Planning a late October Hatteras Island vacation, but don’t want to miss out on trick-or-treating? No problem. There are actually plenty of family friendly neighborhoods and unusually fun trick-or-treating destinations that offer a little touch of the Outer Banks charm, but more importantly, plenty of candy.
Hatteras Village: Walk around the dominantly residential neighborhoods of Hatteras Village, near the Burrus Red and White and US Historic Weather Station, and enjoy trick-or-treating with minimal traffic, plenty of small roads to walk along, and a spooky atmosphere. The twisting Live Oaks and patches of sky high Spanish Moss provides the perfect backdrop for a scary Halloween stroll.
Avon Village: The small and mainly year-round community in Avon Village, (turn at the stop light near Big Wave Dave’s and Village Grocery) is one of the most popular neighborhoods on Hatteras Island for trick-or-treaters. With a main road that winds around in a loop, trick-or-treating in Avon is an easy way to get to as many homes (and get as much candy) in a short circular walk. This area gets pretty crowded on Halloween, so be prepared to see dozens of ghouls, goblins, ghosts and superheroes as you stroll along the streets.
Trick-or-treating under the sea: On October 30th, take a trip to the NC Aquarium in Manteo for the 6th annual Trick-or-Treat Under the Sea event from 6:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Count Sharkula hosts the event with a group of strange aquatic creatures who will greet families as they enter the aquarium. Crazy costume contests, creepy crafts, spine-tingling scream contests and yummy munchies are just a few of the things to howl about. Tickets are available for $5.00 per person and children who are two and under will be admitted for free. Tickets are limited and will be sold in advance at the North Carolina Aquarium on Roanoke Island at 374 Airport Road, just north of Manteo.
No matter where your Hatteras Halloween leads you, with few crowds, restaurants and stores still wide open, and great beach weather, there’s a lot to love about an island style Halloween than just oodles of candy – Though, thankfully, with so many trick-or-treating options, running out of candy is definitely not a problem.
10/21/08