start at Whalebone Junction Information Center parking lot (Cape Hatteras National Park Rd, Nags Head, NC 27959). Head north on US-158 toward Carolina Dunes. Suggested start; we’re not affiliated and staff won’t have tour info. Audio auto-starts—check your email/text for setup and download.

Language Offered

English-AUDIO

Itinerary

1. Whalebone Junction Information Center - Outer Banks Visitors Bureau
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: The tour is over 37 miles long, with more than 28+ audio stories, and takes about 2-3 hours to complete. New, Lifetime access, no expiry. Use it anytime, on any trip, as many times as you want.
Duration: 10 mins
2. Nags Head
Travel through one of the best-known towns on the Outer Banks and hear the colorful legend behind its unusual name. The area is deeply connected to the region’s shipwreck and maritime history.
Duration: 5 mins
3. Jockey's Ridge State Park
Explore the tallest natural sand dune system in the eastern United States. The park offers dramatic dune scenery and preserves a landscape that local conservation efforts helped save from development. Day-use access is free.
Duration: 5 mins
4. Kill Devil Hills
Pass through the community where the Wright Brothers actually carried out their historic 1903 flight experiments. This area sits at the heart of the story of the world’s first successful powered flight.
Duration: 5 mins
5. Wright Brothers National Memorial
Visit the historic site where Orville and Wilbur Wright achieved the first controlled, sustained powered flight in 1903. Visitors can see flight markers, reconstructed buildings, exhibits, and the monument atop Big Kill Devil Hill.
Duration: 5 mins
6. Avalon Pier
Take an optional detour to this 440-foot wooden pier for sweeping Atlantic Ocean views. The pier is also popular for fishing and has nearby restaurants and shops.
Duration: 5 mins
7. Kitty Hawk
Drive through the famous Outer Banks town closely associated with the Wright Brothers and the beginnings of aviation. The brothers chose this region for its steady winds, open spaces, and soft sand.
Duration: 5 mins
8. Wright Brothers Garage Monument
See the small historic marker commemorating the location where Wilbur Wright worked on one of the brothers’ early gliders. The original workshop is gone, but the monument preserves the story of this important site.
Duration: 5 mins
9. Kitty Hawk Woods Reserve
Discover a large protected maritime forest containing wetlands, swamp forests, rare plants, and diverse wildlife. Visitors can explore designated hiking and kayaking access points within the reserve.
Duration: 5 mins
10. Southern Shores
Pass through this quiet residential Outer Banks community between Kitty Hawk and Duck. Its tree-lined setting and preserved maritime landscape give it a different character from the busier beach towns nearby.
Duration: 5 mins
11. Duck
Continue through the popular coastal town of Duck, known for Currituck Sound views, shopping, restaurants, and outdoor recreation. It is one of the main communities along the northern Outer Banks route.
Duration: 5 mins
12. Duck Town Park Boardwalk
Stretch your legs along this scenic soundside boardwalk and park. Enjoy waterfront views, nature trails, shops, restaurants, and easy access to the heart of Duck.
Duration: 5 mins
13. Enjoy views across this broad, shallow sound stretching along the northern Outer Banks. Its low-salinity waters provide habitat for fish and impressive birdlife such as great egrets and great blue herons.
Duration: 5 mins
14. Pine Island Audubon Sanctuary
Discover thousands of acres of protected coastal habitat supporting hundreds of bird species. A public nature trail offers opportunities for wildlife viewing, while access to the gated sanctuary itself requires advance arrangements.
Duration: 5 mins
15. Corolla
Enter this historic northern Outer Banks community known for its beaches, watersports, maritime history, and famous herd of wild Spanish mustangs. The town grew from a small fishing settlement into one of the region’s most popular destinations.
Duration: 5 mins
16. Whalehead Club
Visit a striking 22,000-square-foot Art Nouveau mansion built in the 1920s as an elaborate private hunting retreat. Today, visitors can tour the restored house and learn about the wealthy Knight family and Corolla’s hunting-club era.
Duration: 5 mins
17. Currituck Beach Lighthouse
See Corolla’s distinctive 162-foot red-brick lighthouse, completed in 1875 to illuminate a dangerous stretch of the North Carolina coast. Its original first-order Fresnel lens remains an active aid to navigation. The grounds are free, but climbing the lighthouse currently requires paid admission.
Duration: 5 mins
18. Learn about this historic life-saving station established after a series of deadly Outer Banks shipwrecks. The restored station is also connected with local stories about unexplained activity and the legendary ghost known as “Mose.” The site is in the northern 4WD beach area and is not a conventional public paid-admission attraction.
Duration: 5 mins
19. Corolla Beach
Finish the tour at the wide sandy shoreline of Corolla, famous for coastal scenery and nearby wild-horse habitat. The road eventually reaches the 4WD beach, so vehicles that continue onto the sand should be suitable for off-road conditions. There is no beach entrance fee, although a seasonal parking permit may be required if you park in the 4WD area.
Duration: 5 mins

Inclusion

Just bring your car and phone; the app guides your tour.

Support is available via chat, email, or phone if you need help.

Planning tools, route maps, scenic stops, and area previews included.

Private tour experience for your family, in your own car.

Lifetime access: use the tour anytime and keep it for future trips.

Works offline with GPS route guidance and automatic audio stories.

One purchase covers everyone in your car, not per person.

Flexible tour: start, stop, and pause anytime during your trip.

Access your tour in our separate audio tour app after booking.

Hidden gems and local stories included along the route.

Exclusion

No live guide. Entrance fees, parking, food, and car rental are separate.

Cancellation Policy

Check mark icon Refundable tickets

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

  • 100% refund if cancelled 1+ days before the start date
  • 0% refund if cancelled less than 1 day(s) before the start date

Additional Info

Public transportation options are available nearby

Suitable for all physical fitness levels

Easy to use: GPS-triggered audio plays automatically along the route for a hands-free experience.

Private tour: Explore in your own vehicle without crowded buses or large tour groups.

At your own pace: Start anytime and pause for hikes, picnics, photos, or scenic stops.

Works offline: Once downloaded, the tour works using GPS without Wi-Fi or cellular service.

Good value: One purchase covers everyone in your vehicle, not each person separately.

More ways to save: Choose a single tour, a nearby bundle, or access to 200+ tours.

Download in advance: Download the Tour Guide app by Action and tour while connected to Wi-Fi or a strong cellular signal.

Follow the route: Begin at the suggested starting point or join anywhere along the route shown in the app.

Lifetime access: Preview the tour before your trip and revisit the stories, photos, and details afterward.

Supported devices: iPhone with iOS 15+, Android with version 9+, or a GPS-enabled iPad/tablet with cellular capability.

The app’s audio will play through your car’s Apple CarPlay and Android Auto display, while the app’s map will display on your phone. You can connect your phone to the car via Bluetooth to listen to the commentary through the car stereo.

Supplied by Travel with Action

Reviews

4.2

★★★★★ ★★★★★
Based on 20 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

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