A Few Of The Best Things About Fall In Coastal Carolina

  1. No crowds

With each week that passes, the beaches get less and less crowded. This applies to restaurants, stores, and just about everything else as well. There’s nothing like waking at sunrise and finding you are one of only a few people or sometimes even the only person on the beach.

  1. Warm temperatures

Sorry about the recurring theme here, but the air and water temperatures are still deliciously warm. We spent several hours swimming in the ocean this last weekend, and I promise you, I could have stayed submerged the entire weekend and never felt a smidgen of chill. In fact, the tidal pools felt more like hot tub temperatures than normal ocean temperatures. The ocean in its entirety was perfect. Of course, LCB had to be obnoxious about it and say that the ocean was “almost” too warm for him. He’s so Yankee that way.

And no, we’re not merpeople, as the above photo and my comment about staying submerged for the weekend might suggest. Just so we’re clear here. Our failure to be merpeople has become, by the way, my daughter’s most recent life disappointment. She tells me I might be able to assuage some of this disappointment if I add a mermaid to her list of “pets” she clearly thinks she’s getting soon.

  1. Lower prices

Prices on many things drop in September. Restaurants, for instance, often offer specials, particularly on weekdays. Stores are often trying to clear out of their summer inventory and offer huge discounts. And for tourists, rates on accommodations usually drop precipitously after Labor Day, so there are many deals to be had.

  1. Fall decorations with summer weather

This is a personal favorite, something that made me laugh when I first moved here from Chicago, during the early fall. In my experience, fall decorations were always accompanied by cooler weather and falling leaves. Here, I get a kick out of seeing fall, Halloween, and Thanksgiving decorations out when it’s still in the 80s or higher and there isn’t a fallen leaf to be found anywhere near my house. My first Halloween in Carolina, I was afraid to put our traditional big family pumpkin outside for fear it would bake to death in the heat. So, fall decorations at the beach always remind me that I’m somewhere different now.

  1. More dolphins

When the temperatures do start to drop a little, we see a slow increase in the number of dolphins swimming closer to shore. In Chicago in the fall, I had squirrels in my backyard busy hoarding acorns. In Carolina now, I have schools of dolphins traveling along the coastline.

  1. Fishing boats

I love watching the shrimp boats that dot the ocean heavily this time of year. Sometimes, I even get out my telescope or my binoculars and just watch them work for a minute, imagining what that must be like, living so much of life on the sea.

So, what about the rest of you? What are some of the best things about fall where you live?

7 Replies to “A Few Of The Best Things About Fall In Coastal Carolina”

  1. This sounds all wonderful and perfect!! Luckily, it’s been warm here as well…, yet too cold for my taste to go swimming. I much prefer off season!

    1. Some people say it’s the best kept secret about our area and the coast, because so many people only associate the beach with summer, and yet it’s so wonderful in the fall. And in our area, the temperatures stay warm for so long. I imagine fall is just beautiful by you, with some of the color changes and all.

  2. Oh yes, fall on the southeast coast is just delicious! Here in the Golden Isles, we love our brief glimpse of fall in late September/early October. For us, fall on the coast doesn’t officially start until after Georgia/Florida weekend. When it finally hits, it’s just the perfect time of year to live here. So many locals tell us newbies that fall and winter at the beach where it never really freezes makes the hot, sticky summers worth it.

    1. Yes, that fall weather has definitely become a favorite with me too, when the season takes the edge off of the heat without getting chilly. Right now it’s still so warm though, that I still felt a little funny buying mums today, since I can’t help but associate that with the much cooler, Windy City-like temperatures I lived in for so long.

  3. It looks so beautiful! I love your blog, I found it through Maya’s.
    My friend just moved to Charleston last year and she just loves it there!
    So nice to meet you.
    xo

    1. I’m so glad you stopped by! Yes, we moved here from the Midwest, and we really love the weather and the ocean-oriented lifestyle. Charleston’s a lovely city, too. So nice to meet you, too!

  4. Fall is, by far, my most favorite season. I love the crisp, clean air, “color tours,” falling leaves, and watching the sunset under a blanket on the beach. Apple orchards, cinnamon doughnuts, and hikes abound. Oh, and let’s not forget that it is also grape harvest time, so the vineyards/wineries are bustling with activity. All of which can be enjoyed with less crowds, and at lower prices than during peak tourist season.

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