Upper Cape Cod Beaches

Menauhant Beach
The calm waters of Menauhant Beach are located off Menauhant Road in East Falmouth. Lifeguards are on duty seasonally, and swim lessons are available. Porta-type restrooms and showers are provided. Mobile food concessions feed hungry sunbathers. This beach is handicap accessible. Parking costs $10.

Old Silver Beach
Old Silver Beach, one of Cape Cod's most picturesque white-sand beaches, is often a subject for professional photographers. The calm, shallow water near the shoreline makes it warm and accessible to beginning swimmers. Swimming, various water sports, and windsurfing are all popular activities at Old Silver. Amenities at the beach include restrooms, showers, swim lessons, food, and lifeguards. The beach is located off of Quaker Road in North Falmouth. Parking costs $10.

Scusset Beach
Scusset Beach, located on Scusset Beach State Reservation, has excellent state-run facilities. Food, telephones, parking, restrooms, and lifeguards are available at the beach. Camping is also offered within the reservation, and many choose this option. Fishing, sunbathing, and watching boats pass are just a few activities at the beach. Beach parking stickers can be obtained at the Natural Resources Office within Bourne Town Hall, 24 Perry Ave. in Bourne. Call the office for more information at (508) 759-0623.

Sandy Neck Beach
Sandy Neck Beach, whose calm waters are lifeguard-patrolled, has six miles of white beach with dunes. Food, restrooms, showers, and swim lessons are available. Parking costs $10 for those who are not lodging within walking distance of the beach. Sandy Neck Beach is an excellent place to hike and bird-watch because a trail system runs through the area. Sandy Neck Beach is located in Sandwich and Barnstable off of Route 6A.

Surf Drive Beach
Surf Drive Beach is family-friendly and handicap accessible. There is plenty of parking and ample beach space for visitors. Parking costs $10. Lifeguards are on duty at this beach of calm waters, and swim lessons are offered. Restrooms, showers, and food are also available at Surf Drive Beach. The beach is located on Surf Drive, off of Route 28 in Falmouth.

Corporation
Corporation Beach, with its white sand and low dunes, is Dennis' best known beach. It is a popular wave sailing spot, but people love to pursue the usual beach-day activities there as well. A picnic area and food is available at this beach, which makes it a great place to spend all day. Visitors should remain off the dune grass and stick to the designated pathways leading to the beach. Parking at the beach costs $10. Corporation, located off of Route 6A in Dennis, is handicap accessible. Food, restrooms, showers, telephone, and a boardwalk are at this beach.

Craigville Beach
Craigville Beach, located on the Vineyard Sound, is a very popular mid Cape beach. It has gentle surf and an average summer water temperature of 72 degrees. Most amenities are available at Craigville Beach, including food, restrooms, showers, phones, and lifeguards. Many hotels and other beach rentals are situated directly on this beach. It costs $10 to park at Craigville Beach. Locate the beach by taking Craigville Road from Main Street, off of Route 28, in Centerville.

Kalmus Beach
Kalmus Beach is located on Ocean Street, off of Main Street, in Hyannis. Windsurfing is available at this beach, which makes it distinctive among many other beaches in the area. It costs $10 to park at Kalmus Beach. It is a very popular and easily accessible beach. Amenities include food, restrooms, showers, swim lessons, and lifeguards.

Sandy Neck Beach
Sandy Neck Beach, which is lifeguard-patrolled, has six miles of white beach with dunes. The water is calm, and food, restrooms, showers, and swim lessons are available. Parking at the beach costs $10, unless you lodge within walking distance of the beach. Sandy Neck Beach is an excellent place to hike and bird-watch because a trail system runs through the area. Parts of Sandy Neck Beach are located in Sandwich and Barnstable. It is located off of Route 6A.

Seagull Beach
Seagull Beach is located in Yarmouth off of Seaview Avenue and Seagull Road, from Route 28. It is the largest beach in Yarmouth. Seagull Beach has less calm surf compared to some other Cape Cod beaches, but it is still safe for families and swimmers to enjoy. The quality of the water has consistently rated high. Lifeguards patrol the area, and swim lessons are offered. Access to food, restrooms, and changing facilities is available.

