Peak season is mid-June to Labor Day, when the beach is full, every restaurant takes reservations, and rates double. The town is at its busiest and its priciest then but also at its most alive.
Shoulder season — May, June, and September — has warm water, smaller crowds, and lower prices. Many regulars say this is the best time to come. October brings the hawk migration and Victorian Week, a festival of house tours, Victorian fashion shows, and ghost tours.
Winter is the contrarian's choice: most things are closed, but the Christmas-lights tours, the off-season antique shows at Convention Hall, and the empty beach have their own austere charm. Several large hotels stay open year-round.