Dayton is for aviators

It is in Dayton, Ohio, that the Wright brothers began their exploration into flight from their family home, bicycle shop, and nearby Huffman Prairie where they tested their theories. It might not be as cool as a beach vacation, but a trip to Dayton is truly an aviator’s dream.

The Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park is a five-unit park located in and around the city. It features the Wright-Dunbar Interpretive Center, Wright Cycle Co. Bike Shop, and Huffman Prairie Flying Field Interpretive Center as well as Wright Brothers Hill where stands the Wright Brothers Memorial, the Paul Laurence Dunbar House Historic Site, and the Wright Brothers National Museum at Carillon Historical Park. (Dunbar, a young Black man, was a classmate and friend of the Wrights and a nationally acclaimed poet, novelist, and short story writer.)

The National Museum of the U.S. Air Force is the world’s largest and oldest military aviation museum. Explore 19 acres of indoor exhibits featuring more than 360 aircraft. See the National Aviation Hall of Fame honoring aviation and aerospace pioneers.

Hawthorn Hill is the home of Orville Wright and the Wright family. Upon completion in 1914, Hawthorn Hill became the residence of Orville, Katharine, and their father, Bishop Milton Wright. Over the next 34 years, the mansion welcomed Charles Lindbergh, Henry Ford, Thomas Edison, and other distinguished guests. Woodland Historic Cemetery and Arboretum is one of the nation’s oldest garden cemeteries, and is the resting place of the Wright brothers.

daytoncvb.com/things-to-do/aviation-sites

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WHY YOU SHOULD GO: Did you know the freefall parachute was invented in Dayton? Tour the Parachute Museum to learn more.