12 Of The Most Adorable Small Towns On The Atlantic Coast
The United States’ Atlantic Coast has a whole lot going for it, from the ruggedly verdant coast of Maine to the balmy beaches of South Florida. In between, there’s even more to experience. On the East Coast, travelers can find world-class surfing, rich and fascinating American history, easygoing yet elegant resort towns, and even the place made famous by a classic children’s story. And with all that said, this is still merely scratching the surface.
For anyone looking for more to see and do up and down the U.S. East Coast, one can hopefully find some inspiration with our shortlist of 12 of the most adorable small towns on the Atlantic Coast.
Key West, Florida
Situated at the very southernmost point of the United States’ mainland eastern coast is Key West, the Florida town synonymous with balmy winters and laid-back island vibes. Yet, at the same time, it’s also chock-full of fascinating history. More specifically, the Harry S. Truman Little White House is a house originally built in 1890 for Navy officers, but later became President Harry Truman’s go-to “Winter White House” during the early days of the Cold War, from 1946 to 1952.
Just a few blocks away is the Ernest Hemingway Home & Museum, a grand 1851 French Colonial residence that the legendary author Ernest Hemingway moved into in 1931. While here, he wrote several classics, including the nonfiction work Green Hills of Africa (1935) and the novel To Have and Have Not (1937). A few blocks west of this house lies Fort Zachary Taylor State Park, home to one of the island’s best beaches for swimming, snorkeling, and sunbathing. And for more quality time at the beach, Southernmost House is Key West’s only beachfront inn and a perfectly pleasant spot to kick back, relax, and soak up the Florida Keys sun.
St. Simons Island, Georgia
Nestled on the Georgia coast between Jacksonville (Florida) and Savannah is St. Simons Island, one of the Golden Isles that abounds in golden opportunities to kick back, relax, and enjoy the good life here. East Beach is the island’s main stretch of clean white sand that’s great for kiteboarding, biking, shelling, and easy strolls by the sea. A little farther south lies the St. Simons Lighthouse Museum, home to the historic lighthouse that was built in 1872 and a connected museum featuring rare artifacts that share the stories of coastal Georgia.
To score the perfect game by the shore, visitors can book a tee time at Sea Island’s Seaside Course and play up to 18 holes of championship-level golf at this scenic waterfront course. And for the full Sea Island experience, one can book a stay at the Sea Island Resort and take their pick of boutique hotel-style intimacy at The Lodge or oceanfront elegance at The Cloister. Even better, all Sea Island guests have easy access to their award-winning spa, golf courses, and the rest of the resort’s amazing amenities.
Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
At the southern end of South Carolina is Hilton Head Island, one of the East Coast’s premier coastal resort destinations. To understand the island’s backstory, visitors can stop at the Gullah Museum of Hilton Head Island and learn about the local Black community, which has been preserving their unique culture for several centuries. For a more easygoing day on the island, one can book a tee time at Palmetto Dunes and choose from three championship golf courses (Robert Trent Jones, George Fazio, and Arthur Hills) to play.
No trip to Hilton Head Island feels complete without some quality time at the beach, and Coligny Beach Park is the ideal spot to access the island’s many miles of shoreline from the heart of town. And for the perfect Hilton Head vacation, it’s hard to think of a better place to stay than the Omni Hilton Head Oceanfront Resort, an expansive property positioned right by the Atlantic Ocean that provides private beach access, 11 miles of lagoon trails, on-site tennis courts, and much more.
Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina
About 203 miles east of Raleigh is Kill Devil Hills, a historically significant outpost on North Carolina's Outer Banks where guests can take flight on a variety of exciting excursions. At The Wright Brothers National Memorial, visitors can stand at the very site where Wilbur and Orville Wright pulled off the world’s first successful airplane flights in 1903. A short drive north, another daring site emerges at Avalon Pier, an old-school fishing pier that stands above the beach that’s become one of the Outer Banks’ best spots for big wave surfing.
