Nantasket Beach
Hull, MA
Nantasket Beach curves along Hull's peninsula south of Boston, a mile and a half of sand that once anchored a full scale amusement park, Paragon Park, before it closed in the 1980s. The classic carousel from those days still spins today, one of the last visible pieces of that era.
The old carousel gives it real character among South Shore beaches, though the steep non-resident parking fee is a genuine deterrent for anyone without a Massachusetts plate.
How we score beachesMA residents should buy the calendar year DCR parking pass if visiting more than once or twice. It pays for itself after two summer weekend trips at the non-resident rate.
Daily parking runs $15 for Massachusetts residents and $40 for non-residents, May 24 through September 1.
The beach is flat and open with paved promenade access from the lots.
Dogs are banned April through mid-September. Leashed dogs are welcome the rest of the year.
Water reaches the upper 60s to low 70s by August, mild and typical of Massachusetts Bay. The old carousel and the beach both draw a steady crowd all summer.
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