The Outer Banks Winter Chill

Holidays & Festivals

More than ever, families are looking to spend their holidays on the Outer Banks. Take part this winter in beach celebrations, yuletide cheer and unbelievable holiday shopping. Winter Lights at Elizabethan Gardens take center stage in exemplifying the past, present and yet to come on this beautiful stretch of eastern beach. Stroll along enchanted garden paths and discover the joy of the season with holiday lights, sights and sounds transforming The Elizabethan Gardens into an illuminated winter wonderland. The radiant glow of the gardens, traditional holiday décor and fantastical displays are a true spectacle to behold. Festive trees grace the Gatehouse and Odom Hall and a crackling open-air fire warms the Great Lawn. Click here for a full list of holiday events.

Discounted Rates

January is a big reservation month for vacation rental homes, which make up about 80% of the lodging on the Outer Banks. Rental homes can see huge discounts and be rented for half the price compared to peak season dates. Experience winter’s first snowfall in an oceanfront home and escape the modern world hustle and bustle. Enjoy crisp, wintry walks on the beach as you relish life at a slower pace. Want a fire without the sand? Many vacation homes offer a fireplace ‘filter’ when selecting your perfect getaway. Fully equipped kitchens in these houses allow ease of preparation for large holiday feasts OR consume hearty meals with fast service at the flurry of restaurants that remain open through the season.

Stargazing

Humans love change and there is no transformation more beautiful than the colors of the Outer Banks in the wintry months. While the reds and yellow remain during sunrises and sunsets, blues and whites blanket the night sky. Unrefined, intensely clear nights create a pristine environment for stargazing. Search for local events that celebrate the dark skies and tapestry of the Milky Way unblemished by big city lights.

Beachcombing

Starry treasures by night, and funky beach finds by day. The less crowded beaches and change in prevailing winds increase your chances of finding the perfect seashore treasure. Beach combing is something that pretty much everyone does either by walking and picking up sea glass or sifting through the tidal remnants to see what shells washed up the night before. The one thing about sea glass on the Outer Banks that makes it special, is that there were no factories here. All our glass comes from another part of the world. Whether it’s red, blue, green or yellow, producing a particular color originates from a specific part of the world.

Shipwrecks

Awaken the sleeping stories hibernating in the Outer Banks at the Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum. The Graveyard of the Atlantic is a region just offshore where some 3,000 shipwrecks decorate the depths from Kitty Hawk south to Ocracoke. This region of the North Carolina coast once claimed many ships and their crews, due to the treacherous shoals and underwater sandbars that are said to have never sat still for any map. Today, you can view some of these wrecks from shore or in this area fit for scuba diving. The span of crafts ranges from the first colonial ships of the 1500’s, to the Civil War and both World Wars, including the most German U-boats sunk off any state coast in America.