Why We Love the Massachusetts South Shore: History, Beaches & Bar Pizza

Editor’s note: This essay originally appeared as part of a friendly Yankee debate over which Massachusetts shoreline reigns supreme. Here, writer Pamela Wright makes the case for her favorite coast.

When our daughter landed a teaching job near Boston, she settled on the South Shore of Massachusetts. My husband and I were crushed. We still lived in the New Hampshire Seacoast region, where she had grown up, and we dreaded the distance (and the traffic) between us. “Why not the North Shore?” I asked her.

She shrugged. “South Shore is way more laid-back—it’s pizza and a beer,” she said. “The North Shore is where you meet your grandparents for dinner.”

Ouch.

It took a few years, and many visits, but I finally got it. A glass of bubbly at the Myopia Hunt Club (North Shore) or a pint of beer at the Marshfield Fair (South Shore)? Castles and country estates, or small-town museums and local parks? Puritans and witches, or Pilgrims and pirates? For us, the choices were clear.

The South Shore, stretching from Quincy to Plymouth, is studded with a string of pretty seaside towns, small museums, leafy parks, salt marshes, cranberry bogs, and nature preserves. It has both sandy beaches on the Atlantic and large freshwater lakes and ponds, including Assawompset Pond, the biggest natural lake in Massachusetts.

In other words, it has all the beauty without the attitude. Sorry, North Shore, but the South Shore feels more accessible and welcoming to us ordinary folks.

It can also be argued that no place in New England—and possibly in the country—has a more storied history than the South Shore. It was one of America’s earliest settlements. The Pilgrims landed in modern-day Plymouth in 1620, where they met the Indigenous people, part of the Wampanoag Nation, who’d presided over the region for thousands of years. Later, the South Shore became home to lighthouse keepers, lifesavers, shipbuilders, and sea captains. Its rough, stormy waters, sliced with hidden ledges and cliffs, became a graveyard for shipwrecks, and fodder for tavern tales.

Throughout its history, the South Shore also welcomed waves of Irish immigrants—fishermen, tradesmen, laborers, and more—earning it the nickname the “Irish Riviera,” and an emerald thread still runs through life here. Today, the South Shore Irish Heritage Trail connects nine towns and 36 historical stops, commemorating that immigrant history and its impact on the region.

Like most, my first visit to the South Shore began with a pilgrimage to Plymouth Rock: a smallish boulder in a hole that may or may not have been where the Pilgrims landed (probably not). Dutifully crossing it off my list, I took a moment to appreciate its location in Pilgrim Memorial State Park. This bustling waterfront property, which draws about one million visitors a year, is filled with gardens, monuments, and historic sites including Cole’s Hill, where a peace treaty was signed between the Wampanoag and the Pilgrims in 1621. There’s even the opportunity to get a feeling for the Mayflower’s harrowing 17th-century journey across the Atlantic by boarding the Mayflower II, a historic ship in its own right that is still gleaming from its multiyear $11.2 million renovation, completed in 2020.

Plymouth Rock may have been a tad underwhelming, but the same can’t be said of Plimoth Patuxet Museums, located a short drive from downtown Plymouth. The open-air museum complex brings the early 17th century vividly to life, as interpreters dressed in period garb share history and demonstrate traditional crafts at sites including a re-created English Village and a Wampanoag Homesite.

Modern-day Plymouth itself, meanwhile, is an approachable, vibrant community filled with shops and eateries of all kinds. Over the years, countless hours of family time have been spent at Ziggy’s ice cream shop, a local staple since 1957, and the Plimoth Candy Company, home to 60 bins of old-fashioned novelty candy, along with chocolates, fudge, and saltwater taffy. For fancier sit-down fare, there’s 71° West Atlantic Steakhouse, a modern waterfront eatery known for hefty wood-grilled steaks; on warm evenings, you can dine on the rooftop terrace and watch the boats glide by, the sky turning a kaleidoscope of colors.

Just a few minutes north of Plymouth is Duxbury, home to Island Creek Oysters, one of the first oyster farms in New England. Founded by Duxbury native Skip Bennett, it offers a 360-degree view of the aquaculture industry as visitors tour the farm’s hatchery, take a boat ride past oyster processing shacks and rows of seaweed-topped oyster cages, and learn the art of properly shucking oysters right out there on Duxbury Bay.

