Nauset Beach

Wonderful ‘full-service’ Atlantic side beach with crashing waves, sand, and amenities. Parking is not free (pay at entrance to lot). Lot is very spacious, so easy to find parking even on a Saturday in July! Also virtually empty until noon - although it was an overcast morning. Even afternoon there was plenty of space to spread out. Sand is soft for New England but still has small rocks. There is an adorable food truck circle with gazebo and picnic tables. 3 food trucks (burgers, burritos, paninis, iced coffee, good but pricy! $15 turkey sandwich??), 1 ice cream truck, and 1 souvenir stall (only 2 food trucks were open tho). This beach has plenty of flush toilets, portapotties, changing stalls, showers, and foot washes. They post daily weather info and tide times outside main office. Lifeguards arrived around 9am. Lots of seals at this beach, which is very neat to watch, but it also means that white shark presence is real. Take appropriate precautions (don’t swim near seals or at dawn/dusk). Very happy that Park Ranger Ron was patrolling the beach making sure nobody tried to harass or touch the seals, as they do get very close to shore and swimmers. Only downside here is that the bathrooms were quite dirty, both the ladies’ and men’s room had many clogged or broken toilets, out of soap, and other nastiness left in the changing stalls.

Gorgeous beach !! You can walk along the coastline for a long distance Parking cost 30$, we also saw seals, beware of sharks, also waves can get very big but nonetheless it was breathtaking

Parking is 33 a day, you can pay for a week long pass for a discount. Lots and lots of parking but not all of it is a short walk. Always see seals in the water which is fun to see. Beware of sharks! However there was a sighting this week, & the lifeguards travel up and down the beach with a flag on the back of truck! Waves are big!! Water shoes are probably a good idea. Rocky I'm the water! Very clean beach!

Always love visiting Nauset Beach. PRO TIP: We go to Skaket Beach early in the morning and then jump over later in the afternoon - parking fee covers Nauset! The parking area now has a huge upper lot with porta potty. Lower lot has handicapped spots, food trucks, restrooms. No Snackbar. Huge deep and wide beach with large waves. Typically see seals 🦭 here. This is a great sunset beach and playing - we don’t come to swim here. No Seaweed, no tide pools, no crabbing or shells.

Gorgeous beach with tons of parking and changing areas. TONS of beautiful rocks to collect!!! You might want to wear water shoes if you have sensitive feet because the rocks are abundant at the edge of the water. Keep an eye out for plenty of seals in the water! They don't stay visible for long, so it can be challenging to catch a picture of them. Off season, there's no fee to park and you'll have far less people on the beach.

One of the most stunning beaches I've been to in Massachusetts. Being part of the Cape Cod National Seashore, Nauset Beach is definitely worth visiting!

Probably one of the nicest beaches on the cape. Beautiful soft sand. Waves for the kids to play in. Lots of pretty rocks to collect but also have to be careful if the tide is rough they can smash into your ankles. There are usually 2or 3 food trucks. Also be prepared to possibly have to get out of the water due to shark sightings. Great beach to walk at sunrise!

Nice beach, great for families. Clear waters, and all size of rocks as shore. Shallow, great for toddlers. June -great weather, sunny but very comfortable. Access and parking twenty dollars. Lot of lifeguards (min four per tower). Beach frequented by seals, but they don't come to he shore. Super clean beach.

Large, clean, oceanside, this beach is amazing! I love the treaded walkway which makes getting to the beach very easy. There is a $30 fee, but it gives you the whole day and all of the beaches there is a fee so it just is what it is. The bathrooms were immaculate! Plenty of stalls to choose from and it was spotless. I felt very comfortable using it. As far as the beach, go early because it does get crowded, but you will enjoy soft sand and rolling waves. Plus you can take a leisurely walk down the beach to get those steps in!

Beautiful beach! Plenty of parking, clean, lots of waves to play in. You can't go far out for obvious reasons (sharks) but you have plenty of water to boogie board, body surf or just enjoy the water. Showers are available to rinse off the sand. It's great for older kids that enjoy and understand how to swim well especially in the ocean. Little kids would do better at a beach like Brewster has. There are a couple of food trucks if you get hungry. The only thing that prevents me from 5 stars is the water temperature. Once you get acclimated it's ok but at first it's a bit nippy. Many New England beaches are that way. It's a wonderful beach!

