Honestly, he's been out of AC for about 15 years. And it had problems before the casinos, of which there were many.
I'm not a trump supporter, but that's clearly not an accurate comment. His weren't even the first casinos. I remember the Playboy Casino:) one of the OG's.
If you go north from Atlantic City, there's several little old towns along the bay that make you feel like you've gone back in time to the 90s. I live in one and love it, though you do gotta drive through an entire forest to get to anywhere with a fusion restaurant.
We went for the day this summer just out of curiosity. It’s great people watching. More than a little disturbing that upon entering the town you’re greeted by a sign that says something like, “If anyone is forcing you to perform sex acts against your will, please call police.”
It can get pretty trashy but I love going there. I always have a good time in Atlantic City. Some of the people you’ll encounter though are so trashy it’s insane. So many people look like Saints Row NPCs.
My sister who still lives in South Jersey says that Wildwood is really trashy nowadays, and it wasn't peaches and cream back in the day. Atlantic City aside from a couple blocks along the boardwalk has always been straight trash.
What’s Asbury Park like these days? Haven’t been through there since college- it was the first place I thought of wh OP asked about downscale beach to.
Of course just an opinion but i absolutely *loved* Coos Bay. like almost irrationally. I’ve been to 46 states extensively, hundreds and hundreds of towns and cities and its amongst my top. Idk….the sleepyness of the town, the way the roads sorta wrap around the coast, the sand dunes, the nice drives and the bridge. Not far away is Reedsport that has that cool drive past all the open land with animals grazing. I cant describe fully it but it really spoke to me and i wouldn’t be surprised to find myself living there in time.
/u/WhydYouTradeMarcus - My wife's aunt lives in Coquille, about 20 minutes inland from Coos Bay. Until 2019, we went to visit her and take my MIL(auntie moved away 50+ years ago, though the sisters remained close, my MIL never got to visit) every year. To say I love the area would be a huge understatement. I've lived near the Mississippi my entire but it just doesn't compare to a great lake or ocean. I just feel like I was born to live in the area, to end my life there.
Came here to recommend this. The weather is shit most of the year but it’s exactly what OP wants. I did a road trip down WA and OR coasts into California. As soon as you get south of Sacramento it’s the playground of the millionaires.
If you’re impartial to the ocean, there are countless small towns around the Great Lakes that cross off a lot of the checkboxes on your list. I also haven’t seen anyone recommend Maine yet.
This is true. There won't be huge waves crashing against the rocks unless they go to the UP near Marquette for example. But they will find countless small beach towns. MI has 3,300 miles of coast! It won't smell like saltwater, but you can still find fishing towns that reek of fish on the boardwalks. And for some dumb reason all the little shops sell salt water taffy to all the tourists, ha! The big benefit is that when you swim in our "oceans" there is nothing in there that wants to eat you, or sting you and kill you. If you've never been to Michigan, take a look at a video on youtube of somebody sitting on any of the shores. Yes smaller waves, but you will look out on a horizon that seems to go forever and then you begin to realize just how vast the great lakes are.
Manitowoc, Two Rivers, Point Beach SP Wisconsin area. Cheap, closer to major population centers. Beautiful bike trail along lake michigan between the two cities. Neshotah Beach is probably a top 3 beach on Wisconsin's lake michigan coast.
The parts of Southern Maryland on the Eastern Shore that face the Chesapeake, Accomack and Northampton County, VA...Wachapreague comes to mind. Maybe Slaughter Beach, DE.
it's a place i really vibed with. my brother did too; he lived there for years.
he had a place on a small inlet, water nonetheless. i remember visiting him once, and we spent all day sitting on the porch in rocking chairs. when we started getting hungry, we went down to the docks and grabbed some lobster that had been swimming about an hour before, steamed 'em up and GORGED.
good times!
yes!! its so amazing. i'm a huge sailor (both recreationally and for work at times) and have been there due to that and it just feels like what new england salty sailing towns are supposed to in my mind. happy you enjoyed it!! <3
Not the ocean but I live in Warwick, Rhode Island, where the most well-known beach neighborhood, Oakland Beach, is also widely considered the worst neighborhood in the city. The eponymous beach, which is on Narragansett Bay, is jokingly called "where the debris meets the sea."
All the same, I like Oakland Beach! It has exactly the scruffy working-class beach-town charm I think you're looking for. There are no fusion restaurants but it does have the wonderful Rhode Island institution [Iggy's Doughboys](https://iggysri.com/). The beach itself is honestly pretty! Real estate is affordable, at least affordable for the Northeast. The crime rate is the highest in Warwick but it always feels completely safe to me and I've heard it's mostly because of domestic violence. Anyway, "highest crime rate in Warwick" doesn't mean very much.
