This Fall, follow our bucket list for fun Outer Banks activities that’ll be sure to provide you and your family lots of laughs and memories! While Summer on the OBX is amazing, Fall is here, it’s even better, and it’s time to partake in all the fun this cooler season brings.

OBX Fall Bucket List

1. Host a beach bonfire with smores and cozy blankets

2. Grab an OBX inspired book and have a beach picnic

3. Eat some steamed oysters

4. Take advantage of the 4WD ability in Nags Head (with the proper permit)

5. Hit one of the lighthouses on a crisp, fall day

6. Go on an OBX ghost tour

7. Take part in the Outer Banks Marathon

8. Go to the Bluegrass Island Festival

9. Enjoy the weather and visit Island Farm

10. Enjoy an event at the Elizabethan Gardens

11. Attend the Seafood Festival

12. Take a trip to the Wright Brothers Memorial

13. Wake up to see a fall sunrise over the ocean

14. Visit the OBX Distillery and try some fall-inspired rum flavors

15. Play a few rounds of golf

16. Catch the WRV Outer Banks Pro surf competition

17. Try a local, fall-flavored coffee

18. Stroll downtown Manteo

19. Go Black Friday Shopping but only at locally owned OBX shops

20. Visit all 5 piers from Kitty Hawk to Nags Head just because

21. Visit Grandy Greenhouse & Farm Market for fresh cider and more

22. Take a day trip to Ocracoke

23. Take advantage of partial week rentals

Our Top OBX Fall Activities

We’ve broken down our favorite fall activities for your bucket list in our handy PDF above, but we want to go into more detail on the ones we really love and why! These are activities we highlighted in our summer bucket list but they’re just as magical during the fall!

The Outer Banks Seafood Festival

The Outer Banks Seafood Festival is a must if you’re in town! The festival is typically held in mid to late October and features some of the best, local restaurants on the OBX! Enjoy locally caught seafood of all kinds, tasty desserts, and so much more. You can get more information on the next Outer Banks Seafood Festival here.

Fresh, Steamed Oysters

Fall is notoriously known on the Outer Banks as oyster season! Locals know, you only eat oysters during months that end in an “R”. Steamed oysters are much easier to eat and shuck than raw and are amazing with hot sauce, cocktail sauce, and horseradish! You can buy your own locally at places like Sugar Shack and O’Neals to steam yourself or treat yourself at a local restaurant where they’re steamed for you!

Visiting Historical Landmarks

If you’re not a warm-weather person, the fall presents the perfect time to get out and adventure! With gorgeous weather and crisp fall air, walking around Outer Banks historical landmarks is absolutely pleasant. From climbing the lighthouses to visiting the Wright Brothers Memorial, getting outside during the fall on the OBX is a must.