Looking for beautiful beaches on Cape Cod? We got you! Here is a list of some of the best beaches on Cape Cod.
Cape Cod
- Cape Cod, an arm-shaped headland on Massachusetts’ east coast, is frequently associated with ‘beach,’ It offers some of the best beach destinations not only in the United States but also in the world.
- Cape Cod is one of the most visited places on the planet, with an endless stretch of breathtaking coastline, historical sites, natural attractions, and tropical flora and fauna.
- The Bay is divided into four sections: the upper cape, the middle cape, the lower cape, and the outer cape.
- Wellfleet, a town on the outer cape, is mostly made up of the Cape Cod Bay National Seashore.
- Cape Cod, with nearly 600 miles of coastline in southeastern Massachusetts, is a summer haven for New Englanders looking to soak up some sun after a long winter.
- The region’s diverse shores offer something for everyone, from kid-friendly spots with tide pools to stretches of sand with excellent surfing conditions
11 Best Beaches In Cape Cod
We made this list containing some best beaches on cape cod. So, what are you waiting for? Let’s find out what are the best beaches on Cape Cod.
1. Monument Beach
Monument Beach is located in the town of Bourne, Massachusetts. It is a sprawling tropical paradise that overlooks the entrance to the Cape Cod Canal. Despite its size and location, the surroundings are incredibly serene and not at all overcrowded.
The dock near the beach provides spectacular views of the sea. You could also jump into the water cannonball style from here. The beach’s waters are calm and ideal for families with children.
Monument Beach’s public facilities include concession stands, restrooms, a boardwalk, picnic areas, bathhouses, and a large parking lot.
Windsurfing and beach volleyball are popular beach activities. The area is patrolled by lifeguards.
2. Craigville Beach
Craigville Beach in Barnstable is convenient for everyone, with showers, umbrella rentals, and handicap accessibility. While its wide swath of shore attracts many swimmers and sunbathers, recent visitors said it’s also a great spot for children.
Furthermore, several restaurants are located across the street, allowing for a quick lunch. Parking is easier to come by here than at other sandy spots in the area, but keep in mind that, like other beaches in Cape Cod, Craigville requires the purchase of a beach sticker to park on-site.
3. Sandy Neck Beach
Sandy Neck Beach is Barnstable’s longest beach. It is famous for its high dunes and cool, clear water. Sandy Neck is a six-mile-long beach that is well-known for its off-roading trails.
The water here is colder than on most of Cape Cod’s southern beaches, but it is still ideal for swimming. This pebbly barrier beach offers spectacular views of the ocean despite its pebbly exterior.
Because the shoreline is a breeding ground for the threatened species of the piping plover, off-roading, a popular sport here, is restricted early in the season. The road to Sandy Neck begins in Sandwich, but the beach is in Barnstable, allowing residents of both townships to receive special discounts on periodic beach stickers.
4. Veterans Park Beach
Near Hyannis, Veterans Park Beach comes with excellent facilities and stunning views of Lewis Bay. The beach is named after the Veterans Memorial Park, which is adjacent to the beach. It has gardens, shady areas, lawns for picnicking, a pool, a Korean War Memorial, and a John F. Kennedy Memorial.
The beach is moderately crowded but never overcrowded. The sand is littered with broken shells, and a walk along the beach will quickly fill a bucket with treasures.
A playground, BBQ grills, disabled facilities, benches, bike racks, showers, lifeguards, restrooms…in fact, everything you need for a full day of activities is available. In addition, there is plenty of paid parking in the area.
There’s also a volleyball court and the essential snack bar, which serves burgers, drinks, and ice cream. The wide sands are ideal for building sandcastles or simply relaxing on a beach chair and watching the boats come and go from Hyannis Harbor.
5. Race Point Beach
Race Point Beach is one of the most beautiful yet least visited beaches on Cape Cod.
Henry David Thoreau, the great American writer, wrote eloquently about the beauty of this place. It’s easy to see how the peaceful location piqued his interest.
Head to the northern tip of the peninsula’s curve, away from the bay, to find golden sand, surf-friendly breakers, and historical sites, all without the crowds that swarm the bay’s beaches.
Find a spot on the vast sandy expanse for sunbathing or wildlife watching. Sit on the beach and keep an eye out for the right whales. Come to Race Point in the spring to have the best chance of seeing these magnificent creatures.
The head of a friendly seal bobbing in the water is a more common year-round sight.
Bring your surfboard to Race Point to ride the wilder northern shores of the peninsula. For a more tranquil experience, try fishing for striped bass from the water’s edge or keeping an eye out for the piping plover, a protected local bird species.
Before you go swimming or sunbathing, take a moment to appreciate the region’s history. Explore the Old Harbor Life-Saving Station Museum, housed in a late-nineteenth-century building, to learn about the Coast guard members who worked here.
Race Point Lighthouse, a historic structure marking the entrance to Cape Cod Bay, can be reached by walking around the beach’s curve. It was constructed in 1816. Join one of the twice-weekly public tours of the tower to see the old lamp room and take in the views of the beach and surrounding area.
