OCEAN BEACHES
1. Old Orchard Beach, Old Orchard, ME
Old Orchard has been a razzle-dazzle resort beach since trains first ran here in 1842. Three miles (5 km) of main beach guarantee plenty of room for sunbathing, swimming, kite-flying, and sandcastle-building. Shops, amusements, and rides ensure no one ever gets bored. During the summer there’s a lively bar scene as well (for further details see Old Orchard Beach ).
Brightly colored structures on the pier at Old Orchard Beach
2. Hampton Beach, Hampton, NH
Small, decorous state beaches dot Hampton’s shoreline, but the main village beach is easily the most raucous, with outdoor concerts, sandcastle competitions, a flurry of summer activities, and a strip of souvenir shops and casual eateries. In summer the town is bilingual, reflecting its popularity with Quebec vacationers. Swimming is good, but the surf from offshore storms can make it challenging at times.
3. Crane Beach, Ipswich, MA
Adm
This 7-mile (11-km) stretch of copious white sand is one of New England’s most picturesque swimming beaches. Pack binoculars; Crane is legendary for its diversity of bird species, although some nesting grounds may be off-limits between May and early August.
4. Misquamicut State Beach, Westerly, RI
Adm
Misquamicut (miss-KWAHM-i-cut) is one of New England’s most popular family beaches, packing intense summer entertainment into a relatively short stretch of white sand. Most rides, amusement stands, and food kiosks open late June to August and some fall weekends, but the beach is accessible all year. Parking lots fill early on summer weekends.
5. Salty Brine State Beach, Narragansett, RI
Adm
With solar-powered, hot-water showers and electricity from wind turbines to supply the juice to recharge electric vehicles, this is the “greenest” beach facility in New England. The narrow strip of fine golden sand at the entrance to Galilee harbor has gentle waves, great views of fishing vessels, and some of the coast’s finest seafood.
6. Coast Guard Beach, Eastham, MA
Adm
Arguably the best swimming beach on Cape Cod, Coast Guard Beach marks the beginning of the 30-mile (48 km) Great Beach of the Cape Cod National Seashore. A long and generous slope of sand leads down to the ocean, so the beach is never crowded. Stroll southward onto Nauset Spit to watch shore birds in summer, seals in winter.
7. Hammonasset Beach State Park, Madison, CT
Adm • Camping late May–mid-Oct
More than 2 miles (3 km) of brown sand beaches lapped by the gentle waves of Long Island Sound lure summer swimmers and sunbathers in droves, but Connecticut’s longest shorefront park also has an excellent nature center at Meigs Point. Fishermen stake out positions here early for excellent bluefish and striped bass fishing.
Vast sands at Hammonasset Beach
8. Old Silver Beach, Falmouth, MA
Adm
This beautiful beach overlooking Buzzards Bay has warm summer waters, low waves, and a very gradual drop-off, making it an ideal swimming spot for young kids. Half the beach is reserved for Falmouth residents; the other half is open to all. Facing west over Buzzards Bay, Old Silver has some of New England’s most spectacular sunsets.
9. Reid State Park, Georgetown, ME
Adm
Reid State Park beaches are long strands of brown sand backed by high dunes – the antithesis of the “rocky coast of Maine.” Mile Beach and Half Mile Beach have lifeguards, changing rooms, and snack bars in summer. You can swim safely along stretches sheltered from the ocean by sand bars, or break out the surf boards and head for more exposed parts of the beach.
Reid State Park coastline
10. Ogunquit Beach, Ogunquit, ME
A 2-mile (3-km) cove lined with brown sand, Ogunquit Beach is well served by a summer trolley system that makes parking a cinch. The south end of the beach terminates at romantic Marginal Way, a clifftop walking path through thickets of roses to the shops, restaurants, and copious art galleries of Perkins Cove.
