West Beach
New Bedford, MA
West Beach is a large sandy city beach on Clarks Cove in New Bedford, with roadside parking and Hazelwood Park nearby. Lifeguards are on duty from late June through Labor Day, 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and the beach is ADA accessible. It is a workhorse neighborhood beach for New Bedford families.
Big, accessible and lifeguarded, but the sticker system and roadside parking take some figuring out.
How we score beachesRoadside parking is allowed 6 a.m. to 9 p.m., and summer stickers are $15 for New Bedford residents and $30 for Dartmouth, Fairhaven, Acushnet and Freetown. A seasonal pass is $60.
Roadside parking 6 a.m. to 9 p.m., with a summer sticker or seasonal pass; extra parking at Hazelwood Park.
The beach is described as ADA accessible.
No dogs are allowed.
The cove is sheltered, so summer swimming is comfortable and lifeguard hours cover the peak weeks. Wind from the southwest can chop the water on breezy afternoons.
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