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Barnstable/Hyannis
Address: Hawes Ave, Barnstable Recreation Division, Hyannis, MA
Phone: 508.775.9695
All beaches are accessible from Rte 28. Listed below are sites with parking available for nonresidents. All are handicapped-accessible. Lifeguards are on duty daily from late June through Labor Day between the hours of 9 am and 5 pm. Restrooms close at 4:30 pm. Parking areas open from 9 am to 9 pm, and fees are collected until 3:30 pm. Parking at Sandy Neck is $12 on weekdays, $15 on weekends and holidays, $40 per week, $200 seasonal. Parking at all other beaches is $12 per day, $40 per week. Fishing licenses required.
— Craigville Beach, on Craigville Rd in Centerville, has a snack bar and restrooms. Known for muscle builders. Moped rentals available.
— Kalmus Park, off Ocean St in Hyannis, has a bathhouse, a snack bar, a picnic area, and restrooms. Popular with windsurfers. Short walk from downtown Hyannis.
— Orrin Keyes Beach (a/k/a Sea Street Beach), on Sea St in Hyannis, is a quiet beach at the end of a residential street and attracts a local crowd. It has a bathhouse, grills, a snack bar, a picnic area, and a volleyball area.
— Sandy Neck Beach, off Rte 6A in West Barnstable, gets its name from its six-mile shoreline. It offers a bathhouse, a snack bar, and restrooms. Popular for snorkling and diving. Admission $10.
— Veterans Park, off Ocean St in Hyannis, has a bathhouse, a snack bar, grills, a playground, a volleyball area, and toilets. Family friendly.
Brewster
Address: Rte 6A, Brewster
Phone: 508.896.4511
Brewster's seven public beaches are accessible from the historic Kings Highway, Rte 6A. No lifeguards at town beaches. A few portable toilets, but otherwise no facilities. Parking permits cost $15 and are required from June 14 through Labor Day. They can be purchased at the Visitor Information Center on Main Street, from 9 am to 3 pm daily. Beaches close at 10 pm nightly.
Chatham
Address: 549 Main St, Chatham, MA
Phone: 508.945.5175
Chatham beaches face Nantucket Sound and are accessible from Rte 28. Exit at Cockle Cove Rd, Ridgevale Rd, or Harding Beach Rd, and you’ll find gentle surf within walking distance of restrooms and a snack bar. The beach areas in the eastern part of town tend to have a stronger current, so check surf advisory beforehand. Lifeguards on duty from 9 am to 4:30 pm. Children under 10 must be supervised. Parking passes are available at the beach, but only cash is accepted. Parking by permit $15 per day, $60 per week, $125 for the season.
Dennis
Address: Rtes. 6A and 28, Dennis
Phone: 508.760.6159
Dennis beaches face either Cape Cod Bay (those off Rte 6A) or Nantucket Sound (those off Rte 28). Both sides have restrooms, lifeguards, snack bars, first-aid stations, and swimming areas with tame waters. The town’s only bathhouse is located at West Dennis Beach, on Nantucket Sound. Parking $15 per weekday, $20 Sat, Sun and holidays, $55 per week, and $130 per season.
Eastham
Address: Rte 6, Eastham
Phone: 508.240.7211
Eastham has two National Seashore beaches, Coast Guard Beach and Nauset Light Beach, on the Atlantic Ocean side off Rte 6. Coast Guard Beach is known for its great surf, and Nauset Lighthouse is a famous Cape Cod landmark. Both have restrooms and a snack bar. Parking is $15 per day and season passes are $45. Get there early, before the lots fill up.
Falmouth
Address: Rte 28, Falmouth, MA
Phone: 508.548.8623
Email: beach@town.falmouth.ma.us
Falmouth beaches are accessible from Rte 28. All provide handicap access and beach wheelchairs. Lifeguards on duty. No dogs allowed.
— Old Silver Beach, on Quaker Road in North Falmouth, faces Buzzards Bay. Considered the softest shore in Falmouth. Bathhouse, snack bar, and restrooms available. Parking $20.
— Menauhant Beach, on Menauhant Road in East Falmouth, faces Nantucket Sound. A snack bar, a bathhouse, and portable toilets available. Parking $10.
— Surf Drive Beach, on Surf Drive in Central Falmouth, faces Nantucket Sound. A snack bar, a bathhouse, and restrooms available. Parking $10.
