Shell Point Beach
Wareham, MA
Shell Point Beach sits right beside Onset Beach on Over Jordan Road in Wareham, a small 1.6 acre strip where the water stays shallow and warm. It works well for little kids who want to wade rather than swim, and it is calmer and less busy than its bigger neighbor, with a paved lot right behind the sand.
Shallow, warm and easy with kids, but there are no lifeguards and the beach is small.
How we score beachesCome at the same time as an Onset outing and walk over, since the two beaches run together. Shell Point is the one to pick when Onset is packed.
A paved lot with meters at $2 an hour from May 1 to October 1.
Paved lot right by the sand, then a short walk on soft sand. Not certified ADA accessible.
No dogs are allowed.
By late July the shallows soak up enough sun to feel almost bathwater warm, which is the whole appeal here. Early June mornings are still brisk.
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.
