Traveling on a whim to the French Riviera used to be the stuff of James Bond fairytales. Now, jetting off to the seaside city of Nice is quite doable, thanks to nonstop service on United Airlines out of Dulles International Airport. Weary DMV denizens in need of some joie de vivre can hop on an overnight flight and wake up to the sights and sounds of the south of France by breakfast time.
September marks the beginning of the shoulder season in Nice, when most European vacationers have returned to work, leaving the city’s iconic, palm-lined Promenade des Anglais considerably less crowded. Hotels and resorts cut their rates by as much as 50%, although beach weather continues through October, with temperatures averaging in the 70s and 80s.
If the sandy strands, turquoise water and historic architecture aren’t tempting enough, this idyllic destination also enjoys a unique topography. Located at the foot of the French Alps, its outlying hamlets sit at an ideal elevation for grape growing, and the region is prized for its old-world wines. Add to that a thriving and centuries-old art scene, and you’ll be bidding adieu to Beltway traffic tout suite.
United’s seasonal direct flights are available May through September, on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, and the flight is exactly 8.5 hours. (At other times of the year, connecting flights from hub cities add an extra five hours to the trip.)
Where to Eat & Drink
If your idea of French cooking is butter, cream and roast chicken, Niçoise cuisine may take you by surprise. Hyper-local ingredients, including all manner of sea creatures, feature prominently in a culinary style that mixes French and Italian influences. After all, the city is only 15 miles from the Italian border.
Walk the narrow cobblestone streets of Old Nice to browse two of its most popular markets, the Marché de la Libération and Marché aux Fleurs, where the goods include regional olive oils, seasonal fruits and vegetables, preserved spices and herbs (great to take home as souvenirs) and fresh Mediterranean seafood.
Grab a table inside or out at the recently opened Noto for a taste of that bounty. Chef Emilio Giagnoni’s talents shine in dishes such as seafood carpaccio, saffron sea bass risotto, and a refreshingly light and airy lemon mousse. The Sicilian-style dining room with terra cotta walls spills onto a breezy sidewalk cafe offering dining al-fresco. Buzzy cocktails (think espresso martinis and the signature spritz di sole—a riff off an Aperol spritz) keep the place hopping well into the wee hours. The restaurant stays open until 2 a.m.
Tina Trattoria, a new restaurant by chefs Florencia Montes and Lorenzo Ragni, opened in March in the heart of the old city with a daily three-course lunch special for under $35. For a fancier tasting menu, pop next door to Onice, a concept by the same chefs that earned a Michelin star in 2025.
Reservations are a must at La Merenda, a tiny, family-run, cash-only bistro known for traditional Provençal dishes such as fried zucchini blossoms, ratatouille, beef stew and pissaladière, a French flatbread topped with caramelized onions and olives. After dinner, take a stroll to Boulangerie D’Amore a bakery that stays open until midnight, serving gelato alongside buttery croissants, fruit tarts and other tempting treats.
Where to Stay
The fall season brings significantly reduced room rates at glitzy resorts offering easy access to both city and beach. The grandest dame of them all is the historic Le Negresco, whose pink-domed Belle Époque facade has presided over the Promenade des Anglais for more than a century. A living museum filled with period antiques, toile tapestries and Michelin-starred restaurant Le Chantecler, the hotel also houses more than 6,000 works of art spanning five centuries, including an original portrait of Louis XIV by Hyacinthe Rigaud, a voluptuous sculpture by Niki de Saint Phalle and a 16,309-piece Baccarat crystal chandelier that anchors its glass-domed atrium. In summer, room rates top $2,000 per night, but come September, they drop to a relatively more affordable base rate of $870.
The luxury Anantara Plaza Nice overlooks Nice’s Albert 1er Gardens, a historic park connecting the Promenade des Anglais to Place Masséna, the city’s central plaza. A recent renovation preserved the building’s elegant exterior architecture while giving the interiors a contemporary refresh. Room rates in September begin at $836 per night.
For a more budget-friendly stay, with rates starting around $300 per night, consider the Palais de la Méditerranée by Hyatt. Built in 1929 and classified as a historic landmark, this Art Deco hotel was completely renovated in June. It offers several rooms with seaside balconies and a heated rooftop pool that’s open year-round.
Things to Do
Once a resort town for 19th-century aristocrats, Nice is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site prized for its art, architecture and stunning natural scenery. Start the day by taking in a panoramic view of the city from Colline du Château (Castle Hill), then lose yourself in the narrow streets of Old Nice, where the bells of Baroque churches ring on the hour, and laundry flutters from the balconies of second-story homes. If the architecture seems more Italianate than French, there’s a reason: Nice belonged to the House of Savoy and the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia until 1860, when it was ceded to France.
Shopping is a popular pastime in this chic, coastal enclave. The streets of the Carré d’Or neighborhood (whose name translates as Golden Square) are lined with designer brands such as Chanel, Louis Vuitton and Hermès. At the Galeries Lafayette Nice Masséna, a posh destination since 1916, the perks include personal shoppers and Dior treatment rooms.
In Old Nice, the atmosphere feels more homespun. Narrow, meandering streets are lined with one-of-a-kind boutiques selling leather goods, handcrafted jewelry, secondhand clothing, ceramics and local art. Be sure to visit Le Palais d’Osier, a century-old basket weaving shop selling everything from picnic baskets, woven hats and tote bags to custom cane-backed chairs.
No trip is complete without a full day exploring the city’s world-class artwork. The Matisse Museum, located on the Cimiez Hill in a former Genoese villa, houses paintings, sculptures, paper collages and other works by the iconic Fauvist who spent much of his adult life in Nice. A special exhibit on display through Sept. 28 highlights Matisse’s influence on fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent.
Other museums worth a stopover include the Marc Chagall National Museum, home to the largest public collection of Chagall’s works, and the Villa Masséna, which chronicles Nice’s history through the ages, from its time as an outpost under Greco-Roman rule to the chic playground it is today.
If French wine is your love language, spend an afternoon in the mountains visiting Bellet Vineyards, a 1,600-acre appellation comprising nine distinct vineyards that collectively are among the oldest in France. Planted at altitude, the grapes benefit from a unique microclimate where warm Mediterranean sunshine is cooled by fresh Alpine breezes. Braquet and Fuella Nera, the principal varietals used in its red and rosé wines, produce light-bodied blends similar to those produced in Northern Italy.
