Dowses Beach
Barnstable, MA
Dowses Beach sits on East Bay Road in Osterville, a Barnstable town beach on Nantucket Sound. Lifeguards are on duty in season, and the beach is described by the town as a resident and taxpayer beach. The mood is local and family oriented, with plenty of room to spread out on the sand.
A well loved Osterville beach with lifeguards, though the resident-only access limits who gets to use it.
How we score beachesAccess is described as resident and taxpayer only, so confirm the current rule with Barnstable before you plan a trip.
Barnstable describes Dowses as resident and taxpayer only in season. Check current rules and stickers with the town.
Check on arrival for the path from the lot to the sand.
Nantucket Sound water is mild by August. Summer weekends are the busiest.
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.
