And if you are fortunate enough to experience snow, (and it can and does happen on rare occasions), it is absolutely magical. There may be a few gift shops open, but shopping on a large scale probably isn’t going to work as well as it would in the summertime. Walking on the beach when possible, birding, going fishing, or just reading a book or relaxing to the sounds of the winter waves crashing are all great suggestions. You may end up driving a lot, and just looking at how the island goes about its daily life when it’s not heaving with summertime crowds. Beachcombing on a cold, windy morning is not fun if you’re freezing!Īlways have plans for things to do or see if you are experiencing particularly cold, blustery, or rainy days. Bring layers, and don’t forget hats and scarves and gloves.
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Plan for cooler days, and sometimes downright cold nights. After all, it is winter, and while we are in the state of North Carolina, we are situated way out in the Atlantic and our weather patterns where winds are concerned can be significant. Wind is a constant here, and when it blows from the northwest and especially the northeast, it can be unrelenting and chilling. Beyond that, I think it is wise to prepare for the worst and be pleased when you get the sunny, milder days without wind. That’s such a difficult question to answer because, truly, we never know. The first question we get at the Cape Hatteras Motel about visiting in the fall and winter is, “what will the weather be?” There are a lot of summertime visitors who want to experience Hatteras Island in the off-season, and as we are getting closer to that time, (if we’re not already there), I thought it might be helpful to set some expectations for first-time wintertime guests. That may be a bit of an exaggeration, but it is true that it never seemed to get as quiet during last winter as it has in years past. Many folks said that there wasn’t an off-season last year at all, as we seemed to have highway and beach traffic right through the winter and spring months. To be sure, last year and probably this year will be different due to the pandemic. But regardless, it means that the pace on the island is less hectic, and everything is a bit quieter than at the height of summer. It might be mid-October, or after fishing season, Veteran’s Day weekend, Thanksgiving, or Christmas. Years ago, it probably would have been right after Labor Day, but we’ve become more of a shoulder season destination – with visitation even slipping into the winter months – so probably every business has its own definition of when the true off-season begins. I am not sure that there is an absolute date on which the off-season begins.
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We are now into what is commonly known on the Outer Banks as the “off-season.”