I guess I would go for 3.5 if it was an option. The $3 parking is a definite plus. What mainly turned me off was that the day we went (7/5) it was super windy and I the sand was flying EVERYWHERE. The sand here is nice, very light and fine but it's not so pleasant when it is getting stuck in your sun screen as you're applying it and completely takes over your towel when you've only be chillin' on the beach for an hour. The water is nice and the shoreline seemed good...just a few random shells sticking out. I would definitely go back but not on a windy day. read more

For city dwellers, this is a great beach. Only 20 minutes away, this public beach has free rest rooms, cheap parking and a (crappy) restaurant/bar in case you get hungry. On gusty days it's even great for surfing. What more can I ask for? I like. read more

Nahant Beach - Nahant Beach, MA - Sidewalk view - Beaches Near Me

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Nahant is a great in-between beach. It definitely does not have the reputation of the infamous Revere beach (which you can see from the drive once you hit the rotary to Nahant) but it still has some of that character-building North Shore grit. The last time I was there, one of the lifeguards took a cigarette break on the walkway. Nice. Granted, Nahant beach doesn't really have that "New England summer" feel of the beaches further north in Gloucester. But even though I love a day at Good Harbor, I can't pass up Nahant's proximity to Boston, $3 parking rates, and the Dunkins at the edge of the beach. read more

I'm almost sad that I'm writing such a great review of this beach because, I'm selfish and I don't want to share! But that's not cool... Nahant Beach is my favorite beach hands down, in the area. It's beautiful, CLEAN, not too crowded and the parking is cheap ($3). Did I mention, it was clean?! Nahant is just a wonderful, no frills beach! Now, if you're from someplace like Florida, don't get your hopes up cuz this ain't SOBE, but if your looking to relax, have some fun and take in the sun, I'll hope to see you here ;) read more

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Great local beach! From the Boston area, it's quicker to get to than the north shore hot spots and sooo much cheaper to park. It's a great beach for small kids: soft sand, calm waves, and it stays shallow pretty far out. Plus, the parking is right next to the beach and the bath house is clean with plenty of space to wrangle a sandy, squirmy toddler. read more

Clean. Soft sand. Large beach. Peaceful. Parking is super cheap. I love it here. I'm from out of state and recently moved to ma. This is my go to beach. read more

Nahant Beach - Beautiful - Beaches Near Me

This is 4/5 considering the beaches we have in the neighborhood. Cape cod beaches are better. No weeds.. No sea shells makes it easy for a walk. Water temp is comfortable in Aug. read more

I really liked this beach. I was there at low tide, and the sand was really clean. Most beaches at low tide have kelp or other "ocean things" lying around, but not this one. The shells there are pretty amazing for anyone who does any collecting. It can get a bit windy, so bring a light pullover for when you get out of the water, and stick closer to the hard sand. I wouldn't hold that against my ranking though - it is an ocean beach after all! read more

Main Parking was closed by 9am. Police direct you to turn around. Don't waste your time.

favorite boston-area beach. --shallow bay, so the water is much warmer --consistent breeze (have gone windsurfing there too) --nearby paddleboard rentals --refreshment stand, in case you forgot lunch --plenty of space if you're a group --white sand sans car, you can reach it via biking from wonderland station (or more ambitiously, the bike trails starting at maverick). little nahant is nice to bike/jog through too. read more

One of the main reasons I frequent Nahant is because of the convenience factor. As a Bostonian, it is so easy to get to, and a step up from Revere Beach which is not too far. Pros: There is a lovely path along the beach with markers which makes it very easy to remember where you've sat, or to meet up with friends. The beach itself is very spacious with soft, fine sand which feels somewhat vacation-like. Lastly this beach has great restroom facilities, and various wash areas outside where you can rinse the sand off. Overall this is a a great little oasis right outside of Boston that should be checked out if you're looking for something close by. Cons: Upon arrival I always know parking is going to be brutal. Unless I get there by 830am or after 4pm the parking lots will almost always be full. There is a cheap parking lot along the beach and some free surrounding lots, but on a hot day, it will fill up fast. There are very few food options within walking distance, but there are a couple including Dunkin Donuts. read more

One of the most amazing things about living in Boston, is visiting everything outside of the city limits! Oxymoronic, I know. There's something to be said for being able to hop in the car and drive 30 minutes to visit a beach that certainly is a step above Revere. (There are buses too, but you'd have to check MBTA.com for the details). The parking lot is pretty big and only charges $3 (take that Crane Beach with your astronomical parking charges). There's also a smaller parking lot, which I believe is free near the rotary and playground. If all else fails, I've been able to find some street parking on the other side of the beach. The sand is soft not gravely or rocky like other Massachusetts beaches. You can sit comfortably on a towel if you don't want to bring everything but the kitchen sink. The water is cold because it is in fact located in New England, go figure. The seaweed isn't bad but certain sections seem to have a little bit more. It is a family beach so expect kids running around and grandparents that are the color of bacon. I was little disappointed to see the level of trash and cigarette butts... yuck. read more

