5 Vegan-Friendly Beach Towns Perfect for Late Summer

Sometimes, you need to escape city life and enjoy the beachside breeze, radiant sun, and plant-based grub—and what better time than just before Labor Day? From coast to coast, we’ve compiled a list of five hotter-than-ever beach towns to catch some rays while devouring amazing vegan food. So grab your SPF 50 sunscreen and cat-eye sunglasses, and let this guide be the starting point for your next beach adventure.

super hot days require fantastic frozen craft chocolate drinks🏖🤸🏼‍♂️💕 #thatsall

A post shared by Mutari Chocolate (@mutarichocolate) on Jun 16, 2017 at 11:06am PDT

Santa Cruz, CA

Located 90 minutes south of San Francisco, this college/hippie town is home to VegNews headquarters and, during summer months, is a tourist hot-spot. During the height of the season, this city’s main attractions include a boardwalk full of retro arcade games, nostalgic carnival rides, and groovy concerts on the beach. With the expansion of popular plant-based eateries such as Café Gratitude and Saturn Café, Sri Lankan vegetarian restaurant Malabar, vegan-friendly grocery store Staff of Life, and all-vegan West African-influenced Veg on the Edge, Santa Cruz understands vegan cuisine. Furthermore, weekly farmers’ market on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays—serve plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables from the region’s many farms. Grab a drink at Pour, a serve-it-yourself taproom with vegan tacos and dairy-free cheese boards on the menu, or head to the new Mutari Chocolate House & Factory for ethically-sourced and decadent coconut-based hot chocolate. Finally, don’t leave town without ordering kitcheree soup from Dharma’s (a favorite among VegNews editors).

Saturday night scoops ft. Blue Razz, Strawberry, & Lemon Cookie

A post shared by Cookman Creamery (@cookmancreamery) on Aug 26, 2017 at 4:05pm PDT

Asbury Park, NJ

An hour-and-a-half from New York City, Asbury Park is a popular destination for nearby beach bunnies and beach bros. Start your adventure with a refreshing smoothie and nutritious lunch at Twisted Tree Cafe, where vegan-friendly options such as a vegan focaccia melt and creamy berry smoothie are available. Next, take a stroll through the touristy boardwalk before heading to Cookman Creamery for vegan ice cream flavors such as blue lavender and Mexican hot chocolate. Replete with local musicians and artists, the nightlife in Asbury Park is an experience not to be missed. Before heading to the many bars (Wonder Bar is known for being dog-friendly), grab dinner at local pizzeria Crust & Crumble, which offers many vegan-friendly Italian options (including a decadent and herbaceous Vegan Delight pizza with sun-dried tomatoes and basil). When you think you’ve had enough, popular music venue The Stone Pony, where rock legends Bruce Springsteen and The Doors have performed, still hosts live music every week.

THIS AIN’T HAWAII - @beyondmeat Beyond Burger, Seared Pineapple, Grilled Poblano, Lettuce, Pickles, Onion, Kimchi Aioli, Sesame Bun. Served w/ Sweet Onion Potato Chips. ($14) It's the second to last Thursday of the month so this ain't around for much longer, mate. #beyondburger #permanentvacation #everythursday #thursdayonly #tikibar #sandiego #vegan Photo by @mediumraw_

A post shared by KINDRED (@barkindred) on Aug 24, 2017 at 8:34am PDT

San Diego, CA

San Diego is arguably the vegan hot spot in California—even its politicians vowed to go vegan for a week this year! Start your trip with a tofu scramble and a fresh-squeezed juice at Lotus Cafe and Juice Bar before walking cliffside around the Bay Walk. Have lunch at Veganic Thai Cafe, where a menu boasting mock duck curry and veggie tempura awaits. If you’re looking for a fun and foodie-approved activity, take an all-vegan cooking class at Veg-Appeal, or—if you’d prefer to sit in your car to eat—visit the drive-thru at Evolution and head for the beach to catch the sunset. After dinner, check out vegan cocktail-bar and restaurant Kindred, where fun cocktails with names like Gate to Extinction and Cult of Dionysus are the ideal way to end a vegan day. Even better? San Diego is also home to a number of vegan favorites such as Loving Hut, Veggie Grill, Native Foods Café, and Cinnaholic.

Acai bowl...better than icecream. And it's vegan 😊💜

A post shared by jessica lindsay (@jayylindsayy) on Apr 26, 2016 at 11:51am PDT

Cocoa Beach, FL

Any beach town in the Florida Keys is worth a visit, but the surfer’s paradise known as Cocoa Beach is a crowd-favorite among those in the know. It’s not hard to see why: the ocean views are stunning, and the food is fresh and nourishing. Grab a cup o’ joe at the artsy local café The Surfinista, an eclectic art gallery-meets-surf shop-meets-health-conscious restaurant (wraps, bagels, and açaí bowls are central to their menu). When you’re done with your meal, take a tour of Ron Jon Surf Shop, and when inspiration strikes, grab your surfboard and hit the waters. Next, venture to organic, vegan-friendly restaurant The Green Room Café, where the calming yellow-and-blue interior serves as the ideal backdrop to a tropical menu featuring Sambazon açaí and endless bowl combinations such as the Big Surf Bowl (featuring pineapples, strawberries, and guava juice).

How does @travelchannel spend the perfect #Maui day? With #Ululanis #ShaveIce of course! 🌈🌊☉ #UlulanisHawaiianShaveIce #Lahaina #Kaanapali #MauiLani #Wailuku #Kahului #Kihei #Hawaii #PerfectDay #Beach #Surf #Ocean #Rainbow #NotASnowCone #Sunshine #Summer #HappyMemorialDay

A post shared by Ululani's Shave Ice (@ululanishawaiianshaveice) on May 29, 2017 at 7:11pm PDT

Lahaina, Maui

The small, scenic Maui town Lahaina is surrounded by numerous beaches with golden-white sands and wondrous whale-watching views. To fuel your body before channeling your inner Moana, head downtown for a plethora of dining options. Organic and locally sourced Choice Health Bar offers a full menu of vegan goodies from kale salad to Buddha bowls to cashew chèvre-topped raw pizzas. If you’re out with children, head to Ululani’s Hawaiian Shave Ice for more than 40 flavors and combinations of shave ice, an incomparable Hawaiian treat. For date night, enjoy a wine tasting or cold beer at Fleetwood’s on Front Street's rooftop patio that overlooks the glistening Pacific Ocean. If the name sounds familiar, that’s because it’s owned by Fleetwood Mac’s drummer and co-founder Mick Fleetwood. Before heading to bed, grab a treat for the morning at Maui Sugar Shop, an organic bakery specializing in fresh plant-based cupcakes, doughnuts, and pumpkin spice coffee cakes. 

Aruka Sanchir is an editorial assistant at VegNews who is eagerly planning her next beach town getaway.