SPECIALS
There is no experience quite like standing on the National Seashore of Cape Cod, where famous author Henry David Thoreau once said that “a man may stand there and put all America behind him.” Comprised of over forty miles of pristine, unspoiled sandy beaches, tranquil ponds, haunting marshes, and scenic uplands, the beaches of Cape Cod remain one of the United States’ enduring national treasures in the New England area.
Dotting the landscape between the beaches are wild cranberry bogs, old-fashioned lighthouses, and walking trails; it is truly one of the most beautiful gateways that we have to Cape Cod’s past, transporting you to a simpler time in America’s history. Read on to learn more about the many wonderful beaches in Cape Cod that simply can’t be missed!
The Best Cape Cod Beaches to Visit
Beaches in Cape Cod offer scenic views and recreation like no other in the nation. Below, we’ve compiled a list of merely a few of the myriad of beaches here, any of which will create unforgettable memories on your vacation.
Coast Guard Beach
Perfect for swimming during the summer, this idyllic beach is believed to be the site where the Mayflower landed on November 9, 1620, and marks the beginning of what Thoreau called “the Great Beach.” It is also the graveyard of over three thousand ships, beginning with the shipwreck of the Sparrowhawk in 1626. Nearby, you’ll find Nauset March and Nauset Spit, where shorebirds can be seen in the tidal flats and seals can be observed on the barrier beach system. Renowned nature writer Henry Beston also wrote his famous work “The Outermost House” from his beach cottage in this area.
Nauset Light Beach in Cape Cod
A popular destination for walkers and bicyclists as well as swimmers, Nauset Light Beach has a wide expanse of sandy beach, as well as a picturesque trail to the Three Sisters lighthouses that traverses through a serene pitch pine forest. Here, Piping Plovers—an endangered species—nest from early spring to early summer, with nest sites marked to keep visitors at a safe distance and allow for observation. It’s also the site where the first successful transatlantic cable from France reached America.
Marconi Beach
Known for giving visitors a sense of solitude, Marconi Beach has an observation platform that offers an excellent view of the Outer Cape, flanked by both the ocean and the bay. Nearby is the Atlantic White Cedar Swamp Trail, as well as the site where Italian inventor Guglielmo Marconi (for whom the beach was named) successfully sent his first transatlantic wireless transmission from the United States to England in 1903. The unbroken natural panorama here embodies the peaceful isolation of the Great Beach, complimented by spectacular upland vistas.
Stay in a New England Vacation Rental and See the Best of Cape Cod (Including the Cape Cod Beaches)!
Ask our reservation specialists for additional information about the area’s activities and attractions when you book one of our luxurious vacation rentals today! Make sure to check out our Cape Cod waterview vacation rentals to stay right by the water!
Related Links
Ridgevale Beach | Forest Beach | Red River Beach | Harding’s Beach | Marconi Maritime Center | Bank Street Beach | Race Point Beach
