People ask me all the time, “When is the best time to come to the Outer Banks?” My honest answer is that there isn’t a bad time. Every season here has something special, it just depends on what kind of trip you want. Here’s how I see the year, from someone who owns two oceanfront condos in Kill Devil Hills and spends a lot of time here.
My favorite: October (and May is a close second)
If you ask me, October is the best month of the year. The weather is perfect for people who don’t like it too hot but still want to feel the sun and get a little last-minute tan without getting burnt. The fish start biting, the restaurants are still open, and there aren’t so many lines. It’s shorts during the day and a hoodie in the evening.
One of my favorite things is a crisp morning with coffee on the deck, watching the sunrise. The sunrises just seem brighter and more colorful in the fall. Maybe it’s the cooler air, but they really are something. The dolphins are out there all year, but I’ve noticed them a little more active in October and in May.
Spring: a fresh start
May is my other favorite. It’s still not too hot, and the fish are moving again. The restaurants are opening back up for the season with new staff and new menus, and you get to see the old staff again too, like old friends coming back. Spring here feels like a renewal of the mind and body.
Summer: busy, but there’s room for everyone
Yes, summer is busy, and the beaches in the more popular areas fill up. But the Outer Banks has more than 100 miles of shoreline, so there’s plenty of room to spread out. It’s not like some beach towns where you’re lying in rows and rows of people.
The weather. The humidity and heat can be brutal depending on where you’re from, but it rarely gets scorching because you’re right by the ocean, and the Outer Banks is windy. Those 85° days where the sun is beating down and the wind takes the heat right off you, with the water still warm, umbrella or no umbrella, that’s a really good summer beach day.
Restaurants. They get busy, and some waits are worth it. My tip: eat a little earlier, or plan a later dinner.
Bugs. Mosquitoes can get interesting, and the black biting flies can cause havoc. It seems to go in cycles. Some years are bad for flies but not for mosquitoes, and the other way around.
Cooling off. A place with a pool is nice (our building has a seasonal community pool), but between the sound and the ocean you have plenty of options.
Shopping. Summer is when the local stores have their best things out. There’s an array of unique shops all the way from Corolla down to Nags Head. Don’t forget to stop in Duck.
Beat the bridge traffic
Saturday is turnover day for a lot of rentals, and that means bridge traffic. Crossing the bridge around 9 AM on a Saturday is usually good. Sunday isn’t too terrible, but after 9 AM it gets busy, and the closer it gets to check-in time, the worse it gets. My advice: wake up early and get across the bridge before the rush. There is plenty to do while you wait for check-in.
Things to do before check-in (all close to our condos at Milepost 9.9):
- Wright Brothers National Memorial, Kill Devil Hills. See where the first flight happened in 1903, walk up to the monument on the hill, and stretch your legs after the drive.
- Jockey’s Ridge State Park, Nags Head. The tallest sand dunes on the East Coast. Kids love running down them, and it’s a great sunset spot too if you come back later.
- Jennette’s Pier, Nags Head. Walk out over the ocean (the pier charges a small fee to walk out) and see what the fishermen are catching.
- Shop and eat in Duck. Head north and spend a few hours in the shops, then have lunch with a view of the sound.
- Pick up groceries. Get the shopping done before you check in, so you can unload once and head straight to the beach.
- Lunch at a local favorite. See my picks on Where to Eat.
- Put your feet in the sand. There are public beach accesses all along the beach road. You don’t need a key to the condo to start your vacation.
Winter: my secret favorite
I like to visit in the wintertime. Staying oceanfront makes a world of difference. You can sit by the fireplace, watch the waves roll in and even hear them crash against the shore, without being out in the cold. The view and the ocean are spectacular that time of year.
It’s a different kind of cold, though. Some people come from up north thinking it’ll be like Florida, where you might still swim in winter. Not so on the Outer Banks. In January and February the ocean is around 50 degrees or colder, and even though the air stays a little warmer than further inland, the wind can blow right through your clothes and be bitter cold.
We don’t get a lot of snow, but if you’re lucky enough to see it, count your blessings. Even a dusting on the sand and dunes is stunning.
And there are warm days. I have a photo of my car thermometer reading 72° on January 2nd. On days like that you can sit out on the deck in the Adirondack chairs for a few hours, soaking up the sun you’ve been missing since the clocks changed, with the New Year ahead of you. It’s a beautiful place to rest.
A lot of restaurants have different hours in winter, and plenty close for a well-deserved break. But travel a little and you’ll find a place open with good food and great hospitality.
Events worth planning a trip around
Some of my favorites, plus a few more worth knowing about. Dates change from year to year, so check before you book.
- Bluegrass Island Music Festival, Manteo. One of the biggest events of the year, and it draws quite a crowd. It’s held at Roanoke Island Festival Park, and the dates move around, sometimes spring and sometimes fall.
- The Lost Colony, Manteo (summer). An outdoor play at the Waterside Theatre on Roanoke Island, telling the story of some of the first English settlers and the mystery of what happened to them. It runs from early summer through August and has been playing since 1937.
- Outer Banks Bike Week (April). Just a cool place to be with a really neat atmosphere.
- Hot rod and car shows. The Outer Banks Rod & Custom Festival is usually in early May, and you’ll see car shows and cruise-ins at other times of the year too.
- OBX Jeep Invasion (September). Jeeps everywhere you look.
- Taste of the Beach (March) and Restaurant Weeks (spring and fall). A great excuse to try a lot of local restaurants.
- Outer Banks Seafood Festival (October). Local seafood, music and vendors in Nags Head.
- Duck Jazz Festival and Wings Over Water (October). Free jazz on the sound in Duck, and a birding and wildlife festival. One more reason October is my favorite.
- First Flight anniversary, December 17. Every year the Wright Brothers National Memorial celebrates the anniversary of the first flight, usually with a flyover at 10:35 AM, the exact time of the first flight. It’s just down the road from our condos.
So, when should you come?
If you want my vote, come in October or May. If you have kids out of school, summer is summer, and there’s nothing like it. And if you just want to rest and watch the ocean from a warm room, try winter. Whenever you come, staying oceanfront makes every season better.
Stay close to it all
Our two oceanfront condos, Turtle Tides and Starfish Wishes, are at Milepost 9.9 in Kill Devil Hills, right in the middle of the northern Outer Banks, with the sunrise right off the deck. For more ideas, see our Area Guide & FAQ, my favorite places on Where to Eat, and my post on seeing the Corolla wild horses.
Event dates, hours and prices change. Please check with each event and business before you go.