The best New England beaches for kids, foodies, accessibility and more

Details: 207-934-2500, oldorchardbeachmaine.com. Beach wheelchairs available. Parking $3 an hour at meters, from $5 an hour in lots.

Many public beaches discourage or ban dogs during the summer. Parts of the Cape Cod National Seashore are more Fido-friendly, however. The long strand of Nauset Light Beach in Eastham is one of the more magnificent places to bring your leashed pup on a family outing, keeping in mind that pets are not allowed on the lifeguard-protected part of the beach or bike trails. From the entrance path, you can stroll a long way south toward Coast Guard Beach or north toward Marconi Beach. Before you go, check the National Park Service website for any closures.

Details: 508-255-3421, nps.gov/caco. Parking $25.

There are big waves even around New England, especially when an offshore storm is churning. You can count on consistent surfable breaks at Easton’s Beach (a.k.a. First Beach) in Newport, Rhode Island. Slow rollers here are especially good for beginners. When waves pick up, more experienced surfers tend to congregate on the west end away from sunbathers — which means having to negotiate the rocks beneath the Cliff Walk. The æ-mile strand is popular with families, youngsters with Endless Summer dreams, and boogie boarders.

Details: 401-845-5810, cityofnewport.com. Parking from $15/day.

Located north of the broad, sandy swimming beaches of the New Hampshire coast, Odiorne Point State Park in Rye boasts rocky shores ideal for tide pooling. Hollows between the rocks and potholes in the ledges create catch basins for the teeming sea life that washes in on the high tide. These shallow pools bustle with newly hatched fish, tiny crabs, prickly sea urchins, and waving, red-tentacled sea anemones. When the tide turns, they all return to the boundless ocean.

Details: 603-436-7406, nhstateparks.org/. Entrance $4, ages 6-11 $2. Parking free with admission.

Going to the beach doesn’t mean you need to settle for boiled hot dogs and soggy pizza. Salisbury Beach Center, the section operated by the town, offers a range of options for discerning taste buds. Vegans and vegetarians swear by the acai and smoothie bowls at Groundswell Surf Cafe (groundswellsurfcafe.com, 978-255-1456). At Sin-a-loa, wash down tacos al pastor or short-rib quesadilla with a mojito or margarita (sin-a-loa.com, 978-961-7310). Trade the swimwear for something more dressy and enjoy upscale fare such as a tuna poke bowl, avocado seafood ceviche, and scampi bucatini at Seaglass Restaurant and Lounge (seaglassoceanside.com, 978-462-5800) overlooking the beach.

Details: 978-462-8232, salisburyma.gov. Beach wheelchairs available. Parking from $2 an hour on street and in lots.

Beach yoga has been a regular early morning activity for two decades on Chatham Lighthouse Beach, providing a mindful way to start the day. The beach is known for its broad expanse of sand beneath the active Coast Guard lighthouse, as well as for its basking seals. When they bark on foggy mornings, “It’s almost haunting,” says Jennifra Norton of Chatham Yoga, who leads drop-in classes at the beach. Check posted warnings before swimming as there are no lifeguards.

Details: 508-432-5840, chathamyoga.com. Classes are $20 cash; children 14 and younger attend free of charge. Class finishes before parking fees begin (Bridge Street parking requires $20 day pass).

Most of the 350,000 people who visit Crane Beach in Ipswich annually probably come to sunbathe on the white sands and swim in the gentle waves. But birders know the beach and adjoining wildlife refuge as a premier birding destination. More than 5 miles of boardwalks and trails traverse the dunes and salt marsh where egrets, herons, harriers, and hawks dominate. The shore bustles with sandpipers, terns, and endangered piping plovers. Through the first week of June, 150 bird species had been reported at Crane in 2023.

Details: 978-356-4354, thetrustees.org. Beach wheelchairs available. Secure day pass in advance at website; members free-$23, non-members $5-$45.

Ogunquit Beach in the artsy, welcoming community of Ogunquit, Maine, has long been a favorite of LGBTQ+ beachgoers. The entrance to the main beach, a 3-mile stretch of the Maine coast’s softest sand, is walkable from the bustling village center. Pride flags festoon many shops in the village, which is also home to art galleries, a variety of restaurants, and multiple LGBTQ+ nightclubs, including Maine’s largest. The Ogunquit Playhouse, a legendary summer stock theater, is just up the street.

Details: 207-646-1279, ogunquit.org. Beach wheelchairs available. Parking $5-$7 per hour, $30-$40 per day.

The largest shoreline park in Connecticut, Hammonasset Beach State Park in Madison offers 2 continuous miles of sands along Long Island Sound — a boon to more than 3 million visitors per year. From 8 a.m. to sunset, fishing is banned from shore, but the two jetties at Meigs Point and West Beach extend far enough into the Sound to make angling for blackfish, black sea bass, and flounder a good daylight bet. After dark, surfcasters reclaim the shore in their quest for bluefish and stripers.

Details: 203-245-2785, portal.ct.gov. Beach wheelchairs available. Parking free for Connecticut residents; non-residents weekdays $15, weekends $22.

Many top beaches offer loaner wheelchairs and spread beach mats for easy rolling over the sand, usually on a first come, first served basis. Among them are Scusset Beach State Reservation in Sandwich and Horseneck Beach State Reservation in Westport. Beach wheelchairs are also available on Cape Cod National Seashore beaches such as Coast Guard Beach in Eastham and Herring Cove in Provincetown. Gloucester’s Wingaersheek Beach has 16 accessible parking spaces and loans beach wheelchairs. Crescent Beach State Park in Cape Elizabeth, Maine, not only loans wheelchairs but also features accessible trails. And in East Lyme, Connecticut, Rocky Neck State Park offers beach wheelchairs and a fully accessible campground.

Probably the easiest Nantucket beach for visitors to reach, Jetties Beach is wide and flat. Numerous sandbars keep the water shallow and warm with minimal waves — ideal conditions for paddle sports and sailing. Jetties Sailing Center (nantucketcommunitysailing.org) on the harbor side rents kayaks, paddleboards, and small sailboats, with discounts for members. The gentle patch of ocean between the two jetties is also great for children and casual swimmers. Nantucket permits grilling as well as leashed pets on this expansive beach.

Details: 508-228-5358, nantucket-ma.gov. Beach wheelchairs available. Parking free or take $2 shuttle from Whaling Museum.

The Cape Cod National Seashore has no shortage of beaches where couples can walk hand in hand, but few offer the dramatic vistas of Race Point Beach in Provincetown. The vast strip of scenic shoreline has an otherworldly wonder about it. Humpback whales have been known to breach just offshore. Look west for stunning sunset views. If you can score a beach campfire permit from the Province Lands Visitor Center, you can watch the sky change color as you cuddle by the fire.

Details: 508-487-1256, nps.gov/caco/planyourvisit. Parking $25.

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