Back on land, another South Shore delicacy is calling: bar pizza, known for its crunchy, cracker-thin crust, charred edges, gooey cheese, and crispy toppings. What began decades ago as an enticement (and an aid) for bar patrons to keep tippling a little longer is today served across the South Shore at spots like Squinny’s in North Plymouth, Alumni in Quincy, Lynwood Café in Randolph, and Poopsie’s in Pembroke. My family tends to gravitate to Ppapa’s Pizza in Plymouth, a come-as-you-are joint decorated with neon signs and other pubby items amid a cluster of wooden tables and high-tops.

More of the South Shore’s down-to-earth soul is on display at Nantasket Beach in Hull, with its carnival-like vibe and honky-tonk boardwalk. This area is also the former home of Paragon Park, an amusement park that closed in 1984, but you can still ride the historic Paragon Carousel with its 66 wooden horses. On family visits we hang at the beach, a mile of sandy shoreline filled with sunbathers, castle builders, and Frisbee throwers, and if the line at the Carousel Creamery isn’t too long, we grab a scoop of ice cream before we leave.

Also worth visiting is the nearby Hull Lifesaving Museum, housed in the former Point Allerton U.S. Lifesaving Station (1889). After taking in the heroic story of ocean rescuers through artifacts and exhibits, including an original 19th-century lifesaving boat, don’t miss a trip up the crow’s-nest tower, where you can easily imagine spotting a sinking ship in need.

Across the South Shore, I find myself drawn to small, treasure-filled local museums like this one. On a recent trip to Scituate, for example, I met up at the Maritime & Irish Mossing Museum with Bob Chessia, acting president of the Scituate Historical Society. In addition to telling the story of the region’s shipwrecks, the museum details the fascinating history of seaweed harvesting—or mossing—that the Irish brought to Scituate, which in turn brought more Irish families to Scituate. Today, the village is known as the “Most Irish Town in America.”

“My father and brothers mossed; everyone mossed,” Chessia said. “I remember as a kid I helped to make the nets.”

He later took me to Scituate Light, originally lit in 1811, and told stories of pirates and bootleggers. “Seems like all the troublemakers ended up in Scituate,” he said with pride.

I’m guessing a few of those arrivals even made their way to nearby Cohasset, whose Instagram-worthy town common is surrounded by Georgian and Federalist homes and steepled churches, all within easy walking distance of a cluster of refined shops and restaurants. Cohasset is, in fact, where my own family ended up on one recent South Shore visit: After a long day of lobster rolls, coastal drives, and a few museum excursions, we decided to take a stroll on Black Rock Beach and take in its views of Minot’s Ledge Light, which sits about a mile offshore.

As waves crashed against the stone tower, we watched its distinctive 1-4-3 flash cycle: I-love-you, I-love-you, I-love-you.

A perfect ending to a perfect South Shore day.

Looking for the opposing point of view? Read our companion feature on why another Massachusetts travel writer believes the North Shore is the state’s best coast.

Why We Love the Massachusetts North Shore: Beaches, Seafood & Coastal Charm

Guide to the Massachusetts South Shore

South Shore Attractions

Bathing Beach, Hingham

Take in beautiful views of Hingham Harbor at this lovely town beach. There are grassy areas, picnic tables, walkways, interpretive signs about the history of the area, and, of course, a beach! Grab a lobster roll from the Beach House, snag a picnic table in the shade, and enjoy.

Duxbury Beach Park, Duxbury

A former ship chandlery dating to 1754 is now home to a collection of artifacts, photos, and exhibits detailing Cohasset’s maritime past. Check out the second floor with ship models and navigational instruments.

Hull Lifesaving Museum, Hull

Housed in the original 1889 Point Allerton Lifesaving Station, this small museum beautifully tells the story of the folks who risked their lives to rescue people at sea.

Maritime Museum, Cohasset

A former ship chandlery dating to 1754 is now home to a collection of artifacts, photos, and exhibits detailing Cohasset’s maritime past. Check out the second floor with ship models and navigational instruments.

Nantasket Beach, Hull

One of South Shore’s most popular beaches, this long stretch of soft sand, flanked by a boardwalk with souvenir shops and take-out joints, is a little honky-tonk and a whole lot of fun. Don’t miss the nearby 1928 Paragon Carousel, one of fewer than 100 grand carousels remaining in the U.S. mass.gov

Plimoth Patuxet Museums, Plymouth

This open-air museum complex includes the Historic Patuxet Homesite and re-created 17th-century English Village. Be sure to check out the Mayflower II and the Plimoth Grist Mill a few miles away.

Scituate Light, Scituate

A welcoming beacon to Scituate Harbor, the picturesque 1811 lighthouse is open only on special days and during events, but standing near it—with sweeping views of the harbor and beyond—is a treat.

