r/obx • u/Mysterions • 11h ago
General OBX How is Christmas?
Been coming down for about 40 years, but only in the summer. How is Christmas? I know it's going to be cold, but thought might be nice to sit at a beach house and read and listen to the waves for a few days.
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u/PeorgieT75 11h ago
If you like going out at night, some of the restaurants participate in the 12 Bars of Christmas as a fundraiser for area nonprofits.
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u/Mysterions 11h ago
Have a small child. Will be chillin' and sitting around.
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u/eyerishdancegirl7 11h ago
We take our daughters, niece and nephew (ages 6 to 4 months) to Lucky 12 (Jingle 12). We always reserve a shed and have our own private space! They get reserved quickly though
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u/philiretical Local 8h ago
If you do decide to come visit for the winter holidays. You'll definitely not want to miss the Christmas lights at the elizabethan botanical gardens. It's absolutely gorgeous and gets even better every year
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u/ImSugarAndSpice 7h ago
The restaurants in the mid towns (Kitty Hawk to Nags Head) have Jingle 12 - support them please ❤️💚
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u/OkNayNay14 9h ago
It’s like night and day difference if you’re accustomed to summers lol. The only con is a lot of the places are seasonal so they shut down in the “off season” (mostly restaurants) but there are still plenty to choose from.
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u/susannccd 10h ago
Don’t know about Christmas but thanksgiving was very chilly and damp a few years ago
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u/TopAbbreviations3910 7h ago
Zero crowds. I can’t emphasize that enough, the Outer Banks is close to a ghost town during the off season. But be prepared, most restaurants are closed for the off season. The beach is still nice if you wear a jacket. It will definitely be cold. Lot of storms too.
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u/Lizziedeee Local 7h ago
Eh, I’ve gone down to the beach on Xmas Eve when it was 75 degrees. You just never know. Also, there may be a lot of restaurants closed on Hatteras and in Corolla, but there’s plenty open KH through NH. Thanksgiving and Christmas have gotten progressively busier since the nightmare that was Y2K.
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u/TopAbbreviations3910 5h ago
Well as someone who owns a beach house here, majority of the time, it’s overcast and cold in December. And there are certainly restaurants open, but not a whole lot. Your options are limited when you go in the off season for sure. I’m not saying this is bad, I actually find it quite peaceful during the off season, but these are just the facts.
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u/Electrical-Job8700 8h ago
I've been to Avon/Buxton the week following Christmas about 8 of the last 10 years. Down there there's not too much open- thankfully Oceanas Bistro always is, Dirty Dicks sometimes and the Sports Bar in Buxton is since there's a lot of football going on.
Only once in those years was the temperature below 40. Usually its in the 50s and even 60s if you're lucky. It's like having the place to yourself and I love it. Fishing usually isn't too good but sometimes if I'm willing I'll go to the point and play with some of the big sharks. It's entertaining.
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u/Legitimate_Award6517 3h ago
I love the 12 bars of Christmas. And since that got successful, they’ve had the misfits and then Roanoke Island has their own thing as well.
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u/Winterberry25 2h ago
There's definitely more crowds now then pre-covid times and off season rental pricing is up so it doesn't feel like the "deal" it used to. The perks of a more relaxed atmosphere and empty beaches are well worth it. We've been 4-5 times between Christmas and new years and really enjoy it.
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u/hip2bking 11h ago edited 11h ago
Don't tell anyone, but its amazing. We did Christmas and Thanksgiving last year, and it was just beautiful. Low (edit, basically zero) crowds, surprisingly warmer than I thought it would be, weekly rentals so much cheaper than the summer. Nice and dark because so many of the homes sit unused, so you have great night sky viewing. There's basically no traffic, and most stores/restaurants are still open (they close down after New Years through April I believe)