December Fun: Itinerary for the Third Weekend in December

Friday, December 18: Roanoke Island History and WinterLights

8:00 AM - Coffee and Breakfast on the Way to Manteo! Fuel up at a local coffee shop or enjoy a slow breakfast at your vacation rental before heading across the causeway to Roanoke Island. Check out our list of local OBX breakfast favorites for ideas.

9:30 AM - Fort Raleigh National Historic Site! Start the day where English colonization in America began. Fort Raleigh National Historic Site preserves the site of the 1580s Roanoke colonies, including the mystery of the "Lost Colony." Walk the reconstructed earthen fort and the wooded trails along the Roanoke Sound, and stop by the visitor center to learn more. Admission is free.

11:30 AM - Lunch in Downtown Manteo! Head into town for lunch at one of the cafés and restaurants near the waterfront. Afterward, take a stroll along the boardwalk to the Roanoke Marshes Lighthouse and browse the downtown shops for last-minute Christmas gifts.

1:30 PM - Roanoke Island Festival Park! Roanoke Island Festival Park is open Tuesday through Saturday this time of year, so Friday is a perfect day to visit. Climb aboard the Elizabeth II to see what life was like on a 16th-century sailing ship, then explore the Settlement Site, American Indian Town, and the Roanoke Adventure Museum for hands-on history the whole family will enjoy.

4:30 PM - Dinner on Roanoke Island! Grab an early dinner before WinterLights. Try Blue Water Grill & Raw Bar or Mahi Mahi's Island Grill in Manteo, or head across the causeway to Miller's Waterfront Restaurant in Nags Head for a sunset view over the sound.

6:30 PM - WinterLights at the Elizabethan Gardens! End the day at WinterLights at the Elizabethan Gardens, the biggest light display on the Outer Banks and right next door to Fort Raleigh. Stroll more than a million lights across the 10-acre gardens, warm up by the open-air fire, and say hello to Santa. WinterLights runs from 6 to 9 PM, and tickets are $22 for adults, $14 for ages 2–17, free for children under 2, and $6 for dogs. Reserve a timed-entry ticket online ahead of time, because the week before Christmas is one of the busiest of the season. The event is weather-dependent, so check for updates that afternoon.

Saturday, December 19: Shuck Hatteras V Oyster Festival

8:00 AM - Easy Breakfast at a Local Favorite! For a hearty sit-down breakfast, stop by Henry's Restaurant at 3396 N. Croatan Hwy. in Kill Devil Hills. Open year-round, Henry's has something for everyone. Try "The Captain," with two eggs, grits or home fries, toast or biscuits, and your choice of country ham, sausage, bacon, and more. View full menu.

10:30 AM - Bodie Island Lighthouse! On your way south, stop at the Bodie Island Lighthouse, just past Whalebone Junction in Nags Head. The lighthouse isn't open for climbing in winter, but the grounds and the boardwalk out over the marsh are beautiful in December, and you'll often spot ducks and other waterfowl wintering on the ponds.

12:00 PM - Shuck Hatteras V Oyster Festival! Cross the Oregon Inlet bridge and head to Rodanthe, about 45 minutes south of Nags Head, for the Shuck Hatteras V Oyster Festival, held Dec 18–19, 2026 at the Cape Hatteras/Outer Banks KOA Resort (25099 NC Hwy 12). This "SHELLabration" of Hatteras Island features live local music, kids' games and activities, art vendors, an Oyster Cook-Off Challenge, and an all-you-can-eat Oyster Roast. In past years, the cook-off has run in the early afternoon with the oyster roast starting around 4 PM. General admission has been free, with tickets sold for the oyster roast, so check the schedule and buy roast tickets ahead if you can. Proceeds have traditionally supported local causes like the Chicamacomico Life-Saving Station.

6:00 PM - Hot Tub Night! Head back north after the oyster roast and spend a cozy evening at your vacation rental. If your home has a hot tub, there's nothing better than a soak under the December stars. Then curl up with a holiday movie and rest up for Sunday.

Sunday, December 20: Nags Head Woods, Holiday Pop-Ups, and a Duck Sunset

8:00 AM - Breakfast in Your Vacation Rental! Enjoy a slow, quiet breakfast at home. Many of our vacation rentals offer multiple refrigerators and dishwashers, so breakfast prep and cleanup are a breeze. Take your coffee out to the beach and enjoy a peaceful morning stroll by the ocean.

10:00 AM - Hike Nags Head Woods! Explore Nags Head Woods Ecological Preserve in Kill Devil Hills, one of the largest remaining maritime forests on the East Coast. Shaded trails wind past freshwater ponds, ancient dunes, and towering trees, and the forest is sheltered from the December wind. It's a peaceful, quiet side of the Outer Banks that many visitors never see.

12:00 PM - Lunch at a 12 Bars of Christmas Pop-Up! From Black Friday through New Year's Eve, local restaurants transform into themed 12 Bars of Christmas pop-ups, with holiday décor, festive menus, and specialty drinks. In past years, Two Roads Tavern has become McCallister's Corner and Jack Brown's has become Jack Frost's. Pick up a passport, and each stop supports a local nonprofit. Check the website for this year's lineup.

1:30 PM - Find Your Way Out at OB-Xscape Rooms! Head north to OB-Xscape Rooms in Southern Shores for some indoor family fun. Pick a themed room and see who can crack the clues the fastest. It's a great bonding activity on a chilly December afternoon.

3:15 PM - Duck Village and the Soundside Boardwalk! Continue north to the Town of Duck. Browse the boutiques and galleries in Duck Village for last-minute Christmas gifts, then walk the Duck boardwalk along the Currituck Sound. Stay to watch the sunset over the sound around 4:50 PM. It's one of the prettiest views on the Outer Banks.

5:15 PM - Farewell Dinner in Duck! End the weekend with dinner in Duck. Try The Blue Point or Red Sky Cafe for a special night out, or The Village Table & Tavern if you're traveling with kiddos. Some Duck restaurants close for a week or two before Christmas, so call ahead.

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