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Revere Beach
55 reviews
Revere, MA
Category: Swimming Pools
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
31 reviews for Nahant Beach
If you fail to plan ahead to go to better beach such as Gloucester or below South of Duxbury, still want to enjoy somewhere nicer than Carlson Beach or Revere Beach, Nahant Beach is the solution for you.
It's definitely far less crowded and cleaner than Revere Beach and it's only 20 minutes away from Boston if there is no traffic.
Parking is really cheap. $3!
There is public bathroom open during the season which is also equipped with showers outside to rinse of the sand.
Hungry? Go to Tides or Dunkin at the end of the beach on Nahant side.
Sitting here, while what feels like winter to me is only fall weather in boston, reminded me that I hadn't written about my trip to Nahant Beach yet! For a "beach" that is about 30 minutes away, the water temperature alone would have me coming back!
Perfect water temperature. Just perfect!! Basically felt like a swimming pool with how warm it was!! I couldn't believe it! And this is coming from a CA girl ha ha
BUT there aren't any waves here. This beach is a little more like a bay or lagoon or something along those lines. The waves are pretty much non existent, so if that is what you are looking for this is not the place. The funny thing about this beach though is how far up the beach the high tide is!! Literally we had to move our towels two times as the tide kept coming higher and higher up the beach. So if you go out swimming, be sure to come back sooner rather than later to move your stuff! Otherwise you will have to fight the seaguls in the water for your towels
And the other thing this beach lacks is PARKING. Wow, we sat so long in the line to get into their parking lot, and you have to park there. You have no other options. It is such a pain, and you feel like you waste so much gas but ya...go EARLY to the beach for this reason!
So go enjoy the warm warm atlantic ocean!! But this is no surf's up in the least bit for you CA natives ha ha
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This was a really nice beach, not too crowded, and overall pretty clean.
$3 parking was what lured us in. We walked along the beach and didn't worry about coming across anyone having sex on the sand or stepping on broken glass. When we walked back we had a little bit of trouble finding our car because there are no signs, but I can live with that :)
Worth a second trip!
The difference between Nahant and Revere is like comparing a high end escort to a hooker on the Vegas Strip.
My experience at Revere Beach this year: a gang of middle-aged townies passing around some Dr. McGillicuddy's Peppermint Schnapps to pour into their Dunkin' Donuts while audibly swearing around children.
My experience at Nahant this year: I witnessed a double date with two couples dry humping each other while muttering vulgar sweet nothings in Spanish to each other [Translated: "Nuncas dolces" ?]
So...similar demographic (popular with annoying high schoolers) but Nahant has a lot of room to spread out. The further away from Tides you are the more space you'll have.
The $3 public parking is amazing, but is also the best beach accessible by the MBTA within a reasonable traveling distance of the city.
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I'm going to have to agree with Chris B.'s impeccable metaphor, because I don't think I can come up with anything better right now. This place is cleaner and more family-friendly than Revere Beach but still has that trashy undertone to it!
Parking for us was an absolute nightmare, but that's probably because we got a late start. It took about half an hour just to find a spot. But it was only $3! Score! And it wasn't so far from Cambridge.
The water was incredibly warm and pleasant for a dip or two.
I didn't notice any trash until the tide started washing it all towards me on the beach. The sand is really nice, a fine, soft texture, never too rough.
Even though it was crowded, there was plenty of room for us to lay out on our towels and get a tan. I have finally gotten a nice bronze color and I didn't have to listen to any teenagers gossip or scream obscenities for no reason. I'm happy.
I loved the beach. The sand was real sand, not rocky like some of the South Shore beaches. Also, the beach was not too crowded, with reasonably priced parking. ($3 what!!). Apparently, the restaurant at the top of the beach also has good priced adult bevvies.
The water was calm and the beach went on forever into the water on the day I was there. It was really beautiful, but not a place for adventurous water sports.
Apparently yesterday's lobster-tanning session wasn't enough for me, so I went back for round two of the boil and bake at Nahant Beach with some friends this afternoon.