6. Marconi Beach
Marconi Beach is a beach that backs up to the outer Cape’s bluffs. The beach has plenty of parking and plenty of room to spread out and enjoy the beach.
The beach is named after Guglielmo Marconi, the famous Italian inventor who transmitted the first transatlantic wireless communication from the nearby Marconi Station in 1903. It is about 2 hours by car from Boston.
Visit the Marconi Station’s observation platform to get a bird’s-eye view of Cape Cod and the Atlantic Ocean.
Take a family hike along the 1.5-mile Atlantic White Cedar Swamp Trail, which is lined with a variety of beautiful plants and trees.
Cool off in the summer by going for a swim in the ocean or participating in activities such as surfing and boogie boarding.
7. Skaket Beach
Skaket Beach is a beautiful bay beach popular with families due to its warm water and calm surf.
Flats are exposed at low tide, allowing you to walk out over a mile and explore tidal pools. Even during high tide, a large beach with soft sand remains, and the surf is calm, making this beach ideal for young children.
Parking is available here (cash only at the gate) or through the town of Orleans at 40 Giddiah Hill Road Orleans, MA, with a weekly or season pass. Passes are required between the hours of 7:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. on weekends beginning Memorial Day weekend and daily beginning June 15 through Labor Day.
During the off-season, dogs are also permitted. They are not permitted from April 1 to Labor Day.
8. Nauset Beach
A trip to Nauset Beach is one of the highlights of any trip to Cape Cod. When you arrive in East Orleans, you’ll find saltbox houses and buttery lobster rolls in abundance, all within walking distance of some of New England’s most beautiful beaches. Bring a camera when you visit Nauset Beach.
Nauset Beach, not far from Skaket Beach, is a great place to spend a long day with your family, enjoying traditional seaside activities like swimming or surfing. It’s also a great place to relax.
Starfish, box turtles, and seals are frequently seen here. Keep a quiet eye on these creatures as they come to lie near you on the beach to sleep in the sun. Escape to drier ground and watch the sunset from a blanket strewn in front of wind-whipped dunes.
Visit Nauset Beach in season or out of season. Because of the lack of crowds, you may feel as if you have your private sanctuary on the beach. During the week, you’ll have more privacy. The sand is heavy and fine-grained, allowing you to build elaborate sandcastles.
9. Coast Guard Beach
Coast Guard Beach marks the beginning of what author Henry David Thoreau referred to as the “Great Beach,” a 20-mile-long stretch of sandy coastline. During the summer, Coast Guard is a popular swimming spot.
The beach is accessible via an open-air shuttle. During the summer, parking at the small beach lot is limited to residents and vehicles with handicap placards. Pets are not permitted on the south side of the beach during the nesting and migration seasons to protect nesting and migrating shorebirds.
Coast guard Beach has soft sand and is ideal for playing in the waves. Pedestrians and bicyclists must pay a $10 fee.
Active duty military and their dependents with proper ID and children under the age of 16 pay no admission fee. Fees for all visitors go into effect on July 2.
From July 2 to Labor Day, lifeguards will be on duty at this beach. The restrooms will be cleaned regularly, but there will be no public showers.
10. Breakwater Beach
Breakwater Beach, near the mouth of Brixham Harbour, is one of the cleanest beaches on the English Riviera, South Devon’s beautiful bay.
It is not only a Blue Flag beach, but it also has a Combined Seaside (resort) Award and is listed in the Good Beach Guide. Everyone can enjoy it because there is disabled access and adjacent parking facilities.
Scuba diving is especially popular at Breakwater Beach. Expect to see rare seagrass beds, seahorses, fish, and the occasional shipwreck.
There are several dive schools in the area, and with some of the country’s warmest and calmest waters, this is the place to learn to scuba dive and get your open water certificate.
11. Cold Storage Beach
Cold Storage Beach, flanked by rock jetties and backed by sea grass-covered dunes with beautiful houses, is an excellent choice for those in or near Dennis.
Visitors can unwind on the sand, with plenty of room for groups while watching boats sail by.
Furthermore, because the beach is located on the bayside of Cape Cod, it has calm water ideal for families. In the summer, however, only residents with permits can park in the beach’s lot before 5 p.m., so plan on parking at the nearby harbor.
Tips
- Explore the rest of the Cape Cod National Seashore while engaging in family-friendly activities such as cycling and hiking! More information about the park’s trails and beaches can be found here.
- The waves can be a little rough, so use caution when swimming with young children or inexperienced swimmers.
- Expect to pay around $20 for a day’s parking.
- Bring a camera with you in case you happen to see some seals swimming in the ocean!
Footnote:
Have you visited any of the best beaches in Cape Cod mentioned in our list? If yes, which one has been your favorite? If not, which one are you planning to visit next time? Comment below to let us know.
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Last Updated on July 3, 2023 by Susanta Biswas
