Overview
Kill Devil Hills is a colorfully-named town on the coast of North Carolina. It is part of the Outer Banks, and is best known for its association with the Wright Brothers' historic flights in the first airplane in 1903. The flights are usually associated with Kitty Hawk, but actually took place here. A national monument and museum marks the site.
1 sights · 1 places to eat · 3 places to stay
Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage
Best things about Kill Devil Hills
Wright Brothers National Memorial
Celebrates and explains the first successful controlled, sustained, powered, heavier-than-air flights, which the Wright brothers performed here in 1903. The visitors center has a model of the original aircraft, and inter…
Plan your trip
Best time to visit & weather
Most comfortable: Apr–Jun, Sep–Nov. Summer highs reach about 89°F; winter lows dip to about 34°F. Wettest: Jul and Aug. (climate data from nearby Norfolk)
Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).
Getting there
- From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
- ORF Norfolk International Airport, Norfolk — 66 mi away (major hub). Directions
- PHF Newport News Williamsburg International Airport, Newport News — 89 mi away. Directions
Budget & where to stay
No prices are listed for this place yet. See the Sleep guide ↓ for options.
Food for you
Cuisine (tap to filter)
What to ask about, for your diet
Diet labels come from each listing's description and cuisine; “likely” means the cuisine usually has good choices, not a promise. Check with the restaurant. Open the food finder
Photos
Map
Every listing with a location. Tap a pin for its Google Maps link.
Get in
By plane
Go First Flight airport (FFA)
Private pilots will want to make a visit here where on December 17 1903 the first successful powered heavier-than-air aircraft flight occurred here, conducted by the Wright brothers.
See
There is a large monument to the Wright Brothers on a giant sand dune near the beach. It is, to say the least, difficult to miss.
See Wright Brothers National Memorial
Celebrates and explains the first successful controlled, sustained, powered, heavier-than-air flights, which the Wright brothers performed here in 1903. The visitors center has a model of the original aircraft, and interpretive talks. Outside, stone markers show the start and ending points of the first four flights. The adjacent First Flight Airport (KFFA) offers a 3000 ft runway for day use, with tie-downs but no fuel or other services. Compared to the time of the first flight, Kill Devil Hill has shifted south a short distance due to wind, and is planted with grass to keep it in place. It is topped by an art deco monument to the Wright brothers, and Orville attended its dedication.
Do
You are at the beach. Have fun!
Eat
Eat Pigman's BBQ
The biggest barbecue joint on the beach. The food is generally good and reasonably priced. Stick to the basics, though, such as the five types of barbecue and the ribs and chicken. Though past its heyday, the new owners are working hard to bring the place back to its glory days of the 90s.
Sleep
Hotels
Nearby
Colington
City / town · 2 listings · 2 mi away
Kitty Hawk
City / town · 16 listings · 3 mi away
Nags Head
City / town · 3 listings · 6 mi away
Southern Shores
City / town · 7 listings · 7 mi away
Manteo
City / town · 6 listings · 9 mi away
Duck
City / town · 17 listings · 11 mi away
Corolla
City / town · 4 listings · 26 mi away
Elizabeth City
City / town · 11 listings · 36 mi away
My experience
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