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5 Best Beaches on Cape Cod

I grew up on the Cape. Or at least in the summer. Megansett was my family’s stomping ground, that is of course until my dad sold our house to our exorbitantly wealthy neighbor. Ken’s Salad Dressing and Polar Seltzer – have you heard of them because they own them.

Another one of those Cape Cod legacies where grandma, AKA g-ma was the boss.

Apparently, g-ma started the salad dressing out of Ken’s Steak House in Natick. Her husband worked with grocery stores, so she capitalized on that and built an empire. I don’t know exactly how or when they also acquired Polar and Wachusett mountain, but I wish my dad had held out.

Here is my old summer house. A beautifully rickety 100-year old house that was torn down of course.

Did you see the witches tower way up there on the 3rd floor? My eldest sister lived up there, and in storms it was quite scary. But good scary. The type of memory that stays with you for life.

Personal story aside, the Cape has some of the most beautiful beaches in the world. I grew up swimming in the warm, tranquil waters of Buzzards Bay, so naturally I prefer there, but that doesn’t mean I am not equally as enamored with Outer Cape and the Islands. Just a different sort of salty magic.

#1 Old silver beach

North Falmouth

Come summer and you can boat right up to the Sea Crest hotel for a Piña Colada. Come winter and you have the beach to yourself. Bring your dog, search for sea glass, and watch as winter storms transform everything.

My favorite way to enjoy this beach is in the off-season of course when it is not so busy and you can bring your dog.

Here I took Pugsley (my niece) for a walk on a foggy Spring day. Park at the public lot (no permit required in off-season) and walk right past the Sea Crest onto the private beach. This is where it gets really beautiful. And where you can sometimes, if you are really lucky, find some sea glass.

They say if sand is squeaky, it’s really pure Silica. Here my feet squeak so loud you’d swear I was at a spa.

And in case you were wondering, yes the pug got on top of that rock and smiled without me even asking. It’s called personality.

#2 Chapoquoit beach

West Falmouth

Located in the ultra-exclusive village of West Falmouth, Chapoquoit Beach, or Chappy, is one of the most beautiful beaches you’ll ever see. Here, the Great Sippewissett Marsh meets ocean.

When temperatures drop – so do the number of people and the rules.

Suddenly you can take your dog everywhere and no one will yell at you for trespassing on private property. Oh please, get over yourself. I am bird watching and this beach is meant to be walked.

If you walk all the way to the end, you will find where the Great Sippewissett Marsh literally meets the ocean. Sometimes there is a huge current flowing out of the marsh, making sort of a natural lazy river. People swim, kayak, and party deep in the marsh. Just beware that there are green head flies here.