To experience another side of the Outer Banks, travelers can venture a little farther north to Kitty Hawk Woods Reserve, a 1,890-acre maritime deciduous forest and wetlands preserve that is home to globally rare plants, as well as native animals such as river otters and owls. From there, it’s a scenic drive back to town, where one can stay at the oceanfront Shutters on the Banks Hotel.
Chincoteague, Virginia
Chincoteague may only be around 108 miles north of Virginia Beach, yet this coastal community looks and feels a world away with its unique storybook atmosphere. After all, author Marguerite Henry used this place as the setting for her 1947 children's book, Misty of Chincoteague, and the Museum of Chincoteague Island is the perfect place to begin exploring the magical world of Misty and the real-life history of Virginia’s Eastern Shore.
If one wants to see where Chincoteague's wild horses continue to roam freely today, it’s a short and scenic journey out to Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge, an expansive park that protects not just the ponies’ home turf, but also plenty of critical riparian habitat and some 15 miles of pristine Assateague Island beaches. In addition, this is where one will find the Assateague Lighthouse, the iconic 1867 red-and-white-striped lighthouse that stands 142 feet high. Back on Chincoteague Island, visitors can kick back and relax at the scenic Waterside Inn. Not only does this family-run hotel occupy a lovely spot by Chincoteague Bay, but it also has a great assortment of homestyle rooms and condos suitable for groups large and small.
Ocean City, Maryland
Heading up to the Eastern Shore of Maryland, Ocean City is a classic American beach town that continues to provide all sorts of fun for the whole family. Since 1902, the Ocean City Boardwalk has packed a great variety of restaurants, shops, and amusement park rides into its three miles of prime oceanfront property. Near the south end of the Boardwalk, Ocean City Fishing Pier is a chill spot for saltwater fishing. And a short drive west of town, Isle of Wight Park works great for a more easygoing day full of fishing, crabbing, kayaking, and other outdoor activities.
While Ocean City has a whole lot of inviting options for accommodations, there’s nothing quite like The Hotels at Fager’s Island. These two boutique hotels, The Edge Hotel and Lighthouse Club Hotel, occupy a more tranquil side of Ocean City, and they offer special amenities like the waterfront Fager's Island Restaurant and Bar, wetlands footbridge trails, and the stunning bayside pool complex.
Rehoboth Beach, Delaware
It’s roughly a 124-mile journey from Washington, D.C., to Rehoboth Beach, and the journey is most definitely worthwhile for this fun-loving Delaware beach town. The Rehoboth Boardwalk is the town’s central hub for shopping, dining, and beach access. Meanwhile, on the north end of town lies Deauville Beach, a laid-back and family-friendly stretch of shore for swimming, surf fishing, and simple beachcombing. A little farther north sits Cape Henlopen State Park, a 5,000-acre preserve where the Delaware Bay meets the Atlantic Ocean, offering great opportunities for wildlife viewing, hiking, biking, and more.
Returning to town, Hotel Rehoboth makes visitors feel right at home with its intimate boutique hotel atmosphere and its 52 luxuriously appointed rooms and suites.
Asbury Park, New Jersey
For over 150 years, the New Jersey town of Asbury Park has maintained a lively, playful, and creative spirit, and this stretch of the Jersey Shore has some great beaches as well. Perhaps the town’s most famous attraction is The Stone Pony, the local music hall where legends like Bruce Springsteen, Jon Bon Jovi, and Southside Johnny Lyon played. For even more world-class entertainment, visitors can head to The Premier Theatre Company and catch Broadway-caliber theatrical productions.
In case anyone’s looking for some chill thrills outside, Asbury Park Beach is a long and inviting stretch of sand at the foot of the ocean, and the beach north of the convention center is a designated spot for surfers to ride waves. Whatever one decides to do in and around Asbury Park, The Berkeley Oceanfront Hotel makes the perfect “base camp” in town with its classic Beaux-Arts design and its abundance of contemporary creature comforts inside.
