With so many beautiful beaches on Cape Cod, it’s nearly impossible to select a favorite, keyword being nearly. This said, we recruited YOU to help us decide which of your favorite beaches should be ranked among the best of the BEST beaches on Cape Cod!
Throughout our social media posts, we’ve been serving up some polls prompting you to pick which beaches are your top Cape Cod beach contenders. Whether the Instagram carousel was displaying beaches on the Upper or Outer Cape, we asked and you answered the question, “What is the best beach on Cape Cod?" Check out our vacationer favorites below for the Cape Cod beaches shortlist you never knew you needed.
While we’re about to rave about the following beaches, please make sure you check respective town websites for entry requirements such as beach stickers / paid entry before attempting to visit. You might want to check to see whether there are snack bars, public restrooms, plenty of parking, and lifeguards, etc. too.
Oh, and did we mention WeNeedaVacation has multiple rentals within walking distance of these beaches? Some even being pet friendly? You can use the advanced search tool on WeNeedaVacation.com to search for a home according to your criteria whether that be walking distance from the beach, pet friendly, waterfront, you name it. Let's get into it!
Outer Cape Cod Beaches
The Contenders:
LONGNOOK BEACH, TRURO
WHITE CREST BEACH, WELLFLEET
COOKS BROOK BEACH, EASTHAM
With soft sand, perfectly shaped, surfable waves, and towering sand dunes, White Crest takes the cake for best beach on the Outer Cape as voted by WeNeedaVacation vacationers. Though the steep sand dune at White Crest can be difficult to navigate, the view that greets you the moment you set foot on the level sand is unmatched. A surfer’s paradise and a photographer’s dream, White Crest should be on the cover of National Geographic.
Lower Cape Cod Beaches
The Contenders:
CROSBY LANDING BEACH, BREWSTER
LIGHTHOUSE BEACH, CHATHAM
BANK STREET BEACH, HARWICH
NAUSET BEACH, ORLEANS
Nauset Beach is considered an iconic spot on all Cape Cod, not just on the Lower Cape. Many refer to this beach as the place where their family fell in love with the Cape for the first time, and with its breathtaking natural beauty, this makes sense! We’re not shocked that our beloved Nauset took first place by a landslide because it’s family friendly, is long, stretching for miles, and is the perfect playground for family/friend reunions.
Mid Cape Cod Beaches
The Contenders:
MAYFLOWER BEACH, DENNIS
GRAY'S/BASS HOLE BEACH, YARMOUTH
MILLWAY BEACH, BARNSTABLE
Drum roll please….Give it up for Mayflower Beach!
Mayflower Beach is the beach that comes to mind when you picture quintessential Cape Cod family vacation. This is the perfect place to sit back and relax in a reclining beach chair with an ice cold cup of lemonade and your latest beach read. Relax and unwind while the kids splash about by the shorelines of Cape Cod Bay in the sunshine. The warm waters and tide pools are perfect for little ones. With a gentle bay breeze and calm waters for leisurely swimming, Mayflower Beach is wonderful for the extra warm summer days when you need to beat the heat.
Upper Cape Cod Beaches
The Contenders:
CHAPOQUOIT BEACH, FALMOUTH
MENAUHAUNT BEACH, FALMOUTH
OLD SILVER BEACH, FALMOUTH
With bright shimmering waters, sectioned off portions of the beach for vacationers vs. residents, and a variety of amenities such as concession stands and bath houses, Old Silver Beach is incredibly convenient, accommodating, and a classic choice.
The ideal spot for large families and groups of friends, Old Silver Beach has a classic Cape Cod air about it. Lovers of summer are constantly playing beach games, paddle boarding, building sandcastles, and so much more. The moment you step out onto Old Silver, you leave your worries in the lot and soak in the serenity and sunshine surrounding you.
While WeNeedaVacation vacationers clearly have their opinions, every beach on the Cape has something extraordinary to offer. You’ll have to see for yourself whether our shortlist lives up to the hype by visiting each of these special spots yourself!
Other favorite Cape Cod beaches that weren’t polled, but deserve a visit are: Race Point Beach and Herring Cove Beach in Provincetown, Head of the Meadow in Truro, Marconi Beach in Wellfleet, Coast Guard Beach in Eastham. (This gorgeous Cape Cod National Seashore beach is has been voted by Dr. Beach as one of the Top 10 Beaches in America for so many years, we’ve lost count!) First Encounter Beach in Eastham, Skaket Beach in Orleans, Corporation Beach in Dennis, and Craigville Beach and Sandy Neck Beach in Barnstable.