10 Sleepy Beach Towns Perfect for Fall

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A glorious hush falls over the country’s favorite beach towns in autumn. Crowds disappear and locals exhale. While the water’s still warm and the weather’s still mild, scoop up a cheap oceanfront cottage rental and enjoy the golden moments of the season. Here are ten iconic U.S. beach towns where you can pedal along boardwalks, kayak among fall colors, and enjoy a quieter side of life on the coast.

Newport, Rhode Island

A quiet post-Labor Day calm envelops Newport after the families that crowd Easton’s Beach return to the daily grind and couples arrive in town for romantic New England getaways. Just above the beach, you can walk hand-in-hand along the 3.5-mile Cliff Walk, where opulent mansions are set among mature trees turning brilliant shades. It’s not uncommon to see a cruise ship in the harbor this time of year, since Newport is a popular leaf-peeping stopover en route to Nova Scotia or Quebec. Vineyards and pastures are part of the stunning coastal landscape, and you’ll find plenty of farmers’ markets, you-pick berry farms, and venues for wine tasting. In fall, there’s hardly ever a wait for a fantastic table downtown, even in the most popular restaurants.

Best Fall Events: Bowen’s Wharf Seafood Festival (October), Norman Bird Sanctuary Annual Harvest Fair (October), and International Oktoberfest! (September).

Where to Stay: Get a taste of luxury at The Chanler at Cliff Walk. Situated amongst the famous Cliff Walk mansions, this intimate 20-room property offers ocean views, lavish 19th-century decor, and an outdoor firepit to keep the autumn chill at bay.

Gulf Shores, Alabama

In fall, Gulf Shores visitors still linger on miles of sugar-sand beaches and play in the clear, turquoise Gulf of Mexico waters. The town’s marinas, home to a robust fleet of charter fishing boats, offer anglers one last hurrah before the weather turns. Big runs of bull redfish continue through autumn, with opportunities to snag a keeper right from the Gulf State Park Pier. With less humidity in the air, golfers are more comfortable on the area’s nine signature courses. Thrill seekers welcome cooler days on zip-lines and paddleboards at the new Gulf Adventure Center at Gulf State Park. But no visit is complete without a stop at King Neptune’s Seafood Restaurant on the main drag for a heaping plate of royal reds (shrimp), a local delicacy.

Best Fall Events: Annual National Shrimp Festival (October), Alabama Coastal BirdFest (October), and Oyster Cook-Off (November).

Where to Stay: The Lodge at Gulf State Park offers a bike-share program to guests wanting to explore the trails of nearby Gulf State Park.

Nantucket, Massachusetts

Skip Nantucket’s high-season crowds and visits in the fall, when the Gulf Stream ushers in some late-season warm weather and the ocean is the warmest it’s been all year. Under beautiful blue skies, you can relax on a lonesome beach or rent a bicycle and ride past weathered cedar-shake cottages and old whaling captains’ mansions. Once the world’s top whaling port, Nantucket’s Historic District is now a National Historic Landmark, with more than 800 pre-Civil War buildings still standing. Crisp fall days are perfect for pulling on a cable-knit sweater and wandering the cobblestone streets to browse boutique shops and stop for steamy Nantucket Bay scallops. At the Nantucket Whaling Museum, learn about the Nantucketers who inspired Melville to write Moby-Dick.

Best Fall Events: Nantucket Island Fair (October) and the Nantucket Half Marathon (October).

Where to Stay: A feature of the Nantucket coastline since the 1920s, The White Elephant Hotel offers several accommodation types—from Garden Cottages to Downtown Lofts—to cater to any traveler or vacation style.

Saugatuck, Michigan

This popular Lake Michigan beach town 140 miles from Chicago—with its cottages, Victorian-style B&Bs, ice cream counters, and fudge shops—settles down in fall. Oval Beach and the towering sand dunes in the adjacent Saugatuck Harbor Natural Area become desolate places for autumn walks. Come September, the focus in Saugatuck turns to the arts. More than 100 years ago, The Art Institute of Chicago established a summer school program here, and many artists have stuck around. So it’s no surprise that downtown’s dozens of galleries manage to resist schlock in their displays of handcrafted pieces for cottage and home. Head to the countryside for a wagon tour at Fenn Valley Vineyards, fresh peach pie at the Crane’s Pie Pantry family farm, or a swig of hard apple cider at Virtue Cider‘s orchards.

Best Fall Events: Saugatuck and Douglas Fall Gallery Stroll (October) and Blue Coast Artists Fall Tour of Studios (October).

Where to Stay: The Maplewood Hotel has been a fixture in Saugatuck for over 150 years. Guests can gaze out over the changing leaves while enjoying a complimentary breakfast on the hotel’s covered porch.

Nags Head, Outer Banks, North Carolina

Skip the Outer Banks’ notorious standstill bridge traffic, with long lines of summer vacationers inching their cars along the one-lane road. Visit in fall, when you can drive happily and have beaches and lighthouses to yourself. The winds pick up again in autumn, an ideal time for kite-surfing or flying a kite in Nags Head. The sand cools off at Jockey’s Ridge State Park, where you can climb the tallest natural sand dune in the eastern U.S. without burning your feet. In October, glide beneath the dark sky during a meteor shower and spot wildlife on a nighttime canoe or kayak tour. Find end-of-season sales in boutiques, surf shops, art galleries, and the outlet mall, then refuel with fall comfort food at the seven stops highlighted on Food Network’s Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.