Nice Sandy beach, COLD water and you can only go up to your waist. Nice facilities and food trucks. Outdoor showers and changing. Flush toilets, yeah, and indoor changing. Pretty soft sand, faces east, so best to go in the am, but don't plan to swim or even wafe, it's too cold. Go Bayside for warmer water and to swim.

A stunning beautiful beach that will give you the greatest opportunity to see a great white shark attack seals feet from shore, or perhaps those daring enough to ignore the signs and frequency of attacks. Don't swim here...not even in 3 feet of water.

nice beach. food was not that good. the bkx water was absoutley ridiculious. just give me a normal water and stop trying to be different it tasted like ass and ruined my day.

Awesome beach. I've been coming here for 40 years. Amazing waves, soft sand. Many wonderful memories of this beach. The erosion and nor'easters have carved out more of this beach and the beloved Liam's is gone. But it is still wonderful and now there is a music area with picnic tables. Wonderful outdoor concerts Monday and Thursday 6:30-8:30. Four food trucks stay all day until 5:30 and on music nights they stay on until the music stops. If you love the bands at Herring Cove now here they are at Orleans. Wonderful to see the surf, hear the music and have a great time. Wish Liam's could come back with a truck. With all the erosion, these venues need to be portable. At least it's here. Enjoy this beach and the music. This is the best there is. Awesome.

Great beach. $20/day seems a bit steep but this beach is well lifeguarded and has decent facilities. Giant parking lot here but it fills up fast, try to get here early. At the south end of the beach there's food trucks, showers and bathrooms. Free parking before 7:30AM and after 4:30PM. Great sunrise here if your not fogged in.

This is my favorite beach on the Cape. Marconi not far away in Wellfleet is good too but for some reason I like Nauset a little bit better. Parking except on the craziest days of the summer is usually adequate. The sand is always clean and soft. It's everything you could want in a Cape Cod beach. It's sad that Liam's is gone due to the winter storms in 2018 but the beach itself has been rebuilt back to the way it should be. The downsides are obvious: It's crowded and blanket to blanket in the summer. And at high tide there's somewhat less beach to fight over. Water is cold no matter what time of year but that's true of all the ocean beaches on the Cape. Sometimes there are stones right at the edge of the water which can be annoying on your feet. But all that is just me nit-picking. This is a great Cape beach so pay your $20 and enjoy.

This is my favourite beach of my trip to Cape Cod thus far...sandy, long...with lovely dunes melting down to the beach itself, I can understand why so many of us Brits think that Cape Cod is very similar to Cornwall (bar the weather!!) Add to that, the sheer visceral thrill of GREAT WHITE SHARK warnings, GREAT WHITE SHARK flags, light aircraft buzzing for GREAT WHITE SHARK activity and no one in the water because of possible GREAT WHITE SHARK attacks, and it just made it relaxing AND exciting, a bit like sex I suppose.

Limited parking . $30 for the day! This is a low tier beach . Go to the others for cheaper parking and better quality. Also rude staff . After I paid the outrageous pass fee the staff member said have a nice day . The other mimicking her said the same thing as they laughed . Won't be back . Disrespectful to me and my daughter.

Biz info says dogs not allowed...not true. Allowed before April 1st and after Labor Day

Favorite beach on the Cape. Waves are usually pretty awesome for body boarding or getting destroyed and plain old fun. Be cautious of seals, stay away from them. Stay vigilant and have a good time. Always be aware of the life guards, shark flags, etc. Sadly, mother nature decided to decimate much of the beach so it is vastly different from the past years, however, the ocean is the ocean and fun is still fun. Now, in place of the Liam's you will find some food trucks.

Beautiful white sand beach with swimming seals and possibly sharks! Nauset beach is part of the National Seashore and has plenty of beach to explore. We came here on Labor Day and parked around 2pm for $20. It's expensive but so are most of the Cape Cod beaches! The beach wasn't extremely busy so we had enough room to stretch out and enjoy half our day here. The waves are fairly big and the water is cold, like much of NE. Some areas have quite a few smooth sea rocks and in some areas the seafloor drops off quite a bit. Seals! We saw quite a few seals during the day which means sharks could be nearby. I definitely wouldn't go swimming in this area or paddle boarding. There was a shark attack (attacking a seal) just a week before our visit. The beach also has bathrooms by the parking lot and some tables outside. We enjoyed our day here!