Montauk, New York
At the eastern tip of Long Island, around 115 miles east of New York City, Montauk might be New York’s ultimate coastal paradise. Though many tourists tend to ditch Montauk for warmer shores elsewhere, surfers in the know flock to Camp Hero State Park for gnarly swells at Turtle Cove. In addition, Ditch Plains Beach is a phenomenal spot for surfers to ride big and consistent waves. And for even more good times outside, Hither Hills State Park not only has its own beautiful beaches, but also gorgeous woodlands and trails suitable for hiking, biking, horseback riding, and cross-country skiing.
Just east of Hither Hills, there’s even more to experience at Gurney's Montauk. This is one of the Hamptons’ only year-round beach resorts, and one that truly impresses with its 30,000 square-foot Seawater Spa & BathHouse, unique dining options like the seasonal Igloos by the Sea, and its grand indoor saltwater pool sporting amazing Atlantic Ocean views.
Westerly, Rhode Island
Westerly not only marks the southwestern tip of Rhode Island, but also a charming New England beach town full of quaint and cozy vibes. In town, visitors can taste some authentic Rhode Island hard ciders and wines at Tapped Apple. Across the street, one can feast on incredible and delectable local seafood at High Hope Tavern. And throughout Westerly’s historic downtown, travelers will find plenty more fascinating boutiques and restaurants.
Heading down to the shore, East Beach is one of the Ocean State’s least developed beaches, and it’s a sweet spot for surfing, saltwater fishing, and shellfishing. For even more time at the beach, guests can treat themselves to a sumptuous stay at Ocean House, the state’s only five-star luxury resort with the area’s best options for fine dining, spa treatments, and elegant rooms and suites.
Provincetown, Massachusetts
Anchoring the northern tip of the Cape Cod Peninsula is Provincetown, a year-round haven for vibrant art, welcoming culture, and truly stunning Massachusetts beaches. The Provincetown Art Association and Museum (PAAM) might be the ideal spot to dive into the local art scene and peruse its collection of over 5,000 works by more than 900 local artists. For more startling sights to behold, the Pilgrim Monument and Provincetown Museum has the United States’ tallest all-granite tower (at 252 feet) and an on-site museum that shares local stories from the pre-colonization days of the indigenous Wampanoag Tribe to the landing of the Pilgrims in 1620 and the town’s evolution into one of North America’s top LGBTQ-friendly resort towns today.
A short stroll north of downtown, one can reach one of the East Coast’s most picturesque beaches at Race Point Beach, where expansive grasslands and sand dunes lead to a long and gorgeous shoreline. And though winter is usually considered P-town’s off-season, the party is always on at The Crown & Anchor, a comfy inn that doubles as the town’s most famous bar and entertainment complex.
Bar Harbor, Maine
On Mount Desert Island lies the merry Maine village of Bar Harbor, a town that sits at the foot of one of the nation’s favorite national parks. Speaking of Acadia National Park, travelers can drive or hike to the summit of Cadillac Mountain, the highest point on the Eastern Seaboard and a spectacular spot to enjoy the sunrise. Visitors can also venture down to Sand Beach and feast their eyes on this stunning stretch of sand at the edge of the icy waters of the Atlantic.
In town, there’s plenty more to explore, including feasting on authentic New England clam chowder and Maine lobster rolls at the Thirsty Whale Tavern. And a short drive north of downtown, travelers will find the Atlantic Oceanside, a year-round hotel situated on 12 acres of waterfront property with a wide selection of cozy and comfy rooms and suites.
These East Coast Towns Are Simply Adorable
The United States’ Atlantic Coast not only has some of the nation’s most iconic major cities, but it also abounds in vibrant small towns that add their own unique twists to the usual “beach vacation” experience. One can escape to the magnificent coastal wilderness of Bar Harbor, or rock out to the rad tunes of Asbury Park. It’s possible to surf the legendary waves of Montauk and Kill Devil Hills, and to spot the storied wild ponies of Chincoteague. And for a more refined coastal retreat, Westerly and St. Simons Island have luxury lovers covered. With towns so adorable up and down the Eastern Seaboard, it’s easy to see how one can fall in love with the Atlantic Coast.
