Pico Beach
Winthrop, MA
Pico Beach is a pebbly strip on Winthrop Bay at the end of Pico Avenue, tucked behind a small park with benches, a playground, and tennis courts. It is the kind of place where the neighbors know each other, and the view across the water is all quiet harbor with a slice of the Boston skyline in the distance.
A pleasant, low key pocket beach with a playground and tennis courts right behind it, but the pebbles and small size limit what you can do there.
How we score beachesBring water shoes, since the shore is pebbly rather than soft sand. It works best for a sunset walk or a picnic more than a long swim.
Street parking on and around Pico Avenue. It is a residential neighborhood, so keep out of driveways and follow posted signs.
The park behind the beach is flat and open. The shore itself is pebbly, so wheelchairs and strollers will struggle once past the grass.
This is a bayside spot, so the water is calmer than the ocean side of Winthrop. Summer evenings are the best window.
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Jones Beach State Park
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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.
