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Singing Beach

4.1 (163 reviews)
Open 9:00 am - 7:00 pm

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Singing Beach, Manchester-by-the-Sea
Bruce K.

It's a pretty beach but wow, $10 to walk on? That seems like a lot. There is no parking and they don't even allow drop offs in the loop. That's weird. But if you park down the street, you can walk and there is a secret path that you can skip the walk-on charge. Or don't, if you're not sneaky. I managed to luck out and snag a parking spot on the street when someone departed but there didn't appear to be any other parking close enough. I was lucky. You might also get lucky. [Review 18586 overall - 1168 in Massachusetts - 2108 of 2022.]

Alice W.

Gorgeous and sandy beach, great views! Parking is limited but the walk is also very short.

Beautiful beach!
Connor G.

Overall, great beach! Only complaint would be the amount of dogs that were off their leashes and far from owners... slightly annoying.

Beautiful beach and locals seem to take good care of it. I do hate the fact that you have to pay $10.00/ person to enjoy it... in addition to not being allowed to park in the lot next to the beach. ( even on a day when there's an empty parking garage) I feel bad for the kids who sit all day under the sun to just guard this empty space. Anyway- aside from all the complicated systems that humans create, this is an absolutely beautiful beach. I didn't really pay attention to the fact that the sand is supposed to "sing " as you walk on it but I'll try to next time ...

Nicole G.

I love this beach. It's a residential beach but anyone is welcome to come visit. I believe there might be a fee if you come during the day but I'm not quite sure. When I came it was on a holiday and that was free. Recently, when I visited, we came around 7 pm when it was closed and we were able to park nearby and walk to the beach. It's so beautiful and peaceful here and the sunset was lovely. They have some benches that you can sit on by the grass. Supposedly it's called singing beach since I think the sand makes sound when the water passes by it. I was never quite sure but I could kind of see what people meant. Nevertheless, it's a beautiful beach that I enjoyed visiting. It's also along the scenic highway that extends along the coast :) definitely come here for a peaceful or fun time too.

First part of the beach.
Tracey C.

Idk about you but the pictures of the reviews on here was what drawn me to go to this beach. $25 parking a mile away from non residents and it's a $7 entrance fee per person. Talk about a scam Let's just say it's a residential beach for a reason, and they make sure it stays that way. There's absolutely no parking for non-residents beach goers. The parking is about a mile away from the beach, heading back into the center of the town. The boys scouts charge $25 for parking at the train station. Which is absolutely ridiculous, considering we all head to the beach with many bags and things to bring with us and unload. It's impossible to do that here. My brother in law had to drop us girls off, we took what we can and left the rest for the guys to bring on their way back. Luckily a kind woman gave them a ride back to the beach, even she knew how far of a walk it was. I was really hoping for the beach to be as beautiful as the pictures I saw on the reviews here but it wasn't. I'll give it that it was a really clean beach and the sand was way finer and smoother then the beach up at Hampton. The water was somewhat clear enough to see through. And it was also really cold, but decent enough to acclimate and be able to ride the waves. Which is pretty awesome to be able to do up in Massachusetts at the beginning of June. The beach was busy but not packed compared to what I'm used to. It makes sense why only residents go there. To be honest I probably won't ever go again. It's just too much money spent for such a hassle just to have a decent beach day. I prefer to go to Good Harbor Beach or Half Moon Beach.

beauutiful, beautiful beach, but i don't recommend for non-residents
David C.

Ice cold and the people of Manchester want AND will take your money. I parked a good distance away not knowing I would have to pay a walk on fee on TOP of parking. (If you park in there, pretty much the same). So yeah, it can be expensive, but the beach is beautiful and very very cold, so you're money isn't going to waste.

Used to be free!!! The town is broke that's why they're handing out?
CY H.

They're charging $$$$ for just being there. Used to be free!!! The parking is limited n expansive! With all the charges, it's better to go to Cranes Beach or Hampton beach. It doesn't worth it!

Watch out for this guy.
Loxocele R.

Singing Beach is lovely, but probably not worth the trip for non-residents unless you can go at weird/off-peak times. As of July 2016, the sign at the lot right next to the beach says "RESIDENTS ONLY" for the duration of the season (which ends 30 September). There are free 2-hour spots along Beach St, but moving your car every 2 hours is a drag when it takes 20-30 min to walk (round trip) from beach to car. The real trick is Masconomo Park half a mile away: while *most* of the spots there are resident only, there are a few that aren't. Come on a random 90-degree Tuesday, read the signs carefully, and you might be one of the lucky ones. Walk-on fee is $5 for the over-12 crowd. Once you get to Singing Beach, it's great. The sand is somewhere between "tropics" & "playground"; the dry stuff will scorch you good, but it's still soft & the wet sand feels great to walk on. The beach is clean (no trash), and--likely because of the parking situation--not crowded, at least on a weekday afternoon. The water, otoh, is COLD COLD OH GOD COLD--cold like eventually your feet will ache; cold like if the air temp weren't 90-whatever degrees, it'd be hard to go in past your knees. (The sign at the entrance said water temp today is 64, which *sounded* warm when I read it; shows what I know.) That said, the bottom is soft, the water is clear, & there's minimal sea debris. I spotted a few creatures in the water, too: little centipede-looking waterbugs, schools of tiny shrimp-shaped critters, and one orange crab the size of my hand. Awwwwww. Other notable wildlife includes the seagulls, which are ballsy as fuck & too smart for their own good. If everyone in your party goes to the water at once, the gulls will come and they will go through your stuff and when they find a bag of chips in your bag, they will *recognize it as a bag of chips* and abscond with it to go rip through the packaging. If you bring food (even unopened food), bring it in a zippered bag or latched cooler unless you're intentionally catering for your web-footed friends. (There were a few flies that appeared by mid-afternoon, but they were easily dissuaded even by herbal DEET-free bugspray.) All in all, a great place to spend a day swimming & reading *if* you're up for driving all the way to Manchester w/only slim chances of finding a parking spot.

