Courtney Wisecarver
Dec 03, 2024
If you’re looking for an extra special OBX New Year celebration, you’re in luck! Ring in the new year Outer Banks style your way, with a variety of celebrations to choose from. An OBX New Year’s Eve will be a memorable one, no matter where you find yourself celebrating. There’s something for all ages, from fireworks to good food to balloon drops, as well as festive Outer Banks events throughout the week leading up to New Year’s Eve. If you’re searching for a hearty meal on New Year’s Day, we have some suggestions for you to start your year off right.
Meet Me in Manteo for New Year’s
When: December 31st, beginning at 6:00 pm
Where: Downtown Manteo
Meet Me in Manteo for New Year’s is an evening festival and street fair in Manteo, NC, on Roanoke Island. Downtown Manteo closes the streets for the celebration. There will be a DJ and live music, a kids zone, local food trucks, and the most extensive New Year’s Eve fireworks display in North Carolina, happening at 8:00 pm! At midnight, see the unique lighting of the Queen Elizabeth II ship. The restaurants and bars downtown are also staying open late for the event. Free parking is available at Roanoke Island Festival Park.
The Jolly Roger New Year’s Eve Party
When: December 31st
Where: The Jolly Roger, 1836 N Virginia Dare Trail, Kill Devil Hills
The Jolly Roger, a local restaurant and favorite for late-night entertainment, is having a New Year’s Eve special event starting at 4:00 pm. They will offer dinner specials and serve their full menu, including seafood, steaks, Italian dishes, prime rib, and many delicious, homemade desserts.
There will be karaoke, dancing, party favors, and a complimentary champagne toast at midnight. Additionally, a traditional “good luck” meal of kielbasa, black-eyed peas, and sauerkraut will be served after midnight to ensure prosperity. Come celebrate with the locals to see how we ring in the new year!
NYE Party at Outer Banks Brewing Station
When: December 31st, 10:30 pm to 2:00 am
Where: Outer Banks Brewing Station, 600 S Croatan Hwy, Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948
Ring in the new year at Outer Banks Brewing Station’s New Year’s Eve celebration. Start your evening with dinner, then join the party from 10:30 pm to 2:00 am. Great music, a balloon drop, and a champagne toast at midnight. This Outer Banks Brewing Station event is for adults 21 or older only.
WinterLights
When: December 26th, 27th, 28th, 29th, & 30th 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm
Where: The Elizabethan Gardens, 1411 National Park Dr, Manteo, NC 27954
Stroll through the illuminated pathways of The Elizabethan Gardens transformed into a winter wonderland. Holiday lights give the ten-acre gardens an enchanted glow during WinterLights. The gift shop and nursery will have seasonal plants and gifts available throughout the event.
The 12 Bars of Christmas
When: November 28th through December 31st
Where: The following 12 businesses in Kill Devil Hills, Nags Head, and Manteo
Christmas may have passed, but The 12 Bars of Christmas stay merry through New Year’s Eve. Get your passport and see how many of the 12 Bars of Christmas you can visit during your stay.
Outer Banks Brewing Station as “Christmas Vacation Station”
Outer Banks Distilling as “Deck the Hulls”
Goombays Grille & Raw Bar as “Goombrrrs”
Jolly Roger Restaurant as “Holly Jolly Christmas”
Jack Brown’s Beer & Burger Joint KDH “Jack Frost’s”
Lucky 12 Tavern as “Jingle 12 Tavern”
Mama Kwan’s Tiki Bar & Grill as “Mama Klaus’s”
Two Roads Tavern as “McCallister’s Corner”
Blue Water Grill & Raw Bar as “North Pole Yacht Club”
Basnight’s Lone Cedar Cafe as “‘Ol Cedar Brown’s”
Poor Richards Sandwich Shop as “Poor Rudolph’s”
Bonzer Shack as “The Broken Candy Cane”
The Paper Canoe
1184 Duck Road, Duck, NC 27949
Experience new American gourmet cuisine and an unforgettable view of the Currituck Sound at The Paper Canoe. Celebrate New Year’s Eve with fresh seafood and rustic wood oven specialties with a gorgeous winter sunset as your backdrop.
NC Coast Grill & Bar
1184 Duck Road, Duck, NC 27949
Casual dining and cocktails at NC Coast Grill & Bar located right in the heart of Duck Village. Enjoy delicious food and cocktails to celebrate the new year. Go early to watch the last beautiful sunset of the year on the Currituck Sound.
Aqua Restaurant
1174 Duck Road, Duck, NC 27949
Offering locally sourced fare and a soundfront venue with a deck, your New Year’s Eve dining experience at Aqua will feature unique cuisine and a gorgeous view of the Currituck Sound.
JK’s Restaurant
1106 S Croatan Hwy in Kill Devil Hills, NC
JK’s Restaurant is a classy spot serving premium, wood-fired land and sea fare in a wood-finished beach house for a cozy New Year’s Eve experience.
Chill at Your Vacation Home on New Year’s Eve
Celebrating New Year’s Eve on the Outer Banks at your vacation home can be a really fun and memorable time with family and friends. Choose an oceanfront home with a fire pit and stay cozy as you listen to the nearby waves. Make a charcuterie board, roast some s’mores, and pop the bubbly to ring in the new year in a casual way.
Art’s Place
4624 N Virginia Dare Trail, Kitty Hawk, NC 27949
Home of (arguably) the best burger on the Outer Banks, Art’s Place is a modest restaurant on the beach road in Kitty Hawk. The burgers and sweet potato fries will start your new year off right. They also serve breakfast if you’re out and about earlier than lunch time.
Bangkok Thai Sushi
1177 Duck Road #11, Duck, NC 27949
Get your first sushi fix of the year at Bangkok Thai Sushi in the Scarborough Lane Shoppes in Duck. If you’re not into sushi, the pineapple fried rice and veggies lo mein are amazingly tasty.
Duck Donuts
603D Currituck Clubhouse Drive, Corolla, NC 27927
1190 Duck Road, Duck, NC 27949
5230 N. Virginia Dare Trail, Kitty Hawk, NC 27949
1716 N. Croatan Highway, Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948
5000 S. Croatan Highway Unit M 25, Nags Head, NC 27959
With locations in almost every Outer Banks town, getting your donut fix is easy. Duck Donuts offers fresh donuts, served warm and with the toppings of your choice. Their unique stores offer the opportunity to watch your donuts cook and then be topped with various fixings.
If you are looking for everyday things to do in December, there’s plenty to do and see on the Outer Banks. The Outer Banks has lots to choose from, no matter what your holiday style! Whether you want to celebrate all day with good eats, see extraordinary fireworks on New Year’s Eve, go out to a romantic dinner, stroll through sparkling holiday lights, or mix and match these activities, the OBX can accommodate you. Whatever you choose, we’re happy you’re here to celebrate the new year with us, Outer Banks style!
