4 U.S. Cities Where Summer Lingers Through September

For many cities around the globe, September is the beginning of the cold seasons. Whenever I want to stretch my warm summer days and nights for as long as another month, these welcoming places in the U.S. do it for me. Another reason I extend my summer vacation into September, in addition to less crowded beaches, is pricing. I've found most room rates in September are substantially lower than what they cost in August and the summer months.

Key West, Florida

Average September temperatures in this city at the southern tip of Florida are 88 daytime and 79 night. Natives of Key West call themselves conches and brag that it's the only spot in the U.S. that has never had a frost.

My favorite hotel there is the Hyatt Beach House Resort (5051 Overseas Highway, Key West). It has a private beach and rooms with ocean-view balconies, and it's perfect for extending summer vacation into warm September days.

As soon as I arrive in town, I always check the menu of the Seven Fish Restaurant (632 Olivia St., Key West). It changes daily, depending on fresh varieties they get for the day. It's small, intimate, and where the locals eat.

Tucson, Arizona

The average September temperatures in this southern Arizona city are a toasty 94 daytime and a comfortable 71 at night. Surrounded by the tall saguaro cacti of the Sonoran Desert, Tucson offers swimming, nature walks, and other activities. Just 30 miles away is 9,000-foot-high Mount Lemmon, where cool September hiking in the Coronado National Forest offers breathtaking views.

Loew's Ventana Canyon Resort (7000 N. Resort Drive, Tucson) certainly deserves its five-star rating. It's located in a beautiful natural setting, with luxury features and an adjacent championship golf course.

My favorite Tucson restaurant is at the Arizona Inn (2200 E. Elm St., Tucson), rated Four Diamonds by AAA. The dining room is part of an historic hotel and gardens in the vintage downtown area near the University of Arizona.

Malibu, California

September temperatures in this famed Southern California beach town can spike to the 90s during the day, but because of Pacific Ocean breezes, they drop to the mid-50s at night. That makes for sunning and surfing all day, followed by cool beach picnics after dark.

My preferred hotel is the Malibu Beach Inn (222878 Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu). A few steps from sand and surf, each room offers a balcony that faces the ocean. The view doesn't come cheap -- rates start at around $500 per night.

Not far away is Geoffrey's (27400 Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu). It has been a hangout for Hollywood stars since the 1940s (although formerly known as the Holiday House). I always order Geoffrey's Surf 'n Turf, featuring lobster and steak, and try to get a table on the beautiful patio overlooking the ocean.

South Padre Island, Texas

This southern Texas beach resort town on the warm Gulf of Mexico offers September temperature daytime highs of 88 and nightly lows of 74. When I was on staff at Corpus Christi Naval Air Station, I often took the three-hour drive to enjoy SPI's parasailing, snorkeling, deep-sea fishing, and other fun activities.

I've spent some nights at the beachside Palms Resort (3616 Gulf Blvd., South Padre Island). It's an all-suite hotel, each guest room with a kitchen area, refrigerator, and microwave oven. For dinner, I ate at the Palms Resort's Cafe on the Beach, famed for fresh seafood specialties.

You can follow travel writer Ted Sherman on Twitter @travel4seniors and check out his blog travel4seniors.com.

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