The locals are very unfriendly to anyone not from nahant. They also over charge for parking, and you cannot park anywhere but the beach parking lot if you are not a resident as they give out tickets to anyone parked on the side of the road without a sticker. This beach is just as nice as any other beach nearby, but those ones don't charge you outrageous prices to go there. read more

Best, cheap, easy to get to beach around if you are from the northshore or live in Boston. Parking is only $5 and they have a very clean outhouse which is typically hard to find. They have outdoor showers which is also pretty awesome therefore you can wash off the sand and tanning oil before you get in your car!!! Definitely check this beach out if you don't feel like driving too far and need a quick beach fix. read more

We (my girlfriend and I) visited nahant beach this morning and we had a great time. We only had the morning available so we needed a beach that was close to Boston but werent willing to go to revere ( which we have been to this summer already.) We got there at 7:55 and didn't have to pay to park as fees apply only from 8a - 6p. The sand was extremely soft and the water was the perfect temperature, refreshingly cool. Definitely a family beach with a lot of little kids running around, generally unsupervised, but we survived. Would recommend this beach to anyone who wants a quick trip to the beach only a short drive from Boston (20 - 30 mins) read more

This is a city beach, so it's not the most picturesque. But for families with young kids it is awesome - the sand is perfect for building, the ocean is shallow and calm, and there is little in the way of concessions to get my kids whining for ice cream and candy all day. It also doesn't get too crowded, especially if you park at the end far from the bath-house. Pack up a picnic, bring a couple of folding chairs and some beach toys and you are set for the day. The parking lot does fill up early on the weekend though - aim to get there before 10am, or wait until after lunch when many of the early-birds are leaving and parking opens up again. We usually go around 2:30pm, eat a picnic dinner on the beach and stay until sunset. read more

Who would've thought? People complain about beaches! Especially considering how clean it is & cheap to park!

Booooo. Counted 26 opens spots and the weekend detail won't open the parking lot. What's the deal nahant? Don't you want my $5????

Small, crowded and there are a ton of flies and bugs everywhere. Also there aren't any other things convenient things nearby. for example, food, shops, etc. id rather go to revere which is basically down the street. read more

Visited this beach for the first time this weekend and I was surprised at the amount of trash in the water and on the sand. A gigantic rake needs to comb through this place before I go back. While walking I spotted floating in the water: dunkin coffee cup, plastic bag and a white top to a water bottle. Our friend found a large, plastic, orange glove and who knows what it was doing there or where it's been. read more

cheap parking? yes, not too crowded? Yea-ah, Slight breeze? Mnhmm. Lack of eye candy, but you win some, you lose some.

One of the nicest beaches in the area with clean well kept sand. Nice walking path and a great place to just hang out.

I "discovered" this beach for myself one day while working one weekday morning. I came back early morning on a sunny summer Saturday and it was like Christmas in July. Parking is $3, the beach is big, and the sand is really soft - more like you'd find on a beach down south then a typical New England beach. I'm sure they truck it in. The place gets crowded but you don't feel like anyone is sitting ontop of you since there is plenty of space. Tons of parking and its fun to walk along the beach and check out the quiant houses overlooking the beach in Nahant. It also takes me 15 minutes to drive there which is just icing on the cake. Props to DCR for maintaining such a great beach! read more

Beautiful beach. Easy parking and walk to the beach. There is a parking fee but it's not bad. Would've gave 5stars but they turn you away by 9am on a weekend and I've seen open spots, and the portable toilets are gross. read more

$3 parking. Well worth the visit, as they have made some changes in how they care for the place over the last 5-10 years. This place was totally covered in mess years ago, and I don't remember being able to actually get down near the water until I was old enough to get myself there. read more

I came here, arriving at around 11am on Sunday. The parking lot was closed because it was full. Driving back towards the mainland, you drive by the parking lot. Let me tell you, there were TONS of parking spots open. I have no idea why they closed the lots so early without filling all the spots. You would think that they would count the number of spots and count the number of cars going in on a daily basis in order to maximize parking. I thought that was annoying so instead we ended up going to another beach. read more

This is a wonderful local beach for me I live in Peabody and I frequent this beach because the parking is cheap there is a dunkin donuts, a bar and resturant and decent bathrooms all on the beach. Best of all the water is nice and even so I am not worried about kids playing in waters edge as I sit and watch.... Love this beach read more

