Ok. So where do you go then? Stone Harbor in November doesn’t sound appealing. There’s going to be hotspots from now-on somewhere.
Also, some of these beach areas will slow down in August. Years ago Myrtle Beach was a quiet hamlet after August (not now).
Nashville might be nice.
Another place I would think about is Newport RI or something in that area. Cape Cod nearby. Boston and Providence nearby. New York within driving distance. Berkshires. Skiing not too far either.
During hurricane season? I would vote no.
@MWolf Very true! Winters in the upper Midwest are not for the faint of heart.
If that’s the case then no beach between Galveston and Virginia Beach should be considered.
Best to account for zoning laws. When looking for off campus housing near my daughter’s school I’ve discovered that they keep students out by allowing no more than two unrelated people to share a rental. I imagine other places have rules as such too.
It’s pretty much standard in college towns to have an unrelated occupancy limit. Here in Boulder it is 3 for example.
My advice would be somewhere in Southern California. Beach front is cost prohibitive, but something within 30 minutes of the beach would work. Plus there are mountains close by.
San Luis Obispo area would be a good example.
A lot of these towns in SoCal are restrictive because of quarantine issues and rental restrictions. SLO will be expensive. I wouldn’t invest in costly real estate just because these college seniors want a beach.
Even 30 minutes from the beach is expensive in SoCal.
I’m inland, 20 minutes from the beach.
In our area, condo rentals are $3-4K per month for 2 bedrooms. Usually, not including utilities, cable or internet service, plus first and last month’s rent.
They are seniors. How about if they stay home, save some room and board money for their parents now. And maybe rent a nice beach house as a graduation present.
I realize these college kids are looking forward to not living at home right now, but these are strange times. I can’t think I would even entertain this rent a house for the fall semester idea.
What about the Big Island of Hawaii? The flight may be expensive, but there may be rentals on the big island which are reasonable. The weather will be great, the risk of COVID 19 is small, etc. If the are going to stay for a few months, the mandatory quarantine is worthwhile.
Logan, Utah? Bozeman, Montana? Reno, NV? Boise, ID?
What time zone is their college in? If classes are live, they may not want to be several zones away. A 9am class on the east coast is at 6am on the west coast. Despite that, if it were me, I would choose Sedona AZ, Bend OR, Park City UT or Jackson Hole (some of my favorite vacation spots), but all of those, especially Jackson, may be way too expensive. Southern California its also very expensive - my daughter is doing an internship in LA this summer and her rent is outrageous. I have never been but I have heard that Ashville NC is beautiful. What is their budget?
I would say Jersey shore or Cape May, state is in pretty good shape Covid wise, weather is not to bad in south Jersey, big homes right on the beach, plenty of inventory. Not far from NYC or AC if either opens up.
NJdad07090’s suggestion of South Jersey makes the most sense to me.
Last night the 21 year-olds put Carlsbad, CA at the top of their list.
I like this thread - it kinda makes me consider in which places I would like to hole up until the pandemic subsides 
If it is just to do their school work online, there is no reason they have to rent for the entire semester. They might get a good deal on a house in Vt for Oct and in Maine for Nov. They can clear out by Thanksgiving and go home to do finals and eat turkey.
I’d go to Cape Cod for mid-September to mid-Oct, and then do some other area for Oct/Nov.
Just have to make sure the wifi is good and strong. My BIL used to work from his mountain townhouse so he really upped the wifi connections and power. My nephew was going to work from there but he’s now doing it from a room in his mother’s house. He has two giant monitors and his pencils and stuff all set up.
@Burgermeister I think I suggested the Jersey Shore a couple of pages back. Call one of the rental agent companies that rents vacation places. After Labor Day, definitively after sept 15, the Jersey Shore is off season. These students might be able to get a decent rental on Ocean City or Cape May or even Wildwood.
Ocean City NJ has tons of two unit rentals each having three bedrooms and two baths. If these kids rented the first and second floor units, they would each have a bedroom. We use Berger Realty in Ocean City. Worth a call.
But it’s not going to be a bargain.
There are lots of large cabins in western Carolinas. But thats not near water. What about the gulf coast of FL That area of FL has stayed pretty safe right now.
They found a good deal in Dana Point, home of the Hobie surfboard.
Thanks for all of your feedback!
That’s awesome!