Ocean / Surf
East Beach
Edgartown, Martha's Vineyard, MA
Plover closureHidden gemSurf · intermediateSeal viewing
(11)
SeclusionNatureFishingBirding
Surf wavesUncrowded
Cape Cod Beaches with Free Public Parking
Most Cape beach lots want a town sticker or a $20–40 day fee in summer, which stings for a quick visit. The beaches below have public access without a sticker requirement — the catch is that free lots are the first to fill, so treat 10am as the cutoff on July and August weekends.
47 of 126 Cape Cod beaches make this list, ranked by visitor rating.
Ocean / Surf
Quidnet Beach
Nantucket, MA
Plover closureHidden gemSurf · intermediate
(5)
SeclusionSceneryWalkingBirding
Surf wavesUncrowdedDog-friendly
Ocean / Surf
Surfside Beach
Nantucket, MA
AccessibleSurf · intermediate
(5)
SurfingBodyboardingbikingFamilies
Surf wavesDog-friendlyLifeguardsSunsets
Dunes
Great Point Beach
Nantucket, MA
Plover closureHidden gemSeal viewing
(31)
FishingSeclusionNatureoff-road+1
UncrowdedDog-friendly
Sound Side
Bend-in-the-Road Beach
Edgartown, Martha's Vineyard, MA
(5)
FamiliesSwimmingbiking
Calm waterDog-friendlyLifeguards
Ocean / Surf
Cisco Beach
Nantucket, MA
Plover closureSurf · intermediate
(44)
Surfingyoung crowdBodyboarding
Surf wavesDog-friendlyLifeguardsSunsets
Sound Side
Lake Tashmoo Town Beach
Vineyard Haven, Martha's Vineyard, MA
Hidden gem
(29)
FamiliesSwimmingNatureBirding
Calm waterDog-friendlyLifeguards
Bay / Calm
Long Point Beach
Provincetown, MA
Plover closureHidden gemSeal viewing
(33)
SeclusionWalkingNature
Calm waterUncrowdedSunsets
Ocean / Surf
Madaket Beach
Nantucket, MA
Plover closureSurf · advanced
(179)
SunsetsSurfingSeclusionFishing
Surf wavesDog-friendlyLifeguardsSunsets
Ocean / Surf
Moshup Beach (public)
Aquinnah, Martha's Vineyard, MA
Plover closureSurf · intermediate
(67)
ScenerycliffsNatureSunsets+1
Surf wavesDog-friendlySunsets
Ocean / Surf
Norton Point Beach
Edgartown, Martha's Vineyard, MA
Plover closureHidden gemSurf · advancedSeal viewing
(26)
FishingSeclusionBirding
Surf wavesUncrowded
Bay / Calm
Rock Harbor Beach
Orleans, MA
(25)
sunsetFishingharbor views
Calm waterDog-friendlySunsets
Sound Side
Steps Beach Nantucket
Nantucket, MA
Hidden gem
(215)
SnorkelingSeclusionWalking
Calm waterUncrowdedDog-friendlySunsets
Bay / Calm
Grays Beach
Yarmouth, MA
Plover closure
(643)
boardwalkNaturesunsetFamilies
Calm waterLifeguardsSunsets
Harbor
Jetties Beach
Nantucket, MA
Accessible
(86)
FamiliesPlaygroundcalm waterevents+1
Calm waterLifeguardsSunsets
Sound Side
Joseph Sylvia State Beach
Oak Bluffs, Martha's Vineyard, MA
Plover closure
(613)
FamiliesSwimmingbikingKayaking
Calm waterDog-friendlyLifeguards
Ocean / Surf
Katama Beach/ South Beach
Edgartown, Martha's Vineyard, MA
Plover closureAccessibleSurf · intermediate
(266)
SurfingSwimmingFamiliesSunrises
Surf wavesDog-friendlyLifeguards
Ocean / Surf
Ladies Beach
Nantucket, MA
Plover closureHidden gemSurf · intermediate
(49)
WalkingSeclusionSurfing
Surf wavesUncrowdedDog-friendlySunsets
Ocean / Surf
Lighthouse Beach
Chatham, MA
Plover closureSurf · advancedSeal viewing
(1,141)
sealsSceneryLighthouse
Sunsets
Harbor
Menemsha Public Beach
Chilmark, Martha's Vineyard, MA
(52)
SunsetsFamiliesSwimmingScenery
Calm waterDog-friendlyLifeguardsSunsets
Ocean / Surf
Miacomet Beach
Nantucket, MA
Plover closureHidden gemSurf · intermediate
(61)
WalkingSeclusionFishing
Surf wavesUncrowdedDog-friendlySunsets
Harbor
Ptown Harbor
Provincetown, MA
(21)
town accessSwimmingconvenience
Calm waterDog-friendlySunsets
Ocean / Surf
Tom Never Beach
Nantucket, MA
Plover closureHidden gemSurf · intermediate
(6)
SeclusionWalkingFishingBirding
Surf wavesUncrowdedDog-friendly
Harbor
Childrens Beach
Nantucket, MA
