Cape Cod Beaches

Web sites to the best beaches in Massachusetts - from the North Shore's Ipswich and Gloucester, to Cape Cod's National Seashore.

Cape Cod National Seashore

Coast Guard Beach - Head to "The Great Beach," as named by Henry David Thoreau, in Eastham
Head of the Meadow Beach - An ocean-side beach in Truro known for towering sand dunes
Marconi Beach - Located in Wellfleet, Marconi is also the site where Italian inventor Guglielmo Marconi sent the first transatlantic wireless communication.
Nauset Light Beach - A scenic beach on the ocean side in Eastham
Race Point Beach - The beach at the tip of Cape Cod in Provincetown is known for its towering sand dunes and fierce waves
Herring Cove Beach - A beautiful Provincetown beach; sections may be considered "clothing optional"
Cape Cod National Seashore - Forty miles of Massachusetts' best beaches, scenic trails, and historic structures; see the NPS's Beach Guide (in PDF format) for detailed information about the beaches' parking and facilities

Town or state-run beaches

Scusset Beach State Reservation - This bay-side beach is near the Cape Cod Canal, in Sandwich
South Cape Beach State Park - A white-sand beach in Mashpee with boardwalks

Coastal Trails

Coast Guide - A handy guide from the state to Boston Harbor and the North Shore
Coastal Trails of Massachusetts - Not all of these spots have swimming, but this is a great list of scenic trails along the Massachusetts shore, compiled by the state
Fort Hill Trail - (opens in PDF format)
Nauset Marsh Trail - (opens in PDF format)
Atlantic White Cedar Swamp Trail - (opens in PDF format)
Great Island Trail - (opens in PDF format)
Small's Swamp Trail - (opens in PDF format)
Beech Forest Trail - (opens in PDF format)

Other resources

NESurf.com - This site offers the latest news and announcements about surfing in New England