Harwich
Address: Parks and Recreation, 100 Oak St, Harwich, MA
Phone: 508.430.7553
Email: info@harwichrecreation.com
Red River Beach off Rte 28 in South Harwich, is located on the Nantucket Sound. Restrooms and mobile concessions available. Parking $15 per day, $55 per week.
Orleans
Address: Rte 6A, Orleans, MA
Phone: 508.240.3775
Email: info@capecod-orleans.com
Town parking passes for temporary residents $50 weekly, $110 for the season. Available at Nauset Beach administration building. Public parking $15 per day.
— Nauset Beach, on Beach Road (off Rte 6), on the Atlantic coast, offers a bathhouse, outdoor showers, restrooms, lifeguards, and a snack bar. A great area for surfing. Off-roading allowed. Mostly handicap-accessible.
— Skaket Beach, on Skaket Beach Rd (off Rte 6A), is on the bay side near the town center and offers restrooms, lifeguard, and a snack bar.
Provincetown
Address: Rte. 6A, Provincetown, MA
Phone: 508.349.3785
Provincetown beaches are part of the Cape Cod National Seashore and are accessible from Rte 6. An alternative to the $15 daily parking fee is the Provincetown shuttle bus, which travels 6A every 20 minutes and costs $1.
— Herring Cove has a bathhouse, lifeguards, toilets, and a snack bar. The near left section of the beach is predominantly lesbian, the far left predominantly gay, and if you wander even further left, you enter the nude beach area.
— Race Point Beach faces the ocean. But for the flying fishing lines, it is considered one of the most tranquil beaches on the Cape. Bathhouse and toilets are available, and there is handicap access.
Truro
Address: Rte 6A, Truro, MA
Phone: 508.349.3635
Truro beaches are accessible from Rte 6A. Beach stickers can be purchased from the Beach Office at 36 Shore Rd..
— Corn Hill Beach, on Corn Hill Rd, facing Cape Cod Bay, has toilets but no other facilities. No lifeguard on duty. Handicap-accessible. Admission fee.
— Head of the Meadow Beach, on Head of the Meadow Rd, facing the Atlantic, has toilets but no other facilities. Lifeguards on duty. Admission fee.
— Longnook Beach, on Longnook Rd, is located at the base of a sizable dune, providing a great elevated view of the ocean. Arrive early because parking can be tricky.
Wellfleet
Address: Rte 6, Wellfleet, MA
Phone: 508.349.9818
Wellfleet beaches are accessible from Rte 6. Except for Mayo Beach, parking is $15 per day, $60 per week, $100 per two weeks, and $200 for a season pass.
— Cahoon Hollow, off Ocean View Dr, faces the Atlantic. It’s the site of a popular restaurant/bar, the Beachcomber, which attracts a young and single crowd, but walk 150 feet in either direction for an empty beach. Portable toilets. Parking available, but get there by 11 am for a spot.
— Marconi Beach, off Marconi Beach Rd in South Wellfleet, faces the Atlantic and is part of the Cape Cod National Seashore. Like the waves, the bluffs are quite high here, so it’s not ideal for sunbathing. Lifeguards on duty. It has a bathhouse and restrooms.
— Mayo Beach, off Kendrick Ave, faces Wellfleet Harbor on Cape Cod Bay. It’s calm and the water’s warm, so expect a lot of families and kids. There are public toilets and nearby restaurants. Free parking.
— White Crest Beach, off Ocean View Dr, faces the Atlantic. It’s popular with surfers and, at off-peak hours, hang-gliders. There are restrooms available and a snack bar. Lifeguards on duty.
Yarmouth
Address: Rte 28, Yarmouth, MA
Phone: 508.398.2231
Yarmouth beaches are accessible from Rte 28, and all but one face Nantucket Sound. Parking $12, $15 on weekends and holidays, $45 per week, $125 for a season pass.
— Bass Hole (a/k/a Gray’s Beach), on Center St off Rte. 6A, has a picnic area and a playground. Great fishing spot. Limited free parking.
— Bass River Beach (a/k/a Smuggler’s Beach), on South Shore Dr, has a bathhouse, a snack bar, and restrooms. Wheelchair-accessible fishing pier available.
— Parker's River Beach, on South Shore Dr, has a large parking lot, a snack bar, a playground, and restrooms. No lifeguard on duty.
— Sea Gull Beach, on Sea Gull Rd in West Yarmouth, is the largest beach in town. The beach is wheelchair-accessible. It has plenty of dunes, plus a bathhouse, a snack truck, and restrooms. Facilities do not accommodate wheelchairs.
— Seaview Beach, off South Shore Dr, offers restrooms and a snack bar.
