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Visitors Guide to
Yarmouth MA Beaches

Updated: July 28, 2024

Yarmouth Beaches on Nantucket Sound

Seagull Beach

Seagull Beach at Sunrise

Seagull Beach is one of the prettiest Nantucket Sound beaches in the Mid-Cape region (IMHO).

It's huge, the sand is light and soft, the waves are gentle, and the views of the Sound are panoramic.

Seagull Beach is a favorite with teens and young adults.

• Body of Water: Nantucket Sound
  
  
• Crowd Factor: Lots of visitors, but it's easy to find your own space.
  
  
• Amenities: Lifeguards in season, restroom and shower facilities, snack bar, handicap accessible boardwalk, beach wheelchair available.
  
  
• Location: Rt. 28 to South Sea Avenue to Seagull Road in West Yarmouth.
  
  
• Parking: Daily fee or weekly pass required. Very large lot. Does fill up at times on peak summer days.
  
  
• Accessibility: Solid-surface walkway from the parking lot to the beach. Oversand, floating wheelchair available.
  

Smugglers Beach (a/k/a Bass River Beach)

Smugglers Beach

There's something for everyone to love at Smugglers!

Calm waters for timid swimmers. Soft sand and great views for sunbathers. Plus a spacious viewing platform just off the parking lot for folks who'd rather not get sand in their shorts.

Smugglers also has a large fishing pier for anyone who wants to join family or friends for a day at the beach and have a chance to reel in dinner, too.

Bass River Fishing Pier at Smugglers

• Body of Water: Nantucket Sound
  
  
• Crowd Factor: Moderately to very busy on prime beach days.
  
  
• Amenities: Lifeguards in season, restroom and shower facilities, snack bar, boat ramp, boat trailer parking, fishing pier, viewing platform, rock jetty, handicap ramps and beach wheelchairs available.
  
  
• Location: South Shore Drive (off Rt. 28) in South Yarmouth.
  
  
• Parking: Daily fee or weekly pass required. Large lot.
  
  
• Accessibility: Multiple solid-surface walkways from parking lot to the beach. Oversand, floating wheelchair available.
  

Seaview Beach

Seaview Beach

Seaview is a good choice of Yarmouth beaches for anyone who just wants a nice spot to plunk down and relax for a little while. 

There's a walkway with bench seating on the seawall, and stairs down to the beach.

This beach has powder-soft, nearly white sand, calm surf and a pretty view of Nantucket Sound. Although the water is pleasantly warm in the summertime, the occasional "jellyfish alert" signs should be heeded.

• Body of Water: Nantucket Sound
  
  
• Crowd Factor: Not too crowded.
  
  
• Amenities: Lifeguard in season, ice cream truck comes by, restroom facility.
  
  
• Location: South Shore Drive (off Rt. 28) in South Yarmouth.
  
  
• Parking: Daily fee or weekly pass required. Medium-sized lot.
  
  
• Accessibility: Stairs from the seawall down to beach level.
  

Parkers River Beach

Parkers River Beach

Parkers River is one of the more popular Yarmouth beaches. 

Although it's not the largest beach in town (Seagull holds that honor), Parkers River has tons of "extras" - including a gazebo, bike racks, rock jetties for fishing, and a large playground for the kids.

The playground area is huge, spanning both sides of the gazebo.

There's lots of room for the little ones to run around safely - away from the water.

In July and August, Parkers River Beach tends to be a bit busier than I prefer. But many visitors love it and keep coming back year after year.

• Body of Water: Nantucket Sound
  
  
• Crowd Factor: Moderately to very crowded during prime summer days.
  
  
• Amenities: Lifeguard in season, restroom facilities, and all the "extras" described above.
  
  
• Location: South Shore Drive (off Rt. 28) in South Yarmouth.
  
  
• Parking: Daily fee or weekly pass required. The lot is large, but it does fill up on occasion.
  
  
• Accessibility: Stairs from seawall down to beach level.
  

Englewood Beach

Englewood is a small Yarmouth beach along a protected cove on Lewis Bay.

This is a very family friendly beach with warm, shallow water and virtually no wave action. There's a small play area for the kids, and an ice cream truck occasionally stops by during the summer months.

• Body of Water: Nantucket Sound (Lewis Bay)
  
  
• Crowd Factor: Not crowded.
  
  
• Amenities: Porta-potty, small play area, ice cream vendor, public boat ramp (but virtually nowhere to park your boat trailer).
  
