Time is ticking on the holiday gift-shopping window, but if you’re on the Outer Banks, that’s not a problem at all. You can find something for everyone on your list at the locally owned shops, boutiques, outfitters and businesses on the Outer Banks – and it feels good to support the local makers and store owners and return the money you spend back into the local economy.
Around the Outer Banks there are a thousand ways to shop local, from locally owned, independent stores to artisan markets to gift certificates for services and activities. It's fun to go out and shop local, meeting the store owners and artisans and chatting with other customers while you shop. Plus, the goods are right here where you can touch them – not some virtual idea of a product on the internet.
In this week's blog I'm giving you a rundown of the remaining local artist and makers markets, where you can find great stuff like jewelry, pottery, photography, woodworks, baked goods, bath and body products, plants, textiles, paintings, candles, baskets, hot sauces, home goods and so many more creative wonders. Plus, I’ll give you some ideas for gifts that you can buy locally.
Photo: Look for The Grinch at Soundside Holiday Market Soundside Market | Facebook
Markets
First Flight Holiday Market
Date: Friday December 19
Time: 3 to 7 p.m.
Location: Aviation Park, 103 Veterans Drive, Kill Devil Hills
Shop among 50+ local vendors in one setting. The on-site playground and dog park make this fun for the whole family.
Secotan Holiday Market
Date: Saturday, December 20
Time: 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Location: Secotan Market, 2868 N.C. Highway 345, Wanchese
This is the place to stock up for your holiday meals, with locally vegetables, meats, ferments, breads, salts, honey, jams and sweets. There are also vendors and artists on site, so you could definitely find gifts here as well. Artists this weekend are Rose Rast, Erin Nicole Jewelry, Wana World Market and Waterside Kiln.
Photo: Secotan Holiday Market in Wanchese is a great place to find food gifts as well as food for holiday meals. Secotan Market | Facebook
Soundside Holiday Market
Date: Saturday, December 20
Time: 12 to 4 p.m.
Location: Soundside Event Site, 6800 S. Croatan Highway, Nags Head
Soundside Market has evolved into more of a festival than just a market. This fun event features more than 70 vendors plus food trucks, a campfire, hot cocoa, music, bubbles, The Grinch, Buddy the Elf and Santa.
Shuck Town Vendor Market at Shuck Hatteras Oyster Festival IV
Date: Saturday, December 20
Time: 1 p.m. until
Location: Cape Hatteras/Outer Banks KOA Resort, 25099 N.C. Highway 12, Rodanthe
Extras: Part of the Shuck Hatteras Oyster Festival IV, which features oysters, food, beverages and live music, the Shuck Town Vendor Market will host a whole lot of vendors to help you have fun and finalize your gift-giving plans.
Other Shop Local Ideas
Galleries
You don’t have to hit up an outdoor market to find local made art and crafts. Pop into local galleries as well to look for art and goods from favorite artists and artisans.
Restaurant Gift Certificates
No one is disappointed with a restaurant gift certificate. Click here for a rundown of all the Outer Banks restaurants, which might be helpful in remembering your friends' and family's favorite places to eat.
Photo: Local bookstores are great places to find books, toys, journals and other gifts for everyone. Photo from Buxton Village Books
Books
The Outer Banks is blessed with seven independent bookstore locations from Corolla to Ocracoke. That is an unusually high concentration of independent bookstores per capita, so please don't order your books from Amazon. Browsing in bookstores and chatting with the staff, I always find the perfect book match for people on my gift list. If you know exactly what you want, you can call your local bookshop to see if they have it. If they don't, they'll be happy to order it for you.
Food and Drink
I love receiving yummy food items that I would never buy for myself. Pop into any of the local gourmet markets and shops for gift-worthy food and drink.
Tackle and Fishing Gear
I have a lot of fisherpeople and outdoorsy types on my gift list, so I always find myself in the tackle shops around the holidays. I must look lost because, inevitably, some kind and helpful tackle shop salesperson will come to my rescue and tell me exactly what to buy. Here's a list of Outer Banks tackle shops.
Photo: Surf shops have gifts for surfers and everybody else. Photo from Ride The Wind Surf Shop
Surf Shops
Boards, gear, wetsuits, hoodies, booties, sunglasses, clothing – you don't have to be shopping for a surfer to find gifts in the local shops. Check out the list of surf shops here.
Toys
Shopping for children's books and toys is the best part of the holidays. Here’s where you can buy toys on the Outer Banks.
Clothes & Outdoor Wear
Whether it's new clothes for winter, on-sale summer clothes for next year, accessories, shoes or outdoor gear of every sort, I can always find the clothes and gear I need on the Outer Banks. Wetsuits, waders, rain boots, parkas, jackets, socks, you name it, and there's a store for it on the Outer Banks. Here's a rundown of all the local stores from Corolla to Ocracoke, and you can search by location and type of store to find exactly what you need!
Boutiques
If you're looking for clothes, shoes, jewelry, accessories or fun things the girls will love, these boutiques make it easy. There owners and staff in these small, locally owned shops will be more than happy to help you pick something out. See a rundown of local boutiques here.
Photo: H2OBX Waterpark passes will be most appreciated come summertime Photo from H2OBX Waterpark | Outer Banks
Activities
Most of us really don’t need more stuff. Giving activities is a great way to give a gift that won’t take up any space. Browse through our Things to Do section for gift certificate ideas like golf, fishing charters, skydiving, hang gliding, kiteboarding lessons, wild horse tours, dolphin tours, waterpark passes, movie tickets, massages, yoga classes and so much more.
Good luck with your holiday shopping! Be sure to check out our list of Daytime and Nightlife events that are going on around the Outer Banks this week.
Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!
About the Author Molly Harrison
Molly Harrison is managing editor at OneBoat, publisher of OuterBanksThisWeek.com. She moved to Nags Head in 1994 and since then has made her living writing articles and creating publications about the people, places and culture of the Outer Banks.
