Fall is one of the best times to travel to the beach for a family vacation. The summer vacation crowds have gone home, weekend travel is easy, and the beaches are inviting. In addition, vacation prices are often a steal and family travel bargains are plentiful. Vacation costs often drop by 25-50% compared with summer prices, and many resorts have indoor pools and family programs operating during the autumn months.

Many of the Family Travel Network's favorite local summer beaches are also perfect in the fall. On Virginia's Assateague Island, the wild ponies are much easier to see in the autumn months and the nasty green flies are almost completely absent. The beaches on Assateague are undeveloped and particularly beautiful. You'll find a bathhouse with rest rooms and showers, but no food concessions. Camping is available on Assateague Island, but all other lodging accommodations are on Chincoteague. Good places to stay include the Waterside Inn with its beautiful sunsets and crabbing pier, the Island Motor Inn Resort which features a heated indoor pool, the Refuge Inn with friendly Chincoteague ponies in its pasture, and the Driftwood Lodge located right at the entrance to Assateague Island.

Fall on the Outer Banks of North Carolina means tons of shells, abundant runs of bluefish, and deserted beaches. The water is still warm due to the nearby Gulf Stream and there is much to do along the Outer Banks' coast. Take a 4-wheel drive off-road adventure along the beaches north of Corolla to view the wild horses, go kayaking or windsurfing on the waters of the sounds, take hang gliding lessons at the world's largest hang gliding school, sample a famous "Apple Ugly" at Buxton's Orange Blossom Bakery, visit one of the area's many lighthouses, or take a ferry ride to enjoy the beautiful beaches on the island of Ocracoke. Vacation homes are available for 3-night long weekend rentals in the off season. Check with companies such as ResortQuest, Twiddy & Company, and Outer Beaches Realty to find a house that fits your needs. Many have private pools, hot tubs, and baby equipment, and some also allow pets. The family-friendly Hampton Inn & Suites Outer Banks/ Corolla offers complimentary breakfast for its guests and children under 18 stay free in their parents' room.

Another great spot for a fall beach getaway is the island of Nantucket. Located approximately thirty miles off the coast of Massachusetts, this little gem of an island is an excellent choice for a fall family beach escape. With its warm weather and lack of crowds, Nantucket was particularly alluring during my September stay. In addition, lodging prices are much lower and car or bike rental specials are often available. Bicycling is a very popular pastime here, as cars are expensive to bring to the island. The island is relatively flat, making family cycling relatively easy. In addition, buses run to the airport, beaches, and town on convenient schedules. Harbor House Village is one of the island's most family-friendly lodging establishments. Located close to downtown Nantucket and Children's Beach, Harbor House Village offers spacious guestrooms and a heated outdoor pool. The Cottages at the Boat Basin, a collection of one-, two- and three-bedroom cottages located around Nantucket's Old South and Swains Wharves in the historic downtown area, is another popular choice for families.

Further south, the low islands of Charleston, South Carolina, beckon families to enjoy one more weekend at the beach. Nearby Kiawah Island is a particularly good choice for an autumn family vacation. Parents rave about this island resort located just twenty-one miles south of Charleston because of the Kiawah Island Resort's family-friendly accommodations, its wide beaches, and the variety of family oriented recreation and children's programs offered here. Ten miles of pristine sandy beach stretch from east to west, and a challenging array of championship golf courses will satisfy even the most demanding enthusiasts in the family. Vacationers can choose to stay in single-family homes, townhouses, condominiums, or Kiawah Island's grand hotel, The Sanctuary. Kamp Kiawah, the resort's children's program, runs on Mondays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays through mid-November. A variety of family arts & crafts and sports activities run through the same date. In addition, Kiawah offers a number of nature activities for families including a dolphin encounter boat cruise, shelling expeditions, family fishing, a gator walk, parent-child kayaking, and beachside bonfires.

Another good choice for sports and nature-loving families is Amelia Island, Florida. Conveniently located near Jacksonville, Amelia Island offers 13 miles of beautiful, wide white beaches with tall dunes. >From Fort Clinch at the northern end to the high dunes at the south, you'll find endless vistas for jogging, relaxing, or playing in the sand. If you have three or four days to spend here, do try to take a day trip to nearby Cumberland Island across the Georgia state line. Ferries leave from nearby St. Mary for Cumberland, where you'll find miles and miles of deserted beaches, wild horses, armadillos, and the ruins of mansions and plantation homes. In addition to camping facilities and numerous rental properties, you'll find some world-class resorts available on this island. The five-diamond, award-winning The Ritz-Carlton offers families luxury and fine dining, with a children's program to entertain the kids. Spanning the Atlantic Ocean on the east and the intercoastal waterway on the west, the 1350-acre Amelia Island Plantation offers guests a choice of single-family homes condos, suites and hotel rooms for rent. Beach walks, bike rides along flat paths and winding roads, and a leisurely game of golf or tennis are great ways to spend a fall day here.

