Cape Cod Beaches and Parks

The entire coastal area of Cape Cod (560 miles) is rimmed with pristine beaches. The beaches are formed by Cape Cod Bay on the north, Vineyard’s and Nantucket’s sound on the south, Buzzard’s Bay on the west and Atlantic Ocean in the east. There are some Cape Cod beaches that are just the same when the Pilgrims first arrived here - natural, wild, roaring and without any amenities. While a few beaches are cool, others in the Nantucket Sound are gentle and their waters are warm

You may surf in the giant waves or play with your children in the small ripple like waves depending on the beach you choose. While some of the beaches have lifeguards, others do not. A detailed list of beaches where there are lifeguards present and where they are not, is available on the Internet. The beaches with the least surf, which are ideal for children, are on the north and west side of Cape of Cod. Here the children are safe, but should never swim without supervision. Similarly, the beaches on the southern side are also safe for toddlers, but again supervision is mandatory for safety. The beaches on the eastern side formed by the Atlantic Ocean have high surfs, which should be avoided in the company of children. Grown ups and surfers prefer this beach.

Sandy Neck Beach located on the Cape's Bay side in West Barnstable, is a beach where kids love to play in the many shallow pools that form here at low tide. Craigville beach in Nantucket sound is one of the most popular beaches of Cape Cod. Old Silver beach off North Falmouth Highway is one of the finest beaches of the Cape.

Craigville, Craigville Rd. Centerville; Kalmus, Ocean St., Hyannis; Sandy Neck, off Rte. 6A, W. Barnstable; Monument Beach, off Rte. 28, Bourne; Scusset Beach, off Sagamore Rotary, Bourne; Hardings Beach, off Rte. 28, Chatham; Ridgevale, off Rte. 28, Chatham; Cockle Cove, Chat ham; Oyster Pond, Chatham; Sea Street Beach, off Rte. 28, Dennis; Corporation, off Rte. 6A, Dennis; West Dennis, off Lower County Rd, Dennis; Coast Guard Beach, off Rte. 6, Eastham; Nauset Light Beach, off Rte. 6, Eastham; Menauhant, Menauhant Rd, Falmouth; Surf Drive Beach, Surf Drive, Falmouth, Old Silver, off Quaker Rd. (Rte 28A), Falmouth; Red River Beach, Harwich; Pleasant Road beach, Harwich; Nauset Beach, Beach Rd, Orleans; Skaket Beach, Namskaket Rd., Orleans; Herring Cove, end of Rte. 6, Provincetown, Race Point, off Rte. 6, Provincetown; Sandy Neck Beach, Sandwich; Head of Meadow, Truro; Marconi beach, Cahoon Hollow beach, White Crest beach, Well Fleet and Sea Gull Beach, Yarmouth are the beaches that have life guard protection and so may be considered safer.

The parks in Cape Cod are great places for camping, fishing, RV staying, picnicking and walking trails. Scusset beach forest reservation in Sandwich is a good spot for trailer campers and salt-water anglers. The park offers a good view of ships entering and coming out of the canal. Shawn Crowell State Forest also in Sandwich is a place set in the woods that is good for cross-country skiing apart from camping, walking trails and picnicking. South Cape Beach State Park in Mashpee is popular for boating, canoeing, fishing, camping and walking trails.

Punkhorn Parklands, Brewster has bicycling paths and horse riding as extra recreational facilities other than camping, walking trails, boating and fishing. All the above-mentioned parks do have restrooms. Nickerson State Park, Brewster has accessible restrooms, bicycling Paths, boating (motorized and non motorized), boat ramp, camping, canoeing, fishing, hiking, historic site, horseback riding, interpretive program (seasonal), picnicking, scenic viewing area, showers, cross country skiing, swimming, trailer / RV. dumping and walking trails.