Your place in the sun: The best beaches on Cape Cod
With well over 100 sandy strands to choose from, Cape Cod offers a beach bonanza to folks who love to play and relax at the water's edge. But choosing a Cape Cod beach that fits your summer dream can be a bit tricky. Some love big waves and don't mind slightly chilly water, others are looking for a mellower spot that might work better for little kids. So, to give you an idea of what's out there, we're profiling some of the Cape's biggest and best beaches — cowabunga!
Reminder: it always makes sense to check each town's beach and sticker regulations before making plans. See our handy sticker guide for more information. And, many Cape beaches can be visited after 5 p.m. without paying an entrance fee or needing a sticker.
Coast Guard Beach, Eastham
Coast Guard is probably the most famous beach on Cape Cod, as this beautiful spot often makes Top Ten lists of best beaches in the country. Waves and chilly water are a possibility here, so less capable swimmers and kids should be careful. Of course, you can always play at the water's edge and take in the stunning scenery, including great sunrises.
Beachgoers park at the nearby Little Creek lot on Doane Road and take a shuttle to the beach, which has restrooms. A bike trail connects the beach to the Salt Pond Visitor Center. What's nice about Coast Guard and all the other Cape Cod National Seashore beaches is that you don't need a town sticker to park at the beach. Simply pay a fee at the booth ($25), or purchase an annual pass ($60, covers all six Seashore beaches), and as long as there is room in the parking lot, you're good to go. Located at 2 Ocean View Drive, Eastham.
Crosby Landing Beach, Brewster
The Cape Cod Bay beaches of Brewster offer warm water swimming without many waves and are a good spot for families with little kids or folks who don't want to deal with the surf. Sunsets are fantastic here. An important thing to remember is that high tide is by far the best time for swimming, because at low tide the water recedes far into the distance. But walking the tidal flats is splendid fun as well.
Crosby Landing Beach fronts a good-sized peninsula with trails along the backing Namskaket Marsh. A relatively short walk brings you to the entrance of Namskaket Creek, a cool place to watch birds. The parking lot is relatively small and a sticker is required. According to the Brewster beach office, "non-resident beach parking permits are available for purchase online only starting June 1, 2022, permits are paperless as enforcement will be conducted using license plate reader technology." Purchase of a sticker doesn't guarantee a parking spot, so get there early and claim one.
First Encounter Beach, Eastham
First Encounter is a beautiful and large beach on Cape Cod Bay with a fair amount of parking spots. There's a big tide effect in play, with high tide being the best time to swim, but wandering the extensive flats at low tide is also good fun. This is an excellent choice for families with little kids.
There are also other parking spots beyond the main lot, which allows folks to find a less populated beach spot. Town beach stickers or daily entrance fees are required to park at First Encounter Beach. Located at the end of Samoset Road in Eastham.
Grays Beach, Yarmouth Port
Home of the very cool Bass Hole boardwalk which stretches out over a salt marsh. The beach is small and high tide is the best time to swim. The Cape Cod Bay water is warm and the protected location means it's almost always very gentle. This makes it a perfect place for families with little kids, and the sunsets are sublime.
There are restrooms, a playground and nearby hiking trails. Residents can park here with their beach stickers, non-residents must pay a daily or weekly fee. Located at the end of Center Street in Yarmouth Port.
Head of the Meadow, Truro
This might be the Cape Cod National Seashore Beach that you've never heard of, and that could be a good thing. On a hot summer day, when the parking lots are full at other beaches, you can often find a space here, perhaps because of its somewhat remote location. Head of the Meadow is an Atlantic-facing beach, so cool water and big waves can be in play. Restrooms are available.
What's nice about Head of the Meadow Beach and all the other Cape Cod National Seashore beaches is that you don't need a town sticker to park at the beach. Simply pay a fee at the booth ($25), or purchase an annual pass ($60, covers all six Seashore beaches), and as long as there is room in the parking lot, you're good to go. Located on Head of the Meadow Road in Truro.
Herring Cove Beach, Provincetown
Herring Cove Beach is an intriguing blend of Cape beach styles. Because of its location, pointed back toward Cape Cod Bay, the surf tends to be less significant than Atlantic-facing beaches. But keep in mind that swimming conditions may still be more challenging than Cape Cod Bay or Nantucket Sound Beaches and the water may be chillier than those locales.
Sunsets are outstanding at Herring Cove and the beach is long, with plenty of room for folks to spread out. It also links up to the Province Lands Bike Trail. There are bathrooms and a snack bar. What's nice about Herring Cove and all the other Cape Cod National Seashore beaches is that you don't need a town sticker to park at the beach. Simply pay a fee at the booth ($25), or purchase an annual pass ($60, covers all six Seashore beaches), and as long as there is room in the parking lot, you're good to go. Located on Province Lands Road, Provincetown.
Marconi Beach, South Wellfleet
For a lot of folks, visiting the big Atlantic-facing beaches like Marconi is essential to capturing that super-summer vibe. Sure, the water tends to be chilly and the waves can be big. But if you love the wild ocean and endless stretches of sand, it's a great place to be. The parking lot is huge and there's a pretty big set of stairs that lead down to the beach. It's also a great spot to catch a sunrise and there are restrooms. Marconi might not be the best choice if you have little kids in tow, because swimming conditions can be challenging.
