Best Beaches on Cape Cod

Cape Cod is surrounded by water and thus there are a lot of beaches to choose from when you visit the Cape. When you look at a map of Cape Cod and you see that it is surrounded by water, you think that the Cape is an island. But it’s not! The Cape is considered a peninsula because it was connected to the mainland until 1916 when the Cape Cod Canal was completed to shorten the trade route from New York to Boston.

Cape Cod is surrounded by four bodies of water – the Nantucket Sound on the southern coast, Buzzard’s bay on the western coast, the Cape Cod bay on the northern coast and the Atlantic Ocean on the eastern coast. Many people are surprised to learn that the coastline is more than 400 miles! Each coast of Cape Cod is very different and thus the beaches of Cape Cod are very different.

So when guests ask us which Cape Cod beach is the best, we have to find out what they are looking to do before we answer.

If you want to spend the day sitting on the beach working on your tan, take a long stroll on the beach while looking for sea shells, or take a dip in the warm water, we recommend going to Craigville Beach in Centerville, on the Nantucket Sound. This is one of the largest beaches on the Cape, where you’ll find a lifeguard, a bath house with restrooms and showers, and a couple of food shanties across the street. You can spend the day sunbathing, take a dip, and go for a walk along the beach out to the tip of Long Beach and can walk around to the Centerville River side then walk back to the beach while viewing some beautiful Cape Cod beach homes.

For the best sunsets on Cape Cod, we suggest going to Chapin Beach on the northern coast overlooking Cape Cod Bay. The northern coast is a rockier coast and has an extreme tidal shift. When low tide and sunset coincide, the result is magical! At low tide you can walk about about a mile and see what the tide leaves in it’s wake – lots of swirls and tide pools – you’ll feel like you walked into a different world.

On the western coast of Cape Cod, you will find Old Silver Beach in North Falmouth. This beach has plenty to offer: the sand is fine and white; the water is clear, calm and warm; and the sunsets over Buzzards Bay are beautiful!

If you are hoping to see some seals and rougher waves, then you should head off to the Cape Cod National Seashore on the Atlantic Ocean on the eastern coast of the Cape. There are several beaches that make up the National Seashore. With its giant sand dunes, Cahoon Hollow Beach, located in Wellfleet, is a popular beach for those in their twenties and thirties (as is the Wellfleet Beachcomber seaside restaurant and bar!) Coast Guard Beach, known for its awe-inspiring vistas and Nauset Light Beach, located in Eastham are also popular beaches.

The large waves make it ideal for swimming, boogie boarding and surfing. The water temperature in the Atlantic is a bit cooler. You may find some seals along the coast or in the water but beware, where there are seals, there are sharks.

Everyone should experience the Long Dell Inn

Looking for a home base for your Cape Cod adventure?  The Long Dell Inn is the perfect place to stay.  Long Dell Inn is a historic sea captain’s house with a total of seven guestrooms all with private en-suite bathrooms.  Located in the quiet seaside village of Centerville – frequently called one of the prettiest village on Cape Cod – we are just minutes from a great beach, delicious dining, fabulous shopping, ferries to Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket, and easy access to all your Cape Cod adventures.  Check out our accommodations and book your getaway today!  If you have questions, please call (508-775-2750) or email us.

These are just a sampling of the MANY beaches on Cape Cod. We are always available to discuss with our guests which beach best fits their needs.  Before you head off to find your favorite Cape Cod beach, remember to take along your beach chairs, umbrellas, and towels from the Long Dell Inn!