5 Beach town swaps for a quieter getaway

Howdy Roadtrippers,

Labor Day is basically here, which means two things: you should’ve already booked your trip for the long weekend, and summer is quickly coming to a close.

If you don’t have any long weekend plans yet (or you refuse to bid the beach adieu just because September is here), I’ve got a few last-minute beach getaways for ya today.

In fact, today is kinda like a little smorgasbord of road trip ideas, tools, and reviews. Nibble what you like and come back for more on your next trip. 😉

Please tell me I’m not the only one who makes multiple passes through the kitchen. 🙈

Anyways, let’s see what we’ve got on the menu today 👇

• 🏖️ The Route Report: This, Not That Beach Edition

• 🏨 The Roadside Assist: Marriott’s new road trip tool

• ⛺️ The Check-in: Is a $400 tent worth it?

• 🛑 The Pit Stop Poll: Popular vs. Off-The-Beaten-Path

🏖️ The Route Report: This, Not That — Beach Edition

If the idea of a weekend relaxing at the beach sounds great, but the reality of circling a crowded parking lot just to haul your beach gear a mile to the sand gets you down, this one is for you.

We’re taking the fan-favorite, sure-to-be-crowded spots and giving you a quieter alternative — so your long weekend road trips are restful instead of stressful.

1. Ocean City, MD ➡️ Assateague Island, MD

Skip the busy Ocean City beaches and head to Assateague Island for a quieter, nature-forward beach experience.

Enjoy pristine beaches, kayak on the bay side, or climb the still operational Assateague Lighthouse (open Friday and Saturdays until Labor Day, then Saturdays only through November 21, 2026).

And of course, don’t miss the wild horses the island is known for. 🐎 

Choose between the National Seashore for backcountry camping, the state park for more modern camping facilities, or stay in nearby Chincoteague Island, VA or Ocean City, MD, and make the day trip.

2. Hilton Head SC ➡️ Edisto Beach, SC

TimeOut recently named Edisto Beach the third best hidden-gem beach in the U.S., largely reliant on its relaxed atmosphere and the feeling that time slows to a crawl here.

I found plenty of reviews from locals begrudgingly backing that up — i.e., they don’t want the crowds to find out. 🤫

And because of that, they’re doing the most to preserve the town, with strict rules to prevent high-rises and a commercialized beachfront.

In fact, the town has no hotels — or stoplights — so vacation rentals are your best bet here.

Just an hour south of Charleston, you can really slow down and enjoy island life here. Bike around town. Rent a golf cart. Eat local food (there are no chain restaurants).

Check out the local history museums or visit the island’s nature reserve, Botany Bay. If you’re into creepy crawlies with scales, head to the Edisto Island Serpentarium. 🐍

3. Nags Head, NC ➡️ Ocracoke Island, NC

Being accessible only by ferry (make your reservations here), private boat, or small aircraft has got to be an easy way to severely cut down on the crowds — because you’ve got to be determined to get there.

But once you are on Ocracoke Island, you experience the magic of island time.

This small beach village keeps things local (no chain restaurants or hotels) and moves at a slower pace, with minimal driving needed. Your own two feet, a bike, or a golf cart can cover a lot of the town.

Part of the protected Cape Hatteras National Seashore, Ocracoke Island maintains its natural beauty and wild heritage — with long stretches of quiet sandy beaches, abundant wildlife, and plenty of island nature to explore.

Visit the second oldest active lighthouse in the U.S., soak in the lore of Blackbeard’s pirate days, and pay your respects at the British Cemetery to sailors who lost their lives in WWII’s Battle of the Atlantic.

Choose from local boutique hotels, mom-and-pop B&Bs, vacation rentals, RV parks, or opt for campgrounds by the beach in the Cape Hatteras National Seashore.

4. Cape Cod, MA ➡️ Block Island, RI

Situated 12 miles off the coast of Rhode Island, Block Island is a great alternative to the more popular Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard, or Nantucket.

With 17 miles of public beaches, you can pretty much turn in any direction and start walking… you’ll be sure to hit a beach soon.

