Boston is a splendid city with many beaches, parks, and lakes. It’s not just the watery side of the town that has excellent beaches, either. If you’re longing for someplace to go on vacation, don’t worry: we’ve got you covered. Here are some of our favorite spots near Boston where you can find plenty of activities and scenery in addition to relaxing on the beach—or even just enjoying nature at its finest.
- Carson Beach — Boston
Carson is a famous public beach in the South End of Boston, Massachusetts, USA. It is on the south side of South Boston, between East Berkeley Street and the Fort Point Channel below Constitution Wharf. The beach is named after Samuel Carson, who owned land in the area during the early 19th century. It’s one of the city’s best places to swim or sunbathe if you’re looking for something less busy than Revere Beach.
Carson Beach has a unique history that makes it worth visiting. Carson Beach was originally part of Dorchester Bay and formed when prevailing currents deposited sandbars over time.
- Constitution Beach — Boston
Constitution Beach is an excellent option if you’re looking for a more relaxing beach day. There are plenty of lounge chairs and umbrellas to rent if you want them. This beach has multiple attributes listed below, making it a priority for visitors.
- Best for swimming
- Good for families
- Good for surfing
- Good for fishing
- Good for sunbathing
- Walking, biking,
- picnicking, and kiteboarding
In addition to these activities, Constitution Beach is also a great place to play volleyball or windsurfing. The water is clear and warm enough that you can enjoy swimming as long as you want without worrying about getting too cold.
- Lovells Island — Boston Harbor Islands
Lovells Island is a small island in Boston Harbor, Massachusetts. It is part of the Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area and accessible by ferry from Rowes Wharf or private boat.
The island has several picnic areas, beaches, and hiking trails or biking. The highest peak on this little gem is 180 feet above sea level!
Lovells Island offers excellent views of the city skyline from its tallest point; you can see up to Logan Airport and across Long Island Sound toward Rhode Island!
- Tinian Beach — Boston
Tinian Beach is a sandy beach located in the Dorchester neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts. The beach is located between the Neponset River and Tinian Creek. It’s open year-round and offers swimming, sunbathing, and boating opportunities.
The beach is also home to several restaurants, including:
- Sugar Shack (seasonal)
- The Waterfront Restaurant
USA Today readers have ranked Tinian Beach as one of America’s best beaches!
Tinian Beach is at Dorchester, MA 02122. It’s open year-round and offers swimming, sunbathing, and boating opportunities. The beach is also home to several restaurants, including Sugar Shack (seasonal), The Waterfront Restaurant
- Pleasure Bay — Boston
Pleasure Bay is a public beach in the city of Boston, Massachusetts. It is located in the South End neighborhood of Boston and is a part of the Atlantic Ocean. The beach is known as one of the most popular beaches in all of New England with its vast expanse and expansive views.
The beach offers many activities to keep you busy while enjoying your time at this beautiful location. You can swim here year-round since it’s protected by buoys that prevent waves from washing over any part of this area where people are swimming or boogie boarding
You can also rent a kayak or paddle board from one of the many vendors at this beach. The water is warm and transparent, making it perfect for swimming in any season.
- Spectacle Island — Boston Harbor Islands
Spectacle Island is a small island off the coast of Boston. It’s part of the Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area and one of New England’s most scenic spots.
Spectacle Island offers plenty for travelers to do, especially when it comes to enjoying its natural beauty. Visitors can go for a hike or rent kayaks from nearby islands like Long Island or Deer Island (both within easy reach). If you’re looking for something more active, several hiking trails on Spectacle Island lead down into its famous granite cliffs—you’ll have a fantastic view while making your way back up!
There are also plenty of restaurants available here: Chez Bouche serves French food while The Boathouse serves seafood dishes; both offer fantastic views over Boston Harbor as well as excellent service by friendly staff members!
- Crane Beach — Ipswich
Crane Beach is a public beach located in Ipswich, Massachusetts. It is the largest salt-water beach on Cape Ann. It’s named for its large number of marsh hens, who live along the shoreline and feed on crabs or fish left over by fishermen. The birds are strictly protected under federal law and cannot be harmed or removed from the area; however, they are not common enough at Crane Beach to warrant any particular concern (nor should they!).
Crane Beach is a popular tourist destination, with an average of about 60,000 visitors annually. It has two parking lots for beachgoers, who can take a shuttle to one of the most popular areas on the beach: the Lighthouse Point viewing area. You’ll have a great view of all three lighthouses on Cape Ann and some offshore rocky cliffs.
