Small American Beach Towns

Some of our clients at Travel 100 Group enjoy just a plain old fashioned American beach for their summer getaways. Envision something like this: park the car, drag a beach chair and a book to the sand, and then shuffle down the boardwalk in your flip-flops for fried clams and an icy-cold can of beer: a place with fireworks, friendly locals, and sticky scoop shops. We’ve listed some great American no frills seaside escapes, from classic fun-in-the-sun to New England colonial charm. When it comes to precious summer weekends in the sun, it pays to keep things simple.

SAUGATUCK, MICHIGAN

The sand: Dunes that will remind you of Cape Cod, and khaki beaches that mimic Malibu.

A Day in the Life: We love Saugatuck for its inspiring landscape and laid back attitude. This charming and historic, beach town is within a three-hour drive from Detroit, Chicago, Indianapolis, and Milwaukee and has long drawn those seeking a watery muse, rugged adventures, or simple beach pleasures. Beach goers can cross the bridge or, more fun, board a 1913 hand-cranked ferry that chugs from Saugatuck across the Kalamazoo. The quick and quaint ride costs just $1 and the rewards, unspoiled stretch of Oval Beach, which frequently finds itself listed as one of the world’s best. For an even less populated place to stake your umbrella, there’s the nearby Saugatuck Dunes State Park, with two miles of Lake Michigan shoreline, 200-foot-tall dunes, and 1,000 acres of hiking terrain.

Home away from Home: Silver Palate cookbook co-author Julee Rosso runs the affordable and homey, Wickwood Inns. Each of its 11 guest rooms, are based on a different theme, such as an English garden or mountain cabin.

OGUNQUIT, MAINE

The sand: Three and a half miles of white-sand beaches on a long hook of land, separated from the mainland by the mouth of the Ogunquit River.

A day in the Life: Lobster? Ach, you can find that anywhere in Maine, however there are only in a few select spots along the state’s 5,500 miles of rocky coastline will you find actual soft, bottom-inviting sand, and that’s outside the hamlet of Ogunquit. We love the great restaurants in town: blueberry pancakes at Bessie’s or for dinner Ogunquit’s acclaimed Arrows Restaurant. It goes beyond typical beach fare, serving foie gras-and-oxtail dumplings, sea salt–roasted rabbit loin, and mango bubble pudding. And, oh yeah, Maine lobster, too.

Home away from Home: We love the 19 one and two bedroom cottages at Dunes on the Waterfront: They have screened porches and Adirondack chairs just 200 yards from the main beach.

CANNON BEACH, OREGON

The sand: Four miles of Pacific Northwest beauty: towering rocks, tidal pools, forests, and waterfalls, all connected by soft stretches of sand.

A day in the Life: Picket fences, surf shops, and glassworks boutiques have helped tame Cannon Beach, a town of 1,700 artsy and outdoorsy souls 80 miles west of Portland, into a perfectly stroll-worthy seaside escape. But its wild side still rules: Born of volcanoes and still constantly smashed by the sea, the Oregon outpost overspills with fascinating formations, from the 235-foot basalt Haystack Rock and the forest-shrouded waves of Indian Beach to calmer spots at Arcadia Beach and the Tolovana Wayside. All but the most adventuresome (and wet suit–clad) will want to look, but not touch, as the tides can be deadly and the water rarely rises above 60 degrees. But you’ll find plenty of gentle warmth in the surrounding community, which celebrates Sandcastle Days in June. At the Wayfarer Restaurant & Lounge, you can feast on Dungeness crab and sip an Oregon pinot noir while gazing at Haystack and all those crashing waves.

Home away from Home: Views from the 45 rooms at the stone-and-timber Ocean Lodge are unforgettable; oh and it is pet friendly too!

MEXICO BEACH, FLORIDA

The sand: Around these three miles of confectioners’-sugar sands, you’ll see bald eagles, sea turtles, dolphins—and only a few footprints.

A day in the Life: We love this quiet secluded little beach town, just south of Destin, on the Florida Panhandle. The 1,200 residents have purposely avoided high-rises, strip malls, and theme parks like the plague, keeping their low-slung town to themselves. The focus is on small-town fun, with gumbo cook-offs, kingfish tournaments, and fireworks fundraisers. You can kill two beach birds with one stone at the souvenirs-and-seafood shop Shell Shack. If you want to get off the beach, pop into the pool bar at the El Governor motel or take a scuba dive through a sunken oil tanker just offshore.

Home away from Home: The Driftwood Inn is no frills, it has four-poster beds in its rooms and DIY barbecue grills on its back deck. If you want to play at being a local, there are separate two-bedroom Victorian houses.

Quick Family Getaways

Instead of taking long, expensive family trips, a growing number of our clients are interested in short-term getaways with their family. Our clients have enjoyed booking some of these fun locations:

Sun Valley, Idaho
Offering nothing but mountain air and sunshine, this Rocky Mountain getaway prides itself on being a quiet and quaint town sprinkled with charming shops and mom and pop style restaurants. There are great options for adventure with more than 30 miles of paved trails for hiking, bike riding or horse adventures. While you are in the area, consider visiting the Shoshone Indian Ice Caves, Craters of the Moon National Monument, and the Sawtooth Botanical Gardens.

Bangor, Maine
Maine has always be known as a great spot for family travel. Bangor is an outdoorsy town that offers hiking, camping, boating and of course, awesome fishing! One of the wonderful highlights of this little town is its 680 acre working forest which offers 9 miles of exploring, not to mention incredible wildlife. The 4,200 foot long “floating” boardwalk is a very cool outdoor activity and the Beth Pancoe Municipal Aquatic Center is great in the summer. The 7,000 square foot pool features two water slides, a zero-entry area, and several water sprays.

Black Hills, South Dakota
Considered a part of the old west, there is so much to see and do within a 50 mile radius of the Black Hills. Mount Rushmore is always a wonderful education and experience for kids, as is the Crazy Horse Memorial, a mountain under construction in the form of the legendary Oglala Lakota warrior. Wind Cave National Park and Jewel Cave National Monument also offer amazing geological wonders. An oasis of pine-clad mountains on the Great Plains, bison and antelope graze within the Black Hills, which kids always get a kick out of.

Victoria, British Columbia
Victoria, the capital of British Columbia, is an ocean-going city, surrounded on three sides by water. The city is laid back and fun to visit with kids, especially in summer when it’s daylight until 9:00pm. Kids seem to love the adventure of the Ferry to Victoria and it is a great way to start your trip. There is so much for families to enjoy, including; whale watching, exploring the Beacon Hill Park or the Butchart Gardens, or simply strolling around the Inner Harbor. If you have extra time Travel 100 Group can always plan time in nearby Vancouver or Seattle, which are both amazing kid’s cities too!