Beaches

A Day at the Beach

Many visitors plan Cape Cod travel after hearing gushing praise for the local beaches, which are often considered some of the best in the country and suit every taste. With over 550 miles of coastline, it will be difficult to decide where to get cozy in the sand. Each of the 15 towns of Cape Cod boast great beaches. During your Cape Cod vacations, make it your mission to find your own favorite beach. Wherever you choose to put down your beach chair and umbrella, you will enjoy the pleasures of sunshine and surf!

On Outer Cape Cod, the National Seashore claims fame for its 40-miles of unspoiled sandy beaches that are especially well-known for their beauty. While mid-Cape gives you the opportunity to get your feet in the sand at Kalmus Beach in Hyannis, Breakwater Beach in Brewster and, for an off the beaten path location, spend a day at North Beach off of Chatham, accessible only by boat. If you are looking for the sandy flats of Cape Cod Bay, try a beach from Dennis to Eastham because you will be impressed by the long, sandy shoreline. Or, if you are looking to make a stop before you cross the bridge onto Cape Cod, stretch out on Sagamore Beach in Bourne.

Pack a good book and get ready to soak up the sun from Falmouth to Provincetown. Choose a vacation rental right on the beach and enjoy close proximity to the refreshing water’s edge. At night, watch the stars come out from your own balcony. With a vacation rental, you will experience Cape Cod as it was meant to be seen!

Beach Access

Many town beach offices have switched to an online/mail-in process for stickers. For new visitors to Cape Cod it is helpful to know that in most cases, access to public beaches is administered by individual towns, often in the form of a pass or sticker. Depending on the town, these passes can vary in the length of time they are good for, which may be handy for short-term visits to Cape Cod. Click here to learn more about Cape Cod beach stickers. 

Cape Cod National Seashore beaches operate differently: their fee system includes daily fees and a season pass that is usable at all six Seashore beaches. Several other types of passes (including senior citizen lifetime passes) are available, these are also usable at other National Park sites. 

Of note for families with young children or less capable swimmers: four of the six Seashore beaches are located on the backshore of the Outer Cape: surf conditions and water temperatures can be challenging. The other two: Race Point Beach and Herring Cove Beach in Provincetown aren’t as gentle or warm as Cape Cod Bay and Nantucket Sound beaches, but tend to be less challenging than backshore beaches. 

Some Cape Cod beaches allow visitors to pay a daily rate. These include Cape Cod National Seashore beaches, South Cape Beach State Park, Scusset Beach State Reservation, Sandy Neck Beach Park in West Barnstable and other well-known beaches, including Nauset and Skaket beaches in Orleans and West Dennis Beach. This allows some freedom of choice and the opportunity to visit beaches in different areas of the Cape.

Cape Cod Beach Sticker Info

Cape Cod National Seashore Beach Sticker & Fees Information

Beach Sticker Information by Individual Town