Do you want to enter the backrooms of Christmas stores? Come here then. From the outside, you think…read morethat you are in for just a small shop where you'll run in, grab an ornament, and be on your way for your beach vacay. Well buckle up, because you have no idea what you are in store for. I usually hit up the other Christmas shop in the area, but decided to give this one a try. We pulled in and should have opted for more time scheduled beforehand. Walking in I expected to have Christmas everywhere. I was not disappointed on this end. Christmas was everywhere, displayed in every single way possible. Sections set up by pop-culture icons. Those sections are well manicured and detailed. Then you start to roam, the sections start to mesh into one another. That is when you realize you have gone so far into the store that you don't remember where the front door is. But you don't really care as you start to discover that this place has so much more to offer than just Christmas. Some of it is evident as you notice that they have a snack shop, souvenirs, and wine tasting posted outside before you enter. But what you don't expect is that there are other holidays to explore here. Including the Halloween section that is, appropriately, downstairs. More maze like than you think could be possible here. Then you come into snack area. Everything in here is tempting. Especially the fudge. There area free samples to be had here, which is good, because I was interested but had no idea if I would like any of it. Very friendly staff here. Once you make your way back through the rooms and exit the front door you can explore more. Outside is a sitting section and there is restroom access.

I have visited the Outer Banks for 56 years and this store is like an annul ritual for our family…read more Th eclectic labyrinth of buildings, each with a different theme, there's treasures for everyone in the family from ornaments, toys, and jewelry to sweet treats and local wines. If Christmas isn't your cup of tea, be sure to visit the Halloween rooms.

I know I had been here before, but according to this, never got around to reviewing it. Glad I got…read moreto stop back in on my most recent visit. I'm glad I did too, because my recollection of this place was a bit off. My last visit here, I thought it was packed to the rafters with candy. Nothing but candy. I'm happy to have been proved wrong. Don't worry, my main focus in here was the candy. I did browse here to see what they had for purchase outside of the candy realm. There area a lot of amazing shirts here. Shirts that you won't see elsewhere. Then there is a whole section for nothing but items for your pets. But back to the candy. Do you know, I purchased a few thing from the counter and completely forgot about them until I returned home. I mean, I didn't completely forget them, or they would have been melted messes, but I did not eat them there and held off until I got home. Customer service here was amazing, but the chocolate outshone everything else. One item I got was their big version of a peanut butter cup. This thing was solid peanut butter meltaway bliss. A ton of sweetness that was absolutely worth the wait. And to say I was slobbering as I was wolfing this down is an understatement. I also got a Reese's Pieces chocolate covered pretzel. The candies kept falling off, but were little pieces of heaven to finish afterwards. Then, the star of this show, the Peanut Butter S'more. I'm not one that seeks out marshmallow, but this thing hit. Taking a s'more and just covering it completely with chocolate is one thing, but adding in peanut butter took this to another level. Definitely worth the wait if you buy it and forget it. Like you rewarded yourself.

Not the same taffy as it used to be. All of the flavors kinda taste the same; sugary and waxy with…read moremaybe a slight hint of whatever flavor it's supposed to be. The mass produced, prepackaged bag you get at the grocery store is much better. And cheaper! Spent $35 on taffy for gifts and it's awful. Store is clean and bright and the staff is friendly.

A small hole-in-the-wall peanut store. It's not full of 1000 choices, or silly childish pun names…read morelike some other nut stores in the area, and it's better for that. You've got about 10 options for peanuts, and some other stuff (including some ice cream). It's really all you need. I got the french fried peanuts and they hit the spot. Service was friendly, and I saw the employees helping some people figure out what kinda ice cream they wanted, and it seemed like everybody was having a good time.

We tried to find the same place we had visited last year but we were told it was not available, We…read morewere told to make sure to visit the main shop on our way home from trip. We did and it was just what we had expected and everyone got the treats,however, they mentioned the store in Manteo was now inside the coffee shop. We wished we would have known all the information. We love Mackay's ferry fudge, cheese and fudge.

It was very open but easy to find things. There weren't a lot of shoppers while we were there so we…read morewere able to look around for a while. Everything was indeed and nothing was expired. Immediately got thrown into the produce section and everything looked so fresh. The candy bar with an awesome feature, and everyone was so nice there.

