Summary
- Enjoy beautiful beaches at the end of summer at cheaper prices than in August.
- Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, offers fall festivals and an extended summer.
- Carlsbad, California, is surprisingly a more affordable beach destination in September.
Summer is all about beaches. From gorgeous white sand beaches in the U.S. to international destinations and hidden gems of Italian coastal towns perfect for a summer vacation, Americans love summer beach life.
As summer draws to a close, the anticipation of seeing the country's first autumn leaves in all their stunning beauty is high. Yet the desire to enjoy the carefree beach life a little longer remains. The once bustling crowds are thinning out and travel companies are starting to offer tempting deals in response to the waning demand.
August marks the beginning of the end of summer, and temperatures begin to cool down. With fewer crowds, better hotel and flight deals, and exciting activities, these beach vacation spots are more affordable and worth visiting in August.
7 Tybee Island, Georgia
The start of oyster season with perfect weather and great deals after August is the ideal time to visit.
Tybee Island, a barrier island and small city less than 20 miles from Savannah, Georgia, is known for its wide, sandy beaches, including Tybee Island Beach, North Beach, and South Beach, which features a pier and gazebo.
Many hotels, motels, bed and breakfasts and vacation rental companies offer fantastic discounts after Labor Day, making fall a perfect time to vacation in Tybee.
The fall will see the return of some of the island's most highly anticipated concerts and festivals, such as the Labor Day Beach Bash (August 30 and September 1, 2024) at the Tybee Island Pier and Pavilion. The annual Tybee Post Music Festival (November 4, 2024) will showcase a variety of talented bands from different genres on South Beach.
6 Key West.
It is a lively and popular island paradise with a gentle pace of life, where life is cheapest in early September.
Key West is an island city in the Florida Keys archipelago, known more for its coral reefs for diving and snorkeling than for its beaches. Visitors love diving in the crystal clear turquoise waters and soaking up the sun on pristine beaches of the Florida Keys' many legendary all-inclusive resorts.
Fall weather in Key West varies from warmer in early fall to cooler in late fall, but overall temperatures stay between 70 and 77 degrees Fahrenheit, with plenty of sunshine and Caribbean breezes. The smaller crowds and lower prices ensure that visitors after August have a more exclusive experience.
The late summer season is the perfect time to get outdoors in Key West, hiking, biking, and taking the ferry to Dry Tortugas National Park. From the historic Hemingway House to the Civil War memorials of Fort Zachary, Key West is also full of historic sites and fascinating museums.
5 South Padre Island, Texas
Due to lower crowds and demand, prices are falling by 30%, with the cheapest time being mid-September.
South Padre Island is known for its beaches and calm waters off the south coast of Texas. In the fall, the island offers pleasant weather and fewer crowds, ideal for relaxing on the beach, fishing, or exploring the island's natural beauty.
Although summer is the most popular season, it also brings with it higher hotel prices, more expensive entertainment and significantly more traffic congestion.
Most hotels and beach attractions offer much lower rates and great deals after August when the crowds thin out. The South Padre Island Birding, Nature Center and Alligator Sanctuary is a unique opportunity to experience local wildlife.
4 Atlantic City, New Jersey
Due to the lower crowds and lower temperatures, hotel and flight prices are lower. The cheapest time is mid-September.
The first week of September, specifically September 1-3, is Labor Day weekend and will be relatively crowded and expensive. Historically, prices drop after that as summer fades and the crowds thin out. But that doesn't mean there's no more fun to be had in Atlantic City.
Atlantic City is a resort town on New Jersey's Atlantic coast. Its many casinos, wide beaches and famous boardwalk attract travelers in the fall with great deals and a better, more exclusive experience with fewer crowds. After August, the weather stays warm for daytime activities, cooler in the evenings and fewer crowds.
Atlantic City's free-to-access beach and boardwalk activities include surfing, kayaking, windsurfing and fishing. Steel Pier, an over-the-sea amusement park, offers arcade and carnival games, classic boardwalk fare like funnel cake and over 20 thrill rides.
3 Galveston, Texas
With a pleasant 80° and the lowest humidity of the year, fall in Galveston is perfect and almost 50% cheaper
Galveston has been attracting vacationers for decades with its many beautiful beaches, historic treasures and fresh coastal fare. The summer months are hot and the beaches are packed with visitors through Labor Day weekend.
Although fall may seem like the wrong time of year to visit the beach, Gulf Coast waters often stay warm until mid-October. By September, temperatures begin to drop to the most comfortable level for swimming.
The fall also brings several events, including Island Oktoberfest and ARToberFest in October and Dickens on the Strand from November to December. Two full days of shrimp, music, friends and fun take place each September at the Galveston Island Shrimp Festival in historic downtown Galveston.
2 Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
The extended summer allows visitors to enjoy fall festivals at lower prices, as the peak season ends in August.
Myrtle Beach, the center of the Grand Strand on South Carolina's Atlantic coast, is known for its boardwalk, arcades, restaurants, the old-fashioned Family Kingdom amusement park and the SkyWheel, one of the tallest Ferris wheels in the country.
Summer lasts a little longer in Myrtle Beach, allowing visitors to enjoy fall festivals and events, long weekend getaways, and outdoor dinners by the water. The fall months also have the nicest weather, lowest humidity, and most comfortable temperatures for enjoying the 60 miles of white sand beach.
Fewer crowds, better hotel deals and cheaper airline tickets are good reasons to visit Myrtle Beach after August.
1 Carlsbad, California
Although it is only 30 miles from San Diego, it is surprisingly uncrowded and, starting in September, is a more affordable beach destination in California.
The most colorful spring destination in California, Carlsbad is a fabulous and popular summer destination known for Tamarack Surf Beach with the Carlsbad Sea Wall in the background and the secluded South Carlsbad State Beach.
As summer ends in August and fall begins, the crowds at the beach thin out and the air becomes crisper. Late evening campfires, secluded beaches and beautiful Southern California sunsets mark the beginning of fall in Carlsbad. South Carlsbad State Beach has 223 campsites.
Hotel rates drop, sometimes by more than 100%, and visitors enjoy the best that Carlsbad has to offer during this beautiful time of year.