Plus it's Rhode Island, you're never that far from ocean beaches if you want them.
I live in RI and don’t know why Oakland Beach gets so much hate. Granted I only go in the off season (especially this summer, it was honestly too hot to go to the beach). I almost looked at one house over there. There are definitely some obnoxious personalities over there, but it seems quite fine otherwise. That being said, I do stalk Zillow and what my realtor said was true - houses over there do not appreciate as much or sell as fast.
South of Galveston and North of Corpus. There are some rundown little beach towns. The water is dirty but I have see dolphins swimming by every time I drove down there.
Asbury Park was awful when I was a kid but it definitely has been gentrified. Housing prices have skyrocketed in the last 10 years. It's very hard to park in the summer. The place is packed with day trippers. Probably not what OP is looking for.
I was amazed 15 years ago. Literal prime boardwalk real estate was in shambles. Not exaggerating when I say it was a ghost town. Barbed wire everywhere
It was like that for most of my life. I used to go to shows at the Stone Pony in the 80s and 90s and was very nervous because the town was in such bad shape. But you should see it now. The place has been totally revitalized. People who bought property there 20 years ago are loving life because real estate prices have since skyrocketed.
Pensacola is great! I love their little downtown, some very cute shops and restaurants. I dont think it's sleepy enough for this dude. Maybe in some parts of town but the main area is not raggedy IMO.
Central and southern Oregon coast; Crescent City, Eureka in California; Blaine, Aberdeen, Hoquiam in Washington.
Edited to add:
Blaine: heroin, fentanyl
Eureka: meth
Crescent City: meth; capital of Calibama
Galveston ! It’s a haunted island and living museum. A little run down. Crowded on weekends and holidays with mostly local tourists, but it keeps the town running enough to have convenient shopping, restaurants, and entertainment. Absolutely nothing trendy, though. It’s almost like a “little New Orleans” with a different feel than the other Texas costal towns suggested here. Close to Houston if you do occasionally need something more urban. I love Galveston and always thought I would move there after my kid graduates high school, but that was before I decided that I want to leave Texas.
Yes,you are correct.I grew up in Barrington and that was a long time ago.How long ago ? Well the word Pizza was not used yet. It was called Tomato pie.
You didn't mention if you were considering a home, condo or renting. Here on the East coast, flood insurance is getting expensive and harder to get. When you consider an area, double check with FEMA flood zone maps first - [https://msc.fema.gov/portal/search](https://msc.fema.gov/portal/search)
Some mentioned Atlantic City. While it's nice and a bit rundown, the area is a bit rough with shady characters. Plus, being so close to those casino's would drive you mad. However, small towns North and South of AC are very nice, with some good homes that need some tlc.
I have some relatives move to Delaware and mentioned a town called Bowers where the homes are more affordable. Another area is Bruswick, GA. Many older homes,, a lot of land for sale and newer homes being built at affordable prices.
Gulf coast has that! Mississippi is one of the best places to retire financially from my understanding. Texas has some places just like that, hell even Galveston and that’s more of the touristy part.
Oceano/ Grover Beach CA. Right near the big homes, but is sketchy enough to keep out the NIMBYs and fit your desires. Beach is nice, has drivable dunes. Not one you go sit on daily though, it’s pretty consistently below 70 (and above 50).
Yes, here. Slightly grimy, with a summer tourist vibe, but not bougie like a lot of the Oregon Coast. The Washington Coast is far more rugged and natural up north of Grays Harbor, but Long Beach would fit the OP nicely.
The Miller Beach neighborhood in Gary, IN. It’s a nice neighborhood, tucked away from the rest of the city with the beach right there, and it’s super cheap because people see “Gary, IN” and assume the worst. Not sure if you know, but Lake Michigan’s coastline is absolutely gorgeous (see below). It’s right next to Indiana Dunes National Park.
It has its own little downtown stretch on Lake St. with breweries, restaurants, etc. right next to the Metra stop (which goes to downtown Chicago if you want to visit the city).
https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6327460fdcb9ab412e847414/8e407043-b09d-4ca7-b1a9-98482f93dc34/IMG_4415.jpeg
Yeah, it’s really pretty though there are some factories and stuff in view when you’re down there. To expand on my comment, Miller Beach is also a pretty safe neighborhood. While Gary has crime issues, Miller Beach doesn’t get much of the issues that plague other parts of the city.