Very nice beach! Parking is only $10 for MA residents which was nice. There wasn't many people here and the beach was very clean

This beach was a great choice for us this week. Quick to get to from Somerville and parking for $3. We went on Thursday, got there around 9 a.m. We assume that since it was a weekday, it wasn't packed, but there were a ton of local people with their kids. We could hear snippets of conversations about seeing one another's neighbors. There was also a guy scratching lines in the sand and asking people if they would play bocci. Uhhhh, not sure if it was a beach hustle or just a guy wanting to get a game of bocci ball going. Someone mentioned seagulls, don't underestimate them, they are smart. The minute someone pops open a snack bag or unwraps a sandwich, a seagull will come on over. And we did see a seagull pulling a snack bag off someone's blanket until someone got over there. Thursday was hot and humid and there was a constant cool breeze off the water. I never got the sense that I was "baking" on the beach. There is a food place called Tides and a Dunkin Donuts. Odd thing was, both places at signs claiming that their credit card machines were down and were only accepting cash. Tides has an ATM (don't know the fee) but DD does not. Tides is beach food and ice cream. I remember a lobster roll for $18.00, french fries for $3.00 but I think hamburgers were about $5? Fried seafood plates averaged $14.00? We just took a quick look on our way to Dunkin Donuts, we packed our own food. It was very clean, soft sand, short walk from the car to the beach. Nice paved path if you want to bike ride or rollerblade. read more

I used to go to this beach all the time when I was younger. I just went for a little jog very nice and there is a restaurant(tides) and a dunks right at the Nahant end of the beach. They have a nice new halfway house and it looks like they are doing a lot more construction. The only downer is the parking situation which is a mess right now because of all the construction. read more

Good beach. Good value for the money - $3 for parking, clean, minute walk from our car, good space for games and sandy swimmin'.

One awesome beach! Extremely private, quiet, beautiful and peaceful. The soft sand and the clear water are just so appealing. Very clean, no ocean debris or trash. Beautiful, soft waves, can get a bit breezy in the area. read more

For a Northeastern beach, this one is pretty good. Very nice path to walk if you are looking for some exercise. Sand is soft but there is seaweed and shells everywhere...and jellyfish in the water so be careful. Nice place to spend a hot day and relax by the ocean. $3 parking fee (most likely to go up this year though) get there before noon for better parking. The closer to Tides you are the better the beach is in my opinion. read more

I've been to a lot of beaches in MA and this one is wicked nice! Honestly - I was sitting there with a friend during mid-march - it wasn't too crowded and there was great people watching with all the kites. I'd definitely recommend it. read more

Great place to grab a couple of drinks and I have a bar food, they should work little bit on the service.overall I definitely recommend it I will be back read more

Uh, Nahant (I've always called it King's beach) is awesome, people! It's the easiest-to-access, cheapest beach on the North Shore AND it has the tannest people on it-- what's more to want? Easy to get to, easy to park, and-did I say-cheap? Who wants to go to a beach where you (or your friends who don't have a "Resident" sticker) have to pay $25-30? This place is three dollars. Of all the north shore beaches, this one has the tannest and most attractive people. It's more of a young, laid-back single scene here than it is a crowded-with-kids-running-all over-the-place scene. The sand is clean, and doesn't blow too much (resulting in annoyingly getting in the ol' tanning oil). Come here on a freak warm day in September/October to see the real hardcore sun-worshippers laying out with their car shielding them from the autumn wind. read more

Sweet beach with vast expanses of fine, powdery sand and clear water. All kinds of folks enjoying being out in the sun. Perfect beach for walking (it's quite long and the sand gets firmly packed after a high tide). Farther than Revere, closer than Gloucester beaches. Surrounding area not as picturesque as Good Harbor or Crane but at $3 it's a heckuva lot cheaper. read more

I went here for the first time this past Saturday. The weather wasn't super great, but there was still sun and it was warm. I got there around 2pm and had no problem getting a parking spot. Definitely worth the $3. The water was beautiful and clean, as was the beach. I can't wait to go back! read more

Beautiful clean beach, kid friendly ! The new parking lot is nice but gets full very fast. Not that far from Boston.

I've been going to this beach for years, but yesterday took the cake! When we arrived we noticed the sign stating the lot was full. There were several spaces available. Policeman on duty would not even acknowledge us telling him there were empty spaces! He just told us to keep moving! Really rude man! We counted at least 50 open spaces!!! Cars were pouring out of the parking lot at the end of the beach. Seems to me this is a terrible system for parking. They should have people monitoring the lot for empty spaces. They are losing a ton of revenue$$ read more