Web sites to the best beaches in Massachusetts - from the North Shore's Ipswich and Gloucester, to Cape Cod's National Seashore.
Cape Cod National Seashore
Coast Guard Beach - Head to "The Great Beach," as named by Henry David Thoreau, in Eastham
Head of the Meadow Beach - An ocean-side beach in Truro known for towering sand dunes
Marconi Beach - Located in Wellfleet, Marconi is also the site where Italian inventor Guglielmo Marconi sent the first transatlantic wireless communication.
Nauset Light Beach - A scenic beach on the ocean side in Eastham
Race Point Beach - The beach at the tip of Cape Cod in Provincetown is known for its towering sand dunes and fierce waves
Herring Cove Beach - A beautiful Provincetown beach; sections may be considered "clothing optional"
Cape Cod National Seashore - Forty miles of Massachusetts' best beaches, scenic trails, and historic structures
Town or state-run beaches
Scusset Beach State Reservation - This bay-side beach is near the Cape Cod Canal, in Sandwich
South Cape Beach State Park - A white-sand beach in Mashpee with boardwalks
Coastal Trails
Coast Guide - A handy guide from the state to Boston Harbor and the North Shore
Coastal Trails of Massachusetts - Not all of these spots have swimming, but this is a great list of scenic trails along the Massachusetts shore, compiled by the state
Self-Guided Trails - (opens in PDF format) - A guide from the National Park Service of trails including Fort Hill Trail, Red Maple Swamp Trail, Buttonbush Trail, Nauset Marsh Trail, Doane Trail, Atlantic White Cedar Swamp Trail, Great Island Trail, Small's Swamp Trail, Pamet Area Trails, Woods Walk at Highlands Center, Pligrim Spring Trail, and Beech Forest Trail
Other resources
NESurf.com - This site offers the latest news and announcements about surfing in New England