Our Favorite Fall Beach Destinations
Grayton Beach, Florida
Grayton Beach stands out on fabled 30-A, perfect for fall vacations. Unlike such stunning planned communities as Seaside and Rosemary Beach, this funky little village is delightfully unplanned. Its rebuilt Red Bar is a magnet for locals and tourists.
Anna Maria Island, Florida
Find a touch of Old Florida on this barrier island located 20 minutes from Bradenton, at the Southern end of Tampa Bay.
Bay St. Louis, Mississippi
Fall getaways in the South always include fairs and festivals. October's Cruisin' the Coast is a doozy—a gathering of thousands of classic cars, with charming Gulf towns offering food, live music, and special events.
Caladesi Island State Park, Florida
Catch the Caladesi Island Ferry to this natural island off Florida's Gulf Coast, near Dunedin and Clearwater, for white sand beaches, swimming, beach rambling, fishing, and wildlife spotting.
Cape Charles, Virginia
Explore coastal towns like Cape Charles, Virginia, to discover a different kind of beach. The Chesapeake shores are beautiful in fall.
Fernandina Beach, Florida
Located on Florida's Atlantic Coast, Fernandina Beach is
Jekyll Island, Georgia
This Georgia island's Driftwood Beach is a favorite with brides and photographers. Jekyll is part of the string of Georgia's "Golden Isles," along with St. Simons, Little St. Simons, and Sea Island.
Key West, Florida
There aren't many places where you feel as if you've completely left your normal life behind and entered a totally different universe—without even leaving the South. Key West is one.
Lewes, Delaware
A $6-million renovation made a great park even better at Cape Henlopen State Park. Enjoy six miles of hard-packed beaches that invite sunbathing, sea glass-hunting, hiking, and more.
Padre Island National Seashore, Texas
The spring break revelers on South Padre are nowhere to be seen in fall. Head north for even more serenity on the Padre Island National Seashore—the longest undeveloped barrier island in the world.
Pensacola Beach, Florida
This is a great autumn beach. There's a stretch of the Gulf Islands National Seashore here with unspoiled views of sand and sea—and the light is downright magical.
Siesta Key, Florida
This fall beach in Florida is cool even at high noon, thanks to powdery white sand that's 99% quartz, which won't absorb heat. The annual sand-sculpting festival happens in fall, too.
St. Pete/Clearwater, Florida
You could spend a long weekend just strolling the eateries and watering holes here. But throw in gorgeous beaches, and the wow factor goes even higher.
Tybee Island, Georgia
As fall beach destinations go, it's hard to imagine a better spot than this chill, bike-friendly beach burg less than 20 miles from Savannah.
Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina
This popular sand-and-surf village is a favorite among surfers and paddlers of every description.
We have nothing against summer at the beach or fall in the mountains, but give us a balmy autumn day on a stretch of sand with no crowds, and we're in a state of bliss. As frommers.com points out, while North Florida and South Florida have opposite high seasons, their shoulder seasons (that's when they begin dropping rates) are consistent: April through May and September through November. Shoulder season is a little harder to define on the Outer Banks, but it's roughly April through May and September through October. A few caveats about off-season travel: Before booking any travel, it's important to pay attention to the weather reports. Fall is also hurricane season, and Mid-Atlantic beaches will be cooler than those farther south, especially at night. (That's not necessarily a bad thing, once we've made it through the scorcher months.) Some businesses also begin closing in the shoulder seasons. All things considered, we think it's worth it to have a few days on a fabulous beach, plus you'll have your run of the place).