$30 to park. No bathrooms, disgusting port o potties are a very poor substitute. The walkway from the beach to the port o potties was roped off. No entry allowed. This meant you had to walk all the way down to the main entrance and then walk through the parking lot to the port o potties that have been sitting in the blazing Sun all day. When you opened the door, the funk damn near knocked you out cold. Admission fee should be reduced drastically until there are proper facilities. Not worth $30!!!

I travel a lot and I must say this beach is one of the most beautiful! It rivals the beaches of Long Island. If in the area, the views from this beach are gorgeous. The water is clean and the sand is that perfect hue of toffee.

Just beautiful. Nice sand, dozens of seals, clean water. The seals get so close to shore that it keeps me from swimming, but being in the sun & splashed from the surf is enough for a very relaxing visit. Like all of the National Seashore beaches, very rocky where the waves crash on shore. Wear water shoes to get past that comfortably.

I love how big this beach is! It's a little expensive to park at, because it's part of the national beach, but it is so beautiful. Of course the water is chilly but the waves aren't too big, there are lots of shells, and lots possibilities for the whole family, but I wouldn't recommend swimming for children, the water gets deep quick. The only downside is that seals get pretty close to shore and you shouldn't swim by seal water in case of a great white shark, which there seems to be a sighting at this beach at least twice a week up to every other day, during the summer months. Stay away from the seals and you will be fine. It's just hard to keep the seals away from you.

Oh man, is the water ever cold at Nauset. The beach itself is stunningly beautiful, and sometimes you can see whales and dolphin off the coast. But wow, I don't know how people are able to swim in the water here! There are tons of lifeguards on this beach, and if you walk out past the edge of the parking lot (there's a dune entrance there), you can hang out on the "unprotected" side, where it's generally less crowded. The food is mostly overpriced swill, but that's to be expected at any beach. The coffee milkshakes, however, are divine.

Best beach on the Cape. By far. Wide, clean sand, beautiful dunes, perfect waves. The end.

This is far and away the most beautiful beach I've ever been to and I look forward to going back. I guess living in Boston makes you take for granted that we have some of the worlds best beaches just an hour or so away. It's located right on the southern tip of the Cape Cod National Seashore and definitely worth the trip from anywhere. There's a $15.00 parking fee for all day access to the beach but I think there is an option to buy a yearly pass to the national seashore for around $75.00 or so. The nice thing is that the parking lot is huge so you'll probably have no trouble finding a spot and it's close to the beach. Also, there's no shuttle ride required like at Coast Guard Beach. Don't forget to check out Liam's while you're there to get some excellent fried seafood! I was able to check out this beach as the tide was going out just before sunset. The sand was very soft and there were no nasty patches of rocks or seaweed that you find on some Cape Cod beaches. The water was very cold because it's on the Atlantic side of the cape but that shouldn't deter anyone from getting in there and having some fun in the huge waves! My only regret is that it took me until I was 27 to see this beach.

Best beach on the cape.... Clean bathrooms, clam shack, life guards, and huge waves. Beware though..... It's COLD!!

Beautiful beach on the national seashore. Spectacular views, beautiful clean water and welcoming to our doggie friends. The fact that the beach is Dog friendly, saves our vacation every year.

Fabulous Beach! Beautiful views of the ocean and long stretches of sand. You can walk farther away from the central area into non-life-guarded areas to get more space and privacy. The sand was incredibly clean and there was really no trash along the beach (just a few random cigarette butts). Lots of great waves. Some people were even attempting to surf! They have well maintained bathrooms and individual changing areas as well as an outdoor shower area. Excellent fried clams and onion rings at Liam's clam shack, but be prepared to pay a premium! A great place to spend a day!

