Cover From Cape Cod to Cornwall, these coastal towns capture the timeless summer mood of Cousins Beach. (Photo: Wirestock / Freepik)
From Cape Cod to Cornwall, these coastal towns capture the timeless summer mood of Cousins Beach. (Photo: Wirestock / Freepik)
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Step into the world of Cousins Beach through these real-life coastal towns with the same allure
Cousins Beach may not exist on any map, but it represents a certain idea of summer that is instantly recognisable. In The Summer I Turned Pretty, it stands in for the archetypal East Coast town where families return year after year, teenagers circle first love and days fall into a rhythm of tides and rituals. The draw of Cousins Beach is its familiarity: wraparound porches, sandy roads, evenings of boardwalk food and unpolished fun. While fictional, it mirrors real places where the season still feels long and unhurried. These coastal towns, from the United States to Japan, carry that same mood.
1. Cape May, New Jersey, USA
Cape May combines small-town charm with a long history as one of America’s earliest seaside resorts. Its Victorian architecture—gingerbread-trimmed inns and pastel-painted homes—makes the streets feel like a living postcard. Families still gather for saltwater taffy on the boardwalk or evening strolls along the promenade. The beaches are broad and manageable, less crowded than their northern New Jersey counterparts, and the town’s rhythm is dictated by tradition rather than trend.
2. Cape Cod, Massachusetts, USA
Cape Cod has long defined the archetype of the American summer holiday and is widely viewed as the inspiration for Cousins Beach. The peninsula’s appeal lies in its mix of weathered cottages, lighthouses, seafood shacks and beaches that range from calm coves to wild Atlantic stretches. Families return generation after generation, creating the same rhythm of tradition that shapes Cousins. Among its towns, Chatham captures this mood particularly well: grey-shingled houses, a working lighthouse and a lively Main Street lined with ice cream shops and boutiques.
3. Block Island, Rhode Island, USA
Accessible only by ferry, Block Island has an untamed beauty that feels removed from the mainland. Its clay cliffs, wildflower fields and 17 miles of beaches give it a raw backdrop, yet the village core is welcoming with its modest inns, ice cream stands and casual seafood joints. The island is best explored by bike, a detail that makes summers here feel formative, with freedom measured in how far you can pedal before sunset.
4. St Ives, Cornwall, England
St Ives is a former fishing village turned seaside retreat on England’s Cornish coast. Its beaches rival anything across the Atlantic, while its cobbled lanes are filled with independent cafés, pubs and art galleries. The town has long drawn painters for its natural light, adding an artistic note to its holiday-town ease. Families stake out spots on Porthmeor Beach, surfers chase waves nearby and the harbour stays lively with fishing boats. The mix of working-town grit and coastal nostalgia makes it an unexpected Cousins Beach counterpart.
5. Noosa Heads, Queensland, Australia
Noosa has the climate and landscape of a subtropical escape, but its character is still grounded in routine summer rituals. The town’s beaches back onto a protected national park, where trails wind between coves, while Hastings Street provides a casual strip of cafés and boutiques. Mornings begin with surfing or paddleboarding, afternoons slow under pandanus trees and evenings are spent over long meals that feel effortless rather than orchestrated. That blend of ease and elegance carries the same understated and romantic appeal as Cousins Beach.
6. Kamakura, Japan
Kamakura is both a historic capital and a modern summer escape, just under an hour from Tokyo. Its beaches draw families, surfers and students, creating an atmosphere that shifts easily between tradition and youth culture. Beyond the sand, wooded hills shelter temples and shrines, lending the town a sense of depth often missing in resort areas. Street stalls selling kakigori (shaved ice) and seaside fireworks festivals give it a nostalgic summer flavour. Like Cousins Beach, it’s a place where rituals, however small, become anchors of memory.
Part of the pull of Cousins Beach in The Summer I Turned Pretty is how it condenses the rituals of summer into one magical place. While the town itself is fictional, its spirit is scattered across coastlines worldwide. Whether in New England, Cornwall or Kamakura, these are towns where the season slows, family traditions take root and the backdrop feels timeless enough to step straight into a story.
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Chonx Tibajia is a senior editor at Tatler Asia’s T-Labs team, where she writes widely on lifestyle subjects including beauty, style, entertainment and travel. She has a long career in journalism, including roles as a columnist at The Philippine Star, and is the founder of the creative platform Pineappleversed. Beyond Tatler, her bylines appear in regional lifestyle and business publications, showcasing a broad portfolio that spans beauty trends, travel guides and culture pieces.