  
• Location: Bear right at the end of Berry Avenue (off Rt. 28) in West Yarmouth.
  
  
• Parking: Free. Small lot with very few spaces.
  
  
• Accessibility: Parking lot is level with the beach.
  

Colonial Acres Beach

Colonial Acres Beach

If you're looking for the best beach in Yarmouth that offers free parking all year round, look no farther than Colonial Acres Beach! 

On summer days with a light breeze, the surf is almost non-existent here. So this is a great place to spend a few hours with young ones who can't deal with any wave action.

It's also a good place for older kids to launch their kayaks or blow-up boats and paddle on the creek that runs alongside the beach.

While the sand here is a bit more grainy compared to some other Yarmouth beaches, it's still plenty comfortable for barefoot walks.

At low tide you'll find pretty shells and small beach rocks to add to your collection. (If you have sensitive feet, it’s a good idea to pack your water shoes.) 

Sunsets are pretty spectacular from here, too!

• Body of Water: Nantucket Sound/Lewis Bay
  
  
• Crowd Factor: Rarely an issue
  
  
• Amenities: Porta-potty
  
  
• Location: At the end of Standish Way (off Rt. 28) in West Yarmouth
  
  
• Parking: Free, but only about 15 spaces
  
  
• Accessibility: Wooden foot bridge from the parking lot to the beach.

Bay View Beach

Bayview Beach

Bay View is a medium-sized neighborhood beach on the Hyannis/Yarmouth town line.

This is a great place to sit and watch the ferries, fishing boats and pleasure yachts cruising in and out of Hyannis Harbor. Children enjoy splashing in the water, playing on the swings, and climbing the small jungle-gym at this beach.

The water is generally quite warm at Bay View, and there aren't any waves to speak of - except when one of the big boats goes by and throws its wake onshore.

• Body of Water: Nantucket Sound
  
  
• Crowd Factor: Rarely crowded
  
  
• Amenities: Porta-potty, play area for the kids
  
  
• Location: Bayview Street (off Rt. 28) in West Yarmouth
  
  
• Parking: Free, but not many spaces
  
  
• Accessibility: Parking lot is level with the beach.
  

Yarmouth Beaches on Cape Cod Bay

Gray's Beach (a/k/a Bass Hole Beach)

Gray's Beach

Families with young children love Gray's Beach.

It's virtually wave-free, the beach slopes gently into the water, and tidal pools form as the tide goes out - leaving lots of places for kids to see hermit crabs and other small sea critters in their natural setting.

Evening is a popular time at Gray's Beach, too. Sunsets are spectacular here!

Grays Beach Boardwalk

• Body of Water: Cape Cod Bay
  
  
• Crowd Factor: Sometimes busy, but strict parking enforcement keeps this beach from overcrowding.
  
  
• Amenities: Lifeguard in season, picnic area, very small boat ramp, 800-foot long boardwalk out over the marsh.
  
  
• Location: At the end of Center Street (off Rt. 6A) in Yarmouthport.
  
  
• Parking: Spaces are somewhat limited. Parking sticker or daily fee required in season.
  

Beaches on the Bass River

Windmill Beach

Windmill Beach

I hesitated to mention Windmill Beach because it really isn't  much more than a little sliver of sand on the banks of the Bass River. And when the tide comes in, there's virtually no exposed sand at all.

But the setting is so pretty here, with the historic Judah Baker Windmill on the hill and the expanse of river in front of you.

See the windmill at the top of the stairs? The windmill is open for tours a few afternoons each week in the summer months.

View of Bass River from the Windmill Grounds

• Body of Water: The Bass River, a salt/brackish waterway off Nantucket Sound
  
  
• Crowd Factor: None.
  
  
• Amenities: Porta-potty.
  
  
• Location: River Street in South Yarmouth.
  
  
• Parking: Free. Only a few spaces. Busy on windmill tour days.
  

Yarmouth Beach Parking Fees & Stickers

Beach parking fees are collected and stickers are checked from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day during normal beach hours (roughly 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.).

*FYI: Daily passes and weekly/seasonal stickers issued by the town of Yarmouth are valid at all public beaches in Yarmouth. 

No entrance fees are charged if you walk or ride your bicycle to the beach. And as you saw above, some Yarmouth beaches have free parking - even in season. :-)

*See: Yarmouth beach parking fee/sticker information.

*Find: Free-parking beaches in other towns.

Related Pages:

The Cape's Top Accessible Beaches

Vacationing in Yarmouth

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