Monument Beach
Bourne, MA
Monument Beach is a Buzzards Bay town beach on Phinneys Harbor in Bourne. Most Bourne beach parking is set aside for residents, but this one sells non-resident passes, which makes it the easiest Bourne bay beach for visitors to use. The water is sheltered and calm, so it works well for small kids.
A rare Bourne beach that lets non-residents in and has calm bay water, but the weekly-only pass is awkward for a single visit.
How we score beachesNon-resident passes are sold by the week or two weeks, not by the day, so this suits a stay rather than a drop-in. Confirm current pass details with the town before you drive over.
Residents use a season pass, and non-residents can buy a weekly or two-week pass. Check current rates with Bourne before you go.
Parking is beside the beach, so the carry to the sand should be short. Check on arrival for the exact path surface.
Buzzards Bay warms up faster than the open Atlantic, so July and August are the swimming months. Wind on the bay can make late afternoons choppy.
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.
