After eight years of car rides from central Florida to Pennsylvania with minimal stops, my Dad thought it’d be a good idea to slow down and make a nice little road trip out of our yearly journey. Rather than stopping at some of the well-known tourist spots scattered along the East Coast, we chose to explore some lesser-known spots that turned out to be hidden gems.
Here are four spots I highly recommend for anyone planning their next East Coast adventure:
- St. Simons Island, Georgia
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Nestled just northeast of Brunswick, GA, St. Simons Island is a quaint little town full of history and charm with several miles of beaches and golf courses. Although the downtown area is small and underdeveloped, many of the restaurants and shops are part of what makes it so special.
St. Simons Island even has a lighthouse featuring a museum and a lookout deck, consisting of only 129 steps. If you need an alternative to walking up other, much taller lighthouses spread around the East Coast, this one’s perfect!
- North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
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You may have heard of Myrtle Beach, a popular tourist hub full of commercialized hotels, restaurants, and shops. However, you may not have known that just above Myrtle Beach lies North Myrtle Beach, a town still untouched by the high-rise hotels and year-long chaos of its neighbor down South. With little vehicular traffic, it’s easy to rent a golf cart and cruise through downtown where several restaurants, cafes, and shops are located.
- Oak Island, North Carolina
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Located just 45 minutes south of Wilmington, North Carolina, Oak Island is the most hidden gem on this list, covering 13 miles and boasting only about 50,000 tourists each year. Despite this, Oak Island is rich in history.
The several miles of beach and the inlet allow for a variety of activities, from sunbathing and fishing to surfing and scuba diving. The island also features hundreds of multistory beach houses that tourists can rent for an even more splendid stay.
- Long Beach Island, New Jersey
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Although it wasn’t a stop on our trip this year, my family and I vacationed in Long Beach Island many times. It’s a vital spot from my childhood that I had to add to this list! Located near the Southern tip of New Jersey, Long Beach Island is the epitome of a small beach town.
You can stroll along the boardwalk where you’ll find tons of locally owned shops, restaurants, and museums. There’s even a mini carnival-style amusement park known as Fantasy Island. You can also travel to the end of the Island, where the bay and the ocean meet, and climb 217 steps to the top of Barnegat Lighthouse! This is the second-tallest lighthouse in New Jersey.
I had the best time exploring these hidden gems along the East Coast with my family last summer and highly recommend these spots, especially if you need to step away from the popular tourist hubs. Although our East Coast road trips always end at my grandparents’ house in northeastern Pennsylvania, feel free to continue your trip up through New England! I’m sure there are more hidden gems to explore there as well.
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