Still a fun beach. I'm learning to surf this year and and the waves at Nauset are great for beginners. Still a great place to BBQ, fish, bonfire, and bring your dog. Attack of the Flies! Last weekend was my first time visiting the beach in July and the greenheads were really bad - make sure you bring some serious insect repellent if you're heading to the outer beach. The Piping Plovers are irritating again this year - closing the beach to vehicles just after Memorial Day. Beach was open for 2 weeks in July, but may close again this week until late August. It an awesome time when its open!

This beach was wonderful. From the soft sand to the cold water, it all compiled to be a enjoyable experience. Of course, with the popularity of the beach, there were a large amount of people who sun bathed, swam or partook in beach games. While I was there, I managed to see a seal that swam happily out in the distance. The seal wasn't the only animal that has been spotted before. A shark has been spotted at this beach but there weren't any when I was there. So if you like the beaches with soft sand and cold water, come and visit the Nauset Beach.

This beach is gorgeous, but if you're looking for a beach that's socially distanced for COVID- this is not the beach for you! Though signs on the beach and the tenants at the parking toll booth tell people to place blankets 12 feet apart and wear masks while using public restrooms. We got to the beach early and people were respectfully spaced apart, but as the morning progressed more and more people filled the beach and people were no longer abiding by social distance guidelines. By 11:30am the beach looked like it was a Florida beach during spring break and we decided to leave. The beach was pretty, but not worth the health risk. There are many other beaches on the Cape taking precaution and abiding by the Massachusetts guidelines. I would recommend Cahoon Hollow to anyone looking for a beautiful beach on the ocean side that is following social distance guidelines.

By far the best beach I visited in the cape. The water very clean and bright blue. However, there are rocks that is not kind to my feet but when u go little deep, it disappears. If u have kids, u can go Sakaket after which is 5 to 10 mins from Nauset.

First time at this beach today and it is awesome! Definitely a relaxing environment! If you are looking for a beach to do a lot of swimming, this may not be your spot because of shark sightings and seals swimming so close to shore. But if you are a beach bum like myself, you will be sure to enjoy the atmosphere and vibes of this wonderful beach in the Cape!

Absolutely love this beach. Arrive early and come late as this beach can fill up quickly. Although a bit rocky in some parts, the water is pretty clear and the waves are awesome to ride. Always a stop on my Cape Cod trips.

Nauset is the beach of my youth. There's no way you can convince me it isn't the best beach in New England - that would just hurt my pride. The water is effing freezing, the waves are pretty large for New England, and the facilities are well-maintained and convenient. The sand is super-fine and clean, and that view, man... It's pretty close to perfect. I say it's the beach of my youth because this is where I've been coming my entire life. I nearly drowned here when I was 7 (there were lifeguards smacking me and everything), and it's where I learned to body surf (hence the nearly drowning). For a Cape Cod native, that's important stuff. The parking lot is huge, but easily navigable and not so big that ht beach is ever too crowded. You can come year-round, which my family and I do -Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without a long, windy walk on the beach. You can even bring your dog off-season. If you're a resident, you can get a discounted beach sticker that'll let you on all season, and if you have a 4-wheel drive vehicle, you can let the air out and drive onto the outer beach (entrance is at the far end of the parking lot). Win.

Great place to watch the sun rise. It was breathtakingly beautiful. Worth the 4:30am wake up!

Very beautiful. The sand is very fine and the sea is very clean. I want to go again and live here!

Even on the hottest days, under the most sweltering sun and amongst the tourist infested masses, this beach is still a joy. Sand is soft and clean, water is clear and cold though thankfully not as bracing as most other ocean side beaches on the cape. Once you spend the $15 or so to park your going to want to spend the day, so be sure to pack a cooler or to stop off before hand at the newly expanded Shaw's in Orleans for snacks. Alternatively you can wait in line for the incredible onion rings and fried oysters at Liam's located in the beach parking lot. (FYI-if you don't want to wait in line or pay the beach fee, but want Liam's food, go to their sister restaurant Kate's Seafood in Brewster on Rt. 6A.) Nauset like most beaches in New England gets packed on nice weekends in the summer. Be prepared to weave through the crowds to find a spot big enough to spread out, but when you do you'll be treated to some great people watching, the sound of giant waves crashing against the shore and if your particularly lucky the silky bobbing head of a seal or two.

