ConciergeOnLine - Beaches

Without a doubt, Cape Cod and The Islands offer some of the nicest beaches in New England. On the ocean side, the Cape Cod National Seashore has six protected beaches, all with parking and restroom facilities, and all charge a nominal fee.

Seashore beaches

• Coast Guard Beach, at the end of Doane Rock Road in Eastham; recently, it was voted one of the best beaches in the country in a national beach survey.

• Nauset Light Beach, at the end of Cable Road in Eastham; it has an old lighthouse that will be moved back this fall from the edge of a bluff to protect it from ocean erosion

• Marconi Beach, off Route 6, just beyond the Cape Cod National Seashore headquarters in South Wellfleet; a great family beach.

• Head of the Meadow Beach, at the end of Head of the Meadow Beach Road in Truro.

• Race Point, at the end of Race Point Road in Provincetown.

• Herring Cove, on Province Lands Road in Provincetown.

The best town-run beaches on the Atlantic are Nauset Beach in Orleans, at the end of Beach Road, and Whitecrest Beach (also called Four Mile Beach or Surfer's Beach), off Ocean View Drive in Wellfleet. Nauset has bathhouse facilities and a great snack bar, while Whitecrest has only bathhouse facilities. Whitecrest, however, with its steep dunes may be too difficult for children or seniors to negotiate.

On the Cape Cod Bay side, Skaket Beach in Orleans off Skaket Beach Road is one of the Cape's best beaches for children; it has a snack bar, restrooms, no stairs and ample parking. A close second on the Mid-Cape is Corporation Beach in Dennis on the bay side off Route 6A. The curve of the beach creates a tidal pool within the bay, making it much easier to keep an eye on little children.

Also on the Mid-Cape, try Craigville Beach in Barnstable on Nantucket Sound and Cold Storage Beach in East Dennis at the end of Cold Storage Road near Sesuit Harbor. Town stickers are required at Cold Storage during the day, but at dusk the lot is open. This is a great place to watch the sunset. The beach is sandy and wide, and boats coming into the harbor add to the ambiance. Another great place in Dennis to watch a sunset is Mayflower Beach at the end of Dunes View Road off Route 6A.

On the Upper Cape, visit Sandwich Town Beach on the bay side off Freezer Road and Old Silver Beach in North Falmouth off Bay Shore Drive; it has a restroom, bathhouse and a snack bar.

There are scores of fresh water ponds on the Cape, most with beach access. For a listing, call the local chamber of commerce or town hall.

Island Beaches

There are a number of fine public beaches on the islands, offering free parking. Most island beaches, however, require resident parking stickers, which makes choices limited for visitors. Here are some suggestions:

The best ocean beach on Martha's Vineyard is Edgartown's State Beach off Katama Road. Arrive early; parking is free but limited. On Nantucket Sound (warmer water and easier current) try State Beach off Beach Road between Oak Bluffs and Edgartown. Parking is also limited here. For isolation, you can't beat Chappaquiddick's East Beach on the island's east side within the Cape Pogue Wildlife Refuge and Wasque Reservation. There is limited free parking here.

On Nantucket, Surfside Beach on the island's southeastern Atlantic side is the nicest public ocean beach, offering restrooms, a bathhouse and snack bar. Madaket Beach on the island's south shore is also a good ocean beach. There are lifeguards and bathhouse facilities here. Madaket also is a wonderful place to watch the sun set. If you are without a car, try Jetties Beach in the town harbor, with restrooms and a snack bar, or nearby Brant Point Beach -- the location is convenient to the town center, but there are no facilities here.