The West Coast offers a wide variety of choices for a fall family beach break. One of the most beautiful options is the seaside community of Coronado, California. Located just fourteen miles from San Diego's airport, the island of Coronado boasts eighteen miles of white sand beaches and generally gentle waves perfect for kids and learning to surf. The ocean beaches of Coronado have been named as the best beach in California and the #2 best beach in the United States by the Travel Channel. In addition to the picture-perfect beaches, there are many family oriented attractions in the area. The Ferry Landing Marketplace is a great place to shop, and nearby San Diego offers the world famous San Diego Zoo, Sea World, Legoland, and the San Diego Wild Animal Park. Kids and teens are pampered and catered to at the historic Hotel del Coronado, a 31-acre Victorian oceanfront beach resort located on an idyllic crescent strand of white sandy beach. At The Del, teens can enjoy spa treatments, a variety of recreation programs, and the Coast Club Teen Lounge designed specifically for kids ages 12-17. The Hotel del Coronado's Tent City Kids Camp for ages 4-12 offers full afternoon and evening programs and shorter one-hour programs at Kids' Crafts feature fun arts and crafts. The surfing lessons are also a big hit here.

If you have a bit more time, a number airlines provide direct flights to beach destinations in Mexico and the Caribbean, allowing easy getaways for 3- to 4-night beach breaks. Choose a resort within easy proximity to the airport to cut down on travel time and make the most of your weekend getaway. Prices tend to be particularly attractive during the fall, especially on package deals.

Cancun is an extremely popular destination for families and an excellent choice for a fall beach break. Off-season resort rates offer great values, the weather is warm, and there is so much to see and do in the area. Visit the Mayan archeological sites of Tulum and Chichen Itza, swim with the dolphins and manatees at Dolphin Discovery Island, snorkel the 2nd largest coral reef in the world in Puerto Morelos, build sandcastles on Cancun's white sand beaches, and shop for bargains at Market 28. Thrill-seekers will enjoy zip-lining, snorkeling and kayaking at Garrafon Park on Isla Mujeres. Alltournative's Mayan Encounter Tour provides family members with the opportunity to visit a Mayan village, zip-line and rappel in the Mayan jungle, swim in a beautiful cenote, and climb the tallest pyramid in the Northern Yucatan at Cobá. The nearby Xcaret and Xel-ha parks offer families even more excitement.

Family vacationers can choose from a wide array of family-friendly resorts in the Cancun area. The Westin Resort & Spa and its sister property, the Westin Lagunamar, are family favorites. Located at the quiet end of Cancun's Hotel Zone, the Westin Resort features a beautiful white sand beach and a large Westin Kids Club facility, as well as Westin's new "Love Your Family" program activities. Families can spread out in the spacious studios and suites at the new Westin Lagunamar, and the pool here is one of the largest in the Cancun area. The AAA Five Diamond The Ritz-Carlton, Cancun pampers families with luxury and specially designed programs and features for kids and their parents. Marriott has two family-friendly resorts in Cancun: the JW Marriott Cancun Resort & Spa and the CasaMagna Marriott Cancun Resort. Both properties feature the Marriott Kids Club, beautiful pools, and rooms overlooking the white sandy beach and the Caribbean's turquoise waters. In addition, the Marriott CasaMagna Cancun Resort and the JW Marriott Cancun Resort & Spa conduct special sea turtle rescue programs from May through late October. Guests at both Marriott properties can participate in either resort's program, depending on which nests are ready to be released. For families seeking a totally all-inclusive vacation resort, Club Med Cancun Yucatan offers one of the most comprehensive family vacation options in the region. The property sits on 22 prime acres situated between the lagoon and the Caribbean Sea and has one of the best beaches available. Both Mini Club Med (ages 4-10) and Club Med Passworld (ages 11-17) programs are available at this property. Dreams Cancun Resort & Spa is another good all-inclusive choice in the Cancun area. Nicely located on Cancun Island's northernmost point, the Dreams Cancun Resorts & Spafeatures a large freshwater pool, a white sand beach, and the opportunity to swim with dolphins in the resort's natural saltwater lagoon. The resort's Explorer's Club for children ages 3-12 keeps kids entertained.

Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic is another great destination for easy, inexpensive fall family beach escapes. With 23 miles of white sands and swaying palm trees, Punta Cana has some of most beautiful beaches in the world. Direct flights are available from many major U.S. cities, and most of the family-friendly resorts are within an easy 30-minute drive from the airport. Club Med Punta Cana has managed to satisfy a wide variety of age groups with the kids and teens programs at their resort. The resort is a very short ride from the airport, and the property's low-rise village design, beautiful beaches and family-oriented programs will have you relaxed in no time. The Club Med Punta Cana offers Petit Club Med for 2-3 year olds, Mini Club Med for 4-10 year olds, and Junior Club Med for ages 11-17. This resort features The Ramp, a specially designed club for teens ages 14-17. For more information on this resort, see this article on Club Med Punta Cana on The Family Travel Network. Other family oriented all-inclusive resort favorites in Punta Cana include the Iberostar Punta Cana, Bavaro and Dominicana and the Paradisus Palma Real. With its beautiful white sand beach and fantastic pools, the recently renovated Barceló Punta Cana Resort is another excellent all-inclusive option for families.

Still dreaming of the sound of the surf and warm sand beneath your feet? Here are a few more tempting U.S. choices for your fall family beach escape:

Dana Point, California

Santa Cruz, California

St. Petersburg Beach, Florida

Sanibel, Captiva, and North Captiva Islands, Florida

Sea Island, Little St. Simon's Island, St. Simon's and Jekyll Islands, Georgia

The Big Island, Hawaii

Maui, Hawaii

Hilton Head Island, South Carolina