We live in Richmond and absolutely love our Fresh Market, but this has to be the worst Fresh Market…read morein the entire chain! When you get to the point that you're even worse than a Food Lion, you know you've done something. The store looks mostly out of stock. The people are not friendly. I was in there day before yesterday and someone had literally pooped themselves all the way down the hallway to the restroom and no one had cleaned it up. There were two cashiers waiting on what must have been over 20 people in line when I got to the cashier, he said looks like your ice cream melted. I'm like yeah no kidding. That's how long I've been in this line! Today my husband went in there to get some deli meat and the woman refused to cut him something at 3:50 in the afternoon because she said they were closing early today at 5 PM. Just close the store if you can't run it! Let somebody else come in that maybe we can do something better.

Welcoming gourmet olive oil shop! The employees greeted us when we walked in and discussed their…read moreproducts. They offered olive oil tastings and answered our questions. In addition to olive oil, the store is packed with local goods. Definitely a shop worth visiting if you are nearby and need a gift for yourself or someone else!

Super cute shop with all kinds of goodies! We were in a bit of a rush and just popped in looking…read morefor local honey. The owner was really helpful in explaining the honey he had for sale and the other shop nearby that might have other options. I ended up buying a jar that turned out to be absolutely delicious with a complex floral flavor.

Great aquarium for the price! It isn't huge (about 60-90 min to get through) but priced perfectly…read more There is a small touch tank, two adorable otters, a big tank with sand sharks-including one huge one with gnarly teeth and crazy looking eyes. Not a character I would want to meet in the ocean. There is also a turtle rescue section with a few rescued turtles, very helpful volunteers, and an amazing interactive turtle rescue exhibit for kids where they get to diagnose, treat and release toy turtles. Outside there is a nature walk, a pier, and a fossil hunting station for the kids. All in all a fun time!

We only spent about 1.5 hours there since it is relatively small. $15 for admission and under 2…read morecan enter for free. There is limited parking. The gift shop is large and they have lots of merchandise. While we were there, one of the staff members was in the turtle tank cleaning it, several drips coming from the ceiling, and staff was dusting the jelly fish area. I think all this need to be accomplished when patrons are not there. It was very raining the day we were there, but the gift shop did not sell any ponchos, just expensive umbrellas and towels.

I always shop here on my annual OBX vacation. There is such a vast selection and I never leave…read morewithout a bagful.

Bottom Line: Cotton linens, clothing, home decor, women's accessories and other goodies fill this…read morelocation to the gills. Funny enough my husband wanted to go to The Cotton Gin to shop for Vineyard Vines clothing. I had planned to sit the shopping trip out but next thing I know I'm checking out at Cotton Gin with a new puzzle, bracelet, Christmas ornament, candy and bag. Just when I didn't think I needed anything I managed to find a variety of things at Cotton Gin. As indicated by this anecdote, The Cotton Gin sells a variety of stuff and it's fun to wander through the various rooms of the two level store. Although I most commonly come away with beachy souvenirs it is worth noting that they have high end cotton products like towels, quilts, and such. The Cotton Gin has various locations and the Nags Head store is located at the 14 Mile Post across from the Outer Banks Mall.

Bottom Line: Shells, driftwood and beach inspired decor and jewelry…read more What I really like about Shipwreck is the scenic causeway location overlooking the sound and the very friendly employees. I also think the name is very cute. Shipwreck is an Outer Banks staple that has been in business for decades. They have tons of sea shells and driftwood. They also have jewelry, ornaments, home decor and toys all inspired by the Outer Banks. For those looking for hermit crabs, they have those too! For vacationers wanting a great beach souvenir shopping experience, Shipwreck is a good place to check out!

Sweet ladies, great artful finds. Some large coral and shells are pricey, but good and rare finds!read more

Bottom Line: A huge variety of Christmas ornaments arranged by theme but very few local or unique…read moreornaments. My husband and I enjoyed browsing the two storied Christmas Mouse. There is a ton of inventory and the ornaments are arranged by theme, as shown in some of my pictures. The ornaments are largely the mass produced type that are made in China but I did see a small selection of ornaments which I think are (somewhat) locally made. This store is a great place to shop for ornaments for my "fun" Christmas tree that I string colored lights on and display in my basement rec room. But as far as my "classy" tree with white lights and silver and gold ornaments, I didn't see anything that suited that tree. In addition to ornaments, they have Christmas cards, nutcrackers and other seasonal decor. I left with an avocado ornament that is a great homage to my time in SoCal and perfect for my "fun" tree. The Christmas Mouse is a fun place to browse and to stay cool on a hot summer day.

It's a great place to just browse through. They have so many good choices that you are bound to…read morefind something that you didn't know you needed.