Hello summer! It’s been a long time, but it’s back, and it’s (hopefully) going to be glorious. If you’re planning on digging your toes into the sand and playing in the surf – like we are – we’ve compiled a list of the best beaches in New England to help you out. So grab some sunscreen, a blanket, and tasty beach fare and get ready to explore New England’s best places to soak up summer.
Here are our picks for the five best beaches in New England.
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Madison, CT
Fancy a long stretch of beach with gentle surf, scenic spots and plenty of activities for the kids? You’ll find it at Hammonasset Beach State Park, where the 2-mile-long shore borders not only the Atlantic, but a nearby nature preserve as well. The waves are gentle and calm thanks to its location on the Long Island Sound, making it one of the best beaches in New England for families. More than 500 campsites dot the park’s 1,000 acres. You can even visit the Meigs Point Nature Center while you’re there! Parking is free for Connecticut residents. Non-resident fees are $15 on weekdays, $22 on weekends and holidays.
Sand Beach
Acadia National Park, Bar Harbor, ME
What’s better than plunging into the refreshing (read: chilly) Atlantic ocean on a sweltering day? Plunging into the refreshing Atlantic amid craggy granite peaks, hundreds of miles of rugged hiking trails, car-free carriage roads and nearly 50,000 acres of protected forest in Acadia National Park. For $30 per car, you can gain entrance to the park and bike, ride and traverse the day away in Mother Nature’s playground. You could climb the near-vertical Beehive Trail in the morning – at 500 feet, it’s got a superb view of Sand Beach – and have a picnic lunch on its shores in the afternoon. But be forewarned: At 55 degrees in the summer months, the water is – to put it mildly – bracing.
Race Point Beach
Provincetown, MA
Since 1961, when President John F. Kennedy signed legislation creating the Cape Cod National Seashore, nearly 40 miles of pristine shoreline have been protected from development. You’ll find one of its six beaches – Race Point Beach – at the very tip of the Cape’s arm in Provincetown, jutting into the Atlantic. The views of the endless seas are breathtaking. Oftentimes you can see whales and a seal or two off in the distance. There are no concessions, so bring a picnic lunch and drinks. You can also explore the grounds of the Old Harbor Life-Saving Station, a circa-1897 building moved by barge from Chatham to Provincetown in 1977. If you want a little exercise, you can hop on the Province Lands Bike Trail, which connects to nearby Herring Cove Beach and the Province Lands Visitor Center. The daily vehicle fee is $25, and $15 for pedestrians and bicyclists.
Narragansett Town Beach
Narragansett, RI
I’m a Rhode Island girl, born and bred, so it was tough for me to pick just one favorite beach in the Ocean State. But if you’re looking for waves, whether it’s for surfing or boogie boarding, you can’t beat Narragansett Town Beach. Yes, you must park on the street or the designated visitor’s lot (the other lots are for residents/pass holders only) and pay admission, but what you get in return is a mile-long beach that’s spotless and sandy, with the added benefit of watching surfers plying the waves. Plus, you’re right in the heart of a thriving beach town. Just across the street you’ll find tons of eateries – everything from classic seafood fare to crepes – as well as shopping and ice cream spots. The wall ringing the beach is a popular spot to sit and indulge in some serious people-watching, especially with an ice-cold cone of gelato in your hand. Daily admission is $12 for adults. Children ages 11 and under get in free. Parking in the West Lot $10 on weekdays and $15 on weekends and holidays.
Discover more Rhode Island beaches.
Lake Paran
North Bennington, VT
If you’re looking for salt-water spray and rollicking waves, Vermont isn’t the place for you. But if you’re looking for a quaint lake maintained by volunteers with a strong sense of community, then head over to Lake Paran. There you’ll find the pretty lake with a Lake House and full snack bar featuring famous $1 grilled cheese sandwiches. You can swim and rent canoes, play a game of horseshoes or grill up your own goodies on charcoal grills. The lake is open every day beginning mid-June, and lifeguards are on duty from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The daily admission fee is a real bargain at $3.50 for adults and $1 for children. And the lake isn’t just a summertime destination. The volunteers of Paran Recreation, the nonprofit that supports the lake, always have something to celebrate, from winter bonfire parties and summer camps to a stone-skipping festival and harvest fair in the fall.
What do you think are some of the best beaches in New England? Tell us in the comments below!
Find top beaches throughout the Northeast at AAA.com/BeachGuide.
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With you, except Aunt Carries for Clam rolls.
Love Aunt Carrie’s, too! We had Indian pudding there for the first time last summer. Yum.
-Dana L.
I would have added Ogunquit Beach in Maine which is simply a beautiful place to walk along the smooth, sandy shore at low tide, fly kites to your heart’s content, or body surf in the refreshing, clean water. The people and trolleys are very welcoming. Additionally, you can visit the town of Ogunquit, Perkins Cove, and the delightful Marginal Way which brings you right up close and personal with Maine’s rocky coast and natural wildlife habitat.