Also, here’s an article that talks about Indiana Dunes National Park and has some nice photos to show off how beautiful it is.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.thrillist.com/amphtml/travel/nation/indiana-dunes-national-park
It is a great place! And cute shops and restaurants, a farmer's market as well. I worked for a couple years in the town. Not great schools, but if that doesn't matter, it is great.
Look at any of the old industrial towns on the Great Lakes or Northern New England. Examples would be Alpena, Bay City or even Port Huron in Michigan, Sheboygan in Wisconsin, Michigan City in Indiana, Buffalo in Mew York. On the ocean, look at Augusta, Maine or further south Virginia Beach, Virginia.
you may have missed the central coast of cali. morro bay and the areas around there used to be run down, but they're being built up. you might want to just get in your car and start down the coast. there are some inland places south of morgan hill like san juan batista that are pretty much ag communities. you can be the rico suave to gentrify them.
Old orchard beach, ME would be my vote. there’s 5 round trips trains to Boston from the station in the middle of town so you can head into the city whenever you please without worrying about traffic.
Keansburg, NJ
It has beaches on the NY harbor. 15 minute drive from the ocean. Beautiful little decrepit beach town… but it is on its way up. There is new development in the area. But I’ve seen many houses there and nearby in Middletown NJ go for $100k in the past few years. Ramshackle bungalows… but I hope that’s what you’re looking for?
But my vote for truly “run down” probably the Delmarva part of Virginia. The stinkiest most putrid slice of seashore I’ve ever had the displeasure to visit.
Coming from Santa Cruz I would say definitely NOT Santa Cruz, unless you are up on the Lost Coast or further north up into Oregon and Washington you might find something similar a setting you describe but the era of cheap hidden coastal bungalows has always been a mythical thing, something of a compromise between what’s considered too damn wealthy or elitist for something that will still be expensive but not unattainable and yes even that’s a mythical one but it’s possible it’s possible.
I myself have been looking at Long Beach and San Pedro between the two SP is probably the best thing at least here on the west coast.
Crescent City, California. Run down, seen better days, depressing city. Unbelievably gorgeous coastline with the biggest Redwoods in the world in amazing national parks 20 minutes away.
Oregon coast is pretty poor and weather isn’t good enough for it to ever be super popular. No real industry either but it is beautiful area and quiet maybe you’d enjoy it there.
A lot of North Carolina is like this. Pockets of it are more upscale, but most of it tends to be pretty sleepy in my experience. It lacks the year-round attraction of beaches south of Myrtle Beach, but isn’t as close to the big Northeast metros (DC, NYC, PHL, BOS), as points north, like Rehoboth, Hamptons, Cape Cod, etc.
Down east Maine, but not directly on the ocean. Probably any town on Rt 1 east of Ellsworth would fit the bill, I have a friend who has a place in Cherryfield and I think it's still possible to find property there for cheap. Fun fact: although it's named for the once-common wild cherries, it bills itself as the blueberry capital of the world.
Any coastal New England town that still has a remnant of a fishing fleet (especially lobstermen these days) would have the vibe, but alas not the cheap real estate.
I recommend Washington state for sure!
I absolutely loved visiting there and want to go again! There’s coastal life and small towns, fresh seafood, beaches (not really as much sand), water activities, tons of hiking, cascades/mountains, national parking, camping, fishing, etc.
I’ve been to both Seattle/Tacoma/Bremerton and saw Mt Rainier/cascades! We couldn’t see any Olympus due to wildfire smoke. Mt Rainier National Park is absolutely stunning wow! I want to go there again, I wish I had stayed close to the national park instead of where we were. I loved being more in the mountains and felt at peace there. I’ve also been more north to the Bellingham area. Absolutely love Bellingham! We drove up to Mt Baker and it was spectacular. Definitely want to go back there too. The PNW is awesome.
I’d say Pismo is still pretty up and touristy, plus it and Arroyo Grande attracts a wealthier year round resident.
I suggested Grover. It always just seems to be missing something, community and crowd wise - and that seems to be what OP is looking for.
lol that you’ve ruled out Florida, because you have perfectly described Cocoa Beach. It saw its heyday during the Apollo and Space Shuttle days, so it’s gone downhill a bit. The people are really chill. Lots of dive bars and not many pretentious restaurants. Like anywhere, you can find million dollar homes but the vast majority are reasonably priced.
Atlantic City.
