Escape to an Island Bed & Breakfast this Fall

There’s no need to board a plane to enjoy the fall season on an island – from the sunny islands on the California coast to the heritage-rich islands along the Georgia oceanfront, there is a bed and breakfast inn that will welcome you with the perfect autumn vacation.

I Love Inns (www.ILoveInns.com) has chosen some of their favorite island getaways for fall.

Craftsman Meets California Beach on Catalina Island, CA
From weddings on the rooftop deck to girlfriend getaways that take advantage of the many spas nearby, the 15-room Avalon Hotel on Catalina Island surrounds you with understated elegance.  Some rooms have ocean views, many have balconies, and all have local artwork; restful mattresses, high-thread count linens, and double-layered robes complete your escape. Festivals celebrating the arts, wine, jazz and swing dancing are held in September and October.  Midweek specials are available at the Avalon through October.

Luxury and Romance on Cumberland Island, GA
Most of Cumberland Island off the southernmost coast of Georgia is dedicated to a national park, but you can enjoy the southern hospitality of the four-story Greyfield Inn nestled in over 200 acres of private land for guest use only. Built by the Thomas Carnegies around the turn-of-the-century, the Inn hearkens back to a bygone era both inside and out. Meals are included in your room rate, as are tours of the island and the use of bicycles and sports equipment. Fall visitors will have a spectacular view of the seasonal bird migrations and over 300 species have been seen on the island.

Nautical Adventures on Nantucket, MA
The Seven Sea Street Inn prides itself on providing ‘authentic Nantucket ambiance’ with modern amenities like HDTV, Jacuzzi spas and rainfall showerheads.  The Widow’s Walk deck affords a stunning view of Nantucket Harbor and a suggested multi-day itinerary on the Inn’s web site offers a wide variety of activities for amusement.  Whale-watching trips and sailing excursions continue through October, and the Coskata Wildlife refuge surrounding Great Point Lighthouse will test your surfcasting skills.

Over 100 Years of Hospitality on Kelley’s Island, OH
The Inn at Kelley’s Island is surrounded by the deep waters of Lake Erie off the northern border of Ohio. Close to the docks and town, you’ll only need your walking shoes and a bicycle to make the most of exploring this quaint island, where doors are rarely locked and everyone knows their neighbor. First opened to guests in 1905, you can reflect on the Inn’s history while enjoying the lake view of freighters and ferries from the front porch.  On the north side of the island, explore 18,000-year-old Glacial Grooves, carved when a great ice sheet covered North America.

Try a Totally New Theme on Tybee Island, GA
With names like Moulin Rouge and Key Largo, the rooms at the Atlantis Inn on Tybee Island make for an unforgettable romantic getaway.  Off the Georgia coast near Savannah, the Inn is at the heart of the Island, near restaurants, galleries and shopping.   Some of the rooms have spa tubs, and the Inn’s concierge service will be more than happy to help you with special touches like flowers, champagne and chocolates.  You may never want to leave your room, but the many music and arts festivals on the island and in nearby Savannah in September and October will entice you out – there is even a Pirate Festival in October!

Arts and Relaxation on Vashon Island, WA
In the center of the Puget Sound, the Artist’s Studio Loft on Vashon Island will transport you to peacefulness and serenity, melting your daily cares away.  Surrounded by beautiful gardens which still feature blooms in the fall, you wind your way to the rooms and cottages of the Loft through artistic gates and arbors, along graceful winding paths.  The annual Harvest Festival in September highlights the local farmers’ produce.  Bicycle around the island to drink in the brilliant fall foliage and visit a flourishing arts community just one mile away in Vashon.  

National Historic Landmark on Jekyll Island, GA
You can imagine yourself in the company of the Rockefellers and the Vanderbilts in the entrance hall of the Jekyll Island Club Hotel, on Jekyll Island off the Georgia coast. A four-story polished oak stairway, boar’s head over the fireplace and grand gilded mirrors will have you waltzing in cocktail attire in the Grand Dining Room.  Fall activities at the Club abound, with sixty-three holes of golf for your putting and pitching pleasure, dolphin cruises daily through November, and carriage rides around the 240 acres of grounds which can be arranged by the concierge.

Breakfast fresh from the Garden on Bainbridge Island, WA
Holly Lane Gardens on Bainbridge Island near Seattle on the Washington coast is on a flower farm, with developing gardens and acres of wild woodlands and streams. You don’t have to make a choice between garden and mountain views– all three guest accommodations have both!  The gardens take care to provide a bountiful homemade breakfast, with many ingredients from the farm itself. The fall months bring a harvest fair, pumpkin walk and a blackberry jam festival, along with local foods and crafts at the Saturday Farmers Market.

Still undecided? Log onto www.iloveinns.com and browse through the 19,000 B&Bs and country inns that specialize in other events and locations that may interest you. Many of the properties listed above are also in the best-selling bed and breakfast guidebook Bed & Breakfasts and Country Inns with a Buy-One-Night-Get-One-Night-Free Certificate. ILoveInns also offers Bed and Breakfast Gift Certificates, a perfect solution to help celebrate any occasion.

About American Historic Inns and iLoveInns.com
American Historic Inns, Inc. (www.iloveinns.com), founded in 1981, is the leading publisher of bed & breakfast guidebooks, with more than 2.5 million bed & breakfast guidebooks sold, and runs iLoveInns.com, a top bed & breakfast and country inns directory.

Note: For photos or interviews, please contact Deborah Sakach at 949-497-2232, ext. 308.