What's nice about Marconi and all the other Cape Cod National Seashore beaches is that you don't need a town sticker to park at the beach. Simply pay a fee at the booth ($25), or purchase an annual pass ($60, covers all six Seashore beaches), and as long as there is room in the parking lot, you're good to go. Located at the end of Marconi Beach Road, South Wellfleet.
Mayo Beach, Wellfleet
In a refreshing change of pace from most Cape beaches, parking at Mayo Beach is FREE! It's located in Wellfleet Harbor, next to the town pier and across the street from an excellent playground and playing fields, so families can keep kids happy with the alternatives. Several restaurants are nearby, and ice cream is available at the foot of the pier.
This is a tide-affected beach, with high tide being the best time for a swim. The boat traffic coming in and out of the harbor is fun to watch. At low tide, you might see shellfishermen working their grants. Located on Kendrick Avenue in Wellfleet.
Nauset Beach, Orleans
Nauset is a giant Atlantic-facing beach with beautiful scenery and a big parking lot. A daily fee or beach sticker is required to park there. Cool water and waves can be in play, so swim with caution. Sunrises are spectacular and you can walk for miles along the shore.
The beach is a surfing and fishing hotspot and is open to off-road vehicles with a permit. Restrooms are available, and in recent years, food trucks have provided sustenance to beachgoers after erosion forced the closure of Liam's legendary snack bar. This is one of the most popular beaches on Cape Cod, so despite the size of the parking lot, it's a good idea to arrive early on a hot summer day or wait until later in the afternoon when spots open up. Located at 250 Beach Road, Orleans.
Old Silver Beach, North Falmouth
A classic old Cape Cod beach on Buzzards Bay with great sunsets and gentle water. It's a big beach, divided in two by a salt waterway. The swimming is excellent and the beach has more of a resort feel than other Cape beaches. A neat place to watch boats in the bay. Perfect for families with young kids.
There is a parking lot for those with resident stickers and a lot for the general public who pay a $30 daily fee. This is a very popular beach, so plan to arrive early to claim your parking spot. Located on Quaker Road in Falmouth.
Sandy Neck Beach Park, West Barnstable
A spectacular and enormous place, with thousands of acres of dunes, marsh, trails and forest on Cape Cod Bay. Maybe the best place on the Cape for a combined hike and swim escapade. The interior of Sandy Neck is similar to the Provincelands at the Cape tip. Some say the water can be a tad chilly, but it's still warmer compared to Atlantic-facing beaches.
The beach is six miles long and popular with off-road vehicles. Barnstable and Sandwich residents can enter with their town beach stickers and non-residents may pay a daily fee at the entrance. Located on Sandy Neck Road, West Barnstable.
Scusset Beach State Reservation, Sandwich
Located on the mainland side of Cape Cod, east of the Sagamore Bridge, Scusset Beach offers 1.5 miles of bay beach right next to the Cape Cod Canal. Recreational vehicle and tent-only campsites are also available. A great place to swim and watch boat traffic. The water is usually calm, making it a great beach for kids. Restrooms are available and folks often fish off the breakwater.
Perhaps the most intriguing thing about Scusset for folks who live off-Cape is you can visit a Cape Cod beach without crossing one of the bridges. The daily parking fee is $15 for Massachusetts residents and $40 for non-residents. Residency status is determined by the license plate of the vehicle. Located at the end of Scusset Beach Road in Sandwich.
South Cape Beach State Park, Mashpee
There's a lot to love about South Cape Beach State Park, perched on Nantucket Sound. It's a big beach, with warm water and gentle surf. The nearby Dead Neck Trail (much nicer than it sounds), is a splendid little hike that winds behind the beach area out to a neat breakwater. Loop back along the beach and stop for a swim, or plant your towel and claim a chunk of nearly deserted paradise.
The daily parking fee is $15 for Massachusetts residents and $40 for non-residents. Residency status is determined by the license plate of the vehicle. Facilities include restrooms, a picnic area and grills. Located at 668 Great Oak Road in Mashpee.
Town Neck Beach, Sandwich
Town Neck Beach is a great spot to watch boat traffic entering and exiting the Cape Cod Canal and enjoy the warm and gentle waters of Cape Cod Bay. Behind the beach a vast marsh offers excellent birdwatching. Folks returning to Town Neck after time away might be chagrined to find out about recent storm damage that has closed the iconic Sandwich Boardwalk.
It's a good spot for families with little kids and the sunsets are excellent. Those looking to park at the beach must have a resident or non-resident sticker or pay a daily or weekly fee. Located at the end of Wood Avenue in Sandwich.
West Dennis Beach
This is a mega-beach with tons of parking and offers the warm, gentle waters of Nantucket Sound. You can walk down to the breakwater at the entrance to the Bass River and watch boats. A very family-friendly atmosphere and a good place for a long, luxuriant dip in the sea. There are restrooms and swings for the kids. The short, convenient distance from parking spot to beach spot make this one of the easier beaches on the Cape to navigate with a big cooler and giant beach bag.
A sticker or daily beach parking fee is required for vehicle entrance. While the parking lot is very large, West Dennis Beach is highly popular, so it makes sense to arrive early to claim your favorite spot or swing by in the afternoon when things thin out a bit. Located on West Dennis Beach Road in West Dennis.
More: Cape Cod Beach Guide 2022
More: Cape Cod beach sticker information 2022
This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: The best beaches on Cape Cod