Growing up on the water in South Florida, I admittedly tend to be a bit of a beach snob, so getting an "A-Ok" rating from me here is MA is saying a lot. The beach was clean (far cleaner than say, Revere Beach) and the sand was a nice soft, white powder. The large changing/restroom facility near the center of the stretch was nice and relatively clean, and cheap $3 parking is a sure-fire bonus. Though we didn't take advantage of them, there appeared to be a few restaurants near the far end of the beach at the entrance to the parking lot, as well as a hot dog stand near the restrooms/changing rooms.
Certainly not the Cape or the Vineyard crowd, but a relatively expansive beach that is fairly well kept with all necessary amenities.
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I really liked this beach. I was there at low tide, and the sand was really clean. Most beaches at low tide have kelp or other "ocean things" lying around, but not this one. The shells there are pretty amazing for anyone who does any collecting.
It can get a bit windy, so bring a light pullover for when you get out of the water, and stick closer to the hard sand. I wouldn't hold that against my ranking though - it is an ocean beach after all!
cheap parking? yes, not too crowded? Yea-ah, Slight breeze? Mnhmm. Lack of eye candy, but you win some, you lose some.
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I guess I would go for 3.5 if it was an option. The $3 parking is a definite plus. What mainly turned me off was that the day we went (7/5) it was super windy and I the sand was flying EVERYWHERE. The sand here is nice, very light and fine but it's not so pleasant when it is getting stuck in your sun screen as you're applying it and completely takes over your towel when you've only be chillin' on the beach for an hour. The water is nice and the shoreline seemed good...just a few random shells sticking out. I would definitely go back but not on a windy day.
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For a Northeastern beach, this one is pretty good. Very nice path to walk if you are looking for some exercise. Sand is soft but there is seaweed and shells everywhere...and jellyfish in the water so be careful. Nice place to spend a hot day and relax by the ocean. $3 parking fee (most likely to go up this year though) get there before noon for better parking. The closer to Tides you are the better the beach is in my opinion.
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Visited this beach for the first time this weekend and I was surprised at the amount of trash in the water and on the sand. A gigantic rake needs to comb through this place before I go back. While walking I spotted floating in the water: dunkin coffee cup, plastic bag and a white top to a water bottle. Our friend found a large, plastic, orange glove and who knows what it was doing there or where it's been. Maybe the clean up was lax because of the holiday weekend.
Okay, so after going to Devereaux Beach last week, and coming here this week, this place beats Devereaux Beach hands down. Why? Smooth, soft sand, small nice waves, you can check the water quality online, it's super close to home, and parking is $3. The beach is really large, so it doesn't feel at all crowded, and I like that Tides isn't as much of a take-out sort of place as other beach options......I like sitting out on the patio.
This is the beach we'll be heading to more often now that we know it's here, because it's a really nice beach. Yes, it does have a slight city beach feel with planes flying overhead, but it's relatively clean and quiet, which isn't too common at our local beaches.
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Always the place to go......
I have to say, Nahant Beach has definately improved over the last 4-5 years. Prior to this Nahant Beach would be covered in trash and just not a friendly place to go and bring your family.
I usually come down 2-3 days a week and jog the beach on the paved trail along the beach. The sand is clean, the view is beautiful at sunrise and sunset. Alot of beautiful women there, alot of interesting people to talk to.
Tips:
-Spend the $3 or wait and find a parking spot by Tides. If you park down by the Lynn side of Nahant Beach you will get stuck on the sand with Red Tide and you will see why that end of the beach is empty.
-Bring your food, but make it VERY secure. The seagulls at Nahant Beach are brave and smart. I've gone to the beach plenty of times and seen people's food syphoned by seagulls. Every spring and fall I go down to the beach and feed the seagulls and these birds WILL take the food right out of your hands.
-French Fries, Burgers, Ice Cream & Beer at Tides. Anything else is extremely overpriced and extremely undercooked.
-Watch for the private parking if you decide not to pay the $3. I've seen plenty of ticketed cars on the street next to Tides.
-Pack everything at once. I have seen the parking attendants try and force people to pay twice if they leave to go get food or get something from home.
