Coast Guard Beach in Eastham
A view of Coast Guard Beach in Eastham.
Eric Williams, Cape Cod Times
If you want to spend a few more perfect beach days before the water gets cold again, we know the right place.
For the past four weeks, we’ve been polling our readers using a bracket poll to determine the best beach in Massachusetts. We considered freshwater and saltwater beaches, as well as the north and south shores, but it was no great surprise that a beach on Cape Cod ended up taking the title of best beach in Massachusetts.
The winner was none other than Coast Guard Beach in Eastham, beating runner-up Race Point Beach with 57% of the vote.
Why Coast Guard Beach is so popular
Coast Guard Beach in Eastham is part of the National Seashore and has long been a popular spot. It “marks the beginning of what author Henry David Thoreau called the ‘Great Beach,’ an unbroken sandy shoreline extending north for more than 20 miles,” according to a Seashore description of the area.
Recently, Coast Guard Beach was named one of the top 10 most beautiful beaches in the United States by Dr. Beach, also known as Stephen P. Leatherman, a professor in the Department of Earth and Environment at Florida International University in Miami and director of its Coastal Research Laboratory, who is known for his views on beaches.
What makes it so popular?
The view with its dunes, soft sand and of course the Atlantic Ocean stretching out before you is breathtaking.
“The natural beauty is spectacular and it’s a great place for surfers or boogie boarders,” veteran Cape Cod National Seashore lifeguard supervisor Gordon Miller told the Cape Cod Times in 2023. And he should know, because he’s been there thousands of times.
What you should know when you go
Beachgoers park in the nearby Little Creek parking lot on Doane Road and take a shuttle to the beach. A bike path connects the beach to the Salt Pond Visitor Center. The nice thing about Coast Guard and all other beaches in the Cape Cod National Seashore is that you don’t need a city sticker to park on the beach. Just pay an entrance fee or buy a ticket at the booth and you’re good to go, as long as the parking lot isn’t full. Address: 2 Ocean View Drive, Eastham.
Eric Williams contributed to this report.
Details: Coast Guard Beach has been rated as one of the best beaches in the country by Mr. Beach and is part of the National Seashore. It is popular with surfers and boogie boarders. Coast Guard Beach “marks the beginning of what author Henry David Thoreau called the ‘Great Beach,’ an unbroken sandy shoreline extending north for more than 20 miles,” according to a Seashore description of the area.