If you go to Ogunquit, you have to walk the Marginal Way. You’ve just been transported to Europe!
Long Beach in Plymouth, Mass. but you must be a town resident and have a 4-wheel drive vehicle to get a sticker allowing access.
Have you come across any NE beach that are a good spot for seniors? Mom is 90 and long walks from the car and over dunes in order to get to the water an not in the cards anymore. Spfld MA is our home and an hour or two ride is about all we can do. Any help you could provide would be greatly appreciated. ty Val
Sherwood Island in Norwalk is ADA compliant and has plenty of parking. Also a pier to fish from!
In my opinion the best family beach is old orchard beach Maine. 7 miles of unbroken Beach, amusement park and a pier. Only negative, it can be a bit of a honky-tonk at night.
I grew up in RI and as a kid my family went to either Sandhill Cove or Scarborough on Sunday and then to George’s for lobster rolls.
Nothing like wrapping up a beach day with a seafood dinner! We love Champlin’s for fish and chips and chowder and clam cakes.
Thanks for reading!
-Dana L.
Horseneck has a wheelchair ramp through the sand to the water. They also have ramps to get to the beach from the parking lot.
Right up the road from Horseneck Beach is a causeway to Gooseberry Island. I would visit with my elderly mom and later with my invalid sister because it was just a few feet from the car to the beach. It is free to park but there are only about a hundred or so spots and they fill up quickly. We would stop first at Lee’s Market and buy sandwiches for lunch. The walk around the island is lovely and the smell of the honeysuckle in June is heavenly. Two years in a row we watched thousands of birds migrating in August.
Rather than a limited list of anonymous opinions, why not an informational table listing information useful to visitors who may have differing criteria? By state/county. Length/Expanse. Parking availability and cost. Public transportation. Food/Facilities. Even misc. information would be helpful such as Greenhead alerts, water temperatures, lifeguard info, dogs/horses allowed, or maybe direct links to local websites for further information.
Could you tell me which New England beaches are handicap accessible? Pathways for wheelchairs? Water wheelchairs for going into the water in them?
Hi Karen,
I have seen water wheelchairs at Willis Sands Beach in Rye NH
Hi Karen!
This sounds like a great idea for an article. In the meantime, I found links to accessible beaches in Northeast states:
• Massachusetts beaches
• Rhode Island beaches
• Connecticut beaches
• New York beaches
• New Jersey beaches
Thanks so much for reading!
-Dana L.
The 18th Street entrance at North Beach in Hampton, NH, is handicap accessible with a wheelchair ramp and also a cement patio for wheelchairs, etc., once you get down the ramp to the sand. I have seen someone there using a water wheelchair, but believe it belonged to them. Parking meters are quite limited, however, and street parking requires a resident sticker.
Best beach in New England is Ogunquit Beach in Ogunquit , Maine……hands down. The others mentioned are also good beaches. But Ogunquit Beach is my favorite.
I’m with you, Marylou. I LOVE Ogunquit Beach….great, hard clear sand for walking when the tide is out. It’s magnificent!
Totally agree
Love Ogunquit. Love Maine. Absolutely must visit.
Agree 100% about Ogunquit beach-beautiful place by the sea.
Scarborough Beach , Scarborough ME Great Waves!!
Absolutely agree surprised it is not on the original list.
The best beach in New England is Nahant~ Clean, great waves for Boogie Boarding
Crowe’s Pasture, Dennis, MA you drive on with your vehicle. You must read the tides before going out there. They check you at the entrance because you need certain equipment with you and you need to have less air in your tires. It is pristine, quiet, beautiful, can cook on beach and your not on top of each other. Best beach ever.
It’s residents only with stickers in the summer
You might need off road stickers too?
Yes, it’s a nice spot. Great for painting plein air along the roads going in. So much of it has changed over the years. The meadow np longer looks the same.
If you are a “Rhode Island girl,” you should know that East Matunuck is the best beach in the state (if you like the water more than the sand, of course).
I beg to differ Misquamicut’s 7 miles of beautiful beach is by far the best beach in RI if not all of New England.
Matunuck! And the best fried oysters and seafood just down the road
On the Cape, Nauset Beach best oceanside beach, Mayflower Beach best bayside beach. Both are beautiful in different ways
Love all the beaches on the National Seashore on the Cape which includes Nauset but the sharks are finding their way to this beach and others in the area ie: Wellfleet, Truro, Coast Guard Beach, etc.
Crane’s Beach in Ipswich is way better than a lot of these beaches, just saying.
Bakers Beach in Westport, MA hands down..lived in every NE state and frequent all the beaches…
But one must “belong” to Baker’s Beach, whereas Horseneck State Reservation is heavenly, all of its glorious length from Goosebury Neck to the mouth of the Westport River. Such a gift to the people of Massachusetts!
