7 Super Cape Cod Beaches

Your beach experience on Cape Cod may vary—widely. You’ll find high surf in the bracing waters of the Outer Cape’s east-facing beaches; just a few miles west, on the bay side, there are sometimes nearly still-tide beaches with warmer water and endless sandbars. Head down to the Cape’s elbow and upper arm, and, facing north, you’ll find cooler water on the north-side beaches from Orleans to Sandwich, with the water growing chillier as you move closer to the canal. To enjoy the Cape’s warmest water with gentle waves, head to the south-side beaches on Nantucket Sound.

Cape Cod has lakes and ponds, too—so many that when you approach by air, you wonder how the land is staying afloat. For folks who prefer freshwater to salt, the Cape’s got you covered.

While you can wander along almost any beach on foot or on bicycle at any hour, free parking at many places is available only before or after hours. If you crave more time on the sand, the beaches below are open to nonresidents and have all-day parking. Arrive early to be sure to get a spot, and here’s another tip: Bring water shoes, since Cape shores vary, too, from rocky to smooth.

Get more Cape Cod insider info in the July/August 2024 Yankee Magazine feature “Cape Confidential: An Insider’s Guide to Cape Cod”

1. Old Silver Beach, Falmouth

A west-facing beach on Buzzards Bay, Old Silver Beach is an oldie-but-goodie with warm waters, full facilities, and great views.

2. Sandy Neck Beach Park, West Barnstable

Sandy Neck is a cool-water north-side beach below a high bluff on Cape Cod Bay, with the easternmost section available for off-road vehicles. Campsites, too.

3. Craigville Beach, Centerville

Craigville is a south-facing warmer-water beach with gentle waves (unless there’s a storm brewing out at sea), plus a bathhouse, an ice cream truck in the parking lot almost always, and a couple of clam shacks across the street.

4. Coast Guard Beach, Eastham

A gorgeous and expansive beach below the high dunes of the Outer Cape, on the cool Atlantic side. Coast Guard Beach is popular with surfers and boarders. Strong swimmers only.

5. Race Point Beach, Provincetown

A tip-of-the-Cape beach with beautiful views, chilly waters, and high surf. Race Point is part of the Cape Cod National Seashore, and accessible from the Province Lands Bike Trail.

6. Flax Pond, Brewster

Flax Pond is a freshwater kettle pond nestled inside Nickerson State Park. Campers love it, but it’s open to day-trippers, too. Great resting spot for bicyclists on the Cape Cod Rail Trail.

7. Oyster Pond, Chatham

Oyster Pond is a saltwater family-friendly pond with warm water, close to the center of Chatham. Limited parking, but last time we checked, it’s free.