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Holly Jolly Weekend
Starts: 12/24/2025 - Ends: 12/25/2025
It's always a bit magical here in the Outer Banks, but Christmas is that magical time of year to spread some extra Holiday cheer! Get ready for a few days filled with memories that won't get forgotten. We've got so much planned for including hot cocoa, gingerbread house making, Christmas movies and maybe... just maybe, a special visit from the jolly ol' guy himself!
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Halloween Weekend #2
Starts: 10/31/2025 - Ends: 11/02/2025
We're celebrating Halloween with two weekends packed full of creepy, crawly fun! Enjoy a Magic Pumpkin Patch, Pumpkin Decorating Palozza, Monster Mash Party, Costume Contests - Kids, Adults & Pets, Site Decorating Contest, Spooky Crafts and Trick-or-Treating! Come dressed in your Halloween best and decorate your RV site! These are two weekends you won't want to miss!
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Countdown to the Last Sunset of 2025
Starts: 12/31/2025 - Ends: 12/31/2025
Join us for a Meat & Cheese Social and Champagne Toast as we watch the sun dip below the horizon for the last time in 2025.
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Shuck Hatteras IV Oyster Festival
Starts: 12/20/2025 - Ends: 12/20/2025
Join us for Shuck Hatteras IV Oyster Festival! It's a SHELLABRATION of community, music, & food. The weekend will be filled with local live music, Kinnakeet Oyster Co. oysters, local art vendors, an Oyster Cook-off Challenge AND an ALL-YOU-CAN EAT Oyster Roast (ticket required). There will also be games and activities for the kids. ALL PROCEEDS from Shuck Hatteras IV will benefit the Life-Saving station.
Save 25% when you book 2+ nights during the event! Book Your Stay
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Veterans Day Weekend
Starts: 11/07/2025 - Ends: 11/09/2025
Come help us say “Thank You” to our veterans who gave so much for our freedom. We will be writing letters to our servicemen and women and for those camping with us and we'll have free donuts for Veterans.
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Turkey in the Sand
Starts: 11/27/2025 - Ends: 11/27/2025
Be sure to join us this fall for Turkey in the Sand at the Cape Hatteras/Outer Banks KOA Resort. We will have turkey fun all weekend long with activities & crafts for kids and adults. For Thanksgiving Day, we will be hosting our annual dinner potluck style so bring your favorite holiday recipes to share! We will provide the turkey & desserts and you bring the side dishes! Make sure to sign-up at the front office. Happy Campsgiving!
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Halloween Weekend #1
Starts: 10/24/2025 - Ends: 10/26/2025
We're celebrating Halloween with two weekends packed full of creepy, crawly fun! Enjoy a Magic Pumpkin Patch, Pumpkin Decorating Palozza, Monster Mash Party, Costume Contests - Kids, Adults & Pets, Site Decorating Contest, Spooky Crafts and Trick-or-Treating! Come dressed in your Halloween best and decorate your RV site! These are two weekends you won't want to miss!
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America Turns 250!
Starts: 01/01/2026 - Ends: 12/31/2026
We can't think of a better way to celebrate America turning 250 than enjoying one of America's favorite pastimes - Camping!
America will be celebrating 250 years in 2026 with events, media features and lots of memory sharing.
Be part of the fun and create lasting memories during this milestone year in America's history!
Book Your Stay
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KOA Rewards Appreciation Weekend
Starts: 09/11/2026 - Ends: 09/12/2026
KOA Rewards holders stay as a paying guest on Friday, September 11th at any participating KOA campground and get Saturday, September 12th for FREE*.
KOA Rewards Appreciation Weekend is designed exclusively for KOA Rewards holders to say thanks for your loyalty and for trusting your camping memories to us. On this late-summer weekend, we gather to celebrate friends, family and fun in the great outdoors we all adore.* Only at participating KOA locations. Applies to one site per a KOA Rewards account, for two consecutive nights at the same KOA. Sites may be limited. KOA Rewards discount does apply but not valid with other discounts.
Book Your Stay
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Mother's Day & Care Camps Big Weekend
Starts: 05/08/2026 - Ends: 05/09/2026
Join Us for Care Camps Weekend!
May 8–9, 2026
Stay at a participating KOA campground on Friday, May 8, and receive 50%* off your Saturday, May 9 stay. KOA will then donate 50% of the funds raised from Saturday night's stays to the Care Camps Foundation. Care Camps Foundation is a national non-profit organization that funds 100+ medically supervised pediatric oncology camps across the US and Canada. Their mission is to give joy, hope, and the healing power of the outdoors to children with cancer and their families. KOA has been a foundational partner to Care Camps since 1984. You can learn more at carecamps.org.