Looks like a pretty beach but we couldn't get down to it- there were no stairs!!! Must have been taken out by a storm or something this winter- we were very sad!

This is an absolutely gorgeous beach. We were here this past Thursday and of course the beach was relatively empty (most MA schools are still in session). Another 5 degrees warmer and it would've been the perfect beach day. Water was freezing cold (high 50s) so the only animals in the water were seals - that was cool to see. Very clean. Very impressed.

My favorite beach on the planet. This is a pretty grown-up beach, since the surf is too high for really little kids. It's only 2 hours from Boston by car, the sand is immaculate. As a swimmer the water is clean & refreshing but not too cold. You can probably sneak in a six pack. There is a bath house with outdoor showers so you can spend the day and then go out at night, without having to rent an uber expensive place on the Cape. If you get hungry, there's Liam's Clam shack. Plus, the eye candy is everywhere!

The water here is freezing...and the shoreline is rocky, but once you get in and a little further out, it isn't so bad :) This is one of my favorite beaches because you can find lots of room on the "unguarded" side and you can take really long walks down the shoreline. If you keep your eyes open, you'll be able to see the seals that are bobbing in the water checking you out. Very cool.

Now this is the Cape Cod beach I've been looking for! Got here early, just after 9 am and there was tons of parking. Great waves, soft sandy beach, no seaweed. It is breathtaking. The water temp was chilly but refreshing. The sand was soft and perfect. There's just something very magical about this place!

Love this beach.. I've been coming here every other year over the past 10 years. If you are visiting Boston, be sure to take in a visit to the cape. Give yourself time to get there if you are leaving on a Friday due to rush hour. It's a nice drive and when you get there (about half way to end) but well worth it. Nauset Beach is part of the federal protected beach so it's public. There are a lot of private beaches around on both sides of cape. We stay at motels or BBs and drive to the beach. It's about $20 for parking but it fills up quick during peak times. The sand is just like the pictures.. in recent years they've posted warnings about sharks so be careful swimming. The most disappointing aspect is the Liam's was closed due to weather issues last year, I loved the onion rings. Beach is IMO the best free site. Very busy but a little trek down the coast and you will find your perfect spot. Plenty of lodgings around and attractions are 30mins to an 1.5 hrs from here.. definitely recommend and I know I'll be back this year..

beautiful clean and always great ppl watching i swim in the ocean and the lifeguards are very nice. i do enjoy all the food trucks and music and i really love the local side. love living in a destination area.

After 4:30, free parking, boogy board bliss...cold water yesterday but an amazing spot. We spent hours yesterday in the water and chilling by the shoreline. A huge black seal entertained us for awhile. Dinner at Liam's was less than memorable. Skip it unless you love onion rings, and bring your own food.

Nice beach but I was expecting it to be less crowded. The water was cold, which was expected but unfortunately the weather was cold too in plain August! We had fog too in the middle of the day. We saw a lonely seal, which was fun. $15 parking.

Nauset is a beautiful beach. It is NOT, however, part of the National Seashore. Alas, Liam's is gone now, with food trucks the new dining option. I have been going to Nauset over 40 years, and it never gets old.

Great beach (of course... it's the Cape...). A little out of the way, but a beautiful spot.

Nauset Beach is a magnificent stretch of surf and sand bordered by the Orleans Cove on the north, and the promontory of Nauset Outer Beach to the south. I've been body surfing the waves at Nauset since my children were young, enjoying the seafood at the concession, and walking the beach and the 4-wheel trails. Even the drive to Nauset Beach is delightful whether you're coming from the historic homes along Route 6A; or arriving via Route 28 as it snakes besides Pleasant Bay in Chatham. Heading north from Nauset is another joy as you enter the beaches of the National Seashore including Fort Hill with its breath taking views, and the historic Marconi telegraph site overlooking another beautiful stretch of beach along the Atlantic Ocean. I am working on a page of Cape Cod beaches on my website at http://www.joyfulexpressions-photography-art.com/CapeCodBeaches.html I think you'll enjoy it!

