Why not Nantucket? It is shoulder season so less expensive than summer, especially on weekdays, everything is still open, and the beaches are likely to be great.

Vermont or NH would be great in early to mid-September. In late September, you get the leaf peepers.

Burlington is a very lively town because of the university. The downtown is a pedestrian area with restaurants, bars, and brewpubs galore, yet there is a lot to see in the area (Lake Champlaign, over the mountains to Stow, etc.

> not too expensive
> away from the crowds
> romantic
> any suggestions?

A few questions to help us focus our answer.

How long of a trip are you planning? Two days? Two weeks? A place that is nice for a day or two is not necessarily a place that is nice for longer than that.

"Not TOO expensive" is an amorphous statement. For people who love to camp, a Super Eight is a luxury motel. It would help if you gave us a lodging budget for the nights you intend to stay.

Away from the "crowds" is a good start, but do you mean no tourists or no residents? Many towns and cities in New England are at a low point of tourists in September, so even Portland would be have TOURIST crowds. But perhaps you want an isolated cabin.

What EXACTLY do you consider "romantic?" Some couples can think of nothing better than to sit together on a quiet beach while reading a book and sipping a beverage -- after thirty years of marriage, my wife and I would have trouble imagining anything we would find LESS romantic than that. It SOUNDS like you're looking for a cabin in the woods, but maybe you're more interested in luxury than rustic. The more specific you are, the better advice you'll get.

MY advice would be to find a B&B in the south of Vermont, in an area with NO CHANCE of foliage. Otherwise, if there's an early color change, you'll be inundated with last-second leaf peepers.