All trips

Ocean beaches and lighthouses on Cape Cod

Cape Cod National Seashore, MA

A wide sandy Atlantic beach runs below an eroded dune topped with beach grass at Coast Guard Beach in Eastham, under a bright blue sky.
Photo: Dennis Weeks, CC BY 4.0

How many days

Adults
2
Kids
2
Plan this trip
Who it suits
Families with little kids, families with teens and couples
How long
4, 5 or 7 days
Getting there
Fly
Seasons
Summer, Fall

Why it works

  • Cape Cod National Seashore protects forty miles of sandy beach, marshes, ponds and uplands, including the great Outer Beach described by Thoreau in the 1800s.
  • Lifeguards are typically on duty at all six national seashore beaches from late June through Labor Day.
  • Near Salt Pond Visitor Center are the 1.5 mile Nauset Marsh Trail, the Nauset Bicycle Trail and the Buttonbush Trail, which has discovery activities for children.
  • There are several lighthouses within the national seashore, and Nauset Light in Eastham opens for visits on set days from May through September.

Watch out for

  • There are no lifeguards on duty between Labor Day and the third week of June, and the Province Lands Visitor Center closes for the off-season.
  • Sharks are active in park waters through October, so heed all guidelines and signage at beaches.

Sources

  • Cape Cod National Seashore protects forty miles of sandy beach, marshes, ponds and uplands, including the great Outer Beach described by Thoreau in the 1800s. source (checked 2026-11-14)
  • Lifeguards are typically on duty at all six national seashore beaches from late June through Labor Day. source (checked 2026-11-14)
  • Near Salt Pond Visitor Center are the 1.5 mile Nauset Marsh Trail, the Nauset Bicycle Trail and the Buttonbush Trail, which has discovery activities for children. source (checked 2026-11-14)
  • There are several lighthouses within the national seashore, and Nauset Light in Eastham opens for visits on set days from May through September. source (checked 2026-11-14)
  • There are no lifeguards on duty between Labor Day and the third week of June, and the Province Lands Visitor Center closes for the off-season. source 1 · source 2 (checked 2026-11-14)
  • Sharks are active in park waters through October, so heed all guidelines and signage at beaches. source (checked 2026-11-14)

More trips like this

See all trips

Want something different?

Tell Scout what you want instead and get a day-by-day plan built around it.

Start planning free