My husband and I found this cozy little beach area years ago. Parking is along the water but get…read morethere early. We have in the past brought a small grill to cook hotdogs on the sand or rocks, not sure if this is still allowed? The water is super clean and cold! Oh yeah the parking if you find one is free but again get there early. It is a very quiet spot, not sure if kids would enjoy it much. Trish

Dangerous beach, this beach experiences very dangerous and out of control shore-breaks, when there…read moreare waves their basically hazardous large waves smashing up against the rocks on shore, strong undertow could knock you off your feet pull you in before getting wrecked in shallow water full of pebbles by massive wave crashing on the beach, do not surf or swim here on larger surf

Plum Cove is a small resident only beach on Ipswich Bay. There is a lifeguard from Father's Day…read moreuntil Labor Day from 9am - 5pm. The beach has limited parking and vehicles must have a resident parking sticker. Port-o-pottie on site.

The entire Cape Ann area is just beyond fantastic. In many ways, it's better than Cape Cod because…read moreit doesn't have all the tourists and not a lot of people outside of Massachusetts know about it. Long known as an artist's colony and encompassing small towns and hamlets like Rockport, Gloucester, Manchester-By-The-Sea, Ipswich, and to some degree Salem, the entire coast here is dotted with little coves and bays and beaches and you really can find out about a lot of these places by actually driving around and exploring. That's how my friend and I stumbled on Plum Cove Beach. Definitely a spot locals know about, this is easily one of the cutest, picturesque and prettiest beaches I've encountered in New England. Flanked by giant stone, sloping cliffs (which I saw some hikers going along), trees and amazing estates clinging to these cliffs, the actual beach sits snugly in between. It is not a big beach, there are no facilities here and I imagine parking here in the summer must be a nightmare, but the day we came, hardly anyone was here, the water is super dark blue and clear and as long as you mind your own business in typical New England fashion, people are pretty chill. The beach is very clean, the water was cold (but it's only early June) and on a clear, sunshine day with hardly anyone there, it really is an amazing spot to enjoy yourself in.

This is a great beach it has a fabulous double sidewalk which allows you to walk bicycle etc. all…read morethe way from Swampscott to Nahant There are no restaurants restaurants etc. There's great fishing off the seawall and rocks in the center They also have movie nights and a bunch of fears and activities on the big grassy area which is also a fabulous spot for picnics with small children Very limited parking only on one side of the street private housing on the other

Nice peaceful beach with a double walkway and benches to enjoy the view there is also steps and a…read moreramp that leads to the shore The smell at times...well that's another story.

I very much enjoyed visiting this place! If there are no guards on duty, you can pull in and pay…read morethe entrance fee using the machine. We parked and took a walk by the ocean. We then drove about 1/2 mile and parked to explore some of the walking trails. The place is super popular with birdwatchers and nature lovers. A very lovely day.

The trails are amazing (especially the Hellcat trail). But let's talk about parking & signage. The…read moreWelcome Center is miles from the actual refuge area, and no one was working to ask where the trails were. Need to travel east (via car) to the coast and take a right on Sunset Dr to get to the actual refuge area. Once there - you'll love it!

This is one of my favorite places in Gloucester. I've been coming here since I was a kid; back…read morethen, we only walked the main trail and didn't do very much hiking. When I rediscovered it, I was surprised how many little trails there are! If you're directionally challenged, like me, you'll probably want to pick up a map before you start walking. The parking lot is pretty small and fills up quickly. Even when it's full, though, I rarely run into other people walking the trails. I love coming here to just pretend I'm in the middle of nowhere, away from all traces of human life... this is the one place I'm happy to be alone, with no music, no kind of stimulation besides the woods. Is there anything better than listening to leaves/branches crunch under your feet, the wind through the trees, the faint sounds of squirrels running on the ground? I think not. Best of all, the trails are easy enough for most people. There are many short trails that connect to longer ones, so if you find it too easy, you can just keep going. I tend to walk longer than I should and end up sore the next day-- but it's always worth it.

What a great park for the north shore!!!…read more We struggle to find places our dog is allowed off leash- so this place is a saving grace!!!! Love that you can spend just an hour or a whole day, since there are so many trails. Not a ton of hills or anything, but the occasionally slight ascent / descent. Followed the yellow and blue trails last time (can't remember the names) and there were a few very unavoidable muddy patches, so make sure you have some footwear you don't mind getting dirty. If you plug it into google maps you may get routed to some awkward non-entrance (we had this problem). Make sure you check Yelp or the Maps app (on iPhone) for the actual entrance. As others mentioned, small parking lot with plenty of street parking. Can't wait to go back!

If you live in the Boston Area and don't want to drive over an hour to Cape Cod for crowded…read morebeaches, Plum Island is the spot for you. The beach is very clean and the sand is nice. It is never crowded and you can almost guarantee yourself a nice beach spot to set up camp and have a great day. The water is never too cold and you can always count on a fun time in the water if you find yourself hot and ready for a cool down. If you plan to visit this beautiful beach, be prepared to drop some $$ on parking as it is scarce throughout the island. Also, If you are into wildlife, the $5 entry to the Plum Island Refuge can provide a fun time with many different boardwalks and beaches.

Plum Island Beach, in Newburyport, is a great & lowkey beach on the North Shore to go to!…read moreThe beach is clean & pretty quiet, mostly locals. Much less congested compared to the popular beaches in MA & no traffic jams. I usually only come here if I'm planning a trip to see my friends in Newburyport ;) Not sure how much the parking is; I park at a friend's house. Very calm beach ONLY THING IS, avoid going in the month of July, OR be very careful of the greenhead flies! They are everywhere here during that month & their bites hurt lol. Not sure if greenheads are only specific to this beach in particular, however, I've only really ever experienced this here.

Wow. I've been coming to Rockport to go to the adjacent beaches for half a century and I never knew…read morethis meadow and playground and pond was here. It's a calm, quiet oasis, filled with beautiful flowers and bushes and greens until it isn't. The playground here has a full swing set, and a decent sturdy slide and climbing platform. Plenty of places to sit in solitude or among others. Tons of hidden nooks and crannies with seating including a Lilly pod pond. Huge space for dogs to run. Hidden and on up high is a larger pond that must be filled with fresh water fish. Lots and lots and lots of shade. Perfect area for a picnic. Very very clean and safe.

This Beach appears to be strictly Private. We could not find an entrance that did not have a…read more"Private Beach" sign.

This is a fabulous little sandy beach located at the end of Revere Beach on the Lynn end. I had…read morethe pleasure of growing up on this beach, all through high school and college and more. There are too many memories to mention. All fabulous! This is basically a private neighborhood beach run by the Point of Pines Beach Association. The Association is funded by donations from the residents.. Gor anyone that's lucky enough to live in the Point of Pines being on this Beach should double the value of your home as it's like you're in Cape Cod year round. If you know anyone that lives in this neighborhood make sure that you make your way down here this summer and enjoy your day at the beach. FYI there is absolutely no street parking at all what so ever.. consider yourself warned. Tickets are hefty I give Point of Pines Beach a Solid 5 Stars