Readers Say

This is the best beach in Massachusetts, according to Boston.com readers

You'll find it in Ipswich.

Crane Beach in Ipswich. Jonathan Wiggs/Globe Staff

June 18, 2021

When we asked Boston.com readers to name the best beach in Massachusetts, there was a clear favorite — Crane Beach in Ipswich.

A Mass. beach is one of the best in New England, according to AAA

Crane Beach, which bills itself as “the Northeast’s most spectacular beach,” was chosen by 16 out of 101 readers as the best beach in the state. After that, three beaches tied for second place with seven votes each: Coast Guard Beach in Eastham, Good Harbor Beach in Gloucester, and Mayflower Beach in Dennis.

Crane Beach offers more than 1,200 acres of beachfront, dunes, and maritime forest and is visited by more than 350,000 people annually, according to the Trustees of Reservations, which owns and maintains the property.

“I love Crane Beach!” wrote a reader named Susan. “It is absolutely stunning. The beach itself is clean, has restrooms, changing rooms and a great snack bar with fresh wraps. The beach is so spacious, you have plenty of room to spread out. Only negative is expensive parking.”

“The Trustees care for the beach and the public like family,” wrote Carol Wasserman. “Incredible views and boardwalk, stunning wildlife refuge, well-positioned snack bar and very clean bath house. Environmentally conscious with ample recycling and disposal facilities.”

Ahead, check out the Massachusetts beaches Boston.com readers love most. Is your favorite on the list?

Bank Street Beach in Harwich Port
Black Point Beach in Chilmark
Cahoon Hollow Beach in Wellfleet
Carson Beach in South Boston
Cisco Beach on Nantucket
Coast Guard Beach in Eastham
Cold Storage Beach in Dennis
Crane Beach in Ipswich
Dowses Beach in Osterville
Duxbury Beach in Duxbury
Eisman’s Beach in Swampscott
Good Harbor Beach in Gloucester
Head of The Meadow Beach in Truro
Horseneck Beach State Reservation Westport
Lambert’s Cove Beach in West Tisbury
Lighthouse Beach in Chatham
Longnook Beach in Truro
Lynn Beach in Lynn
Malibu Beach in Dorchester
Marconi Beach in Wellfleet
Mayflower Beach in Dennis
Moshup Beach on Martha’s Vineyard
Nantasket Beach in Hull
Nauset Beach in Orleans
Newcomb Hollow Beach in Wellfleet
Norton Point Beach on Martha’s Vineyard
Old Silver Beach in Falmouth
Paine’s Creek Beach in Brewster
Philbin Beach on Martha’s Vineyard
Race Point Beach in Provincetown
Revere Beach in Revere
Salisbury Beach in Salisbury
Sandy Neck Beach Park in Barnstable
Sandy Point State Reservation in Ipswich
Seagull Beach in Yarmouth
Short Beach in Nahant
Singing Beach in Manchester-by-the-Sea
South Beach on Martha’s Vineyard
South Cape Beach in Mashpee
Tashmoo Beach in Tisbury
Tenean Beach in Boston
West Dennis Beach in Dennis
Wingaersheek Beach in Gloucester
Wollaston Beach in Quincy

Chris from Boston offered this philosophy on favorite beaches: “My favorite beach in Massachusetts is Seagull Beach in W. Yarmouth. Does it have jagged clam shells all over the place from the gulls dropping them? Yup. Is the water cold and usually full of seaweed? You bet. Do you need to wear water shoes or risk slicing your feet on rocks and shells as you get into the ocean? Without a doubt. Will the seagulls snag your fries if you look away for one second? Like clockwork. But I’ve watched my kids grow up there, building sandcastles, learning to swim, making friends, and eating as many fries as they can before the seagulls steal them. Those memories outweigh the cuts on my feet a thousand fold. It’s not so much about the beach itself, but what you do there and who you’re with. What’s a New England beach without some rocks, shells, seaweed, cold water, and confrontational seagulls anyway?”

Responses have been lightly edited for clarity.