Uncrowded and Unpretentious Spots from Florida to Hawaii

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Nightlife-driven souls looking for Floridian action point their convertibles toward the likes of Fort Lauderdale and Key West. But a certain quieter, off-the-radar destination on the state's Gulf Coast holds a different kind of allure.

The cult-fave town of Boca Grande is a throwback, an Old Florida time warp with such whimsically named streets as Damnificare and no chain stores or ye-olde theme restaurants. This idyllic escape features a much-photographed lighthouse watching over Gasparilla Island State Park and long, quiet beaches touched by gentle surf.

Boca Grande is a wonderland, a place that defies the cliches of Florida beach towns — all the sloppy, party-hearty aspects — while embodying the best of what the state has to offer.

Touchstones of history

In the free and easy days of summer, the quest for a great American beach town like Boca Grande is a national passion. Beach towns are a mainstay of the hot months, a beacon for countless citizens looking for a reprieve from the daily grind. The Great American beach town, apart from being idle as all get out, is also resolutely democratic, conscious that the sand belongs to all. These spots serve as emblems of our God-given right to get too much sun and to eat tasty — if nutritionally unfortunate — fried food.

Take the island of Chincoteague, Va., the gateway to the not-to-be-missed seven-mile-long Assateague National Seashore, a wondrous backdrop for beach strolls rich with herons, bald eagles, foxes, and the famed wild ponies. It doesn't get simpler — or better — than Chincoteague's Seashell Cafe, a welcome destination after a long day on the beach where diners fill up on clam chowder and platters of fried Atlantic shrimp and Chincoteague oysters.

Visit in July, when the Pony Round-up and Swim engulfs the island, with ocean-going cowboys herding the ponies across the channel between Assateague and Chincoteague, where the colts are auctioned off to keep the herd at a manageable level.

Of course, the West Coast has no shortage of sandy attractions. In Santa Cruz, Calif., the Giant Dipper roller coaster at the Beach Boardwalk amusement park keeps visitors screaming for more cheap thrills. Check into the Casablanca Inn, where most rooms have ocean views, and order some fresh seafood at the restaurant, which also overlooks the mighty Pacific.

And salt water isn't needed for a great beach town. On Lake Michigan, the Silver Lakes Sand Dunes Area draws a faithful midwestern crowd seeking downtime and summer fun.

So get that beach chair and cooler ready — and prepare for the simple pleasures of summer at one of these classic retreats.

Boca Grande, Florida

This Edenic escape on the Gulf of Mexico is a real slice of Old Florida, with whimsically named streets such as Damnificare, a much-photographed lighthouse watching over Gasparilla Island State Park, and long, quiet beaches touched by gentle surf.

Stay: The Gasparilla Inn, a member of the Historic Hotels of America and the National Trust for Historic Preservation, is the classic resort and comes complete with a golf course. It's closed during the hottest months, though; the best alternative is its sister property, the Innlet, which features a waterside restaurant and a relaxed vibe.

Eat: A funky Florida spot with character, Temptation — think murals of leaping tarpon and a neon martini sign — serves local grouper, pompano, and soft-shell crabs.

Chincoteague, Virginia

This small, serene island just off the Virginia coast is the gateway to the 37-mile-long Assateague Island National Seashore — a nature refuge that's home to wild ponies, herons, woodpeckers, and foxes. It's accessible to boaters and via car over the Route 175 bridge.

Stay: A Victorian-era home has been turned into Miss Molly's Inn, a seven-room bed & breakfast that offers high tea in the afternoons.

Eat: The Seashell Cafe is a welcome destination after a long day on the beach. Fill up on clam chowder and platters of fried Atlantic shrimp and Chincoteague oysters.

 Lubec, Maine

Lubec is all the way Down East, right near the border with New Brunswick, Canada. Its assets include an elegant Victorian/Greek Revival-style downtown, 97 miles of shoreline, two lighthouses, and easy access to the former Roosevelt summer home on Campobello Island, which is now an international park.

Stay: The Peacock House Bed & Breakfast, installed in an 1860 Federal-style residence, has ocean views, an eclectic library, and manicured gardens.

Eat: Drop by Annabell's Pub for informal fare like fish chowder and a genuine, breezy Maine ambience.

Gearhart, Oregon

With its antiques shops and picturesque hiking trails, Gearhart — just north of the renowned, more-bustling Cannon Beach — is an in-the-know haven for Portland hipsters like Paige Powell and Gus Van Sant. In the evenings, people drive onto the hard-packed sand for wine and stargazing parties.

Stay: The 12 attached cottages of the Gearhart Ocean Inn, constructed in 1941, are an easy walk to the beach, and the owners will furnish a "clam gun" for scooping up clams from the sand.

Eat: The nicely refined Pacific Way Bakery & Cafe serves top-notch muffins and coffee in the morning, and later a menu that includes bay shrimp, designer pizzas, and flawless crab cakes.

Santa Cruz, California

Thrill-seekers flock to the Giant Dipper roller coaster at the Beach Boardwalk amusement park, but Santa Cruz has a surfeit of other attractions: Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park, surfers at Pleasure Point (and the Santa Cruz Surfing Museum), and frolicsome seals at Natural Bridges State Beach.

Stay: At the Casablanca Inn, most rooms have ocean views (and a handful have fireplaces, for when those NoCal nights get chilly). The restaurant looks out on the awesome expanse of the Pacific.

Eat: Center Street Grill is the go-to restaurant for salads, pastas, homemade hollandaise sauce, ahi tuna, and freshly squeezed lemonade and orange juice on the outdoor patio.