Gloucester - Stage Fort | Pavillion | Wingaersheek | Good Harbor

Rockport - Long | Cape Hedge | Pebble | Old Garden | Front | Back

Ratings (1-5 ¤) are based on details noted such as parking/rate, kid-friendly, car-to-sand walk, facilities, over-all experience, water quality, etc. Ratings performed by 40 years of experience, having visited each location. NOTE: NO DOGS allowed on beaches from May 15 through September.

GLOUCESTER

Half Moon and Cressy's  at Stage Fort Park (Visitors Center), Route 127, Gloucester -- Rating: ¤¤½

• Large picnic area with many picnic tables.
• Parking fee: $10.00
• Beach surface: One sandy (Half Moon), one mixed sand & stones.
• Play area: Lots of playground equipment, places to run around, historical Fort and secret paths on giant rocks for hours of exploring.
• Take-out restaurant: "The Cupboard" on site at far end of park
• Lifeguards are on duty in season.
• Visitors Center with bathrooms.

Pavillion Beach - Stacy Boulevard, Route 127, Gloucester -- Rating: ¤¤

• This is a good alternative beach, never crowded.
• Parking only along street.
• Beach surface: Mostly gritty sand, nice views of the harbor, clean water.
• No services or facilities

Wingaersheek Beach, Atlantic Rd., West Gloucester  -- Rating: ¤¤¤¤¤
(Off-island off Rt.128 Exit 13/Concord St.)

• About 1/2 mile long
• Carry in, carry out trash policy strictly enforced
• No picnic tables or picnic area
• Parking fee: $15 week, $25 w/e
• Beach surface: Sandy and flat
• No designated play or sports area
• Snack bar, lifeguards in season, bathrooms.

Good Harbor Beach, Route 127A, Gloucester, MA -- Rating: ¤¤¤¤¤

• About 3/8 mile long
• Carry in, carry out trash policy strictly enforced
• Picnic tables at the rear, near the concession stand
• Parking (limited) fee for non-residents: $20 week, $25 W/E
• Beach surface: raked clean sand
• No designated play area for volleyball, etc. but allowed at west end.
• Located on Rte. 127A, Thatcher Road
• Snack bar, outside rinse showers, bathrooms, lifeguards in season.

ROCKPORT

Long Beach, Thacher Rd./127A, Rockport -- Rating: ¤¤¤¤

• About 3/4 mile long (10% is in Gloucester)
• Carry in, carry out trash policy strictly enforced
• No picnic tables
• No real parking but private parking lots available for a fee
• Beach surface: sandy but minimal at high tide
• No designated play area for volleyball, etc. but often allowed at low tide on wet sand
• Located on Rte. 127A, Thacher Road
• No food services or public facilities

Cape Hedge Beach, Rockport, MA -- Rating: ¤ ½

• About 100 yards lo ng
• Minimal sand at high tide
• Parking: Resident sticker parking only
• No facilities

Pebble Beach, Penzance Rd., Rockport, MA -- Rating: ¤¤

• About 120 yards long
• Mostly round popples (granite stones) instead of sand, which is minimal at high tide
• Parking: Resident sticker parking only
• Not a kid-friendly beach except at dead low tide when pool/rock exploring is prime
• No facilities

Old Garden Beach, Old Garden Rd., Rockport -- Rating: ¤¤¤ ½

• Small beach, about 50 yards
• Park benches, no picnic tables
• Resident sticker parking lot, free parking about 100 yards away
• Beach surface is minimal where sandy — good swimming.
• Play area: There is a small grassy field. 
• This is a very popular beach for out of town divers and the free parking is challenging.
• No facilities.

Front Beach, Beach St., Downtown Rockport, MA -- Rating: ¤¤¤¤ ½

• About 150 yards long
• Park benches, no picnic tables
• Metered parking, aggressive ticketing
• Beach surface: Sandy — good swimming and beach glass hunting
• Play area: Millbrook Meadow across the street with swings. 
• Snack Bar: "Bistro" take-out across street.
• New restrooms 

Back Beach, Beach St., Rockport -- Rating: ¤¤

• About 150 yards long
• Park benches, no picnic tables
• Metered parking, aggressive ticketing
• Beach surface is minimal where sandy — good swimming
• Play area: Not on the beach, but there is Millbrook Park near Front Beach 300 yards away. 
• Snack Bar: "Bistro" at nearby Front Beach. Soda machine at Legion.
• New restrooms at nearby Front Beach

Singing Beach, Manchester, MA -- Rating: N/A

We were unable to properly evaluate this beach as there is a fee of $5.00 just to walk on it. It is supposed to be nice but not that nice.