Summer might be coming to a close, but that doesn’t mean that coastal vacations should take a back seat. From wellness bliss in California to deep-sea fishing in Rhode Island, properties that embrace the shoreline should be on your clients’ list year-round.
1. Family Fun in Rhode Island
“Rhode Island is a very versatile coastal getaway destination. It offers beautiful beaches with great waves for boogie boarding. At Point Judith you can go deep-sea fishing and on Sundays visitors who wait until about 3 p.m. can buy cull lobsters right off the boats as they come,” says Janel Fidalgo, owner of Janel Fidalgo Agency LLC, an Independent Agency in the Avoya Travel Network. “Travelers can take a ferry from Point Judith and visit Block Island where they can rent bikes and cruise around the island. There is great whale watching from Narragansett. If clients like history, they can go to Providence and see the state house and museums. Newport also offers a lot of historic charm, including the stunning Newport mansions.” Fidalgo, who was just in Rhode Island enjoying the beaches with her family, adds, “While in Newport, I recommend stopping at the Newport Creamery for some of their delicious ice cream after a day at the beach or sightseeing. For the smallest state in the United States, there is a lot to do for everyone. It is especially a great state for family vacations.”
A top recommendation in Newport is Hotel Viking, located atop the city’s Historic Hill neighborhood. The 208-room property’s accommodations, including 24 suites, have been recently renovated, and there’s a new rooftop bar and restaurant, Top of Newport, offering 360-degree views of the seaside city. A new Catch & Cook initiative available through the fall takes guests on a fishing adventure that ends with their catch prepped at One Bellevue, the onsite restaurant. Here, guests can dine on seafood dishes such as the new Bedford scallops and seafood paella and enjoy the newly launched Sunday Jazz brunch featuring kombucha cocktails. October rates start at $159.
2. Wellness Bliss in California
For wellness-seekers, suggest The Westin Carlsbad Resort & Spa, which opens in early August. Located along the bluffs of North County San Diego, the property offers panoramic views of the coastline, 208 guestrooms and 28 suites, the 20|Twenty restaurant serving farm- and ocean-to-table dishes, a luxury organic spa, and a fitness center with wellness programming.
The programming includes guided vinyasa flow yoga sessions, a jogging trail at the nearby Carlsbad State Beach, customized workout sessions with a personal trainer at the WestinWORKOUT fitness studio, and in-room Peloton bikes available in two of the resort’s suites. In addition, the Crossings Golf Course is located next door offering Westin guests easy access, and 1- to 4-hour exclusive clinics, and pre-round warm-ups with the pros for instruction and tips. Guests don’t have to worry about packing their workout attire because with the Westin Gear Lending program with New Balance, they can have shoes and athletic wear delivered to their guestroom for an added fee.
The Ocean Pearl Spa, meanwhile, offers personalized, holistic journeys that incorporate marine-based botanicals. Rates start at $310 per night. 
3. Beachside Getaway in Florida
The Polynesian-themed Westgate Resorts Cocoa Beach, located just one mile from historic Cocoa Beach, opened in late June as an upscale, all-suite resort. After undergoing a $15 million renovation, the former Wakulla Suites was transformed to the current 120 two-bedroom suites property. Each of the deluxe villas accommodate up to six guests, and features a fully equipped kitchen; almost all the suites can be combined into a 4-bedroom deluxe villa.
Kids will love the property’s Wakulla Falls, a 75,000-gallon waterpark featuring a 335-ft. lazy river, slides, and a Polynesian-themed children’s splash pad. Additional amenities at the property include beach concierge services, a pool, a game room, a beach volleyball court, shuffleboard, chaise lounges, beach umbrellas, coolers with ice, Bluetooth speakers, and complimentary sunscreen and sun lotion. An onsite dining venue, Aloha Tiki Bar and Beachside Cafe, will open next month. Additionally, coming soon to the property is a surf valet who will aid guests in transporting surfboards to and from the beach, as well as washing, drying, and maintaining surfboards, and wetsuits.
“Cocoa Beach offers a beach for just relaxing or watersports for the adventure seekers,” says Andrea Joyce, Dream Vacations franchise owner and vacation specialist. “Many of my clients are looking for activities that the family can do together. They want to connect, and a great way to do this is to share experiences that they will always remember. In my opinion, the top experience for families seeking adventure is a family surfing lesson. It’s a lot of fun, lots of laughing and most people leave having learned how to surf, even mom.”
The resort also offers complimentary shuttle service to the pier, where guests can dine at one of five restaurants and bars, enjoy the retail shops, take surf lessons, or rent bikes to ride around town. Rates start at $269
per night.
4. Romantic Stay in New England
The intimate, quintessential Cape Cod property, Coonamessett, a Lark Hotel, located in Falmouth, Massachusets, reopened this past May after undergoing renovations to the accommodations, which feature maritime-inspired decor, and the inn’s Eli’s Tavern, a local hangout. For a romantic getaway, the top choice at this 29-room and -suite resort is the 650-sq.-ft. Lark Suite, a 1-bedroom cottage featuring a patio that overlooks Jones Pond.
Falmouth itself offers miles of pristine shoreline and 10 public beaches, as well as ferry access to Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket. Couples can also explore the 10-mile Shining Sea Bikeway—just a short ride from The Coonamessett—which weaves through marshes, along stretches of beaches, and through Cape pines and cranberry bogs. Rates start at $139 dbl.
Contact Information
Coonamessett: thecoonamessett.com
Hotel Viking: hotelviking.com
The Westin Carlsbad Resort & Spa: starwoodhotels.com/westin/property/overview
Westgate Resorts Cocoa Beach: westgateresorts.com/hotels/florida/cocoa-beach
