11 Gorgeous Atlantic Coast Towns To Visit In 2023
The Atlantic coast has the history and the activity to supply everything for a full and complete vacation. From the harbors of the north to the beaches of the south, the coast is as diverse and surprising as it is storied and long-lived. A vacation on the Atlantic coast doesn't require extensive planning or a massive budget: it can be done step-by-step, town-by-town because every piece is a unique promise. To make sure you hit all the best spots, here are some that stand-out as cultural centers and natural wonders.
Bar Harbor, Maine
Bar Harbor is a small town on Mount Desert Island, one of many on Maine's coast of scattered islands and seaside towns. Its natural beauty makes it special; it shares land with Acadia National Park's beautiful foliage, on display at the many trails around Cadillac Mountain and the Wild Gardens of Acadia, and is bordered by countless coves and beaches in a calm section of the Atlantic Ocean. It's popular to walk from the downtown core and across the Bar Island Land Bridge onto the tall trees and long, shallow, rocky oceanfronts of the Bar Island Nature Preserve. Nestled inside the natural scenery is the always-cute town: there are warm bakeries, picturesque boardwalks, and of course the best lobster in the country.
Rehoboth Beach, Delaware
Rehoboth Beach is a town of boardwalks and beautiful beachfront full of family-friendly nightlife. The peak of downtown activity neighbors the beach, highlighted by the bright lights of Funland Amusement Park; plus, those who loathe rollercoasters can skip them for the Rehoboth Beach Bandstand, a free summer concert series for performers of all genres. An escape from the busy atmosphere is easy to find: the calming wind and water of the Rehoboth Beach Boardwalk is just a short walk away for a beautiful sunset, seashell searching, or a view of an extensive marina. Even in times of busy summer activity it's easy to find peace in either the Cape Henlopen State Park to the north or the Delaware Seashore State Park to the south.
Mystic, Connecticut
Mystic is a quintessential New England town. It faces Mason's Island looking out to sea and is split deeply through its downtown and into its heart by Mystic River, creating a unique charm with its calm water and salt air. Marinas and restaurants like the Engine Room and Via Emilia line the river's head and green open spaces like the Peace Nature Sanctuary and the Elm Grove Cemetary line its end. Aside from a charming layout, it holds world-class special attractions like the Mystic Seaport Museum, where a beautifully crafted, massive wooden building connects exhibits of life-size historic ships and boats. The Mystic Aquarium is equally impressive, featuring all the marine life you can imagine in stunning visual displays.
Beaufort, South Carolina
One look at Beaufort on a map reveals a town wound into twisting turns of rivers and green marshland and lush trees. This is where Forrest Gump was filmed; likewise, this is a town with a real Southern feel. The staple is Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park, the host of a beautiful walk no matter the time of day, overlooking the Atlantic Ocean that travels inland between Parris Island and St. Helena Island into Beaufort. The large Beaufort National Military Cemetary is a calm introspective visit only a short walk from the restaurants of downtown. Cross the Beaufort Memorial Bridge and see the wide-open paths and tall, looming trees filled with Spanish Moss grow golden at sunset.
Cape May, New Jersey
Cape May is not the typical beach town. It has the expected beach, the plethora of sailboats, and the sunset beauty, but it doesn't look atypical Atlantic coast town: it has the largest concentration of Victorian architecture in the country. Walking along the waterfront or downtown will reveal tal, wooden, Victorian-style houses and layers of balconies that grew from the 18th century in "the first resort town in America." The most prominent of all is the Emlen Physick Estate: a house designed by famous architect Frank Furness featuring 18 rooms. Visitors can dive back further in history by visiting the Historic Cold Spring Village where the first years of American independence in South Jersey are brought to life.