Lower Cape Cod Beaches

Breakwater Beach
Breakwater Beach is located off of Route 6A in Brewster. Like most beaches in Brewster, it only costs $8 to park - which is less than other beaches in Cape Cod. Restrooms are available, but other amenities are not. Vacationers should bring items like food and water with them. Breakwater Beach has calm waters.

Hardings Beach
Hardings Beach is located off of Route 28 in west Chatham. It is a quiet, mile-long beach patrolled by lifeguards. Food and restrooms are available to beach-goers. Hardings Beach has calm surf, and parking costs $10. However, there are plenty of rentals available within walking distance of the beach.

Ridgevale
Ridgevale, a beautiful white-sand beach with calm waters, is located off of Route 28 in Chatham. It has warm water and plenty of shallow wading areas for children. Lifeguards patrol the beach, further insuring safety for young ones. A food concession stand and restrooms are available on the beach. Various sailing boats and windsurfers can be rented at Ridgevale. Parking costs $10.

Red River Beach
Red River Beach is located off of Route 28 in Harwich. It has a large parking lot, which holds 250 cars and allows dog walking on a limited basis. Parking costs $5 to $10. Lifeguards, restrooms, and food are available on site. Many boaters like to visit the Monomoy Island Wildlife Refuge from this beach, due to its close proximity.

Robbins Hill
Robbins Hill is located on Lower Road, off of Route 6A in Brewster. Parking at this beach only costs $8, which is slightly less expensive than most beaches in Cape Cod. This beach has gentle surf. Visitors should bring their own food and water to the beach, as it does not offer any concessions. Restrooms are available.

Outer Cape Cod Beaches

Coast Guard Beach
The Coast Guard Beach, an ideal swimming location, is located off Route 6 in Eastham. It costs $10 to park, but from mid-June to Labor Day the parking lot is closed. Visitors can access the beach by parking in the Little Creek parking area and taking a shuttle bus. There are also trails which lead to the beach if vacationers prefer to walk from the parking lot. The beach has lifeguards and is wheelchair accessible. Bathrooms are open seasonally.

Head of the Meadow
Head of the Meadow beach is located on Head of the Meadow Road in Truro. It is owned by Truro and the National Seashore. This family-friendly beach has lifeguards on duty. Restrooms and phones are accessible at Head of the Meadow, but visitors will have to pack their own snacks and water. It costs $10 to park at this beach.

Herring Cove
Herring Cove is located at the end of Route 6 in Provincetown. It has warmer water than a lot of the beaches in the area. It is supposedly one of the best places to watch a sunset on all of Cape Cod. Lifeguards patrol the calm surf. Food, restrooms, and phones are available at this beach. Parking costs $10.

Marconi Beach
Marconi Beach is located off of Route 6 in south Wellfleet. It is arguably the most spectacular beach in Wellfleet, which has many of them. It is part of the Cape Cod National Seashore, and has more energetic waters than some other beaches. Lifeguards man the beach, and seasonal restrooms are available. Bring your own food if you are planning to spend the day. Stop in at the Marconi Station Site for a spectacular ocean view.

Skaket Beach
Skaket Beach, a lifeguard patrolled area, is located on Namskaket Road in Orleans. Visitors should arrive to the beach early, as the small parking lot fills quickly. Purchasing a one-week parking ticket allows vacationers to park at Skaket and Nauset beach at a discount. Likewise, many lodging establishments provide daily parking ticket discounts. Otherwise, parking costs $10. Food and restrooms are available at Skaket.

Cape Cod National Seashore Trails(Listed from south to north)

Cape Cod Eastham

Buttonbush Trail
Buttonbush Trail is an easy, quarter-mile hike. The trail is located near the Salt Pond Visitor amphitheater, off of Route 6 in Eastham. Buttonbush is unique among the Cape Cod National Seashore trails because it offers guide rope, Braille texts, and large print. Forest, a pond, a boardwalk bridge, and log steps are all part of this varied trail. Visitors should set aside 30 minutes to hike the trail, and longer than that if they choose to walk blindfolded.

