For most people, the beach only exists for a single season — summer — and disappears for nine months. For other people, the beach stays fun and mesmerizing throughout the entire year.
While the temperature and character of the beach change dramatically with the arrival of fall, it doesn’t necessarily mean the shore is immediately off-limits. In fact, there are a ton of fantastic fall beach activities you can participate in.
If you’re heading for the beach when the leaves start falling, here are some great things you can do.
1. Build a Bonfire
The bonfire is a classic beach activity you can do year-round, from those cool summer evenings to those frigid winter days. But the best time of year for a beach bonfire is autumn.
With the crowds thinning out from the summer, you’re more likely to get a spot at one of the coveted bonfire pits found at many beaches. Not only that but the weather is perfect for a bonfire. It’s usually a little less windy, and the fire provides some much-appreciated warmth.
Just make sure bonfires are allowed on your beach before you bring logs and a lighter or you could get in trouble.
2. Go For a Long Walk
It’s an old trope for dating profiles to say you like long walks on the beach, but there’s a reason for that bromide: Walks on the beach are the best.
With fewer people crowding the sand, walks on the beach are even better during the fall. The weather is perfect for a nice walk. You can go for walks alone to clear your mind or with a friend.
3. Play Some Fall Beach Games
Although you won’t be putting on your bikini and slapping on the sunscreen for a big volleyball tournament, there are actually several fun games you can play at the beach during autumn, including volleyball.
Frisbee, spike ball, beach bowling, soccer, and more are all fantastic games you can play throughout the year, even when you’re not going into the water.
4. Have a Picnic
Few things are as fun as picnics on the beach in the fall. When the weather gets cool, my kids love taking some sandwiches to the sand along with some beach chairs to enjoy the sunsets.
Because there are fewer crowds, it’s easier to find parking and a prime spot to sit.
It also makes a fun date activity.
5. Go Surfing
If you think surfers pack up their bags once summer ends and fly south for the winter, you’d be wrong. In fact, wherever you are in the world, fall can be a great time for surfing.
All the bennies and shoobies have gone back home, and the waves are left for the real surfers. With fewer people to contend with, surfing in the fall can become even more relaxing and contemplative.
With the advancement of wetsuit technology, the colder weather won’t bother you much anymore.
6. Build Sandcastles
Another favorite fall beach activity for my kids is making sandcastles and digging deep holes. When I’ve run out of places to take them, I grab the shovels and castle molds and head down to the beach.
The kids can spend hours figuring out the best way to reinforce a tunnel or where a swimming pool should go.
Just make sure you bring some sweatshirts and towels because you’ll likely get cold and wet.
7. Go For a Run
Running on the beach is highly underrated. As I wrote in my ultimate guide to running on the beach, running in the sand has many benefits.
Not only is it harder and therefore builds your stamina but it can also work out those lesser-used muscles in your feet and ankle. The reason you’d want to run in the fall specifically is that there are fewer people and the weather is much nicer. That mitigates two of the major downsides to beach running.
8. Grab Your Metal Detector
You might think metal detecting is a silly hobby, but it’s actually a relaxing and exciting way to enjoy the beach and the outdoors. You might walk for several miles while metal detecting without even realizing it.
The great part is that since the beach is significantly less crowded in the fall, you’ll be more likely to find things that have washed ashore over the past few days.
9. Practice Some Fall Beach Yoga
Yoga is a popular beach activity on summer mornings when the weather is acceptable and not too crowded. But the fall is another excellent time to practice yoga.
In fact, some places like Huntington Beach have yoga on the beach every single day throughout the year (though it does get canceled during the rare rainstorm). In places like Florida, yoga season doesn’t even start until fall.
So grab your yoga mat and/or beach towel and get your namaste on.
10. Go Fishing
When you picture fishing, you probably think of tank tops and large hats and sunglasses. While summer is a great time to go fishing, it’s not the only time. Fall is an excellent time to go fishing on the beach.
You’ll often find different kinds of fish to catch as the seasons change from summer to fall. For example, if you’re surf fishing on the beach in Southern California, you may notice more surfperch and California halibut.
Many beaches also have piers, so you can also fish from the pier without having to get too close to the water.
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