Every time I peek into Winter Promise’s Adventures in the Sea and Sky, I find more lessons and materials that excite me. Currently, I’m captivated by the lessons on the Wright Brothers and flight.

Today, we take flight for granted. With enough money, we could readily fly virtually anywhere in the world in less than 24 hours. This was unfathomable until only about 100 years ago and the work of the Wright Brothers. We don’t see very many “firsts” these days, and I can’t help but imagine the thrill when the first flight was achieved. What an amazing moment that must have been!

Winter Promise’s Adventures in the Sea and Sky does a masterful job of taking your learner though all aspects of flight from Leonardo da Vinci’s flying machines to modern aircraft, with a good bit of Wright Brothers in between.

For this post, I want to share a few sightseeing options related to flight. Obviously, if you happen to be in the vicinity of any of these locations while studying the flight section of Adventures in the Sea and Sky, I highly recommend doing a field trip. However, any of these locations would be excellent for families to visit any time!

1. Wright Brothers National Memorial, Kitty Hawk, NC

At the memorial, you can see exactly where the first flight took place, tour a small museum, and view a replica of the Wright Brothers’ Kitty Hawk workshop. My family and I visited the Wright Brothers National Memorial this summer, and my favorite part, by far, was seeing the locations where the Wright Brothers’ airplane took off and landed. It was easy to imagine being there when it actually happened.

Wright Brothers National Memorial National Park Service Website

2. Wright Brothers’ Home and Cycle Shop, Greenfield Village, Dearborn, MI

I cannot exaggerate how much I love Greenfield Village. I could go on and on and on about all the great things to see and do there, but if you’re interested in flight, be sure to visit the actual Wright Brothers’ home and bicycle shop that were relocated to Greenfield Village. In the summer, actors portraying Wilbur and Orville Wright perform a short play on the porch of the house reflecting on the first flight.

Greenfield Village Website

3. Heroes of the Sky Aviation Exhibit, Henry Ford Museum, Dearborn, MI

Right beside Greenfield Village is the Henry Ford Museum. Greenfield Village isn’t open year-round, so if you happen to be in Dearborn in the winter, you’ll have to skip the village and just visit the Henry Ford Museum. Luckily, the museum has a tremendous aviation exhibit called Heroes of the Sky, featuring actual historic planes and a replica of the Wright flyer.

Henry Ford Museum Heroes of the Sky Website

4. National Museum of the United States Air Force (USAF), Dayton, OH

Located next to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, the National Museum of the USAF is one of the largest collections of aircraft. It features over 360 historical aircraft and missiles. I had the great privilege of getting a tour of the museum from my late grandfather, who served in the USAF. This is a must see for anyone fascinated by flight, particularly as it relates to wartime aviation.

National Museum of the USAF Website

5. Air Zoo, Portage, MI

Of all the places on this list, this is the one I have not personally visited. Not yet. The Air Zoo is an aviation museum and amusement park all-in-one. Once my son gets a little older, we will be sure to visit. Like I said, I haven’t been there, so be sure to check out their website to learn more.

Air Zoo Website

Thanks for stopping by the blog, and be sure to let us know if you’ve visited any of these locations or plan to visit. We’d love to hear about your adventures!

Also, check out all the Adventures in the Sea and Sky themed curriculum here.