Doane Trail
Doane trail is an easy walk, ideal for strollers and wheelchairs. Visitors should allow 45 minutes to complete this 0.5-mile trail, which offers views of Nauset Marsh and a young pine and oak forest. A picnic area is available near the parking lot for this trail. The Doane Trail, located one mile east of the Salt Pond Visitor Center in Eastham, is accessible from Doane and Nauset roads.

Fort Hill Trail
Fort Hill Trail is 1.5 miles long. It offers fantastic views of Nauset Marsh and Nauset Spit. The trail is moderately difficult and typically takes one hour to walk. The two entrances to the trail are both accessible from Route 6. One entrance is located across from the Captain Penniman House on Fort Hill Road, and the other entrance can be reached from Hemenway Landing. This trail traverses open fields and connects to the Red Maple Swamp Trail. Seasonal restrooms are available.

Nauset Marsh Trail
Nauset Marsh Trail, which is one mile, crosses field and forest. It runs along the perimeters of Salt Pond and Nauset Marsh. Hikers will want to walk slowly and enjoy the fabulous vistas available throughout the trail. Allow at least an hour to walk this easy trail. Nauset Marsh Trail is located near the Salt Pond Visitor Center amphitheater, off of Route 6 in Eastham.

Red Maple Swamp Trail
The moderately difficult Red Maple Swamp Trail comprises 0.5 miles. Hikers should be careful not to trip over tree roots while walking this trail. Red Maple Swamp Trail, which offers fantastic foliage scenery in autumn, can be accessed from Fort Hill Trail. It is also wheelchair accessible from Hemenway Landing on Route 6. A boardwalk runs over Red Maple Swamp on sections of this trail.

Cape Cod Wellfleet

Atlantic White Cedar Swamp
Atlantic White Cedar Swamp, located off of Route 6 near the Marconi Site in South Wellfleet, is 1.25 miles long. This award-winning trail winds through forest and the Atlantic White Cedar Swamp. Hikers return to their starting point on historic "Wireless Road," a sand road. This trail is moderately difficult, due to the sand road and some steep stairs. Seasonal restrooms are available.

Great Island Trail
Hikers should check the tide schedule before venturing onto Great Island Trail because parts of the trail are underwater during high tide. Hikers should not walk the trail during this time. Those that hike Great Island Trail, which is accessible from Chequesset Neck Road, will be rewarded with beautiful scenery amid pine forest. This eight-mile trail is the most difficult track within the Cape Cod National Seashore. It is recommended that hikers wear proper shoes and bring water.

Cape Cod Truro

Pamet Cranberry Bog Trail
Pamet Cranberry Bog Trail, located on North Pamet Road in Truro, no longer has cranberries. However, characteristics of cranberry cultivation remain. The area was formerly a commercial cranberry bog. A hike on this footpath can either be one mile or 1.25 miles, depending on whether walkers choose to access an additional overlook. The trail is moderately difficult, and the overlook has a steep grade.

Pilgrim Spring Trail
Pilgrim Spring Trail, located in the Pilgrim Heights area of North Truro, is 0.75 miles. Hikers may walk through a thicket marked to celebrate the Pilgrim's discovery of the area, and bypass a site that represents the spot where pilgrims first drank fresh water in New England. This trail is easy. A picnic area and seasonal restrooms are available near the parking lot.

Small's Swamp Trail
Currently, Small's Swamp Trail is mostly forest. However, some of the land used by early farmers is still visible today. The trail, located off of Route 6 in North Truro, is 0.75 miles. Small's Swamp Trail is an easy hike that includes log steps and a short boardwalk. A picnic area and seasonal restrooms are located near the trail's parking lot.

Cape Cod Provincetown

Beech Forest Trail
Beech Forest Trail is located off of Route 6 on Race Point Road. The trail houses a beech forest and Beech Forest Pond. The one-mile trail is easy, but the extension loops have steep log steps that might challenge some walkers. Picnic areas and seasonal restrooms are available. Bicyclers can access Province Land bike trail from Beech Forest Trail's parking lot.