If you’re staying in Barnstable at one of our fabulous vacation rental properties, you’ll want to check out the list below of some of our favorite beaches to visit. Most offer a pay-to-park lot with a daily fee of $20 and have basic amenities like picnic tables and bathrooms. Lifeguards are also on duty from Memorial Day weekend through the end of August. If you are planning to go to the beach every day during your visit, visit the Town of Barnstable website and consider purchasing a weekly beach permit for $110. This will give you access to all of the area’s public beaches, including Craigville, Kalmus, Sandy Neck, and Keyes Memorial.
Dowse’s Beach, 348 East Bay Road, Osterville
Located just beyond the beautiful downtown area of Osterville is Dowse’s Beach. This is a resident-only beach, so parking can be tricky. If you’re willing to walk, there is metered parking in town about a mile away, or consider visiting after the beach attendants leave at 4 p.m. Catch some late afternoon sun, a gorgeous sunset, and maybe take some family photos with the dunes as your backdrop.
Dowse’s is known for its soft white sand, warm water, and stunning views of Nantucket Sound. The beach is spacious, perfect for collecting shells, and the ocean is calm and relatively shallow if you have little ones with you. If you’re into fishing, kayaking, or stand-up paddleboarding, there is also a pier just to the left of the main beach that overlooks East Bay and provides easy access for launching watercraft. If you’re lucky, maybe you’ll catch dinner!
Craigville Beach, 998 Craigville Beach Road, Centerville
Probably the most well-known beach in Barnstable, Craigville offers public parking and is located in the village of Centerville. Here you will find tourists and residents enjoying their beach days with music, kites, and volleyball nets. Don’t expect to take a snooze in this lively atmosphere, come here ready to partake in the fun.
Pack a cooler or head across the street to The Barnacle for some lunch and plan to spend your day here. If you love to walk the beach and collect shells or just stretch your legs, this is your beach. There are miles to walk in either direction to get your steps in.
The water temperature here always seems to be a few degrees warmer than everywhere else, so Craigville is another fantastic spot to take a dip in the ocean earlier in the season. If you have small children, expect there to be waves and take caution as areas of this beach have a quick drop off at high tide.
Rent a Vacation Home on the Cape
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Kalmus Beach, 670 Ocean Street, Hyannis
Located at the end of Ocean Street near the bustling downtown area of Hyannis is Kalmus, which has has two beaches for the price of one. Park your car for the day for $20 and you can read a book and relax while you experience the quiet ocean side. Or, if you’re bringing the kids take a walk a little further down and experience the cove with shallow water, a light breeze, and calm water. This side of the beach is rocky, so be sure to bring your water shoes so you can navigate the beach. The swimming area is also smaller in comparison to some of the larger beaches, making it easy to keep an eye on the kids.
While not overly crowded, you can expect to find mostly families at Kalmus. Both beaches are clean and the ocean side has soft white sand with bathrooms and a great snack shack that is open until 9 p.m.
Sandy Neck Beach, 590 Sandy Neck Road, West Barnstable
Be prepared to experience a different kind of Cape Cod when visiting Sandy Neck Beach. This beach is a treasure amongst locals, but due to it’s popularity, you can expect to find both tourists and residents here. Because Sandy Neck is located on the northern side of Cape Cod and faces Cape Cod Bay, you can expect the water temperatures to be about 5-10 degrees cooler than the south-facing beaches. The views, the nature trails, and ample space to spread out your beach gear fully make up for the colder water.
Sandy Neck also offers RV and overnight camping for an additional cost that can be booked and paid for online through the Town of Barnstable website. To be able to access these sites you will need a vehicle that can traverse the sand and pass an inspection at the gate. Otherwise, park your car in the daily lot and take a short walk through the dunes to set up your beach chairs. On a clear day you can even see Provincetown.
Keyes Memorial Beach, 175 Ocean Avenue, Hyannis
If you are looking for a lesser-known beach, head over to Keyes Memorial located between Hyannis and Hyannis Port. Expect to find soft sand and warm, shallow water. With beautiful views of Nantucket Sound, a volleyball net, and small waves, this beach is perfect for a low-key afternoon. There is plenty of public parking, picnic tables, and grills should you choose to have a barbeque, or, grab some frozen treats from the ice cream truck to keep cool.
Keyes Memorial is just over a mile from downtown Hyannis where you’ll find some of Barnstable’s best restaurants and shops.
No Shortage of Great Beaches in Barnstable On the Cape
As the largest city on Cape Cod, Barnstable has 15 unique and beautiful beaches to visit. Like many towns in the mid-Cape area, you will find both north and south-facing beaches in town which gives you exposure to two distinct ocean experiences. It’s also worth noting that while dogs are not allowed on beaches between Memorial Day and Columbus Day, should you choose to visit in the off-season, bring along your furry friend and let them get their paws sandy!
Come see what Cape Cod has to offer this summer. Browse our available listings, or reach out to us directly and let us help you pick the perfect property near your favorite beach.