The New England states may be small, but they boast plenty of coastline with lots of great beaches. I enjoy visiting these sandy beaches either for the day or as part of a longer vacation. When choosing a New England beach, consider other attractions and activities in the area. There are so many beaches, so you’ll want to consider the options when planning your trip. Here are some of the best New England beaches to visit on a family vacation.
Ogunquit Beach, Maine
Ogunquit Maine is such a bustling little beach town, with shops, restaurants, theaters, art galleries, and lots of lodging options. For a great beach day, you can easily walk to Ogunquit Beach from most of the hotels. In my opinion, it’s one of the most beautiful beaches in New England. To learn more: The Best Things To Do in Ogunquit.
Good Harbor Beach, Gloucester, MA
Cape Ann, MA, located north of Boston, has several beautiful beaches. Our favorite is Good Harbor Beach, in Gloucester, MA. It’s the ideal spot for a beach day and can be visited on a day trip from Boston. To learn more: Read about the best things to do in Gloucester, MA.
Duxbury Beach, Massachusetts
Located on Cape Cod Bay, Duxbury MA is a beautiful town on the way to Cape Cod. There, you’ll find Duxbury Beach, which is a great day trip from Boston. This 7.5-mile barrier beach offers porta-potties, hand-sanitation stations, and Blakeman’s restaurant.
Old Silver Beach, Falmouth, MA
One of my favorite beaches on Cape Cod is the gorgeous Old Silver Beach, located in Falmouth. It offers restrooms, changing facilities, and concessions. If you’d like to stay right on Old Silver Beach, I recommend the Sea Crest Beach Hotel. To learn more: Things to do in Falmouth, MA.
Cape Cod National Seashore, various towns
The Cape Cod National Seashore includes six popular Cape Cod beaches. These include Nauset Light Beach in Orleans, Marconi Beach in Wellfleet, Coast Guard Beach in Eastham, Herring Cove Beach in Provincetown, Race Point Beach in Provincetown, and Head of Meadow Beach in North Truro. I generally recommend that you decide which town in Cape Cod you want to visit first, and then select the closest beach.
Smugglers Beach, South Yarmouth
One of my favorite beaches on Cape Cod is Smugglers Beach, which is also known as Bass River Beach. It’s located in South Yarmouth, along the Nantucket Sound. Yarmouth is located in the mid-Cape area and offers many great beaches. Smugglers Beach has a large parking lot (although it does fill up on hot days), a snack shack, a restroom, and a fishing pier. To learn more: See information about beaches in Yarmouth here.
Other Best Beaches
Our other favorite beaches in New England include Goosewing/South Shore in Little Compton, Rhode Island, Old Orchard Beach in Maine, Singing Beach in Manchester-by-the-Sea, MA, Crane Beach in Ipswich, MA, Wingersheek Beach in Gloucester, MA, and Hampton Beach in NH. To learn more: read our post about 17+ of the best beaches in New England.