It wouldn’t be a proper island without a lighthouse to visit, and Block Island has two:

• North Light House: more remote and home to nesting areas for rare birds

• Southeast Light House: easily accessible, with tours in the summer months

The Mohegan Bluffs are the must-see attraction in my book. Descend the steep 200-foot cliffs to the rocky shore (via 141 steps down a wooden staircase) or stay at the top for sweeping views of the Atlantic.

Block Island has a little of everything a beach town is known for — water sports, bike tours, shell fishing, boat cruises, small art galleries, local shops, seafood, and even an extensive network of 28 miles of walking trails!

This is another island reachable only by ferry, charter boat or plane, so plan ahead and book your ferry to ensure your spot.

5. Destin, FL ➡️ Grayton Beach, FL

I’m going to tentatively recommend this one with the caveat that “quiet” on Florida’s 30A scenic highway is both relative and harder to come by these days.

Grayton Beach State Park has the same sugary sand and emerald coastline that the Florida panhandle is known for — without the high-rise condos that a lot of Florida is also known for.

It also boasts a diverse ecosystem with salt marshes, dunes, and Western Lake, a rare coastal dune lake. They’re found in only four countries worldwide — and in the U.S., only in this part of Florida and Oregon! 🤯

There are RV and camping facilities in the park, or you can choose to stay in the historic beach village that shares a name with the state park.

Don’t come for me, Floridians, if you prefer a different beach… There are just SO many to choose from! 🙈

Bottom Line

Straying from the crowds can get you somewhere quieter, with more wildlife and nature and a slower, more relaxing trip — still with plenty of interesting things to see and do.

And while chain hotels might be in short supply, that doesn’t mean points and miles can't be used or earned on trips like these.

This is where cards that earn on vacation rentals — like this one — or cards that have travel credits, like the $300 travel credit (when booking through Capital One Travel) from the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card, can really shine and be used to book smaller local accommodations.

🏨 The Roadside Assist: Marriott’s new road trip tool

If you’re headed out on a bigger road trip though, you might find yourself in need of lodging across the country, which can be stressful to research and book ahead of time.

Marriott, however, has added a tool (exclusively for iOS, sorry Android friends) to its mobile app to make finding lodging along your route much easier.

When you open the app and go to book, you’ll now see an option labeled Road Trip.

Click that tab, and you’ll be taken to a screen where you can either enter your own starting and ending points or select from popular road trips like Route 66, Pacific Coast Highway, and more.

From there, you’ll select your dates or click flexible dates. Then, choose whether you want to pay with cash or points and run a search like normal.

It’ll then take you to a map screen and show you ALL the Marriott locations along your route with pricing for those dates. And if more than one route is available, you can choose your preferred route.

It will even show you how far away that hotel is from your starting point in miles and drive time, which is pretty handy IMO.

Is it an earth-shattering feature? No. But it could be a useful tool if you’ve got a stash of Marriott points or some Free Night Awards from one of these co-branded cards (a couple of which have elevated offers btw).

Plus, it’s just nice for the road trippers to get a little love and attention sometimes, and a cool feature like this does just that. 🥰

⛺️The Check-in: Is a $400 tent worth it?

I’ve talked about Under Canvas, the small chain of glamping locations bookable through Hyatt, a few times now — in previous newsletters to Moab, the Smokies, and Maine.

I know I’m not the only one fascinated with these properties, as some of y’all have written in raving about them as well. I mean, who doesn’t want to stargaze as they fall asleep??

Well, the Daily Drop YouTube team did us a favor and broke down whether they were really worth it during their trip to the Grand Canyon earlier this year.

See their review, details about the property, and how to book — as well as a tiny little peek at the views that await you on the road and at your destination!

🛑 The Pit Stop Poll: Popular vs. Off-The-Beaten Path

🚘 The Dashboard 🚘

September might actually be the best time to hit the beach. The kids have gone to school, the crowds have thinned out, and it’s quieter without being too cold.

If the beach isn’t your vibe — that’s cool too. We’re headed elsewhere next week!

Lemme know if you have any fun trips planned for the long weekend— I’d love to hear about them. 📩

Talk to y’all soon! ❤️

Katie Begnoche
Writer, Daily Drop
29.7604° N , 95.3698° W

with contributions by Sam Anthony.