Accessible
(22)
FamiliestoddlersPlaygroundcalm water
Calm waterLifeguardsSunsets
Sound Side
Falmouth Heights Beach
Falmouth, MA
Accessible
(98)
Familiestown accessSwimming
LifeguardsSunsets
Harbor
Lighthouse Beach
Edgartown, Martha's Vineyard, MA
(14)
FamiliesScenerytown access
Calm waterSunsets
Bay / Calm
Lobsterville Beach
Aquinnah, Martha's Vineyard, MA
Plover closureHidden gem
(16)
FishingSeclusionWalkingBirding
Calm waterUncrowdedDog-friendly
Sound Side
Long Point Beach
West Tisbury, Martha's Vineyard, MA
Plover closureHidden gemSurf · intermediate
(69)
NatureHikingBirdingSeclusion
Uncrowded
Harbor
Owen Park Beach
Vineyard Haven, Martha's Vineyard, MA
(91)
FamiliesSwimmingtown access
Calm waterLifeguards
Ocean / Surf
Sconset Beach
Nantucket, MA
Plover closureSurf · intermediate
(27)
village charmSceneryWalkingSunrises
Surf wavesDog-friendly
Ocean / Surf
Scusset Beach
Sandwich, MA
Plover closureAccessibleSurf · beginner
(75)
campingFishingcanal trail
Dog-friendlyLifeguardsSunsets
Sound Side
South Cape Beach State Park
Mashpee, MA
Plover closureHidden gemAccessible
(544)
NatureWalkingSwimming
Lifeguards
Sound Side
Veterans Park Beach
Hyannis, Barnstable, MA
Accessible
(975)
FamiliesPlaygroundpicnicsSwimming
Calm waterLifeguardsSunsets
Sound Side
Bass River Beach
Yarmouth, MA
Accessible
(50)
FamiliesFishingpicnics
Calm waterLifeguardsSunsets
Sound Side
Dionis Beach
Nantucket, MA
Plover closureHidden gem
(29)
Familiescalm waterdunesSwimming
Calm waterDog-friendlyLifeguardsSunsets
Sound Side
Inkwell Beach
Oak Bluffs, Martha's Vineyard, MA
Accessible
(520)
FamiliesSwimminghistorytown access
Calm waterLifeguards
Sound Side
Kalmus Park Beach
Hyannis, Barnstable, MA
Accessible
(42)
WindsurfingkiteboardingFamiliesKayaking
LifeguardsSunsets
Sound Side
Keyes Memorial Beach
Hyannis, Barnstable, MA
Accessible
(41)
Familiestown accessSwimming
Calm waterLifeguardsSunsets
Harbor
Oak Bluffs Town Beach
Oak Bluffs, Martha's Vineyard, MA
(38)
Familiestown accessSwimming
Calm waterLifeguards
Sound Side
Parkers River Beach
Yarmouth, MA
Accessible
(24)
FamiliesPlaygroundmusic
Calm waterLifeguardsSunsets
Harbor
Englewood Beach
Yarmouth, MA
Hidden gem
(175)
Familiestoddlerscalm water
Calm waterSunsets
Harbor
Fuller Street Beach
Edgartown, Martha's Vineyard, MA
Hidden gem
(9)
FamiliesSwimmingtown access
Calm waterUncrowded
Harbor
Brant Point Road
Nantucket, MA
No rating0
FamiliesLighthouseferry watchingcalm water
Calm waterDog-friendlySunsets
Bay / Calm
Eel Point Road
Nantucket, MA
Plover closureHidden gem
No rating0
NatureSeclusionBirdingWalking
Calm waterUncrowdedDog-friendlySunsets
Harbor
Mayo Beach
Wellfleet, MA
No rating0
Familiestown accesscalm water
Calm waterDog-friendlyLifeguardsSunsets
Ocean / Surf
Nobadeer Beach
Nantucket, MA
Plover closureSurf · intermediate
No rating0
Surfingyoung crowdBodyboarding
Surf wavesDog-friendlySunsets
Ocean / Surf
Scusset Beach Road
Sandwich, MA
Plover closureHidden gem
No rating0
campingFishingcanal trail
UncrowdedDog-friendlySunsets
Turn this list into a trip
The trip planner picks the right base town and builds a day around these beaches — traffic, tides, food and all.
Frequently asked questions
Do all Cape Cod beaches charge for parking?
No — while most popular town beaches require a resident sticker or a paid day pass in season, the beaches on this list have public parking without a sticker. Fees and enforcement generally run Memorial Day through Labor Day, roughly 9am to 4pm.
How else can I avoid Cape Cod parking fees?
Arrive before enforcement starts or after about 4pm (sunset visits are usually free everywhere), bike in — bike racks are common and never charged — or pick one of the free-lot beaches here.