The Outer Banks Nightlife

I am privileged to call a vacation hot spot, my home every summer. For many others, it is only a one week get away that they have been planning for over a year. I want to use this opportunity to help people see what they can do to make the most out of their short week on the Outer Banks. Specifically, I want to educate people on the nightlife that the Outer Banks has to offer.

The nightlife is awesome on the Outer Banks. There is literally something going on every night of the week at one of the local bars. If you ask a local what type of nightlife there is, they will most likely tell you to go to a bar called Kelly’s. This is a fun place to go, and is typically where my friends and I go on the weekends. They also have a ton of live bands perform or a DJ that never disappoints. However, this bar is also typically very over crowded. For some reason, this is the most popular bar for tourists and they all flock to it. From my experience, it will take about twenty to thirty minutes to get to the bar and to get the bartenders attention before you can get a drink. At least you have a good band to listen to right? Also if it’s Monday, they have a bikini contest, so the wait isn’t all bad.

Because of how packed Kelly’s typically is my friends and I hit up the other bars that the Outer Banks has to offer. On Tuesdays, a bar on the 5.5 milepost called Chili Peppers is a fun spot to hang out at. It’s a small bar on the inside, with a back yard that has corn hole boards and picnic tables to sit at. Due to its small size in nature, it seems like it is as packed as Kelly’s but it isn’t. The wait for a drink usually doesn’t take too long, and they have some killer specials. However, you may want to tread lightly as this is a popular spot for locals and they may not take lightly to their favorite bar becoming overrun.

Wednesdays are for New York Pizza Pub. This is a restaurant that converts to a bar at night. Every Wednesday they have what’s called, Mug Night. They took this over from a former bar that was shut down called, The Pit. At New York Pizza Pub they offer dollar Budweiser’s every Wednesday night so you can wake up with an especially cheap hangover on Thursday. Also, from personal experience, look out for the bed of cacti in the grass beside the building when you’re leaving. I stepped in that barefoot one night and it took weeks for my feet to forgive me. Nevertheless, NY Pizza Pub is always a blast.

Lastly, we have Lucky 12 Tavern or simply, Lucky’s. This is definitely a local bar, and a great place to go if you aren’t into overcrowded bars. This is also where a good deal of my friends are employed, so it’s always a good time. We will typically go here when we aren’t up for the huge crowds at Kelly’s or when we just want a few beers to drink while we shoot pool. Lucky’s is also a fun spot to go during events like the World Cup. The bartenders are also nice and willing to serve you, as long as you aren’t a drunken fool. Lucky’s is typically where we spend our Thursday nights.

To sum it up, the Outer Banks has a ton of night life options. I only listed about half of them. These are just the bars that I go to. However, if you are in the area and unclear of what to do or where to go, give one of these places a visit. You’ll have a blast if you do!