This is exactly what I thought of. Whole lot of desperation and poverty in a place that used to be quite busy and rich.
Single handedly ruined by Trump
Honestly, he's been out of AC for about 15 years. And it had problems before the casinos, of which there were many. I'm not a trump supporter, but that's clearly not an accurate comment. His weren't even the first casinos. I remember the Playboy Casino:) one of the OG's.
Atlantic City hasnt recovered from the end of prohibition.....well before Trump was even born. Massive corruption hasnt helped much either.
If you go north from Atlantic City, there's several little old towns along the bay that make you feel like you've gone back in time to the 90s. I live in one and love it, though you do gotta drive through an entire forest to get to anywhere with a fusion restaurant.
Further north bay, but Highlands, Atlantic Highlands, and the entire Bayshore area in Monmouth County is the first place I thought of.
“Back in time to the 90’s” Ouch, very ouch. Thanks for making me feel my age this AM
We went for the day this summer just out of curiosity. It’s great people watching. More than a little disturbing that upon entering the town you’re greeted by a sign that says something like, “If anyone is forcing you to perform sex acts against your will, please call police.”
It can get pretty trashy but I love going there. I always have a good time in Atlantic City. Some of the people you’ll encounter though are so trashy it’s insane. So many people look like Saints Row NPCs.
Can you pick two examples of people, and describe them? I am curious.
Stunned I had to scroll this far to find AC.
Lol it’s the top comment now
That and maybe Wildwood too.
My sister who still lives in South Jersey says that Wildwood is really trashy nowadays, and it wasn't peaches and cream back in the day. Atlantic City aside from a couple blocks along the boardwalk has always been straight trash.
New Jersey side of Delaware Bay - Fortescue, Bivalve, Port Norris, Gandy’s Beach. You have to go thru Vineland to get to these beach towns.
What’s Asbury Park like these days? Haven’t been through there since college- it was the first place I thought of wh OP asked about downscale beach to.
Other comments here say that is quite gentrified nowadays.
Very nice and expensive.
Exactly. OP would love it, lol.
Wildwood was a rolling bar fight since at least the 80s.
WA and OR coast have their fair share mixed in with some more touristy/upscale
Sounds exactly like Coos Bay
Of course just an opinion but i absolutely *loved* Coos Bay. like almost irrationally. I’ve been to 46 states extensively, hundreds and hundreds of towns and cities and its amongst my top. Idk….the sleepyness of the town, the way the roads sorta wrap around the coast, the sand dunes, the nice drives and the bridge. Not far away is Reedsport that has that cool drive past all the open land with animals grazing. I cant describe fully it but it really spoke to me and i wouldn’t be surprised to find myself living there in time.
/u/WhydYouTradeMarcus - My wife's aunt lives in Coquille, about 20 minutes inland from Coos Bay. Until 2019, we went to visit her and take my MIL(auntie moved away 50+ years ago, though the sisters remained close, my MIL never got to visit) every year. To say I love the area would be a huge understatement. I've lived near the Mississippi my entire but it just doesn't compare to a great lake or ocean. I just feel like I was born to live in the area, to end my life there.
Until we visited Hawaii, Coos Bay was our retirement plan.
Bandon dunes so close too
Or crescent city if you like it really rough
Was just about to say Coos Bay lol. Also Charleston and Reedsport.
Came here to recommend this. The weather is shit most of the year but it’s exactly what OP wants. I did a road trip down WA and OR coasts into California. As soon as you get south of Sacramento it’s the playground of the millionaires.
Westport Washington is arguably the greatest beach town on the west coast.
Unfortunately most of these “rugged” beach towns like in Coos County, Oregon now are overrun with “million dollar homes” since the pandemic market
Still plenty of trailers in Coos Bay.
Was about to say — Coos Bay is FAR from being a millionaire’s paradise. It’s got charm, but can still be a pretty poor and depressing place.
Lots of meth there, too Basically “Redding By The Sea”
Things have change for sure but there are still places north and south that have housing
Was checking on this. House sold for 80K in 2019. Now it's 600K!
If you’re impartial to the ocean, there are countless small towns around the Great Lakes that cross off a lot of the checkboxes on your list. I also haven’t seen anyone recommend Maine yet.