- Long Beach — Gloucester
Long Beach is a beach in Gloucester, Massachusetts. It’s the most popular beach in Gloucester (and one of the most popular beaches in New England).
Long Beach is a barrier beach on Cape Ann. It’s also part of the Cape Ann National Wildlife Refuge and has been designated an Important Bird Area by BirdLife International. The water here is shallow enough for people to wade through safely, though it can get quite cold when windy or rough weather comes along.
The beach is named for its long and narrow shape, which stretches from just east of downtown Gloucester to the National Seashore’s Magnolia Beach. Long Beach has two entrances: one on each side of the barrier island. Both have parking lots, restrooms, and food concessions.
- Lynch Park Beach — Beverly
Lynch Park Beach is a public beach located in Beverly, Massachusetts. It is one of the most popular beaches in the area and offers spectacular views of the Atlantic Ocean and Long Island Sound. The beach has been home to many famous people, including President John F. Kennedy, who was assassinated on November 22nd, 1963, while riding his horse at nearby Assateague Island National Seashore (which you can see from this particular spot).
The park features several picnic areas, restrooms, showers, playground equipment for children, and concessions such as ice cream stands or frozen yogurt shops. You may also want to stop by one of their many concession stands selling food items like burgers or hot dogs during your stay here!
- Plum Island Beach — Newburyport
Plum Island Beach is a private beach owned by the colony of seals on Plum Island. It may not be the most accessible beach, but it’s worth checking out if you’re in the area.
The island is relatively small, so don’t expect to see much wildlife here—it’s mostly just seals and seagulls. At low tide, sandbars provide access to the water; however, these can become flooded if too much high tide comes in (often). It can make swimming dangerous due to strong currents or other hazards such as rocks under water or hypothermia when temperatures dip below freezing during winter months like December through March (when most people visit Massachusetts).
While there aren’t lifeguards at Plum Island Beach, they do have signs warning people about potential dangers, such as sharks and stingrays lurking nearby. In contrast, this might seem obvious to anyone visiting a public beach where people swim freely without regard for their safety. Most people don’t think about what kind of terrain they’re walking over until after they’ve already been bitten by something else, so keep those eyes peeled!
- Salisbury Beach — Salisbury
Salisbury Beach is located in Salisbury, MA, and is a popular destination for families and young people. The beach has a sandy beach perfect for playing in the sand or just relaxing on the shoreline. It also has picnic tables where you can enjoy your time at the beach with family or friends.
Salisbury Beach offers parking lots close to its location so that people can easily find parking if they come by car instead of walking or biking, as many others do here at this popular spot on Cape Cod Bay!
- Revere Beach — Revere
Revere Beach is a long beach of fine white sand with a pleasant view of the Boston skyline. It is famous among residents and visitors for its cleanliness, clear waters, and friendly residents. Families can spend quality and peaceful time with everlasting memories.
The beach has on-duty lifeguards during the summer (June through August). The beach also offers concessions such as restrooms, showers, lifeguards, and parking lots.
- Singing Beach — Manchester-by-the-Sea
Singing Beach is a beautiful, sandy beach on the Atlantic Ocean. Located in Manchester-by-the-Sea, this beach is one of New England’s most popular tourist destinations. With clear waters and not too many people, it makes for an ideal place to swim or enjoy your time relaxing on the sand. Suppose you’re looking for something more active than that, though. In that case, plenty of other activities are available — from kayaking to hiking and biking trails nearby (some even extend beyond Singing Beach itself).
- Nantasket Beach — Hull
Nantasket Beach is the largest beach in Hull, MA, and a popular spot for families. It’s located on Nantasket Peninsula and is a great place to swim and fish. The beach has picnic tables, restrooms, and lots of open space for strolling along the sandy shoreline. It’s also home to some pretty impressive views of the ocean—you can catch glimpses of Boston from here!
The sunset here is beautiful every evening; if you’re lucky enough to catch it without any clouds blocking your view, you’ll also get a fantastic show!
- Nahant Beach — Nahant
Nahant is a peninsula that juts out into Massachusetts Bay and has a long history as a summer resort town. Many beaches on the arm, including ones with sand dunes and rocky cliffs, make for some great hiking opportunities. The public beaches aren’t too crowded so that you can enjoy them in peace.
The best part about Nahant Beach? It’s right next door! If you visit the town during whale season (which runs from June through September), check out their annual Whale Fest event—you won’t miss this!
So, there you have it, the 15 best beaches near Boston. We hope you enjoyed our list, and if you haven’t visited any of these spots yet, we hope you will soon!
