Fall Coastal Getaways Fit for a King—or Queen

If you love the beach but dislike crowds, hot temperatures, and the oppressive humidity that comes with vacationing in summer, consider a coastal getaway during shoulder season. While the Southern shorelines are dotted with resort-laden urban areas, we’ve done the heavy lifting, exploring two unique coastal properties perfect for enjoying seaside cuisine, beach walks, stunning sunrises and sunsets, and fall’s milder weather. Both offer exceptional modern amenities, award-winning on-site dining, restorative spa services, stay-and-play golf packages, and spectacular beachfront pool decks.

The King and Prince Beach & Golf Resort at St. Simons, Georgia

St. Simons stands as a quaint throwback to the coastal towns your grandparents likely remember. To get to The King and Prince, you’ll travel along Mallery Street, past charming family-owned shops and eateries, before arriving at the only oceanfront lodging of its kind on the island. The King and Prince Beach & Golf Resort is included in the Historic Hotels of America and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, conjuring up images of generational gathering and family traditions. Originally established as a seaside dance hall in 1935, by 1941 it had become a popular beachfront hotel appreciated for its timeless Mediterranean architecture and picturesque ocean views. However, during World War II, the hotel was temporarily repurposed as a naval training and coast watching facility.

Since reopening to the public in 1947, the resort has undergone several extensive expansions and renovations. With the most recent 2013 revamp, the resort redesigned and updated the oceanfront complex and added ECHO, the only oceanfront restaurant on the island — its name a nostalgic nautical nod to the resort's brief naval history.

One of the things that is so lovely about The King and Prince is that it’s peaceful and quiet in all the best possible ways, and while you’ll notice plenty of couples and solo travelers, it’s a destination appealing to multi-generational families. In fact, many of the families we met have been coming here for decades.

We stayed in a cabana room located on the lower level of the main historic building. Roomy and comfortable, the room boated a sitting area with double doors opening to a private patio just steps from the ocean. We sipped our morning coffee while strolling along the shoreline, watching the sun peek over the horizon and turn the morning sky cotton candy pink, and spent our afternoons reading books under a poolside cabana with three swimming pools and a hot tub at our disposal.

Serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner, ECHO provides comfortable indoor and outdoor seating. Begin your day indulging in Nutella and Banana Stuffed French Toast, Southern Breakfast Scramble, or ECHO Shrimp and Grits. For lunch, grab a burger and a frozen margarita poolside from the Sea Shack. Be sure to make a dinner reservation and start with a selection from ECHO’s extensive drink menu. Their in-house Cheddar Bacon Dip is melt-in-your-mouth delicious, and don’t skip the Fried Green Tomatoes topped with a Creole Crab Salad. For the main course, consider the Island Fire Salmon or Sweet Peach Pork Chop. And be sure to leave room for Biron Peach Blossom Black Tea Crème Brûlée.

The Cottage,  located adjacent to the property, offers a quick pit stop for coffee, pastries, and ice cream, as well as a limited selection of beverages, t-shirts, and other forgotten or misplaced provisions. It’s a sweet little area complete with a playground to keep the little ones entertained.

If you’re a lover of nature and history, the island provides plenty of opportunities to learn and explore. With over 640 acres of green space, Cannon’s Point Preserve is a part of St. Simons Land Trust, and offers a primitive wilderness experience to explore the biodiverse marshland. The St. Simons Lighthouse Museum, one of five remaining lighthouses in the state,  remains a fully functional navigational aid to ships and beckons visitors to climb the 129 steps to the top for panoramic views of the Golden Isles. Part of the Georgia World War II Heritage Trail, the World War II Home Front Museum located in St. Simon's historic Coast Guard Station features interactive exhibits highlighting coastal Georgia’s contributions to the war effort. Fort Frederica National Monument was established in 1736 by James Oglethorpe and marked a boundary between British-occupied South Carolina and Spanish-occupied Florida. This once “debatable land”  has since become the state of Georgia.

Once you go, The King and Prince Beach & Golf Resort at St. Simons is a place you’ll return to year after year.

Kingston Resorts at Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

If you haven’t visited Myrtle Beach since college, would rather go anywhere else to avoid the crowds, or have ever referred to the area as “Dirty Myrtle,” you haven’t been to Kingston Resorts. What makes this particular resort unique is that you can enjoy a comprehensive family vacation at Myrtle Beach without ever having to leave the property.

Owned and operated by Hilton, Kingston Resorts completed an extensive multi-million dollar renovation in 2022. It boasts over a half-mile of beach, two water parks, nine pools, eight tennis and pickleball courts, two sand volleyball courts, three golf simulators, and an outdoor putting green. On-site full-service dining options include Café Amalfi, Coastal Grill and Bar, and Black Drum Brewing.

From fully renovated oceanfront rooms and suites at both Embassy Suites and Hilton Myrtle Beach Resort to luxury condos and villas, Kingston Resorts offers cozy and comfortable accommodation options and wide-ranging amenities and entertainment appropriate for the entire family, a romantic getaway, your favorite girl gang, a solo reset, or a business retreat.

We stayed at Embassy Suites, with a private bedroom, living area, kitchenette, and balcony to take in the views. When we arrived, a poolside DJ was spinning tunes and the place was bumpin' - but not like you'd think. About 15 adorable littles were dancing on the pool deck to "Baby Shark!" Because there are so many pool areas on site, the Kingston section of Myrtle Beach is significantly less crowded than most. Staying at Kingston allows you to avoid the craziness of the boardwalk and SkyWheel; however, if you’re seeking a lively, tourist-driven vibe, you can experience all the excitement of the Grand Strand, with the boardwalk, shopping, and the Pelicans baseball stadium just a few miles away.

Black Drum Brewing,  adjacent to Embassy Suites,  dedicates 40 taps to craft brews from North and South Carolina. Experiment with flavor by ordering a flight, or grab a pint of your favorite local seasonal ale while sharing their Brick Oven Seafood Dip. Black Drum serves up tasty in-house smoked meats and locally-sourced seafood options, as well as delicious brick oven pizzas. If you’re a meat lover, try the Butcher’s Smokehouse Pizza with pulled pork, smoked brisket, big red BBQ sauce, smoked gouda, mozzarella, pickled red onions, and jalapenos.

Café Amalfi, located at the Hilton, features floor-to-ceiling windows that allow for a stunning view of the coastline. If you get George as your server, consider yourself lucky. This gem of a human has worked at the restaurant for over 32 years. “Just look at my office!” he exclaimed, pointing to the double rainbow. “Last week, we were counting dolphins. This week it’s rainbows.” Whether you have the Pesce Spada Alla Mediterranea, Wild Mushroom Risotto, or Spicy Vodka Rigatoni, be sure to save room for the tiramisu.

While the entire area is walkable, a complimentary shuttle is available to whisk you around the area. Take advantage of 78 Fitness, a state-of-the-art center with plenty of machines, classes, and courts to accommodate guests even when the resort is at capacity. It also has an indoor pool and hot tub. Don’t forget to book some downtime at Spa 33, where you can relax with a massage, facial, or pedicure.

From the time you pull into the parking lot, expect to feel valued, expect to feel pampered, expect to have fun, and you most likely won’t start your car until you’re headed home. Kingston Resorts is an entire Myrtle Beach getaway all on one incredible property.

In Jane Austen’s novel Pride and Prejudice, the character Mrs. Bennet says, “A little sea bathing would set me up forever.” The healing properties of a seaside holiday remain both timeless and relatable.