Many of us look forward to a coastal vacation, but it can be a little disheartening to arrive at a place and find many others have beaten us to it. In peak tourist periods, accommodation can become prohibitively expensive. You might waste your precious vacation time searching for a parking space or queuing for attractions. You can forget the idea of walking up to a restaurant without having already reserved a table. But what if next time, you actively seek out places that haven’t made a slew of online lists? Apart from this one, of course: here are seven hidden gems on the East Coast for your consideration.
Cutler, Maine
Cutler, Maine is much quieter than Mount Desert Island – home to Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park – but offers some of the same charming elements. This small coastal community is home to a permanent population of around 500 people, many of whom make a living from the sea. Nature is the main draw, so be prepared to book a room a short distance away if you can’t find a suitable vacation rental. It’s worth the effort, though, for scenic hiking trails that hug rocky, forested shores. You’ll also want to head out to Machias Seal Island on a boat trip. This remote islet is actually a disputed territory, claimed by Canada. It’s often shrouded in mist but when it lifts, you’ll be treated to the sight of a lighthouse and abundant birdlife, including puffins, terns, razorbills, and petrels.
Portsmouth, New Hampshire
Portsmouth, New Hampshire has a long history dating back 400 years. This historic seaport is tucked just inland on the Piscataqua River. One of the most attractive things about the town is the 17th and 18th century buildings that are scattered downtown. Some of them house independent stores and galleries, while others form the Strawberry Banke Museum that chronicles life in Portsmouth over the centuries. A short distance away is the USS Albacore Museum which tells the story of this decommissioned naval submarine. If you love the outdoors, you can hike, bike, sail or fish. On a summer evening, join a sunset cruise to the Isle of Shoals, or head out on a whale watching trip.
Chatham, Massachusetts
Upscale Chatham is a classic New England beach town. While the “elbow of Cape Cod” doesn’t receive as many visitors as Nantucket or Martha’s Vineyard, there’s still plenty to occupy your time here. There’s a 48-foot-tall lighthouse that dates from the 1870s, though you might hear locals referring to it as the Twin Lights, because there used to be two of them. It overlooks Lighthouse Beach, which doesn't offer swimming thanks to its strong tides and currents, but the view of the ocean and its sandbars makes a beach stroll a real treat. Just outside town you’ll find the Shark Center, which takes a look at the Great White Shark through interactive exhibits, videos, and other displays. And when you're hungry, head to Chatham Pier Fish Market where you can stock up on Chatham littlenecks (clams) and Wellfleet oysters to go.
Assateague Island, Maryland and Virginia
Assateague Island is a 37-mile-long barrier island extending south of the resort of Ocean City. There are myriad opportunities for recreation here. Explore on two wheels as you follow its paved bicycle trails, or switch up the view and rent a canoe, kayak, or SUP to paddle around the area’s bays, coves, and salt marshes. Book a spot on a guided tour to maximize your chance of seeing the island’s handsome wild horses. Local folklore suggests that, centuries ago, they survived a shipwreck, though it’s more likely they were brought here so their owners didn’t have to pay tax on them. Come in July if you’re keen to see the annual Pony Swim as the horses are rounded up by the local “saltwater cowboys” to find new homes at auction, a crucial aspect of herd management.
Bulls Island, South Carolina
Four islands make up the Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge in South Carolina’s Lowcountry, of which Bulls Island is the largest. Characterized by sandy beaches, wetland and maritime forest, today it’s a haven for wildlife, with nearly 300 types of birds, including ducks, swans, herons, shovelers, grebes, sandpipers, gulls, and terns. Alligators congregate at Jack’s Creek, while Atlantic bottlenose dolphins are sometimes sighted out to sea. The landscape, too, is captivating: the skeletal trees you’ll see at Boneyard Beach lend the place an architectural quality. Surrounded by nature, it’s hard to imagine how close you are to Charleston, just an hour away.
Cumberland Island National Seashore, Georgia
Cumberland Island is the largest and southernmost barrier island in the state of Georgia. Inland, beyond the driftwood and the dunes, you’ll find live oaks dripping with Spanish moss and abundant wildlife. Watch from the beach as squadrons of brown pelicans hunt and dive, and crabs scuttle across the sand. Nearby, the area’s salt marshes are favored by alligators, and in the historic district, piebald deer and feral hogs face off for food. History buffs should hike to Dungeness to discover the ruins of a once-splendid mansion. It was built for the wealthy Carnegie family who they left in 1925, and a fire destroyed the house a few decades later. Another Carnegie property, Plum Orchard Mansion, is in far better shape. This magnificent place was built in 1898 in the Georgian Revival style, and guided tours run daily.
Juno Beach, Florida
Juno Beach is a laidback beach town just north of West Palm Beach on Florida’s Atlantic coast. Even if you’re here on vacation, it’s worth getting up early and strolling down to the pier as the sun rises and fishermen prepare their lines. Arrange an angling lesson if you’ve been inspired to try your hand at saltwater fishing. But however you fill your days, there’s one thing you won’t want to miss: the area’s beaches are a prime spot for seeing turtles. This is one of the world’s densest nesting grounds, and between May and October, loggerheads, leatherbacks, and green sea turtles come here to lay their eggs. To give you some idea of the scale, during the 2023 season, the Loggerhead Marine Life Center recorded more than 25,000 nests at Juno, Jupiter-Carlin and Tequesta beaches.
