The best beaches on Cape Cod

Cape Cod is the quintessential New England summer escape. This arm of Massachusetts reaches out into the Atlantic, yielding 560 miles of sun-drenched, windswept coastline. Beaches here have sand dunes covered with wild roses, kids frolicking in the surf and seals bobbing in the water. And Cape Cod's varied coastline means that birding, beachcombing, biking, hiking, surfing and sailing are all on offer.

Here are the 12 best beaches on Cape Cod for sun and fun.

1. Race Point Beach

Best beach for wild waves and dunes

On the tip of the Cape, Race Point Beach captures the essence of the Cape Cod National Seashore, with crashing surf and undulating dunes as far as the eye can see. You can walk for miles in either direction and see nothing but sand and sea – and perhaps Race Point Lighthouse if you make it that far. The paved 5-mile Province Lands Bike Trail winds between the dunes and connects Race Point and Herring Cove Beaches.

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Planning tip: Rent a bicycle and explore the Provincetown area on two wheels: the hilly terrain and fantastic seascapes are guaranteed to exhilarate.

2. Sandy Neck Beach

Best beach for long strolls

Sandy Neck Beach in Barnstable fronts a gorgeous 6.5 miles of Cape Cod Bay. With sandy dunes, salt marshes and maritime forests, it's the best beach for trail walking and bird-watching. From the beach, you can access hiking trails that cross inland over the dunes and skirt the salt marsh. Don’t skip a posthike stop at the Snack Shack for fried clams or ice cream – you earned it.

Planning tip: Though it’s called Sandy Neck, the beach itself is quite rocky so don’t forget your water shoes if you’re planning to swim. The beach has an accessible ramp, along with beach wheelchairs and beach walkers.

3. Mayflower Beach

Best beach for gentle waves and young children

Mayflower Beach is the prettiest of the three beaches in Dennis that front Cape Cod Bay. The bayside location means gentle waves at high tide and sandy tidal flats at low tide, making Mayflower one of the best beaches on Cape Cod for families with small children.

Kids love frolicking in the gently sloping waters at this dune-backed beach, and the rock pools are alive with hermit crabs, clams and other tiny sea creatures.

Planning tip: Arrive in late afternoon to avoid the crowds, and stay for a spectacular sunset.

4. Old Silver Beach

Best beach for families

Warmish waters and a westward orientation make Old Siver Beach in Falmouth a favorite for swimming and sunsets over Buzzards Bay. Its fine, soft sand and crystal waters are both unusual on Cape Cod. Families love the sandbar, which promises a calm, safe place for the little ones, while the rocks are fun for climbing and exploring.

Planning tip: It’s a small beach, so there’s no escaping the crowds at prime time in the summer.

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5. Herring Cove Beach

Best beach for watching the sunset

At the outermost edge of the Cape Cod National Seashore, Herring Cove Beach is a sandy stretch that – unusually for the East Coast – happens to face west, offering a rare chance to watch the sun drop into the ocean. Bonus: it's free to park after 5pm.

Aside from sunset, Herring Cove is the most popular beach in Provincetown because it’s close to town and there’s easy access from the parking lot.

Planning tip: To avoid the crowds, head to the far southern reaches, which are desolate enough that sunbathers make the trek when they want to strip off entirely. (Choose to bare all with discretion, as nudity is illegal on the National Seashore.)

6. Long Point Beach

Best beach for stunning views

If you like a little adventure with your beach outings, Long Point Beach could be for you. This Provincetown beach sits at the tip-top of the Cape’s curling arm. The mile-plus walk along the stone jetty from the western end of Commercial St presents splendid vistas of the surrounding seascape and across the harbor to Provincetown. Once you arrive, you might just have the beach to yourself.

Planing tip: Wear solid walking shoes, and bring food and water. Most importantly, time your visit carefully as the jetty is submerged at high tide.

7. Craigville Beach

Best beach for finding sea glass

A wide, sandy spot on Nantucket Sound, Craigville Beach in Centerville is classic Cape Cod. Children cavort in the surf while teens play ball on the sand. The waves are variable, but the temperature is always pleasing, especially compared to the chilly water at the northside beaches.

Thanks to its unique basin shape and position between two islands, Craigville Beach is one of the Cape’s best locations for finding sea glass.

Planning tip: For a perfect ending to a perfect day at Craigville Beach, stop at Four Seas, a local institution that’s been scooping homemade ice cream since the 1930s.

8. Head of the Meadow Beach

Best beach for watching the sunrise

Backed by dunes and gloriously wide and sandy, Head of the Meadow Beach extends for 10 miles along the open Atlantic. It’s wonderful for long beach walks and possible sightings of seals and even whales. Decent waves make for excellent bodysurfing and boogie boarding.

Planning tip: From late spring through fall, shorebirds nest on this beach. Visitors should respect any signs about bringing pets to the beach and should not walk in areas that are off-limits.

9. Cahoon Hollow Beach

Best beach for eating seafood

Cahoon Hollow Beach in Wellfleet is a wild beach along the National Seashore where thrilling waves and dunes provide a postcard-perfect backdrop to a great meal. The Beachcomber is a classic beach bar in an old lifesaving station, perched on a dune above the beach. Raw bar, lobster rolls and seafood platters are all on the menu, as are signature cocktails.

Planning tip: The beach has both restrooms and lifeguards.

10. Kalmus Beach

Best beach for windsurfing

The (comparatively) warm waters and consistent southwesterly winds create excellent conditions for windsurfers at Kalmus Beach in Hyannis. This is not the most swimmable beach on Cape Cod, but it is the best spot to raise a sail.

Planning tip: Wear water shoes to avoid cutting your feet on seashells.

11. Coast Guard Beach

Best beach for bird-watching

Part of the Cape Cod National Seashore, Coast Guard Beach is a stunner, backed by tall beach grasses. Birders and wildlife watchers are in their element at this Eastham beach. Walk around Nauset Marsh and Nauset Spit to spot shorebirds working the tidal flats or seals during the winter months.

Planning tip: Coast Guard Beach is among Cape Cod’s best beaches for surfing. Surf’s up in August; come for a beach break with swells up to nearly 10ft when the tide falls.

12. Nauset Beach

Best beach for fewer crowds

It’s worth the nearly hour-long drive from Cape Cod's airport in Hyannis to Truro for this pristine, unpeopled beach. The remote location means that Nauset Beach is the least crowded among those along the Cape Cod National Seashore. It is a premier place for early risers to watch the sun commence its daily journey across the sky.

The beach is beloved for its grass-covered dunes and fabulous sandbar. The waves can be daunting at high tide, but most of the time the sandbar creates a sweet, shallow and shark-free swimming area – ideal for kids.

Planning tip: Walk north from the entrance to spot seals hauling out onto the beach, especially at low tide.