The Beaches
of Cape Cod.

Eastham · Cape Cod Bay · Bay · Calm · Tidal Flats

The beach at the end of your walk. A quiet, sheltered Cape Cod Bay beach with warm, shallow water and vast tidal flats that stretch for hundreds of yards at low tide. No parking fees — you walk from CapeBarn. Perfect for families, clamming, and watching the sun arc across the bay.

Eastham · Cape Cod Bay · Bay · Historic · Sunsets

Named for the first recorded encounter between the Mayflower Pilgrims and the Nauset Wampanoag people in 1620. A wide bay beach with extraordinary sunset views, calm warm water, and shallow tidal flats. One of the best sunsets on the outer Cape, right from the shoreline.

Eastham · Cape Cod National Seashore · Atlantic · Waves · National Seashore

Consistently ranked one of the best beaches in the United States. A wide, dramatic Atlantic-facing barrier beach within Cape Cod National Seashore — rolling surf, open sky, and dune scenery that looks unchanged since the Pilgrims sailed past. Park at Salt Pond Visitor Center and take the free shuttle in summer.

Eastham · Cape Cod National Seashore · Atlantic · Lighthouse · Surfing

The red-and-white Nauset Light lighthouse stands directly above this magnificent National Seashore beach. Open Atlantic swells make it excellent for surfing; the dune cliffs make it one of the most photographed spots on the Outer Cape. Arrive early in summer — the parking lot fills by 9am.

Orleans · Atlantic · Atlantic · Long Beach · Surfing

A ten-mile barrier beach on the Atlantic side of Orleans — one of the longest and most spectacular beaches on the entire East Coast. Strong surf, wide sand, and an iconic beachside snack shack. Excellent for surfing, long beach walks, and open-water swimmers. The beach extends south toward Chatham Inlet.

Wellfleet · Cape Cod National Seashore · Atlantic · Cliffs · National Seashore

Named for the Marconi wireless station that once stood on the clay cliffs above — where the first transatlantic wireless transmission was sent in 1903. A stunning National Seashore beach backed by dramatic 80-foot clay and sand cliffs. Powerful surf, pristine sand, far fewer visitors than the Eastham beaches.

Wellfleet · Atlantic · Atlantic · Surfing · Young crowd

The surf beach of Wellfleet — a wide, open Atlantic beach popular with surfers and boogie-boarders. Less formal than the National Seashore beaches, with a parking lot at the top of the bluffs. The waves here are consistently good, and the scene is lively in summer.

Wellfleet · Atlantic · Atlantic · Surf Bar · Live Music

One of the most beloved beaches on the Cape — partly for the surf, partly for the Beachcomber, a legendary bar and restaurant perched directly on the dune above the beach. Live music, cold beer, and Atlantic surf. Come for the afternoon, stay for the sunset and a show.

Brewster · Cape Cod Bay · Bay · Tidal Flats · Families

The finest example of Brewster's famous tidal flats — at low tide, the ocean retreats nearly a mile, leaving a vast warm expanse of wet sand, tide pools, and marine life. Walk out until you can't see the shore behind you. A uniquely Cape Cod experience, especially with children. Best timed to 1–2 hours before low tide.

Provincetown · Cape Cod National Seashore · Atlantic · Remote · Whale watching

The very tip of Cape Cod — a remote, windswept National Seashore beach where the Atlantic meets Cape Cod Bay. In season, humpback and finback whales are regularly spotted from shore. The light here is otherworldly in the late afternoon. Make it a day trip with Provincetown, 5 minutes away.