Discovering the Best Beaches in and Around Boston

“One of Massachusetts’ crown jewels of beaches, particularly in off season (which means free parking), minutes from Gloucester center. A wonderful expanse of white sand beach backed up by dunes with a creek winding into the salt marshes. Extensive wildlife habitat including Salt Island, which is often accessible at low tide. We spotted a mere dozen people walking this warm, sunny late afternoon in late September. Expect quite a crowd in the warmer months, to be sure.”

– Al MacIntyre

“This beach was really cute. It is a smaller beach but I like that during the off season- dogs are allowed to run! We took a walk at dusk. It was super foggy and super spooky!”

– Brenna O’Boyle

“Nice beach, some shells, good waves to learn to surf or just cool off…people need to pick up there trash…parking $15-20 all day”

– Diego Espinal

“Went to nantasket June 12th 2024 and happened to be a small tiny fair rides going till June 16th ..
it made the whole day worth 8 hours of relaxing on beach to enjoy..

Beach was not to rocky but has rocks which give you the opportunity for rock hunting or stacking and swimming and beach vibes..

Parking was packed but not impossible at least on a weekday or just before school summer vacation.. definitely plan accordingly when full summer season starts.. parking was 15/20 bucks ma residents and 20 for non ma residents..
hotel, food , gas , fort hull and plenty of adventure space for beautiful views..

Does have bathrooms that are open to dawn to dusk ..

Definitely worth checking it out and beautiful place ✌️❤️💯”

– William Busler

“In summer, dogs are not allowed- you would also need a booking in advance. I sometimes go during summer without a dog, it is a great beach where you can actually swim with the water temp not bad as it is shallow. In autumn-spring, it is a doggo beach. My dog(s) love this beach. I have never walked to the end but I presume it is a very long walk. Crane beach membership is good to support the beach and if you go there often. I have been a member for many years.”

– Yuko Ishii

“I love this beach. They’ve got everything you expect of a privately run operation. The trustees do an excellent job with daily upkeep of the premises. You must order a “day pass” online “The Trustees of Reservations at Crane Beach” website where you can see in and off season rates and availability. Plenty of parking. Changing rooms with bathrooms, no flush composting toilets, and plenty of sinks with always full soap dispensers and multiple hands driers. Changing stalls are convenient so you can easily put on sun tan lotion properly everywhere and change into your swimsuit privately. They also have multiple outdoor shower head wash stations for after your day is done you can get that clammy beachy feel off of your body (would advise to bring some body wash as that helps to have a quick sudsy clean).
They have a shop to commemorate your day at the beach with t-shirts, hoodies, and such like. They also have a place to eat if you don’t come pre-prepared with food.
There are miles of sand dune trails with the trailhead marker in the back right corner (as you come in at your 4 o’clock, roughly) of the main parking lot to access them all. Be prepared and pace yourself as a few miles will feel like more due to the nature of sand, and there are some tough trails that will leave you huffing and puffing if you try to run them for any length of time.”

– Dreamboat MacGillicutty

“First public beach in the US? Oh, yes! And still lovely. Come even when there’s not a sandcastle contest. Watch out for the seagulls and their crabshell treasure trove! And so easy to reach on the train!”

– Laurence Jackson

“One of the cleanest beaches I’ve been to in the lower 48! I might warn you, the broken clam shells and rocks can be a burden walking on stepping on in your bare feet! I’d recommend water shoes or footwear you can wear on the beach & in the water! The International Sand Sculpture exhibition really was fabulous! There’s parking available if you arrive early. Plenty of places just off the Beach to buy food & drinks.”

– Jon Slinger

“Nahant Beach is a hidden gem just outside of Boston! The beach is clean, spacious, and offers stunning views of the ocean. It’s the perfect spot for a relaxing day out—whether you’re swimming, sunbathing, or just taking a peaceful walk along the shore. There’s plenty of parking, and the atmosphere is calm and family-friendly. It’s a great escape from the city without traveling too far. Definitely worth a visit if you’re in the Boston area!”

– BehNaz M

“This is the best beach in the Boston area. The water is clear, the waves are not too bad, and the sand is amazing. Very good vibes. Nice if you can find a way to bike in so you don’t need to worry about parking craziness”

– Rose Sinclair

“Went with the love of my life and got the most insane sunburn known to man. Completely still water and it’s Full of crabs. Just so many crabs. Couldn’t find the elusive bathroom or rinse station. Good beach though! Nice and quiet but that might’ve been bc 3 pm on a weekday”

– Saddy Snow

“This was one of the highlights of my trip. I didn’t go in the water, just sat on one of the many convenient benches lining the path across the street, and looked out at the water. The beach is my happiest happy place, so this was a great way to start my day.

It looked like there was a rope and buoy barrier strung across at the boundary of the swimming area, but it was far enough out to provide ample room for even an extremely sizeable crowd of swimmers. There was only one person swimming when I was there, early in the morning on a weekday, and they were doing laps. This leads me to believe it’s a great depth, as well. The beach itself was clean and wide, and looked like a great place to rest and watch the sun come up. The park surrounding the beach was peaceful and also clean, and simply sitting in the shade, watching planes take off and go in for a landing overhead, squirrels doing their squirrel business across the inviting expanse of grass, and the sun glistening on the water… Pure perfection.”