South Shore Art Center, Cohasset

Stop in to see well over a dozen exhibitions a year that showcase the works of local and nationally juried artists. There are also art classes and special events.

South Shore Irish Heritage Trail

The do-it-yourself driving tour spans from Weymouth to Plymouth, running through nine towns. It highlights 36 sites of importance to Irish history on the South Shore, including the Celtic Cross Monument at Cohasset Central Cemetery, Lawson Tower in Scituate, and the Maritime & Irish Mossing Museum, also in Scituate.

World’s End, Hingham

You’ll have fine views of saltwater marshes, the Weir River, Hingham Harbor, and the Boston skyline at this popular preserve. There are also 4.5 miles of walking paths, and activities like bird walks and full moon hikes.

South Shore Dining

Alma Nove, Hingham

Treat yourself to fine Italian-Mediterranean fare at this award-winning restaurant in the Hingham Shipyard. Led by chef and co-owner Paul Wahlberg, the intimate, contemporary eatery serves steaks, seafood, and pasta, along with sweeping water views.

Beach House, Hingham

Expect a line at this popular shack on Bathing Beach, where hungry sun worshippers face a tough choice between the mighty smashburger and the classic lobster roll. There are salads, chowder, chicken wraps, and hot dogs, too.

Farfar’s, Duxbury

A summer favorite since 1979, Farfar’s takes its name from the Danish term for grandfather in honor of Walter Simonsen, a former HP Hood ice cream whiz whose legacy is now measured in the cups and cones of 20-plus ultra-creamy varieties scooped by his descendants.

Island Creek Oysters, Duxbury

Skip Bennett started Island Creek in the 1990s, and today it’s one of the top oyster operations in the country. The Island Creek Raw Bar is a fun place to sample tasty bivalves, at picnic tables overlooking Duxbury Bay.

Jake’s Seafood, Hull

Watch the boats come and go as you dine on ultra-fresh seafood dishes at this family-owned restaurant on Steamboat Wharf, started as a lobster pound in 1949 and still going strong. Jake’s is known for its fried seafood platters, but we also like the Vietnamese-style halibut, steamed in a soy-ginger broth.

Lucky Finn Café, Scituate

Sitting atop a pier on the harbor’s edge, this cozy coffee shop is the ideal place to start your day with a pastry or breakfast sandwich, or recharge midway with a tasty sandwich or grain bowl.

Lynwood Café, Randolph

Locals and savvy visitors flock to this neighborhood bar for gooey, thin, perfectly charred bar pizza that’s consistently ranked among the best on the South Shore.

Ppapa’s Pizza Bar, Plymouth

Oh, how we crave the extra-crispy thin-crust pizza piled with toppings at this super-casual joint with its friendly “Whadaya want, hon?” staff.

Salt Society, Scituate

Ready to step away from the South Shore’s fried-seafood specialties? Check out this downtown spot specializing in fresh-made maki, sushi, and nigiri. The meat and seafood dishes are similarly top-notch.

71° West Atlantic Steakhouse, Plymouth

If you’re looking for top-quality steaks and fresh seafood, reserve a table at this upscale eatery on the water. The something-for-everyone menu includes a raw bar, sushi, pasta, poultry, soups, salads, and more.

Shipwreck’d at Pemberton Point, Hull

A waterfront fish shack located next to a marina and the ferry to Boston, Shipwreck’d attracts a crowd of locals and visitors in the know. The fish sandwich is our favorite, but you won’t be disappointed with the fried clams or scallops, or the lobster roll.

South Shore Lodging

Hotel 1620 Plymouth Harbor, Plymouth

Boasting a convenient location, free parking, and spacious accommodations, Hotel 1620 is popular with families (who also appreciate the indoor pool). Rooms are modern and comfy; some offer harbor views, too.

The Inn at Scituate Harbor, Scituate

You can’t beat the location of this nautically themed hotel, which sits within easy walking distance of the harbor and downtown Scituate’s restaurants and shops. Even better: All 29 guest rooms come with water views.

Nantasket Beach Resort, Hull

Reminiscent of grand resort hotels of days gone by, this sprawling property on Nantasket Beach has 107 rooms and suites, some with gas fireplaces and balconies; an indoor pool and hot tub; a micro spa; and a relaxed, Italian-leaning restaurant, Boathouse Bistro Beachfront.

The Red Lion Inn, Cohasset

Simply a classic. Housed in an early-18th-century building in Cohasset Village, the inn features 15 unique rooms, some with original wood beams, four-poster beds, whirlpool tubs, and fireplaces. There’s an on-site restaurant and speakeasy-style lounge, plus gardens and an outdoor pool.

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