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4 months ago

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10 months ago

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3 years ago

Nice clean beach with a lot of dogs running around off leash. Though, not sure how anyone can say the sand sings as you walk on it.

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10 years ago

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6 years ago

Such a great beach! For all, for families, single people, older people, even dogs after 10/15. Nice waves, beautiful sand, a treasure

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16 years ago

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4 years ago

Nice beach in the winter to just chill and walk. Clean and dogs cheer you up! Nice neighborhood and restaruants.

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16 years ago

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11 years ago

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8 years ago

Steep parking fee plus fee to walk on the beach? Why not charge fee for breathing or for looking at the ocean? Manchester-For-The-IDIOTS!!!

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Singing Beach Reviews in Other Languages

Ask the Community - Singing Beach

Is there a discount for veteran plates? I have NH vet plates, and a veteran symbol on my NH driver's license.

No maybe in private lots I have a handicap plate and I still had to pay because there's no signage. No one knows anything and also all the meters are electronic on the beach.

Is this beach clothing optional?

No..

Is there a parking fee for this beach during October?

I think it stops in September

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Review Highlights - Singing Beach

The walk from the commuter rail (Manchester Stop) to the beach is picturesque, and takes about ten minutes.

Mentioned in 29 reviews

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Wingaersheek Beach

Wingaersheek Beach

(180 reviews)

First time here. Must reserve $40 parking ahead of time during the day, free parking after 5pm…read more You'll be turned around if you don't have reservation. Small walk from secondary lot, residents of the town have priority and cheaper rate. Beach is super clean, keep it that way please and pick up after yourself. Sand is smooth and fine, very minimal rocks or pebbles. Water during high tide makes the cover feel intimate, then when low tide hits BOOM the water rips out of the area for a Mile kind of wild to see. My lady introduced me to this beach and boy I'm glad she did. Add it to my favorites list! They have a food hut with actual meals to be purchased, not sure about showers etc we couldn't find them but think they close at 5pm either way. There's hermit crabs, fishes and snails to be found in the water for the youngings to learn and see! Great beach, great sun, clean and clear, water is also crystal clear. Nothing in the sand to step on and hurt your feet. Nice sandbar to swim over to and explore. Definitely looking forward to the next beach day!

Hands down, the best beach on the north shore or even all of New England! We spend a lot of time…read morein Gloucester over the summer and this is our go-to beach. The beach is flat and gradual, ideal for kids. There are fun rocks to climb on and tide pools to jump in. The sand is soft and fluffy. Lines can get long and you now have to book in advance, so be sure to plan ahead w/r/t your visit. There are life guards on staff and I feel the beach is very well maintained overall. We are usually on the "boat side" where dogs are allowed, which makes for a fun family experience. We like to go early (get there by 9am if not before) and leave early (in time for lunch), which I would recommend, to avoid the crowds.

Crane Beach - Ipswich - Lifeguard

Crane Beach - Ipswich

(222 reviews)

Love this beach in so many ways. With the sand dunes it is so charming and lots of opportunities to…read morewalk around the trails if you aren't looking to swim or sit on the sand. The water is clear and even in low tide, I didn't notice a ton of shells or a rocky bottom. It does get a little packed when you come right off the parking area into the beach area, but if you are willing to walk a little bit, it is obviously much quieter and super peaceful. With a little concession stand, showers and restrooms it's perfect for families. They also have a variety of memberships which makes it affordable to go during the peak months or even throughout the year. It is $40 per car to enter the beach and park which is quite hefty but they have various membership options which could make it more affordable again if you are going to be utilizing the beach and throughout the year. They also have various events for members. A local did tell me their favorite time to go is during the winter when everything is snow capped.

Cranes Beach, which is owned and operated and protected by the trustees, is my favorite beach of…read moreall time. It has a large parking lot, although you need to make reservations to guarantee a spot. It is not cheap, but it is extremely clean and the bath house and the snack bar are top-notch as far as Massachusetts beaches go. The snack bar has real food items, not just junk food and ice cream. The one drawback and it really could be a dealbreaker for some people is that the parking lot is a mid distance to long walk over sand dunes to the beach. Yes there are paths and stairs, but for people with mobility problems, this really could be a deterrent. I still rate it a 10/10.

Singing Beach - beaches - Updated May 2026

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