BEACHES >
MASSACHUSETTS
> NORTH OF BOSTON
Crane Beach
Address: Argilla Rd (off Rte 133), Ipswich, MA
Phone: 978.356.4354
Email: castlehill@ttor.org
Take exit 20A off Rte 128 North and follow to Rte 133 East. Then take Northgate Rd to Argilla Rd.. The popular four-mile beach abuts the grounds of the Great House on Castle Hill (the Crane Mansion), where rolling green lawns are open to the public. Toilets (appropriately), a bathhouse (ditto), a picnic area, and a snack bar are available. Bring insect repellent — the greenheads, especially in late July, bite hard. The beach and grounds are both open year-round from 8 am to sunset. Come early, as the parking lot often fills up by 11 am. Parking $22 on weekends, $15 on weekdays. Admission for bikers and hikers $2. Admission halved after 3 pm.
Gloucester
Address: Parks and Recreation Department
Phone: 978.281.9785
Gloucester beaches are off the far northern reaches of Rte 128. Another way to get there is to take a ferry or train to the North Shore and then hop a Cape Ann Transportation Authority bus to East Gloucester. Parking may be limited to those with stickers. For information about beach stickers contact Department of Public Works, Beach and Parks Department at 978.281.9785. No alcohol, pets, or littering.
— Good Harbor Beach, Thatcher Road (Rte 127A) on the Atlantic Ocean, features a bathhouse and snack bar. Limited parking, $20 weekdays, $25 weekends.
— Half Moon Beach and Cressy’s Beach, at Stage Fort Park, are on Gloucester Harbor. They share a bathhouse, snack bar, and parking lot. Half Moon Beach is smaller and great for families, while Cressy's is a more natural, rocky beach. Visitors can bring a grill for beach barbecues. Parking $10.
— Wingaersheek Beach, on Atlantic Street, is on the Annisquam River and Ipswich Bay. It has interesting tide pools to investigate and kid-safe rocks to climb, and downtown Gloucester is within walking distance. Snack bar, bathhouse, and parking lot available. Limited parking, $25 weekends, $20 weekdays.
Lynn Shores and Nahant Beach Reservation
Address: Lynn Shore Dr, Lynn, MA
Phone: 781.485.2803
Email: mass.parks@state.ma.us
A promenade near the edge of Nahant Bay is open year-round for walking, jogging, and bicycling. A mile-long range of sand dunes runs parallel to Long Beach, and tide pools at Red Rock Park teem with marine life. Ball fields, racquetball courts, and tennis courts are available near the Nahant Rotary. The park headquarters at Ward Bathhouse offers a tot lot and restrooms. Lifeguards supervise parts of Long Beach during July and August. Beach open year-round from sunrise to sunset. Parking fees assessed between 8 am and 5 pm from May through Sept..
Plum Island
Address: Parker River National Wildlife Refuge (off I-95 and Rte 1A South), Newburyport, MA
Phone: 978.465.5753
Email: fw5rw_prnwr@fws.gov
Plum Island offers miles of long sandy beach with fishing holes and a strong surf. Refuge beach closed at least until July to protect the nesting piping plovers. Until then, there are hiking trails through marshes and dunes, observation towers, and other areas for bird watching. Bring insect repellent and arrive early — the parking lots can fill up by 8 am and the gates reopen only every two hours. Parking available for a fee at Sandy Point and the Wildlife Refuge. Open year-round from sunrise to sunset.
Rockport
Address: Cape Ann Peninsula, MA
Phone: 978.546.6575
Email: info@rockportusa.com
Rockport is no longer a dry town, having lifted its ban on the purchase and serving of alcohol in April 2005. Rockport beaches can be found past Gloucester on Rte 127A. Artists and tourists abound here. Lifeguards are on duty in the more popular swimming areas from 9 am to 5 pm. Surfing is generally permitted at other times. Parking fees may apply. Parking meters are enforced 7 days per week on many Rockport streets and parking tends to be severely limited. Take the MBCR from North Station to Rockport for $7.75 to avoid parking headaches.
— Front Beach and Back Beach are the only Rockport beaches that do not require a parking sticker. Both are located on Sandy Bay, in the center of Rockport, with metered parking, restaurants, toilets, and the Rockport Commuter Rail Station within walking distance.
— Cape Hedge Beach, on South Street, is on the ocean and far from town.
— Long Beach, off Thatcher Road, is on the ocean
— Old Garden Beach, on Sandy Bay, is secluded and residential but within walking distance from downtown.
— Pebble Beach, on Penzance Rd, is on the ocean and aptly named for the smooth stones that cover it.
Salisbury State Beach
Address: Off Rtes 1A and 110, Salisbury, MA
Phone: 978.462.4481
Email: mass.parks@state.ma.us
Salisbury has close to four miles of ocean-side beach. Facilities include handicapped-accessible bathhouses with showers and toilets, a public-access boat ramp, and campgrounds. Swimming and fishing are also available. Lifeguards on duty. Parking is available for a fee.
Singing Beach
Address: Off Rte 127, Manchester-by-the-Sea, MA
Phone: 978.526.2019
Email: caspariusm@manchester.ma.us
This beautiful beach is named after its singing sands and breezy tide. The parking lot is small and fills up quickly; non-residents can only park there Mon through Thurs, for $25 per day, but the Manchester Station on the Rockport Commuter Rail is a half-mile walk to the beach. The area boasts a recently renovated bathhouse and snack bar. Lifeguard on duty. Regulations against alcohol, nudity, and pets are strictly enforced.