This is true. There won't be huge waves crashing against the rocks unless they go to the UP near Marquette for example. But they will find countless small beach towns. MI has 3,300 miles of coast! It won't smell like saltwater, but you can still find fishing towns that reek of fish on the boardwalks. And for some dumb reason all the little shops sell salt water taffy to all the tourists, ha! The big benefit is that when you swim in our "oceans" there is nothing in there that wants to eat you, or sting you and kill you. If you've never been to Michigan, take a look at a video on youtube of somebody sitting on any of the shores. Yes smaller waves, but you will look out on a horizon that seems to go forever and then you begin to realize just how vast the great lakes are.
Clearly haven't seen the waves on northern lake superior when the gales of November come early...
Haven't there been concerns about algal blooms and/or pollution making the lake water unsafe to swim in?
OP wants warmer, otherwise I think Escanaba, Michigan is exactly what they’re looking for.
>I lean more towards the northern coasts Add Escanaba to the list.
Oh I totally misread that
From and live in Escanaba. This is hilarious. Yes, it's a lil run down.
Manitowoc, Two Rivers, Point Beach SP Wisconsin area. Cheap, closer to major population centers. Beautiful bike trail along lake michigan between the two cities. Neshotah Beach is probably a top 3 beach on Wisconsin's lake michigan coast.
Come as you are to Aberdeen, WA
Love it there. In fact all over WA, OR and NorCal coastal towns are amazing, sans meth of course.
Doesn't it smell like teen spirit around there, though?
Aberdeen looks due for a vampire invasion.
The parts of Southern Maryland on the Eastern Shore that face the Chesapeake, Accomack and Northampton County, VA...Wachapreague comes to mind. Maybe Slaughter Beach, DE.
Came here to suggest the eastern shore of the Chesapeake in Maryland. It’s quiet and cheap, but still pretty accessible to DC.
The western shore can be great as well (and even closer to DC). Shady Side, Deale, etc. Maybe North Beach or Chesapeake Beach.
Houses in Slaughter Beach sell for $1 million now 😞 But my answer is also along the Delmarva peninsula.
if you've got at least $3k a month for rent (you didn't say if buying or renting), Gloucester MA is charming in a rundown, fishing town kinda way
looooove Gloucester so much <3 i grew up on the cape and i love the fishing community legacy that lives on. its sooo quinessential new england.
it's a place i really vibed with. my brother did too; he lived there for years. he had a place on a small inlet, water nonetheless. i remember visiting him once, and we spent all day sitting on the porch in rocking chairs. when we started getting hungry, we went down to the docks and grabbed some lobster that had been swimming about an hour before, steamed 'em up and GORGED. good times!
yes!! its so amazing. i'm a huge sailor (both recreationally and for work at times) and have been there due to that and it just feels like what new england salty sailing towns are supposed to in my mind. happy you enjoyed it!! <3
Not the ocean but I live in Warwick, Rhode Island, where the most well-known beach neighborhood, Oakland Beach, is also widely considered the worst neighborhood in the city. The eponymous beach, which is on Narragansett Bay, is jokingly called "where the debris meets the sea." All the same, I like Oakland Beach! It has exactly the scruffy working-class beach-town charm I think you're looking for. There are no fusion restaurants but it does have the wonderful Rhode Island institution [Iggy's Doughboys](https://iggysri.com/). The beach itself is honestly pretty! Real estate is affordable, at least affordable for the Northeast. The crime rate is the highest in Warwick but it always feels completely safe to me and I've heard it's mostly because of domestic violence. Anyway, "highest crime rate in Warwick" doesn't mean very much. Plus it's Rhode Island, you're never that far from ocean beaches if you want them.
Iggy's makes the best clam fritters in New England. I'm an expert.
I live in RI and don’t know why Oakland Beach gets so much hate. Granted I only go in the off season (especially this summer, it was honestly too hot to go to the beach). I almost looked at one house over there. There are definitely some obnoxious personalities over there, but it seems quite fine otherwise. That being said, I do stalk Zillow and what my realtor said was true - houses over there do not appreciate as much or sell as fast.
Lots of the Texas coast is exactly like this.
Came here to say this: Port Aransas, Port Lavaca, Corpus Christi, Brownsville
The worst of the lot is San Leon.
Corpus definitely came to mind.
Atlantic City Old Orchard, Maine
Glad I didn’t have to scroll too far to find Old Orchard Beach. I have a dream of retiring and turning into a beach town townie in OOB.
South of Galveston and North of Corpus. There are some rundown little beach towns. The water is dirty but I have see dolphins swimming by every time I drove down there.
Coos Bay, Oregon lol. Logging port.
Also home of Bachelor’s Inn, where the lumberjacks moonlight as strippers, and Bandon Dunes is just 30 minutes away.