– Bit T

“Love Love Love this beach for summer fun in the sun ❤️🏖 beach party like they did in the 50’s😎🌊👙🩳 . Well maintained. Even the porta potties( the only bathroom facilities)aren’t terrible.”

– Mulliganstew

“Great destination for your bike ride. Roads calm enough for fast road biking but sidewalks are also wide enough to accommodate some slow rolling. Little in the way of facilities along the shore, so pack a picnic if you’re planning on having lunch. No one really swims here but you can enjoy the sand, the sun, the breeze, the view… A nice relaxing time.”

– Sam Archer

“Really great spot to watch planes, relax, walk, etc. Not very busy and could have spent the entire day! Parking is free which is rare in the part of the country. Come enjoy!”

– None Required

“A pretty good location 20 minutes shy from Downtown Boston. Beach and park combo is good. Good for families, and children as there is a dedicated playground. Perfect for planespotting as it’s close to runway 22 L and 22 R.”

– Cristian Hernández Pérez

“It’s a nice beach for the Marblehead enclave. More rocky than sandy, but the waves are fun because they’re open channel water rather than the harbor”

– Christine Fiore

“Nice, clean, little beach. This was a 3 minute car ride from where I was staying in Marblehead. The parking is $25 for non residents, and unfortunately, no dogs allowed, but it was too hot anyway. The beach also had a pavilion to sit under, a snack bar, playground, and bathrooms. Make sure you hide food because the seagulls will go after it. I watched a seagull go up to someone’s things, open a bag of skinny pop popcorn, and run away with the bag!”

– Eryn Corkey

“I don’t see this place as a beach, but rather as a spot for biking, taking my child to the playground, or walking with my dog. It has beautiful scenery, free parking, and a place to buy snacks. There’s also a spot to wash off sandy feet with showers. It’s a great place if you love planes because many fly overhead, as it’s right behind or in front of the airport—I’m not quite sure. All I know is that you can really enjoy the scenery.”

– Grace M.

“A nice private beach to enjoy the salt water and sand… And the best part was seeing all the planes take off and land…”

– Sally Diana

“This is one of the most beautiful beaches in all of mass. The locals are friendly, the beach is kept clean and the wildlife is all over the place. We enjoy coming on vacation here, even in the winter.”

– brian tenney

“I had a great time in Revere Beach at point of pines where my friend Heidi lives. Its a great beach. I moved to Florida 33 years ago and boy has Revere changed”

– Debbie Rowe

“Enjoyed a nice walk along the beach. Plenty of wildlife and good views.
Free parking along the seawall and a few choices of restaurants right across the street.”

– Kevin

“Visited the beach with family and we all loved it. It’s a very scenic, clean and long beach just perfect for an evening/ morning stroll”

– Tauseef Shahid

“This Beach I go to allot in the summer . Plenty of free street parking , bathroom’s , clean and beautiful sand . The people are great . I really enjoy my time here . They have a no dog policy . They have an ice cream truck that frequents the area.”

– Alexandra Honor Decastro -Arrivillaga

“The place is amazing. A visit to this place will reset your life 💛 💕 We were able to collect shells. It has incredible views at sunset and the water is refreshing in this hot summer 🔥”

– Paula Miranda

“Fun park. Play basketball and tennis. Beach is there. Plenty of walking trails.”

– Anthony Craig Evans

“It was quiet when we stopped through this afternoon. The water was calm and it’s a great place to stop by and relax with the babies and the children who can their bikes, etc. There is also a tennis and basketball court for the adults or whoever wants to indulge in outside sport. The park is closed by 9:00 p.m. or thereabouts so people should be aware”

– R Evans

“More mopeds driving on the grass and walking paths. DCR is awful and the city said it has no jurisdiction on DCR properties. Why can’t the city of Boston fix this. Someone’s going to get hurt.

Walking back to the ball fields, there were two gentlemen sitting on the new metal benches openly drinking a 6 pack of Corona bottles at noon on a Tuesday by the kids’ playground.

Savin Hill’s really starting to feel bad after Baker relinquished his city council seat and it shouldn’t be this way.”

– Eric Dyke

“The beach is small, and when I was laying on my towel, sand fleas were on me. You can not swim there right now, high levels. Nice to take a walk with dog s. The Bathrooms were lock. Hope it gets better . Nice view to take couple pictures”

– Doreen M

“Not what it use to be. I wouldn’t let my fish swim in that water or my dog play in the park with all the needles laying around & that city doing nothing about It. SMFH.”

– Ashley Marie

“Nice beach and scenery. There was cool breeze that day, great for picnics and naps on the nice grass”

– Escogida por Misericordia

“I went here in November/December and it was beautifully quiet. The view is that of a city beach. You’ll have your own opinion on if you like that or not. I’m pretty medium on it. This place seems like a pain to get to if you aren’t near by but if you are I’m sure you’ll have a blast. Highly recommend going when the weather is colder just to enjoy a nice part of the city with a lot less people.”

– John Benton

“New Years Day a tradition for over 25 years!”

– Jim McSherry

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– Debria Love

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– Sean Faherty

“The photos reveal Havey not Harvey Beach….this was at one time on the VFW Parkway across from the VA hospital in West Roxbury.The location is completely wrong! Things changed when the Home Depot was built several years ago.”

– Bill Holland

“Nice beach, me and my friends had a great time. Will definitely go again.”

– Scott Caissie