Gloucester, Massachusetts
Gloucester is beset by water in every direction, helping distort any uniformity in city planning, twisting buildings and roads around thousands of inlets of the Atlantic Ocean. The result is incredible maritime beauty. Eastern Point Lighthouse and the Hammond Castle Museum mark the entrance and history of the harbor as boats sail past the Gloucester Fisherman's Memorial and the signature brick-lined waterfront of the Inner Harbor. Past the main harbor's Crab Beach and under Western Avenue is a thick bay of water that cuts the peninsula in half and runs past countless islands and marines through to Wingaersheek Beach, a fun clear-water beach of big boulders and low tide.
Newport, Rhode Island
Newport has a fascinating history, beautiful architecture, and striking natural features. Along its thin peninsula in the south of Rhode Island is the centuries-old architecture that marks its historical significance as a British colony and a pirating outpost, like the stunning Gilded Age mansions The Breakers, Marble House, and Rough Point. Take The Cliff Walk, a 3.5-mile (5.6km) hike that mixes these dramatic mansions with the rugged beauty of the rocky coastline. Then take the scenic route on Ocean Drive by car and enjoy the wide-open views of Brenton Point State Park, Fort Adams State Park, and Gooseberry Beach, eventually passing the International Tennis Hall of Fame and ending at the Sachuest Point National Wildlife Refuge.
Chincoteague, Virginia
Chincoteague is one of the most unique ocean-side visits on this list because of one family of pervasive year-round residents: horses. A 10-minute drive on Beach Drive leaves you in the heart of the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge, the home of the famous Chincoteague pony. The Refuge is 14,000 acres of marsh lowlands filled with stables and wide-roaming ponies, lowland marshes and various species of birds, and short, walkable trails. The most recognized asset of the wildlife refuge is the 13 miles (21km) of secluded Assateague Island National Seashore, far away from traffic, noise, and bustle of even small towns. Take a primitive campsite: your only neighbors will be brown and white ponies.
Georgetown, South Carolina
Georgetown, South Carolina is as cute as it is quiet. It's a seaport with a unique Southern feel, likely provoked by the abundance of lush, green oak trees, some lined with Spanish moss, that permeate the historic downtown. The Georgetown Historic District, highlighted by the iconic Kaminsky House, is a visit to the 18th century and some of the best waterside shopping in the state. The Harbourwalk along the downtown shoreline runs long through three marinas; parallel just across the water is Lafayette and Goat Island. End your walk at Morgan Park: the perfect low-land site for sunsets equipped with sandy beaches and tall, sweeping grass.
Jekyll Island, Georgia
Jekyll Island is the most unique destination on our list. The island is almost entirely green, very sparsely populated, and home to some uncommon attractions. Driftwood Beach, for example, is a sandy beach filled with trees grown from another planet all entangling in an obstacle course of washed and weathered trunks and limbs on the water. Of course, there are beaches not invaded by driftwood: to the south of the peninsula is the beautiful St. Andrew Beach. Another special family getaway is the Georgia Sea Turtle Center, filled with live rescued species and giant sea turtle skeletons. Go birdwatching at the abandoned Old Amphitheater Area and visit Summer Waves Water Park if you're tired of beach life.
Portsmouth, New Hampshire
Portsmouth, right on the Maine border, is closed by the Piscatagua River on one side and a dense forest on the other. The downtown is filled with beautiful colors, namely the bright pop of flowers in Prescott Park and the bright lights of the Memorial Bridge at night, both in the foreground of the busy but appealing Portsmouth Naval Shipyard. Visitors may spend days enjoying the various islands scattered around the bay or check out popular museums like the Strawberry Banke and USS Albacore Museums. Travel here in the fall season to witness the full beauty of the Great Bay National Wildlife Refuge, filled with tall, red birch trees and peaceful hiking trails.
The Bottom Line
There's more than one season to visit the Atlantic coast. You can enjoy it in the fall, when the trees are red and yellow, creating beautiful borders around pleasant townhouses and villages, or in the summer when the ocean water is the warmest and the beach days are the longest. Live a relaxing resort life on a shallow bay of water with long docks of marinas or visit the deep forests and national parks nearby for exercise. There's always something to do on the Atlantic Coast.