Book Your Stay
*Offer valid only at participating KOA locations. Discount applies to one site for two consecutive nights (Friday, May 8 and Saturday, May 9) at the same KOA. Sites may be limited. Only KOA Rewards discounts apply.
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Hatteras Island Christmas Parade
Starts: 12/13/2025 - Ends: 12/13/2025
Join in the fun of one of the most festive celebrations on Hatteras Island with this annual Christmas Parade that has become a decades-long tradition for locals and holiday visitors alike.
Kids of all ages will love the candy, toys, and other prizes that are thrown to the crowds throughout the march, and Santa himself makes a special appearance at the end of the parade.
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OBX Brewtag
Starts: 10/25/2025 - Ends: 10/25/2025
A celebration of flight and beer, OBX Brewtäg is modeled after the whimsical and entertaining Red Bull Flugtag, translated to “flying day” in German. With OBX Brewtäg, the general premise is the same, although rather than human-powered flying machines, Brewtäg contestants will be competing to see who can launch and fly an empty 1/6 keg barrel the furthest.
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Annual Surfin' Turkey 5k and Puppy Drum Fun Run
Starts: 11/27/2025 - Ends: 11/27/2025
If you are on Hatteras Island we encourage you to run our USATF Certified Course in Hatteras Village. Our traditional Surfin' Turkey course, as you have known it in previous years, will be marked and decorated for you to run as an individual or as a Rafter Group. We invite you and your family to dress up and to take a finisher photo at our provided backdrop located at the Hatteras Village Civic Center.
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Hangin' with Santa in Nags Head
Starts: 11/28/2025 - Ends: 11/29/2025
Kick off the holiday season with some post-Thanksgiving fun at Kitty Hawk Kites in Nags Head!
This festive two-day event at the flagship store is packed with holiday cheer for all ages—featuring shopping specials, family activities, live demos, and a visit from Santa himself.
Kids can meet and take photos with the jolly old elf at Jockey's Ridge Crossing, while the whole family enjoys cookies, cocoa, and hands-on fun with Santa's elves and classic toys straight from the workshop. Shoppers can take advantage of special holiday sales to get a head start on beach-themed gifts, and everyone can soak in the merry atmosphere that marks the start of the Outer Banks holiday season.With so many ways to celebrate, this Nags Head tradition is the perfect way to welcome the most wonderful time of the year!
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Outer Banks Shrimp Cookoff
Starts: 11/02/2025 - Ends: 11/02/2025
The 16th Annual Outer Banks Shrimp Cookoff is set for Sunday, November 2, from 12–3 p.m. at the Sea Ranch Resort in Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina!
Enjoy a delicious afternoon as local chefs go head-to-head, serving up their best shrimp creations. The event also includes a silent auction and 50/50 raffle, with all proceeds benefiting the Outer Banks Center for Dolphin Research.Tickets are $30 per person and can be purchased in advance using the link below or at the door.
Please note: no physical tickets will be issued for advance sales—your name will be on our guest list at check-in. Stay tuned for updates on this year's participating chefs, restaurants, sponsors, and silent auction items!
Learn more
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Kites with Lights
Starts: 11/29/2025 - Ends: 11/29/2025
Kites with Lights at Jockey's Ridge State Park
Saturday, November 29, 2025 | 4:00–7:00 PM
Celebrate the season with Kitty Hawk Kites and a dazzling holiday kite light show over the dunes of Jockey's Ridge!
Watch as giant kites—some stretching 19 to 30 feet—glow against the evening sky, decked out in festive holiday lights. At 5:00 PM, gather for the lighting of the Jockey's Ridge Solar Christmas Tree, a beloved local tradition that brightens the dunes across from Jockey's Ridge Crossing. Warm up with hot drinks available nearby, and enjoy an evening of holiday magic for the whole family. Donations from the event support the Friends of Jockey's Ridge.
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12 Bars of Christmas
Starts: 11/29/2025 - Ends: 12/31/2025
Opening November 29th. 12 festive pop-ups, full decked out in holiday cheer! More details to come!