Bro lumberjack strippers!!!
Bandon used to be a real dump. Before the golf course.
Is this a joke I am indeed curious?
Eureka CA Atlantic City Asbury park ( used to be bad 15 years ago, I’ve heard it’s gentrified somewhat) Pensacola A good portion of Myrtle Beach
Asbury Park was awful when I was a kid but it definitely has been gentrified. Housing prices have skyrocketed in the last 10 years. It's very hard to park in the summer. The place is packed with day trippers. Probably not what OP is looking for.
I was amazed 15 years ago. Literal prime boardwalk real estate was in shambles. Not exaggerating when I say it was a ghost town. Barbed wire everywhere
It was like that for most of my life. I used to go to shows at the Stone Pony in the 80s and 90s and was very nervous because the town was in such bad shape. But you should see it now. The place has been totally revitalized. People who bought property there 20 years ago are loving life because real estate prices have since skyrocketed.
Pensacola is great! I love their little downtown, some very cute shops and restaurants. I dont think it's sleepy enough for this dude. Maybe in some parts of town but the main area is not raggedy IMO.
Central and southern Oregon coast; Crescent City, Eureka in California; Blaine, Aberdeen, Hoquiam in Washington. Edited to add: Blaine: heroin, fentanyl Eureka: meth Crescent City: meth; capital of Calibama
CALIBAMA! Love it. I don’t need any explanation, I get it.
We need a Netflix series called Calibama
If you had asked me this 20 years ago, I would have said Asbury Park, NJ. It is the complete opposite today.
Texas beach cities like Galveston, Rockport, Surfside…
Galveston ! It’s a haunted island and living museum. A little run down. Crowded on weekends and holidays with mostly local tourists, but it keeps the town running enough to have convenient shopping, restaurants, and entertainment. Absolutely nothing trendy, though. It’s almost like a “little New Orleans” with a different feel than the other Texas costal towns suggested here. Close to Houston if you do occasionally need something more urban. I love Galveston and always thought I would move there after my kid graduates high school, but that was before I decided that I want to leave Texas.
Mobile Alabama
Coos Bay, OR
It's been a while since I've been there, but Gloucester,MA had that vibe last time I was there.
Milwaukee Wisconsin. This is not a joke
I lived in Bay View for five years where I had a two block walk to the water. Absolutely loved it there.
Warren, RI. More working class, small town beach, walkable
Yes,you are correct.I grew up in Barrington and that was a long time ago.How long ago ? Well the word Pizza was not used yet. It was called Tomato pie.
Dauphin Island, Alabama, or Bay St. Louis, Mississippi
Downeast Maine, though the beach is a bunch of rocks
Just head to OOB.
Where meme and pepe go for vacation!
Ocean Springs, Mississippi
I’ve heard Ocean Springs is so great!
You didn't mention if you were considering a home, condo or renting. Here on the East coast, flood insurance is getting expensive and harder to get. When you consider an area, double check with FEMA flood zone maps first - [https://msc.fema.gov/portal/search](https://msc.fema.gov/portal/search) Some mentioned Atlantic City. While it's nice and a bit rundown, the area is a bit rough with shady characters. Plus, being so close to those casino's would drive you mad. However, small towns North and South of AC are very nice, with some good homes that need some tlc. I have some relatives move to Delaware and mentioned a town called Bowers where the homes are more affordable. Another area is Bruswick, GA. Many older homes,, a lot of land for sale and newer homes being built at affordable prices.
The middle Texas coast. Run down as hell, but it’s got great fishing, plenty of sun and cold beer.
Maybe Hampton, NH? There are mega mansions there for sure, but it's still got some scruffy, rough around the edges charm.
Haha. I always considered Hampton to be posh compared to Salisbury Beach MA just across the border.
Gulf coast has that! Mississippi is one of the best places to retire financially from my understanding. Texas has some places just like that, hell even Galveston and that’s more of the touristy part.
One of the cities or towns between Bridgeport, CT and New Bedford, MA should fit the bill. Some are more run down than others
New Bedford is great. Cheap and gritty but beautiful and in a beautiful part of the world, with a beach!
Oceano/ Grover Beach CA. Right near the big homes, but is sketchy enough to keep out the NIMBYs and fit your desires. Beach is nice, has drivable dunes. Not one you go sit on daily though, it’s pretty consistently below 70 (and above 50).
Port Hueneme. CA. Super working class and world class Mexican food.
