Local adaptation to climate change impacts are increasingly observed across communities. This study is focused on the assessment of vulnerability to climate change and documents the adaptation practices relevant to two sectors namely, farming and fishing in two selected coastal districts of the East coast stretch of Tamil Nadu state in India with special reference to the local livelihoods. This study takes a case study approach examining both the effectiveness of adaptation options and the prevailing constraints in implementing the adaptation strategies. Besides the analysis of past climate data for the study area, in-depth interviews and focus group discussions are key methodology used to elicit information. This paper offers an adaptation framework that is relatively simple capturing both the effectiveness and constraints of adaptation options that are in vogue in the study area covering the two important livelihood sectors farming and fishing.