Visit Website
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Winter Wildlife Season
Starts: 12/01/2025 - Ends: 02/28/2026
Winter Wildlife Watching in the Outer Banks
Winter on the Outer Banks brings a whole new kind of magic—one filled with peaceful landscapes and incredible wildlife sightings.At Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge, thousands of migratory waterfowl make their winter home, including tundra swans, snow geese, and a variety of ducks. Explore scenic walking trails and observation decks for some of the best birdwatching on the coast.Nearby, the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge offers a chance to spot black bears, river otters, and even the rare red wolf. Guided tours and paddling trips give visitors an up-close look at these remarkable habitats.With fewer crowds and abundant wildlife, winter is the perfect time for nature lovers to discover the quieter side of the Outer Banks.
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Christmas Craft Village & Holiday Market in Corolla
Starts: 11/28/2025 - Ends: 11/29/2025
Christmas Craft Village & Holiday Market in Corolla
Whalehead in Historic Corolla Park & Corolla Village, NC
Thanksgiving Weekend 2025
Kick off the holiday season in Corolla with two festive events celebrating local art, food, and holiday cheer!
- Annual Christmas Craft Village – Friday after Thanksgiving
Browse handmade gifts, art, crafts, baked goods, and more from local vendors on the scenic grounds of Whalehead in Historic Corolla Park. Enjoy food vendors and festive sights throughout the park.
- Corolla Village Holiday Market – Friday, Nov. 28 & Saturday, Nov. 29 | 4–8 PM
Stroll through twinkling lights and historic streets filled with craft vendors, live music, carolers, and cozy treats like s'mores and hot chocolate. The event coincides with the Currituck Beach Lighthouse 150th Anniversary Celebration, adding even more holiday magic.
Both events are free and family-friendly, offering the perfect way to shop local and celebrate the start of the season on the Outer Banks.
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Spring Nature Experiences in the OBX
Starts: 03/01/2026 - Ends: 06/30/2026
Bird Migration Season (March–May)
Spring is peak migration time along the Atlantic Flyway, and the Outer Banks is one of its most active routes. Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge and Bodie Island Lighthouse trails are top spots to see herons, egrets, oystercatchers, and colorful warblers.Sea Turtle Season Begins
Loggerhead sea turtles begin nesting on Outer Banks beaches in late spring (usually May–June). While hatchlings appear later in summer, many conservation groups start offering educational talks and guided walks about turtle nesting habits around this time.Wildflowers & Coastal Blooms
The dunes and maritime forests come alive with wildflowers and seaside goldenrod. Nags Head Woods Preserve and Jockey's Ridge State Park are beautiful for spring hikes surrounded by fresh greenery and blooms.Dolphin & Wildlife Tours
Warmer waters bring more marine life closer to shore. Spring is a great time for dolphin tours out of Manteo or Hatteras — fewer crowds, calmer seas, and great chances to spot playful pods.Spring in the Outer Banks is all about renewal — bird migrations, blooming dunes, and returning sea life. It's the perfect time to explore the natural side of the islands before summer crowds roll in.
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WinterLights at The Elizabethan Gardens
Starts: 11/21/2025 - Ends: 12/30/2025
WinterLights at The Elizabethan Gardens
Select Dates: November 21–December 30, 2025
The Elizabethan Gardens, Manteo, NCA beloved Outer Banks holiday tradition, WinterLights transforms ten acres of gardens into a sparkling winter wonderland filled with festive décor, glowing pathways, and seasonal cheer. Enjoy holiday lights, a crackling fire, live entertainment on select nights, and holiday shopping in the Gift Shop and Nursery.
Tickets: Adults $22 | Youth (2–17) $14 | Under 2 Free | Dogs $6
Hours:
- November dates: 10 AM–4 PM (day) & 6–9 PM (WinterLights)
- December dates: 6–9 PM (WinterLights only)
Weather-dependent; timed-entry tickets sold online only.
Overflow parking and shuttle service are available from Fort Raleigh National Historic Site on select weekends.Learn More
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Taste of The Beach
Starts: 03/13/2026 - Ends: 03/15/2026
Join us for 3 days of food, drink and fun on the Outer Banks of North Carolina! The Outer Banks Taste of The Beach Weekend is a fantastic way to sample the fare of many fine restaurants on the Outer Banks in one fun-filled, food-centric weekend! Casual chefs to full-on foodie fanatics will revel in innovative culinary opportunities offered up by members of the Outer Banks Restaurant Association. You can indulge in a fancy wine dinner one night and mix with the masses in an organic farm to fork experience the next. Or maybe an intimate cooking class with one of the area's world class chefs is more your speed. This fun food festival event features: wine tastings, cooking classes, special multi-course menu presentations, brewery tours, tapas crawls, cook-offs, showdowns and throwdowns, dine-arounds and many more culinary delights!