Lobster rolls and hydrangeas, anyone?
Cape Cod, Massachusetts
Cape Cod is at its dreamiest in September, when the high-season traffic begins to disappear and the people who actually know the place start calling it “locals’ summer.” The ocean is still warm, the hydrangeas are hanging on, and the whole peninsula feels wonderfully uncrushed. There’s been a culinary renaissance on the Cape in recent years—check out The Pheasant and Love Farms for great, seasonal cuisine—and the Wequassett Resort and Golf Club feels less like a grand resort and more like an extraordinarily well-kept friend’s house—if your friend happened to have immaculate gardens, an excellent restaurant, and fantastic access to the Cape Cod National Seashore.