Chatham Lighthouse Beach
Chatham, MA
Chatham Lighthouse Beach sits directly below the working lighthouse at the edge of town, with a view out over the barrier beach that storms rearranged back in 1987 and again in 2007. Seals haul out on the sandbars close enough to see without binoculars, which is part of why this stretch draws sharks too. It's as much an overlook as it is a place to swim.
The lighthouse view and the seals just offshore make this one of the Cape's better short stops, though the strict 30 minute parking limit right at the light means most visits end sooner than you'd like.
How we score beachesGet there right at low tide if you want to walk out toward the sandbar where the seals haul out. Also worth checking the beach flag system before swimming, since this stretch of Cape Cod does get shark advisories some summers.
There's free parking directly at the lighthouse, but only for 30 minutes, and that limit gets enforced hard in July and August. For a longer stay, park at the Eldredge lot on Main Street and take the seasonal shuttle down, or buy a Chatham beach sticker in advance.
A stairway with a landing partway down leads from the bluff to the sand, manageable for most people but not for a stroller or wheelchair. Once you're down, the beach itself is flat and open.
Dogs are banned from the beach from May 1 through September 15 to protect nesting shorebirds, but are allowed off-season the rest of the year.
Cape Cod's actual swim season is short, really just July and August, before the water cools fast again after Labor Day. The lighthouse view and the walk down are worth it any time of year, storms included.
More Atlantic Coast beaches
Coast Guard Beach
Eastham, MA · Atlantic Coast
A National Seashore beach backed by grassy dunes and a tidal marsh, with clean Atlantic surf and one of the Cape's most scenic approaches on foot from the parking area.
Surfside Beach
Nantucket, MA · Atlantic Coast
Open Atlantic swell and a wide sandy shoreline about three miles from Nantucket town, popular with locals for its bodysurfing waves and quieter, less commercial feel.
Jones Beach State Park
Wantagh, NY · Atlantic Coast
A classic Long Island beach with six and a half miles of shoreline, a landmark water tower, boardwalk, and a large outdoor amphitheater that hosts concerts through the summer.