Horseshoe reservation in mass. More info on places to stay
In my honest opinion, don’t go to Hampton Beach in NH. Too many people, the people that visit don’t respect it, or others, play loud music, kids kick sand all over your towels. Not worth it to me anymore, I’d rather pay to have a spot on North Beach near Rye.
This does not describe the State Park beach, which is fabulous!
Two beaches I love to go to are in Maine. They are Old Orchard Beach, Wells Beach. They are nice places to relax during the summer months.
I was told recently that Maine has some beautiful beaches. I am going to look into the ones you recommended. How is parking? Any places to stay you recommend? I live in NYC and have absolutely no knowledge about Maine but I am wanting to go this Summer.
Hi Darlene!
I’ve been to Sand Beach in Acadia National Park. We stayed at the Hampton Inn Bar Harbor and really enjoyed it. Very close to everything.
Thanks for reading!
-Dana L.
Go to Camp Ellis in Saco, Maine!! Everything is there, walking distance to the restaurant Houts, fresh lobster from Ellen and a convenience store and close to the the water and pet friendly….
I love Maine as I spent many summers in Kennebunkport. But if you are a swimmer, the water is usually 55 degrees. I, on the other hand, have always wanted to go to the Jersey Shore.
One more Maine beach to include is Higgins Beach in Scarborough. The best part of the beach is closer to the Spurwink River (tidal river). It is a lot of fun to ride the river in or out with the tide. Plus paddle boarding.
Crane Beach in Ipswich, MA. Beautiful pristine white sand beach that goes on and on.
A favorite since childhood!
Absolutely
Too crowded!
Crane is cold and due to the fact it faces north, not east, there is no surf and is unusable for much of the summer due to the green heads. It is beautiful and expensive too.
Hi! I’m just wondering where you stay when you get there? Do you have a favorite place?
Hi Pamela!
A few years ago we stayed at the Hampton Inn Bar Harbor when we visited Acadia. I thought it was a great hotel, modern and clean and close to everything!
The last time I went to Provincetown I stayed in a B&B that I can’t remember the name of (sorry!) but there are plenty of inns, B&Bs and hotels strewn across the town. (If you want to be in the heart of the action, pick a place on Commercial Street.)
I’ve rented beach houses when I’ve stayed in Narragansett, but you’ll find plenty of hotels and motels in the areas near Narragansett Town Beach and Scarborough State Beach.
Happy travels! Let us know where you stay if you visit any of these beach towns.
-Dana 😉
“Best Beaches in New England” is a tough topic. If you live in CT, Western MA, or Southern VT, and want a GOOD ocean beach there really is only the Cape and RI – BUT – for the same 2-3.5 hour drive you can get really GREAT beaches (and some fantastic boardwalks) in So. NJ – especially the BEST of the BEST – Ocean City, NJ. We live in western CT (near Danbury) and will do the 200 miles (3-3.5 hrs.) to Ocean City before putting in the same (or less) road time to anywhere in New England – “Just sayin, it’s about the BEACH!”
Hi Robert!
Thanks for reading. Yes, in the summer it’s ALL about the beach!
-Dana 😉
I agree totally. We spend time in Stone Harbor, NJ every year. Beaches don’t get much better than that: big, broad, fine white sand, beautiful, accessible ocean.
No place like Stone Harbor! Been going there for years. Along with everything else the cleanest town I have ever seen. Nice shops, great beach.
Where do you stay? Are there nice places on or near the beach
York Beach Maine
Love Nubble
Having lived in Narragansett and NJ. Agreed-Ocean City is killer beach. But for overall ambiance (views, lack of crowds, lodging, restaurants) Narragansett wins.
Beware the parking “police” – kids empowered to write parking tickets if you overstay your 2-hour street parking spot welcome.
I tried to obey that ordinance one year by leaving the beach, walking the 10 minutes to my car, and moving it to a different location (there was nothing posted prohibiting that). Nevertheless,
I came back later to a $35 ticket, which I contest. The Town did not dismiss it; instead, they set a court date. I wrote them again to make my case, and again I was rebuffed.
Because I live an hour and 45 minutes away in Massachusetts, it wasn’t worth it for me to shlep all the way down there. I paid the fine, and included a note as to why I did, and my dismay at their short-sighted decision. I now have every incentive never to go back to Narragansett, and instead will take my and my family’s beach (and community) dollars to one of the other excellent beaches in the state, for the next 20 years or so.
I’m sure whoever opened the envelope and read my note had a good laugh. Good for him or her. I also told this story on social media, with the goal of encouraging a significant number of people to consider other RI beaches, as I did.
NJ beaches are nice, but the article is about the best beaches in New England.
Exactly!
Definitely the best beach is a drive but well worth it: Cahoon Hollow in Wellfleet. It’s many miles long with no houses. It sits below rolling dunes on Cape Cod. But no worries, there is one oasis overlooking it – The Beachcomber beach bar & grill.
Love it too!