03-07-2025
These are some of the best beaches around New England, according to Globe staffers
Ogunquit Beach, Maine
If I had to pick my favorite New England beach, Ogunquit Beach in Maine would take first place. This gorgeous stretch of shoreline is only an hour and a half drive from Boston but feels like a different world. The white powdery sand is the softest around and the water is wonderful. On one side of the peninsula you have the ocean surf, and the other side is a lazy river that rises and falls with the tides, making it a favorite spot for families with young kids. After the beach, head over to Marginal Way, which is a paved walking path that hugs the rocky coastline — the perfect place to stroll and take in views of the ocean. The town also hosts an array of events throughout the year, like the annual Mr. Gay Ogunquit Speedo contest (on Labor Day weekend) and the High Heel Dash (held every October, during OgunquitFest).
EMILY SWEENEY
Beachgoers relaxed at the M Street Beach in South Boston on June 19, 2025.
Jonathan Wiggs/Globe Staff
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M Street Beach, South Boston
The cold makes my bones ache. I wear many layers of clothing, drink cup after cup of scalding ginger tea, and try not to drown in the darkness of winter. Then summer arrives. The sun burns my bare arms, turning my pale skin a salmon pink. I wear shorts and sandals. I hop on a Bluebike and make my way to
M Street Beach. Everyone is sweaty, there are no layers of heavy clothing. A short bike ride away is Castle Island, with its stunning city views and the fried food at Sullivan's. Yes, I have been to prettier beaches in Massachusetts, Maine, and Rhode Island, but they are not in Boston, with its glittering skyline and the clanging of the city all around you. I blast reggaeton music and stretch out across my blanket. I disappear into my book. This is it, this is the perfect beach day in the city. Easy. Hot. Loud. Just the way I want it.
CRISTINA SILVA
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Mohegan Bluffs, Block Island
This is more for the beachside adventurer than beachside slug. These are cliffs that provide a nice little hike and offer great views of the ocean. You can climb down (safely) to the small beach below, which is a nice little hideaway. The only problem is that the wind can get pretty strong there in the afternoon.
KEN MAHAN
Crystal Lake in Gilmanton Iron Works in New Hampshire.
Alexa Gagosz/Globe Staff
Crystal Lake, Gilmanton Iron Works, N.H.
With a backdrop of rolling farmland and in the shadows of bustling Winnipesaukee, Crystal Lake lives up to its name — a glimmering, glass-clear stretch of water that feels untouched. Locals and 'lakers,' as the summer families are called, gather for crisp morning swims, loons calling in the distance, and small-town serenity that modern life in the city rarely offers. Historically home to iron-mining enterprises, the village of Gilmanton Iron Works has nothing more than a general store, post office, and clapboard cottages, but you can pick out fresh eggs, corn, and homemade jams from stands that run on the honor system at nearly every curve of the road. At Crystal Lake, summer still feels sacred.
ALEXA GAGOSZ
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Scarborough State Beach, Narragansett, R.I.
If you're looking to add 401 charm to your sun-and-sand experience you could do far worse than Scarborough Beach. It's got decent waves. It's got snack bars. It's got radios blarin' the Fenway action and the local deals at the preowned vehicle lots in Johnston, or wherevah. Ample, affordable parking, too — plus restrooms and showers if you have to meet family at Twin Oaks right away. Really the best beach in Rhode Island to take a family.
TRAVIS ANDERSEN
Beachgoers took advantage of the low tide at Breakwater Beach in Brewster.
Barry Chin/Globe Staff
Brewster tidal flats, Cape Cod
I'm more of a walking-on-the-beach person than a swimming-at-the-beach person and the region's best beaches for walking are on Cape Cod Bay in Brewster. When the tide goes out, there are miles of walkable tidal flats accessible from
PETER BAILEY WELLS
East Beach, Chappaquiddick Island, Martha's Vineyard
It takes a lot of effort to get to this part of Chappy, and you need a truck with 4WD for the deep sand if you're to venture out farther, but once you're out here you have your own private slice of the Vineyard. The fishing here is incredible, the water's clear and warm, and on a bluebird day you can see all the way to Nantucket.
MARC CHOQUETTE
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A boy celebrated after building a sand castle at Carson Beach on June 5.
Heather Diehl for the Boston Globe
Carson Beach, South Boston
If you haven't been to Carson Beach recently, this is your sign to go. As a born-and-raised Southern Californian, my hopes weren't high when I set out on a mission to find my favorite Massachusetts beach. My only requirements were that the water be clean and safe to swim in (apparently
SARAH MESDJIAN
People watched the sunrise The Pier at Old Orchard Beach on June 22.
