Best New England Beaches: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, Rhode
Island Beaches That You Won't Want to Leave
Short Sands Beach, York Beach, Maine
by Eric Hurwitz. Article updated on 11/30/16
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It's hard not to have your head in the sand when choosing the
best ocean beaches in New England.
Choose a great beach and someone will come back with an even better
one. Even lifetime residents can miss out on some of New England's most
spectacular ocean beaches. The coastline is so expansive and has so
many undiscovered nooks and crannies that even the most well traveled
New Englanders will find undiscovered gems -- or rediscover an area
that looked OK then, but great now. It's all subjective, of course, but
ultimately you can't go wrong with any environmentally sound sandy New
England beach with ocean views. With that said, we still have our
favorites that stick out in our minds for your New England summer
vacation:
Short Sands Beach, York Beach, Maine
-- Short Sands Beach is a significant part of the ultimate summer
vacation family fun of York Beach. Short Sand Beach is rather short in
length, but endless on the fun meter. This sandy stretch of ocean beach
offers great views of rocky Maine
coast, big, old sea captain's homes and the beautiful Atlantic Ocean.
There is a playground for the kids, an arcade, bowling alley and a
gazebo with summer concerts, all just off the beach. A few steps away
are shops, restaurants (including Goldenrod's which specializes in
making salt water taffy) and the amazing York Wild Kingdom Zoo and
Amusement Park offering exotic animal displays and a petting zoo within
a large zoo, family rides, paddle boats, an 18 hole miniature golf
course, batting cages, picnic grounds, plenty of soft serve ice cream
and a Haunted House.
Roger Wheeler State Beach,
Narragansett, RI - We love Roger Wheeler State Beach for its
scenic, relaxing Atlantic Ocean views, family-oriented atmosphere,
great stretch of sandy beach, relatively warm New Englander ocean water
and nice amenities like a pavilion with coin operated hot showers,
concession stand, playground and picnic tables. There is a lifeguard on
duty (weather permitting). Although Roger Wheeler Beach gets crowded
during the peak summer months, there's always a space for someone. It's
every bit as good as beach as the Cape Cod beaches, but is a better
kept secret making it seem like a special discovery. Roger Wheeler
State Beach is right around the corner from Galilee, a live fishing
village with lots of New England atmosphere with ships, boats, nice
shops and some of the best New England seafood (George's is a great
oversized seafood shack/restaurant with indoor and outdoor dining).
Roger Wheeler State Beach, 100 Sand Hill Cove Road, Narragansett, Rhode
Island. Tel. (401) 789-3563
Hammonasset Beach State Park, Madison,
CT - This is Connecticut's largest and best ocean beach. With
two miles of sandy beach and 919 acres of an environmental paradise,
Hammonasset -- on Long Island sound -- is a great place for families to
make friends, build a sand castle, walk or stroll on the extensive
boardwalk and swim in the not-too-cold waters. Hammonasset State Park
has lifeguards, a concession stand, changing rooms, picnic areas,
walking trails through beautiful, clean coastal land, biking,
rollerblading, saltwater fishing, a nature center and 558 campsite
areas. Nearby Madison Center, as well as Old Saybrook and Guilford are
wonderful New England towns to discover during your New England summer
vacation with lots of historical preservation and nice local shops and
seafood restaurants. Hammonasset Beach State Park,1288 Boston Post Rd.,
P.O. Box 271, Madison, CT, Tel. (203) 245-2785
Nauset Beach, Orleans, Cape
Cod
- There's enough room for everyone at the 10-mile long Nauset
Beach.
One of the Atlantic's Coast's great stretches of beach, Nauset Beach is
part of the government-operated Cape Cod National Seashore Park. The
panoramic ocean views are spectacular and the sand is soft, making it
the quintessential Cape Cod beach experience. The under toe can be a
bit strong, the shoreline rocky in spots and the water many times a bit
cold, but the unspoiled, stunning surroundings and gentle Cape Cod
summer breezes make Nauset Beach a must-visit New England beach. It is
also near some of New England's most revered clam shacks like Woodman's
and the Clam Box. Nauset Beach is located about three miles east of
Route 6 on marked roads.
Crane Beach, Ipswich, MA - More
than 1,200 acres of beachfront, dunes, and maritime forest make for one
of the best New England ocean beach experiences. Respect for
conservation and wildlife are equally as recreation here, as the
Trustees of Reservations has effectively managed protecting the rare
piping plover bird, as well as an important habitat for for numerous
rare plants, invertebrates, mammals, birds, shellfish, and finfish and
fragile dunes. The 5.5 miles of beach (and walking trails) are great
for walks, finding a quiet place to sunbathe and viewing spectacular
sunsets. Crane Beach might seem isolated in spots, but the main area
offers lifeguards, bathhouses and a refreshment stand. The water is
somewhat chilly and the Greenhead Flies can be problematic from
mid-July through the first week in August, but arriving mid-day on less
humid days and with a topical insect repellent will offset any
discomfort. Crane Beach, Argilla Road, Ipswich, MA. Tel. (978) 356-4354
Dusk at Nauset Beach, Orleans (Cape Cod), Credit: William
DeSousa-Mauk
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