I know I recently wrote about my favorite romantic summer movies and favorite summer movies with a witchy/Halloween vibe. But now that we’re in September, I’m struggling to let summer go. Why? Because there’s something about the end of summer that carries a sense of magic. Those last golden sunsets, the bittersweet feeling of change in the air, and the fleeting romances that seem to glow brightest just before the season fades.
It’s no wonder so many films capture this in-between time, when love stories unfold against the backdrop of warm nights giving way to cooler days. Whether it’s a seaside fling, a moment of rediscovery, or the tension of knowing the season won’t last forever, these movies embody the heart-tugging essence of summer’s end.
Some of these movies are older movies, and a few are rom-coms, but all of them are filled with the end-of-summer vibes. Many are family-friendly and some are for adult audiences only. So pop the popcorn and jump in because these films are here to remind you that those end-of-summer feelings can last all year long.
I’ve not included links to the streaming services because the rights to movies are constantly being sold between the services so it’s hard to keep up. All trailers courtesy of YouTube.
🎬 Favorite End of Summer Movies
☀️ 1. Adventureland (2009)
A coming-of-age romance set against the backdrop of a rundown amusement park during one last summer before adulthood.
☀️ 2. Moonrise Kingdom (2012)
A whimsical, nostalgic tale of young love and adventure during a single summer on a New England island.
☀️ 3. Say Anything (1989)
Begins in the final days of high school (summer’s edge), ends with going off to college in England, and explores the fragile sweetness of young love.
☀️ 4. Endless love (2014)
I prefer the 2014 version to the 1981 film, but both versions center on the intensity of a romance ignited during the summer months.
☀️ 5. A Little Romance (1979)
Two young teens meet in Paris one summer, capturing the fleeting magic of youthful love.
☀️ 6. Mystic Pizza (1988)
Small-town coastal vibes with love stories entwined in the last days of carefree youth. And it’s one of my favorites since I’ve been to Mystic, CT and eaten pizza there!
☀️ 7. Summer of ’42 (1971)
A coming-of-age romance framed in nostalgia for summers past.
☀️ 8. forgetting sarah marshall (2008)
A breakup, a new romance, and a Hawaiian setting that fits the “last-chance summer” vibe.
☀️ 9. Nights in rodanthe (2008)
A windswept romance on the coast as summer wanes. With Richard Gere. 🙂
☀️ 10.stealing beauty (1996)
Romantic and lush, set in the Tuscan countryside during a summer of self-discovery.
☀️ 11. Now and Then (1995)
Nostalgia, friendship, and growing up during one pivotal summer.
☀️ 12. One Crazy Summer (1986)
A fun, quirky summer comedy with a sweet romance in the mix.
☀️ 13. Before Sunrise (1995)
A fleeting, deeply romantic connection over one night that captures the impermanence of summer love.
☀️ 14. The last song (2010)
Set during a transformative summer at the beach, full of love and loss.
☀️ 15. 500 days of summer (2009)
More metaphorical, but it embodies the bittersweet impermanence of love and changing seasons.
