Holiday Vacations on the Outer Banks

Thanksgiving

The best part of vacation is spending quality time with family and friends. There's no holiday that focusses on this more than Thanksgiving! November on the Outer Banks is a beautiful time to visit. The temperatures are cool and crisp, and the beaches are wide open and beckon for long strolls and hunting for treasures. You can find an entire rental home available for nearly a third the rate of typical peak weeks, and you'll enjoy all of the fabulous amenities you would any time of year but the hot tubs and fireplaces are oh so more enjoyable! This is a great time of year to try out an oceanfront home if you have not before. You'll enjoy the same spectacular views and access to the ocean as you'd have in the summer but for a fraction of the price.

Preparing a traditional feast is easy. There are numerous grocery stores on the OBX such as Food Lion, Harris Teeter, Publix, and Walmart that will all have turkey available as well as all the fixings. For a southern twist, give cornbread stuffing a try or even some with oysters. They're in season now and work great with oyster dressing recipes or you can even buy them by the dozen, peck, or bushel at local seafood markets and give them a roast on the charcoal grill or steam them and fire them in the broiler with your favorite toppings like cheese, spinach, and bacon.

After the celebration of Thanksgiving on Thursday, there's entertainment on Friday for the shoppers in your group. Black Friday shopping frenzy isn't limited to the mainland... many local shops have special sales on Black Friday and the national chain stores such as Belk, Staples, Walmart, TJ Maxx, and Home Goods participate in their advertised sales.

Christmas

Take that imagery of bathing suits, suntan lotion, and Santa hats in Tahiti and throw it out the window. Christmas on the Outer Banks is nothing like a summer visit here, and it's beloved for that reason! December is the pinnacle of tranquility on the NC coast, and visitors seeking the utmost calm and relaxation will enjoy it the most. Only about half of local restaurants and shops remain open, but again, vacationers this time of year love the solitude and "selective shopping" that goes along with this. You'll find everything you need and get to truly unwind as your time ticks by at a much slower pace this time of year.

Christmas celebrations are abound in the community and favorites include: The Manteo Tree Lighting and Christmas Parade,;Kites With Lights, where Christmas lights are flown high into the night sky by kites on Jockeys Ridge, The Poulos House Christmas light display in Kill Devil Hills where you can walk the grounds of a private residence lit by thousands of lights and holiday exhibits each year, and Winter Lights celebration at the Elizabethan Gardens, where for the entire Christmas season, the garden grounds are transformed into a magically enchanted land lit by lights and adorned by holiday decorations.

Celebrating at your beach home is also simple. Local tree lots such as Reynolds' in Nags Head carry many sizes of cut Christmas Trees and nearly all of the local grocery stores have trees available as well. It couldn't go without mention, but the owners of LC05: Lone Cedar II always decorate their home for incoming guests over the Christmas holiday, so if you're in the mood to have your home decorated for you, it's as simple as booking a stay there!

New Year's

Looking for a new holiday to take a trip out of town? New Years celebrations are growing in popularity on the Outer Banks. Many guests are now considering extending their Christmas time off from work (and real life) and taking more time to enjoy celebrating the new year at the beach. Events like New Year in the New World in Manteo have just started up as a way for visitors and locals alike to celebrate the new year and an outdoor fireworks display.

When thinking of ways to watch the ball drop and ring in the new year, there are dozens of ways to celebrate and relax in a vacation rental home. You can toast with champagne in a hot tub, cookout and celebrate on an oversized outdoor deck, or gather around the living room or game room in your rental and have a great time with friends and family. There are hundreds of available homes each year, including smaller condominiums for couples looking for a getaway. Use one of the handy search links below to get your party planning started! Don't forget, all of Village Realty's vacations include everything to make your visit care-free, including linens and towels, beds made before your arrival, free WiFi, and VIP area discounts and packages to enhance your stay.

-Robert Kissell

Don't have a vacation rental booked yet? We can help! Start your search now of all of our homes, or jump right to our home rentals in Corolla, Duck, Southern Shores, Kill Devil Hills, Nags Head, and even Manteo!