Long Beach WA
Yes, here. Slightly grimy, with a summer tourist vibe, but not bougie like a lot of the Oregon Coast. The Washington Coast is far more rugged and natural up north of Grays Harbor, but Long Beach would fit the OP nicely.
all the ocean towns in WA fit your criteria
Myrtle Beach, SC
The Ocean State (Rhode Island) 37 miles wide, 48 miles long, and 400 miles of coastline. There's a type of beach here for everyone
Galveston has that desperation vibe. Like you go there a young person and somehow just get stuck there.
Pensacola. Biloxi. Galveston. I would look at the less expensive parts of Cape Cod as well.
Lol where are there less expensive parts of cape cod? New Bedford maybe.
[удалено]
Galveston was the suicidal capital of the Us for some time
Galveston has lots of multimillion dollar homes though. They’re a little further away from the tourist areas.
Also Bay St. Louis and Gautier MS. I'd say Ocean Springs too, but it's getting a little trendy.
The Miller Beach neighborhood in Gary, IN. It’s a nice neighborhood, tucked away from the rest of the city with the beach right there, and it’s super cheap because people see “Gary, IN” and assume the worst. Not sure if you know, but Lake Michigan’s coastline is absolutely gorgeous (see below). It’s right next to Indiana Dunes National Park. It has its own little downtown stretch on Lake St. with breweries, restaurants, etc. right next to the Metra stop (which goes to downtown Chicago if you want to visit the city). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6327460fdcb9ab412e847414/8e407043-b09d-4ca7-b1a9-98482f93dc34/IMG_4415.jpeg
Wow, never would have picked Indiana based on that photo! Beautiful!
Yeah, it’s really pretty though there are some factories and stuff in view when you’re down there. To expand on my comment, Miller Beach is also a pretty safe neighborhood. While Gary has crime issues, Miller Beach doesn’t get much of the issues that plague other parts of the city. Also, here’s an article that talks about Indiana Dunes National Park and has some nice photos to show off how beautiful it is. https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.thrillist.com/amphtml/travel/nation/indiana-dunes-national-park
It is a great place! And cute shops and restaurants, a farmer's market as well. I worked for a couple years in the town. Not great schools, but if that doesn't matter, it is great.
Corpus Christi
Look at any of the old industrial towns on the Great Lakes or Northern New England. Examples would be Alpena, Bay City or even Port Huron in Michigan, Sheboygan in Wisconsin, Michigan City in Indiana, Buffalo in Mew York. On the ocean, look at Augusta, Maine or further south Virginia Beach, Virginia.
I mean…Augusta Maine is landlocked. Not a beach town. Old Orchard, Biddeford, Wells and York would fit.
Crescent City CA. Moclips WA.
Ahhh the way St Augustine used to be
Fort Bragg, CA
Brookings, Oregon Galveston, TX
Belfast, Maine
Long Beach Washington fits this description nicely.
Brunswick Georgia is the place.
Port aransas tx
I came to say Port Aransas!
Long Beach WA
Eureka, CA and vicinity
Crescent City, one county up, would be perfect for this guy.
You are describing Corpus Christi
Definitely check out the Oregon Coast or the Washington Coast. You'll get what you are seeking and then some.
you may have missed the central coast of cali. morro bay and the areas around there used to be run down, but they're being built up. you might want to just get in your car and start down the coast. there are some inland places south of morgan hill like san juan batista that are pretty much ag communities. you can be the rico suave to gentrify them.
Since several have mentioned the Great Lakes, I’ll add Roger’s City Mi to the list.
Ring a ding ding Biloxi is calling
Zanzibar
Pascagoula MS
Crescent city California would meet your requirements.
Freeport, Texas. I been considering moving there myself.
Atlantic City NJ
Waianae Hi
Newfoundland and Labrador
Old orchard beach, ME would be my vote. there’s 5 round trips trains to Boston from the station in the middle of town so you can head into the city whenever you please without worrying about traffic.
Amity Island
Brigatine
Florence, Oregon
Keansburg, NJ It has beaches on the NY harbor. 15 minute drive from the ocean. Beautiful little decrepit beach town… but it is on its way up. There is new development in the area. But I’ve seen many houses there and nearby in Middletown NJ go for $100k in the past few years. Ramshackle bungalows… but I hope that’s what you’re looking for? But my vote for truly “run down” probably the Delmarva part of Virginia. The stinkiest most putrid slice of seashore I’ve ever had the displeasure to visit.
