Got to relax on the beach mid-September and it was perfect. The part we were at is nice and rock…read morefree, plus they had a sand rug as you enter that beach that made it easy to get to. The water was cold but was nice to dip my feet in. They do charge for parking until October I believe but it was Girl Scouts love State park weekend so it was free for us. There are both parking meters or you can use Yodel.com for convenience. They have a bathhouse at the parking lot that is clean and has an outdoor shower too. Plus I saw a children's park and a cookout area. Overall lovely park and I'd love to come swimming here in the new england summer months!

Ok park with good access to the beach. It gets very crowded in the summer, but we were always able…read moreto find a spot on the beach. Sites are water and electric only - they have a dump station with 4 lanes which is convenient. Few trees and kind of close together. One negative for us, it's really priced for Massachusetts residents. They charge an extra for non-MA residents (Like $40 more per night).

Great little beach in Beverly. Gorgeous view, not too crowded on a weekday, free parking on the…read morestreet and in a small lot, and even a bathroom! I was here for a few hours on a June Wednesday and really enjoyed it here. There aren't many waves, making Dane Street Brach a great spot for families with young children. Please note, however, that there isn't a lifeguard at this beach. It is pretty rocky here, so definitely recommend water shoes.

For being a small beach, it is quite lovely. There is a beautiful little park where one can enjoy…read morethe shade of the trees and the gentle sea breeze, and plenty of space to settle in. There are some draw backs. The water is only 2-3 feet deep for a good quarter of a mile from the shore, especially at low tide it is a challenge just getting into the water because of all the damn rocks! Otherwise, it's nice being able to go for a swim and yet be a 5 minute walk from downtown Beverly. It seems to be a challenge to find a good place to swim, in Lynn the red algea ruins the beach (but I have heard it is well under control this year) and for something close and quick Dane Street will do.

My first time here walking around. We've driven by but this time we decided to get a little…read moreexercise and enjoy the views. We weren't the only ones here. Lots of people from all over. There were families, tourists, college kids, locals, and of course, love birds!! ;) We enjoyed our little walks and stopping to rest. While resting, we enjoyed people watching, the waves, and surfers. What's not to like?!?! The waves are so beautiful and relaxing! It doesn't matter if it's cloudy or sunshine. It's just the doctor ordered!!

Don't go here. I was walking over the rocks and climbing on them and then they HAD to be slippery…read moreand mind you, I don't know how to swim, even though I'm from Gloucester. I fell on a rock, and I struggled to get back up. another time, I decided to go in the water and try to sit on the rock, but the thing is why is the sand so FUCKING DEEP? It could've been like 3 feet and I would've been okay, but it was like 5?! THE HELL? Never in my GODDAMN life that I would've been complaining over a beach but here I am. Why? I am a local and I would rather shoot myself with a hunter's rifle then swim here. Go to Good Harbor instead.

Plum Cove is a small resident only beach on Ipswich Bay. There is a lifeguard from Father's Day…read moreuntil Labor Day from 9am - 5pm. The beach has limited parking and vehicles must have a resident parking sticker. Port-o-pottie on site.

The entire Cape Ann area is just beyond fantastic. In many ways, it's better than Cape Cod because…read moreit doesn't have all the tourists and not a lot of people outside of Massachusetts know about it. Long known as an artist's colony and encompassing small towns and hamlets like Rockport, Gloucester, Manchester-By-The-Sea, Ipswich, and to some degree Salem, the entire coast here is dotted with little coves and bays and beaches and you really can find out about a lot of these places by actually driving around and exploring. That's how my friend and I stumbled on Plum Cove Beach. Definitely a spot locals know about, this is easily one of the cutest, picturesque and prettiest beaches I've encountered in New England. Flanked by giant stone, sloping cliffs (which I saw some hikers going along), trees and amazing estates clinging to these cliffs, the actual beach sits snugly in between. It is not a big beach, there are no facilities here and I imagine parking here in the summer must be a nightmare, but the day we came, hardly anyone was here, the water is super dark blue and clear and as long as you mind your own business in typical New England fashion, people are pretty chill. The beach is very clean, the water was cold (but it's only early June) and on a clear, sunshine day with hardly anyone there, it really is an amazing spot to enjoy yourself in.

Crystal Cove is a small cove housing a few moorings, the ferry, a yacht club and Snake Island as…read morewell as the public launch ramp. I absolutely love this place. The cove is a great area to kayak or use small personal flotation type devices as well as small craft since there is virtually no current in the cove. I've enjoyed my kayak here many times all were great fun with no complications. There is a small island not to far out called Snake Island which is fun to row out to and relax for a spell. If you want to enjoy this awesome little cove you can take advantage of the huge public parking lot located at the Coast Guard Station/Ferry. I believe it costs $5.00 to use the ramp. You can also relax here as there are many park benches outlining the parking lot to enjoy the views. FYI, this location is the very very best spot to take in the Boston Skyline, Plane taking off and landing at Logan and beautiful sunsets over the Marina. Oh and you can reach this spot by public transportation if need be. If your not afraid of the elements, the parking lot and benches are pretty much empty this time of year and everything looks more beautiful in the crisp air. Pack yourself a lunch, or some hot coco and enjoy a sunset. I give Crystal Cove a Solid 5 Stars.

cute little nook beach. the air quality is nice & view is beautiful. sand quality is kinda mid. can…read moreget pretty busy too.

Nice park off Wilmington Road. Slightly difficult to park. There is a baseball field, a playground,…read moreA picnic table and shelter, and a basketball court. Pretty cool playground, geared more to younger children. Lots of swings, including toddler swings. 2 - 5 area has a structure with ladders, monkey bars, stairs, and 2 curving slides right next to each other. You can also go under the play structure. Pretend play and sight impaired play, too! Not wheelchair accessible. The older kids area has monkey bars, floating stepping stools, a hanging bar and rings, and a handheld overhead little zip line. Fun park. Would recommend to anyone with littles or climbers!

I found Riverside Park when I moved to the area and was looking for a dog park. While the dog park…read moreitself is a bit of a letdown (it's more of a dog run than a park and the last few times I went there the pups had dug massive holes that need to be filled in). That said, Riverside Park itself is gorgeous. There are baseball fields, tennis courts, playgrounds, hiking paths, etc. It's gorgeous, safe and family oriented. The only thing that would make the park better would be if they expanded the dog area.