Best Outer Banks Shopping Destinations
In addition to going to the beach, taking a hang gliding adventure, or enjoying all the fun and history that the Outer Banks has to offer, you’ll also find that the Outer Banks has a wide variety of shops and boutiques to pique your interest and find something for everyone in your family to love. You’ll find everything from sportswear to formal clothing, designer handbags to charming art galleries, mementos to bring back home, and everything in between. Find a wide variety of gifts so that you can not only bring back memories from your Outer Banks vacation but take back a bit of the beach with you.
Recommended Best OBX Shopping Destinations
Here are our 8 favorite places to shop on the Outer Banks!
Timbuck II Shopping Center in Corolla
With over 60 shops, activities, and restaurants overlooking the Currituck Sound, the Timbuck II Shopping Center is the place to go shopping during your vacation. Summers hours are 10AM-10PM, meaning that anytime you need a break from the heat of the beach, Timbuck II will be there for you to walk around and enjoy the shops and the shade. Get some beach-themed goodies at The Cottage Shop or be on the lookout for your new favorite swing at Nags Head Hammocks. Enjoy some gelato, ice cream, pop corn, or sweet treats at one of the many delicious eateries or sit down for some lunch at First Light Breakfast & Burgers, Giant Slice Pizza, Mike Dianna’s Grill Room, or one of the other delicious restaurants just waiting to make your vacation even better. A wide variety of sporting shops, a raceway, and Miss Kitty’s Old Time Photo call Timbuck II home, so be sure to give yourself plenty of time to explore!
Scarborough Faire Shopping Village in Duck
The Scarborough Faire Shopping Village in Duck is a gorgeous set of shops situated between tree-covered walkways and restaurants. During peak season, June 15 through September 5, the shops are open from 10AM-8PM Monday through Saturday, and 10AM-5PM on Sundays. Grab a latte and a local pastry from Treehouse Coffee before pursuing Island Bookstore and Beach Gallery for your next great read or art piece for your home. Get some stylish new threads at Gray’s, an Outer Banks classic, Mango’s, or Modern Beach House. Explore Lovie’s Modern Salon, The Island Attic, Sandcastle Kids, or Carolina Moon before grabbing some OBX Frozen Yogurt and choosing from a wide selection of tinctures and herbal remedies at Natural Selection Apothecary before heading back to the beach house!
The Waterfront Shops in Duck
Also in Duck, The Waterfront Shops are home to more than 27 boutiques, restaurants, and other shops connected with a boardwalk that allows you an unbeatable view of the Currituck Sound. Enjoy various beach-themed shops, Village Yoga, Duck’s Cottage Coffee and Books, clothing outlets, and more before ending your day with the sunset at The Blue Point Bar and Grill, one of Duck’s premier restaurants.
Outlets of Nags Head
If you’re on the southern end of the beach, the Outlets Nags Head are going to be one of your favorite places to do some shopping. Located just before the Nags Head/Manteo Causeway, the Outlets Nags Head have more than twenty shops to serve all of your shopping needs. There are familiar names like American Eagle Outfitters, Carter’s, Champion, and Eddie Bauer as well as local stores such as Outer Banks Olive Oil and The Salty Seahorse, where you can purchase homemade bath products and seaside gifts. Enjoy the covered walkways and the views of the water while you shop to your heart’s content. Check their website for hours, as they change throughout the season.
The Cotton Gin
An Outer Banks staple and local favorite, be sure to stop by one of the three Cotton Gin locations on the Outer Banks located in Corolla, Duck, and Nags Head (Jarvisburg location coming soon). These fantastic stores sell thousands of top brands with names you’ll recognize like Tommy Bahama, Southern Tide, Vineyard Vines, Vera Bradley, and Pandora, alongside local decore, decoy, themed kitchen and dinnerware, and costal furnishings that give you the chance to take your Outer Banks vacation back home with you to enjoy year-round! The Jarvisburg location is also right next door to Sanctuary Vineyard, the Outer Banks’ premiere winery where you can purchase a wide variety of delicious local wines to enjoy while listening to music at their weekly Summer Wine Down concerts during the summer.
Kitty Hawk Kites
Whether you’re looking for an Outer Banks adventure or a souvenir to keep the beach with you, you’re sure to find what you’re looking for at Kitty Hawk Kites. With locations in Corolla, Duck, Nags Head, Avon, and Ocracoke, you’re never far from being able to find the perfect gift or toy to take to the beach. Get an awesome kite to fly over Jockey’s Ridge or wind art to remind you of the beach back home. While you’re there, pick up a new shirt or wetsuit and go ahead and schedule a hang gliding lesson or kayak excursion!
The Christmas Shop & General Store in Manteo
Christmas while on summer vacation? You bet! At The Christmas Shop & General Store in Manteo, every day is a holiday. There’s 25,000 square feet of the store to explore with soaps and lotions, beautiful ornaments, and priceless souvenirs that are great for gifting and for keeping for yourself! Commemorate your baby’s first beach trip with a glittery ornament or a painted sand dollar to keep the beachy atmosphere with you all year. Bring back a miniature lighthouse or a painted seashell for your loved ones and make both your Outer Banks vacation and your next holiday season even more special.
Kitty Hawk Surf Co.
With locations from Corolla to Rodanthe, Kitty Hawk Surf Company is the place to find everything you need to live your best beach lifestyle. They offer rentals for a wide variety of watersports including fishing and tandem kayaks, surfboards, skimboards, standup paddleboards, and wetsuits. They also carry sportswear and apparel from brands like Billabong, Roxy, O’Neill, and Volcom, meaning that you’ll be able to find something for everyone at your nearest Kitty Hawk Surf Company location. Be sure to check out their camps and lessons while you’re there!
Bonus Staff Pick: Muse Originals Bus 252
This last shopping suggestion is a little unconventional, but we couldn’t give you a list of shopping suggestions without including the Muse Originals #Bus252. This traveling pop-up art gallery is an amazing mix of local art, good times, and handmade goodies loved by guests and locals alike. They sell a wide range of eclectic beach goods such as local art, locally made foods, stickers, and unique artisan jewelry. The bus showcases work from nearly 80 local artisans meaning that everyone is sure to find something to love. Check out their website or Facebook to see where the bus is going to be and support your local artist community by stopping by!
Book a Vacation Rental for Your Next Shopping Trip to the OBX
With amazing shops, delicious restaurants, and that indescribably beachy atmosphere, the Outer Banks is an amazing place to spend any vacation. Make memories in one of the most beautiful places in the world and come to the place where there’s something for everyone. Click here to book your next Outer Banks vacation today!