Old Orchard Beach, Maine
There's a beach up north that can't be beat. Seven miles of pristine sand and water that is often bone chilling to the feet and soul. I make a pilgrimage at least two times a year to a land called OOB: Old Orchard Beach in Maine. On a clear day with the sun beaming down on you, the water beckons. Plunging into massive waves and heavy surf sends endorphins soaring and your heart racing. A walk along the water at low tide to an ancient pier at sunset provides a respite from the burdens of modern life.
MIKE BELLO
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Vecchitto's Italian Ice on Hartford Avenue in Old Lyme, Conn.
Jack Vecchitto
Miami Beach, Old Lyme, Conn.
At Miami Beach in Old Lyme, Conn., summer arrives each year with the scent of salt air; the dinging of bicycle bells ringing on their way to the water along Long Island Sound; and the many flavors of Italian ice from
ALEXA GAGOSZ
Winthrop Beach, Winthrop
Winthrop Beach is my favorite near-city beach. There is plenty of room and even on the busiest days, you can find space to lay out. The sand is super fine and comfortable, and the five breakwaters, known as 'The Five Sisters,' make the water calmer for swimming while protecting the shoreline. Pick any time during the day and you'll be happy.
KEN MAHAN
A couple walked along the shore of Narragansett Town Beach on Sept. 15, 2021.
John Tlumacki/Globe Staff
Narragansett Town Beach, Naragansett, R.I.
It's hot, it's crowded, but it's always a good time. This is where I spent most of my youth, and on any given summer day you'd run into at least five people you knew (this is Rhode Island, after all). The soft sand, the right break near The Towers for the surfers, some Del's Lemonade? Can't beat it.
MARC CHOQUETTE
Beachgoers walked along the shore at Crane Beach on Oct. 1, 2024 in Ipswich, MA.
Kayla Bartkowski For The Boston
Crane Beach, Ipswich
Favorite beach? Definitely not Crane Beach, which is terrible and please don't go. It's five minutes from home and I wouldn't want to have to apologize in person for how awful it is as I spend entire days there, lamenting the horribleness of its miles of soft sand, gentle waves, and refreshing (however brisk) waters. You really should steer clear of it. Leave me to my misery.
MURRAY WHYTE
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A young boy carried his beach chair and umbrella as he arrived to Pleasure Bay early with his mom in an effort to beat the heat.
Jessica Rinaldi/Globe Staff
Pleasure Bay, South Boston
As a new Boston resident, I made my first pilgrimage to Sullivan's Castle Island on Sunday, June 29. Park on Farragut Road for easy access to the storied food stand while avoiding the worst of the traffic jams. Order cheese fries and a lobster roll! On Sunday, my sister and I walked south along the bay and took advantage of plentiful shade under gazebos and leafy trees near the Pleasure Bay Flag Pole. I'd recommend taking a dip in the bay just north of the flag. From there, we biked past M Street Beach and L Street Beach, all the way to Carson Beach. You can't beat the people watching and harbor views, all without having to leave Boston!
CLAIRE THORNTON
A girl went barefoot on the beach while working on her sculpture at Revere Beach on July 18, 2024.
David L. Ryan/Globe Staff
Revere Beach, Revere
For my beach days, I prioritize food. And there is simply nothing better than a steaming hot, gooey slice of cheese pizza. That's why Revere Beach,
just a few Blue Line stops away from the city, is my go-to on a sweltering day. It's not only that my family has been going to the beach since before the pink apartment building sprang up or that I can remember wave surfing when I was 5, but it's also Bianchi's Pizza. Once a counter-service pizzeria,
AVA BERGER
Roger Wheeler State Beach, Narragansett, R.I.
With a
CHRISTOPHER GAVIN
Meh, skip the beach. Head out on a pontoon boat instead.
My favorite beach is the one I never go to. I am not a fan of sitting in the sun, with greasy sun protection dripping into my eyes, stinging my baby blues as it melts. I am not a fan of slowly starting the growth of a melanoma, or a basal cell carcinoma that one day will have to be excavated with a scalpel from my balding scalp. I am not a fan of standing ankle deep in the Atlantic Ocean while scanning the waves for a black basketball, i.e. the head of a seal as it swims parallel to my location, inviting one of the numerous great white sharks into shallow waters for a snack — i.e., me. I am
in favor
of boating on the ocean and fresh water. I am a fan of whale watching, and I am a fan of captaining a pontoon boat on a freshwater lake — in both cases while wearing a hat, a long sleeve shirt, and protected by a bimini boat top.
JOHN ELLEMENT
John R. Ellement can be reached at