The tone was set early with the cranky old marm taking the parking fee. She came just short of sending me to bed without supper when I asked a question. The beach is very nice although somewhat crowded. Good body surfing with gentle and steady waves the day's I was there. Feels like a 'local' beach vibe with a slightly 'are you sure you belong here' kind of feeling. Maybe the cranky byrd at the gate soured me early but I feel like there are better options.

As an update to a now 3 year old review, I must admit I was quite accurate with many of my first recommendations. I have since learned many new "local" concepts, ideas and practical thoughts and practices of the beaches of Nauset. First, if you are local and not a wash- a-shore, then you will, 95% of the time, only go to the Spit via Callanan's Pass. This requires an ORV permit through the town. Back to Nauset Beach though. The locals refer to this as the "public beach" or the "bathing beach." The latter by the older generation of locals. The worst month for trying to get to the "public beach" is August on a sunny warm weekend. Forget it! Trying to go after 10AM. Forget it. Or simply wait in line like many others as the stream of slow movers motor off. I wait for no beach! The must haves: Sunscreen 50+! You will burn on an overcast and cloudy day. You will trust me! A hat! Don't like hats...an umbrella but dig it in deep..like over a foot deep and 2' better 'cause of the wind. Lying on towels on a beach is the best way to collect sand where you don't want it. Buy your inexpensive folding aluminum chair at Shaw's, Stop and Shop, or the Goose (that be local jargon for the Goose Hummock shop across from the Stop and Flop. Cooler filled with ice at Nauset Farms on the way. Cold drinks. The town and the guards are quite easy going on beer etc. No bottles. Bad move and God damn a glass cut on the beach is unimaginable. Liam's has the best onion rings in the world! BUT! It is pricey and walking 1/4 mile from your secret secluded beach spot back from Liam's in hot sand with a balanced tray of poorly constructed boxes of greasy good things .....stinks. Pick up or bring lunch. Call Nauset Farms ahead to insure quick entry and departure for food Seals = sharks! Don't do it. Seals look friendly..NOt! They bite, they are scared of you and they think you swim lousy. They think things like "look at the fat bastard trying to get out of the water!" Sharks like to eat seals! We have some of the biggest Great Whites in the world devouring seals from Monomoy to P-town. Don't swim at sunrise or sunset as they say sharks like to eat then. Learn to pea in the water in knee deep water so you don't get bitten in half. Think about it. 75% of the people you think are standing there enjoying the view...not! They are peeing! Many too deep. Surfing. Love to watch but refer to the above comments and just think about a black wet suit. Dear God. Why not just troll live bait! So in all serious and to review: leave for the beach before 9:00AM properly stocked up on all the necessary items. If you don't want a line of traffic coming off the beach stay later...maybe 5:00. Or leave before 3:00. Enjoy this bathing beach at sunset. Although she faces East, you just turn your little chair to the west and watch that big ball of red go down over the best dunes on Cape Cod. "Red sky at night......sailor's delight!"

I've been going to Nauset since I was a baby and it's just as magical as it was then. The cleanness of the water, the freedom, the sun, all pleasures of this beach. I love driving on the back beach and surfing there, but I do agree about the price... It really stinks that during the major summer months, it is closed because of the piping plovers (birds). The worst part is that the price isn't even reduced because of the issue; however, keep in mind, the price is for the whole year and I can go anytime I want, aside from those months, and the front beach is still open! I mean, sometimes I want to get rid of the birds so I can have my beautiful beach! lol only kidding, they're cute and I like the front beach just as much. Anyway, I've been to Myrtle Beach, Jones Beach, and Montauk beaches, and all are dirty, have unclear water, or are just not as beautiful (even though they are so much warmer). Negatives- cold but bearable water, price paid for back beach losing worth because of birds.... Positives- crystal clear water, back beach allows you to bring dogs, surf, fish, and whatever else you desire to do with your car, the sand is so much nicer (if that makes sense), you can watch the seals swim by, see blow holes occasionally, and you will learn to love this beach and it's always a pleasure whether by yourself or with the people you love.

it's freezing! but it's got a good set of waves bashing the shore and hot surfer dudes to watch. Seals come by often so keep an eye out, they are pretty cool and come up close to show off. Nice sand, also a beach with regular hot life guards for extra eye candy.