Best Fall Events: Outer Banks Seafood Festival (October) and Wings Over Water Wildlife Festival (October).

Where to Stay: Winner of a 2022 Tripadvisor’s Traveler’s Choice Award, the Surf Side Hotel offers guests private beach access, a sundeck to enjoy the autumn breeze, and nightly fresh-baked cookies to end the day on a sweet note.

Cannon Beach, Oregon

For the come-what-may type of traveler, the little town of Cannon Beach is a delightful mixed bag in autumn. You never know if Mother Nature will enshroud the famous Haystack Rock monolith in rain, a dreamlike fog, or a bath of brilliant sunshine. Despite mild temperatures, the sky’s unpredictability keeps gregarious summer crowds at bay, giving local shopkeepers more time to chat and giving visitors virtually empty parking lots along the coast. Take a brisk walk on the vast beach or a hike in the footsteps of Lewis and Clark at Ecola State Park before hopping from gallery to boutique to coffee shop to bakery. Finish the day by warming up by a wood-burning fireplace in a cozy lodge, rental cottage, or B&B. Staying in Portland? EverGreen Escapes runs an all-inclusive day trip with an expert naturalist guide.

Best Fall Events: Cottage Tours (September) and the Stormy Weather Arts Festival (November).

Where to Stay: The Inn at Cannon Beach is a pet-friendly boutique hotel just a four-minute drive from Cannon Beach. It’s the perfect spot to cozy up with some fresh cookies and coffee (available in the lobby), borrow a board game or book from the property’s library, and settle in for a relaxing fall getaway.

Virginia Beach, Virginia

As summer ends, the sounds of crowded beaches and nightly concerts begin to fade in Virginia Beach. You can ride a bike on the boardwalk without dodging too many tourists, or kayak through Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge in solitude and admire the fall colors. First Landing State Park’s 20 miles of trails quiet down, too. In fall, the park’s salt marshes, cypress swamps, dunes, and forests are popular spots for watching birds as they fatten up for migration. The carved-duck decoys at the free Atlantic Wildfowl Heritage Museum on the Virginia Beach boardwalk are worth a look even if you don’t spot the real thing. Five miles from the beach, Hunt Club Farm celebrates the season with farm tours and festivals like the Harvest Fair and Haunted Hunt Club Farm.

Best Fall Events: Blues at the Beach Festival (September), Neptune’s Fall Wine Festival (September), and the Boardwalk Weekend (September).

Where to Stay: With 217 guest rooms and suites across 17 stories, guests are sure to find their perfect stay at the Wyndham Virginia Beach Oceanfront.

Galveston, Texas

Aside from the thinning of beach crowds, not much in Galveston indicates the onset of fall. With 80-degree days in September that drop only into the mid-70s in October, autumn on Galveston Island feels like an endless summer. For those in denial about the shift of seasons, the outdoor Schlitterbahn Waterpark slides and Historic Pleasure Pier’s amusement rides are still in full swing for the autumn season. Fall in Galveston means you can stroll the trendy Postoffice Street Arts & Entertainment District or tour one of the historic districts without breaking a sweat.

Best Fall Events: Galveston Island Wild Texas Shrimp Festival (September) and Annual ARToberFEST (October).

Where to Stay: Stay at the Grand Galvez and use the complimentary bicycles for a self-guided Tree Sculpture Tour to see how local artists shaped the thousands of trees devastated by Hurricane Ike fifteen years ago.

The Wildwoods, New Jersey

In the Wildwoods, the period from Labor Day weekend through the end of November—with its warm fall breezes, lower hotel rates, and relaxed pace—is known as the “Second Season.” Hotel rates drop, but you can still catch events every weekend. The ’50s and ’60s concerts roll on through autumn, and the weather generally cooperates when you want to bike around town to see the doo-wop-style architecture. Fall is best for beachcombing. You’ll likely uncover treasures that the summer crowds left behind, along with shells and starfish.

Best Fall Events: Morey’s Piers Oktoberfest (September-October) and The Wildwoods 50s, 60s, and 70s Weekend (October).

Where to Stay: The Starlux Hotel carries the vintage flare of the nearby boardwalk throughout its property, with decorative palm trees, retro architecture, and an on-site mini-golf course.

Pismo Beach, California

On central California’s coast, warm weather lingers after summer has gone, so you’re afforded last chances to dig for clams, ride dune buggies, and watch sunsets from the fishing pier without having to bundle up. In autumn at Pismo Beach, the ocean is rarely foggy, and nearby vineyards cloaked in fall colors are breathtaking. Harvest season brings numerous events at wineries throughout the Edna Valley, Arroyo Grande, and Avila Valley. Look for downtown’s beachfront wine-tasting rooms and restaurants that pair cuisine with local wine. Fall also signals the annual return of thousands of monarch butterflies that cluster in the eucalyptus grove at Pismo State Beach.

Best Fall Events: The Still Frothy Surf Festival (September), Pumpkins in the Park (October), and Pismo Beach Clam Festival (October).

Where to Stay: Enjoy the California sunshine at the Inn at the Pier, a spacious property located right on the water with a rooftop bar and newly renovated guest rooms.

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