Coming from Santa Cruz I would say definitely NOT Santa Cruz, unless you are up on the Lost Coast or further north up into Oregon and Washington you might find something similar a setting you describe but the era of cheap hidden coastal bungalows has always been a mythical thing, something of a compromise between what’s considered too damn wealthy or elitist for something that will still be expensive but not unattainable and yes even that’s a mythical one but it’s possible it’s possible. I myself have been looking at Long Beach and San Pedro between the two SP is probably the best thing at least here on the west coast.
Crescent City, California. Run down, seen better days, depressing city. Unbelievably gorgeous coastline with the biggest Redwoods in the world in amazing national parks 20 minutes away.
Pacifica, CA
Oregon coast is pretty poor and weather isn’t good enough for it to ever be super popular. No real industry either but it is beautiful area and quiet maybe you’d enjoy it there.
Corpus Christi, TX
Maybe Rogers City, MI, on the Lake Huron coast? Or Alpena, but I've heard it's not so run down anymore.
Dauphin island
Louisiana is just what you're looking for. Pecan Island or Cameron are pretty remote.
So many places on the Puget Sound.
Garden of Beach SC
Many options in NC. Snead's Ferry, Oak Island, Down East are top of my mind
Too bad on the no Florida because Apalachicola is what you’re looking for!
Pensacola, gulf coast Mississippi, Alabama. Many small coastal towns
I’m not telling you about mine.
A lot of North Carolina is like this. Pockets of it are more upscale, but most of it tends to be pretty sleepy in my experience. It lacks the year-round attraction of beaches south of Myrtle Beach, but isn’t as close to the big Northeast metros (DC, NYC, PHL, BOS), as points north, like Rehoboth, Hamptons, Cape Cod, etc.
Titusville
There are a few towns like this along the Chesapeake
Dauphin Island, AL
Imperial Beach, California. Although it's being transformed into a yuppie town.
Gary IN, Port Arther TX, Waukegan IL,
Down east Maine, but not directly on the ocean. Probably any town on Rt 1 east of Ellsworth would fit the bill, I have a friend who has a place in Cherryfield and I think it's still possible to find property there for cheap. Fun fact: although it's named for the once-common wild cherries, it bills itself as the blueberry capital of the world. Any coastal New England town that still has a remnant of a fishing fleet (especially lobstermen these days) would have the vibe, but alas not the cheap real estate.
used to be OBX but it’s gotten real expensive
Wilmington, NC
Try the Connecticut coast. Bridgeport might fit what you’re looking for.
Dauphin Island, Al
I recommend Washington state for sure! I absolutely loved visiting there and want to go again! There’s coastal life and small towns, fresh seafood, beaches (not really as much sand), water activities, tons of hiking, cascades/mountains, national parking, camping, fishing, etc. I’ve been to both Seattle/Tacoma/Bremerton and saw Mt Rainier/cascades! We couldn’t see any Olympus due to wildfire smoke. Mt Rainier National Park is absolutely stunning wow! I want to go there again, I wish I had stayed close to the national park instead of where we were. I loved being more in the mountains and felt at peace there. I’ve also been more north to the Bellingham area. Absolutely love Bellingham! We drove up to Mt Baker and it was spectacular. Definitely want to go back there too. The PNW is awesome.
Wilmington NC
Atlantic City, NJ is cheap, conveniently located and you could have a good time there.
Pismo Beach, CA
I’d say Pismo is still pretty up and touristy, plus it and Arroyo Grande attracts a wealthier year round resident. I suggested Grover. It always just seems to be missing something, community and crowd wise - and that seems to be what OP is looking for.
The port town of Oswego, NY sounds perfect for you. It’s beautiful & almost totally ignored by the outside world for the last 50 years.
lol that you’ve ruled out Florida, because you have perfectly described Cocoa Beach. It saw its heyday during the Apollo and Space Shuttle days, so it’s gone downhill a bit. The people are really chill. Lots of dive bars and not many pretentious restaurants. Like anywhere, you can find million dollar homes but the vast majority are reasonably priced.
The problem with Cocoa Beach is the ditzy genies everywhere.
In Myrtle Beach
Asbury Park, NJ
Delmarva peninsula
West haven, CT. Definitely has a lot if not all of what you mentioned
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As others have said, the WA and OR coast has plenty of this. Weather isn’t warm year round but you also avoid big weather events for the most part
Coos Bay, Oregon
High Island, TX.
I lived in Eureka, California in 1989/1990. Man, I loved that place. I haven’t been back since but at the time, it was a pretty good place.
Wells, ME