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Locals know it, and visitors feel it within a short time of being in town: There’s something magical about Manteo.
It’s a respite from busyness, yet it’s full of things to do and see… just all at a slower pace. Stroll the waterfront streets, and you can wander in and out of interesting and unique shops (no chains here!), take the kids for ice cream and a break on the playground, experience inspiring art at Dare Arts in the restored courthouse and several other galleries, browse a great bookstore, ooh and ahh over beautiful jewelry and clothes, visit Roanoke Island Festival Park and climb aboard the representative English ship Elizabeth II, explore the Roanoke Marshes Lighthouse and the nearby Maritime Museum or simply sit on one of the many benches dotted around town and quietly watch the world go by.
If you’re hungry, Manteo offers many tasty choices. From soups, salads and sandwiches to Scottish-inspired items to Southwestern fare to fine dining that includes vegan and vegetarian fare, your meal can match your mood. Or, if you’re just wanting a glass of wine or beer or a cocktail, you can grab one of those and even walk around with it thanks to the addition of a Social District to the downtown area. Manteo even sports its own rum distillery as well as a well-stocked wine/events bar.
Throughout the year you can take part in so many varied and fun events, and fall and winter feature some of the best. Downtown Market, located next to the Maritime Museum, continues into the fall. First Friday downtown celebrations are held from April through December. On the first Friday night in December the Town of Manteo hosts the Christmas tree lighting, followed the next day with the Christmas Parade and the Holiday Tour of Homes opening beautifully decorated homes on a walkable route. Then, to bring in the New Year, thousands of revelers gather downtown for festivities, food trucks, bands and fireworks.
Manteo is one of those towns that you can easily explore on foot or bicycle. And while the air and water are on the warmer side, many add in an exploration via kayaks or standup paddleboards, which you can rent downtown. There’s so much to see, do and enjoy. Lucky for visitors who want to spend more than a day here, there are also bed and breakfasts, hotels, inns and Airbnb options in the historic area and throughout town.
And here’s a hint from a local: Make time to spend a sunset sitting on the waterfront. It’s a show of color and lights reflecting in the water, the lighthouse blinking and the streetlights coming on while the shimmer in the air slowly fades ... pure magic.
Coming up in Manteo
WOODEN BOAT SHOW
October 28 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
MERRY MARKET
November 17 5 to 8 p.m.
FALL LITTER PICK-UP
November 18 9 to 11 a.m. coffee and donuts at 8:45 a.m.
CHRISTMAS TREE LIGHTING
December 1 6 to 8 p.m.
CHRISTMAS PARADE
December 2 10:30 a.m.
HOLIDAY TOUR OF HOMES
December 2 1 to 6 p.m.
MIDNIGHT MAGIC IN MANTEO, A NEW YEAR’S EVE EVENT
December 31
Ortega'z Southwestern Grill and Wine Bar
201 Sir Walter Raleigh Street
(252) 473-5911
The Gourmet Olive
101-A Budleigh Street
(252) 216-1709 • thegourmetolivemanteo.com
Nest
Magnolia Market on Magnolia Lane
(252) 473-5141 • nestobx.com
Surrounding yourself with things you love will inspire comfort and happiness all day long. Lush cashmere for cocooning on brisk winter mornings, enlivening Italian scents that bring spring in Positano to mind, the best-fitting pants you'll ever wear, soothing French sea salts to soak away all your cares... Nest is stocked with a carefully curated selection of items you won't find elsewhere on the Outer Banks. You'll swoon over irresistible accessories, artisan jewelry, niche international fragrances, heavenly body products and distinctive ladies' clothing by Frank & Eileen, CP Shades and White + Warren, among others, all in styles that shift effortlessly from a cozy fireside in Manteo to the streets of major metropolises to beaches by the Mediterranean.
Bloom Boutique
110 Sir Walter Raleigh Street
(252) 305-8638 • bloomboutiqueobx.com
Bloom is a must-stop while you're out browsing in Manteo, but it's also a worthy destination when you're seeking high-quality, stylish additions to your wardrobe. We offer women's clothing for a wide age span, jewelry, accessories and gift items as well. You can access our shop from either Sir Walter Raleigh Street or Fernando Street.
The Pioneer Theater
109 Budleigh Street
(252) 305-8578 • thepioneertheater.com
This 105-year-old movie theater has just received an incredible update. A new bar and lounge area, fresh carpet and enhanced bathrooms are great interior additions, and outside the original façade is back with a beautifully lit marquee and box office, specially designed doors and a reproduction of the vertical, eye-catching metal theater sign. Evening movies start at 7:30 p.m., and the bar opens at 7 for pre-movie drinks.
About the Author Beth P. Storie
Beth Storie first came to the Outer Banks for the summer of 1976. She fell in love with the area and returned for good three years later. She and her husband published the national guidebook series, The Insiders' Guides, for more than 20 years and now are building OneBoat guides into another national brand. After spending time in many dozens of cities around the country, she absolutely believes that her hometown of Manteo is the best place on earth, especially when her two children, six cats and one dog are there too.
