Nauset Beach
Orleans, MA
Nauset Beach runs along the Atlantic side of Orleans, a wide barrier beach with real surf and dune backed by a private strip of cottages, one of the most consistently good surf breaks on the whole Cape. It's less protected than the National Seashore beaches to the north, which is exactly why it draws its own crowd.
A genuinely good surf break and real dune backed sand set it apart from the more manicured Cape beaches nearby, though the summer parking fee and sticker system take some figuring out.
How we score beachesA beach sticker is required for parking 7:30am to 4:30pm from June through Labor Day, but the lots are free outside those hours, an easy way to catch an evening surf session without paying.
Daily parking runs $32.50, with a beach sticker required 7:30am to 4:30pm from June through Labor Day. Lots are free outside those hours.
A boardwalk crosses the dune from the main lot to the sand.
Dogs are banned April 1 through Labor Day. From the day after Labor Day through March 31, leashed dogs (30 feet max) are welcome.
Water stays cool, generally in the 60s to low 70s by August, typical of the outer Cape. Fall brings the best surf of the year alongside the return of dogs to the beach.
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.