Fall into a quiet beach vacation.

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Now is the time to plan an International Vacation Home Exchange (IVHE.com) trip at the beach for that most lovely time of year: Autumn.

There are many advantages to booking a Massachusetts beach destination vacation after the U.S. symbolic end of summer, Labor Day, has come and gone. The weather is still nice (not hot and muggy), the nighttime breezes will cool the house, and the queues outside the most popular ice cream stand are gone.

Add to the above list the following other advantages of hitting the beach communities of Cape Cod, Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard after September 7: there’s breathing (and elbow) room on the beaches, streets and bike paths; it’s easier to get a restaurant reservation on Saturday night; and there are plenty of available parking spaces.

Cape Cod, or “The Cape,” is the most Eastern part of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and stretches from Woods Hole to Provincetown. This area is a popular summer tourist destination and is known for its outdoor activities such as swimming, sunbathing, boating, fishing, biking, walking, kayaking, and golf. There are more than 25 public, daily-fee golf courses and 15 private courses on Cape Cod.  Martha’s Vineyard, or “The Vineyard” is an island and summer colony located off the coast of Massachusetts. It is 100 square miles and is accessible only by boat or air.  Nantucket, also an island, is 30 miles south of Cape Cod. Its name means “faraway land.” It is also a summer destination, which increases its population from about 15,000 to 50,000.

While out on the Cape, Martha’s Vineyard or Nantucket, it’s easy to head out in the cooler autumn air to enjoy one of many fall festivals that take place during this time.

Here’s a quick list of several festivals for the Fall of 2015:

Cape Cod:

The Labor Day Weekend Arts & Crafts Festival in Yarmouth is September 5-6

The 38^th Annual Windmill Weekend in Eastham is held September 11

The 6^th Annual Cape Cod Wildlife Festival in Cummaquid is September 12

The 27th Annual Cape Cod Glass Show & Sale in Sandwich will be held on September 12-13

The Bourne Scallop Fest is held September 18-20

The Harwich Cranberry Festival is held September 19-20

Truro Treasures Grape Stomp & Music Festival in N. Truro is held September 20

The 4^th Annual Cape Cod Brew Fest in Falmouth is September 26

Martha’s Vineyard:
The 20^th Annual Labor Day Festival is September 4-6
The Martha’s Vineyard Wind Festival is September 5
Oak Bluffs Celebrates Tivoli Day is held September 19

Nantucket

The 6^th Annual Nantucket Maritime Festival held on September 19

Fall Restaurant Week held September 28-October 3

Fall Arts Festival, the “Art of the See” October 2