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This is one of my favorite beaches. I thought it was called Long Beach, but i could be wrong. The sand is super soft and clean. The parking is $3 and theres plenty of it. The beach is fairly large so you shouldn't have to be sitting next to strangers either. Because the beach is so long, if you think you might want food,then I would maybe recommend parking closer tot he restaurants in Nahant.
This is definitely a family day at the beach with a picnic and plenty of beverages.
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Just went for my first time yesterday (Memorial Day). Didn't get there till late, so parking was FREE (maybe after 3 pm?) We went here instead of Gloucester to avoid the traffic on 128. Good idea! The beach is clean and convenient... much better than the hell-hole of Revere Beach. Nothing really special about the place though as far as food/entertainment, etc, except for dunkin donuts and a little restaurant. Works for me!
I've spent so many days at Nahant I've lost count, while it was very easy to get here when I lived in Salem, it's still fairly accessible from my current neighborhood in Revere and allows me to continue avoiding the case of tetanus that is Revere Beach. While it's getting better there, it's still not somewhere I feel comfortable taking off clothes and laying down exposed in front of leery eyes.
Nahant has incredibly cheap parking at $3 a car, and you can almost always find a space. There's only been one time over a period of 6 years that I have been unable to find room. Many times you will see people with kites littering the sky, and the view towards Boston and across the bridge towards Revere is absolutely wonderful. I love looking off my porch towards Nahant during the summer time and being able to watch their fireworks in addition to mine. The only downside to Nahant is when you get stuck on the short sands portion of the beach, where the sand is grittier, but the patrons are fewer meaning less brainpain.
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Dear Nahant Beach,
I miss you so much
I can't wait to see you again once summer returns
I can't wait to drink beers and throw the football and go swimming
I can't wait to people watch some of the weirdo's who visit you
$4 parking plus no broken glass or gross seaweed = Nahant my quick day trip beach of choice
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First of all, I'd like to note that this beach is very close to Revere Beach but much better and worth the extra drive. I've found out that there are several stretches of Nahant beach.
The long stretch with the walkway and parking. This is the road that leads into Nahant. This is the most commercial of and busy of the three beaches. Lots of people and a lot of kite flying. Public parking lot.
A two mile stretch of beach a bit deeper into Nahant. There is the 'Nahant Fish & Lobster Co." right across from this beach. Less people here and the sand is best of the three. Lots of boats. Limited street parking
The third is a small, rocky, stretch of beach deep into Nahant. This beach was pretty packed when I drove past despite all the large rocks. A lot of people fish here. There are also big piles of rocks creating ledges that look good for sightseeing if you're willing to hike up them. Private parking available and almost no public or street parking here.
All three beaches are strung together by Nahant Rd. so if you drive here, you should see all three beaches.
This is an ok beach - but please...I hope I never have to go there again. I much rather drive an extra 20 minutes and be somewhere clean and less urban/more relaxing, close to nature and tranquil. My husband always suggests this beach - yuck. Trash, and unappealing water. One bonus is cheap parking.
I really want to give this 3.5 stars but well, no half stars on yelp.
It's close to Boston with super cheap parking that rarely fills up (like the good and $$ beach up north)
It's a nice long stretch of sand, it gets rocky towards the bath house (scary by the way). There are porta-potties which are nasty, and a lame consession hot dog dude in the middle of the beach.
It's pretty clean for a city beach, and big enough so you are not up in someone's sandy ass while trying to enjoy yourself.
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Nahant beach is my spot to go rollerblading- winter, spring, summer and fall. The parking lot is about 1.5 miles of flat pavement, with the boston skyline on one side and the beach on the other.
As far as the actual beach goes, it's cool but I only really go there for skating.
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I too would like to give 3.5 stars for this beach. We weren't allowed in the lot yesterday until 2pm so we drove around for an hour and got some macaroni salad at Stop and Shop to kill the time.
The beach is actually pretty nice - the sandbar goes way out so you can be waist deep without worrying about falling into a deep blue hole to never return. The seagulls are very brave here, we saw one clever gull rip open a bag of animal crackers that he found covered by a beach towel. Hint: lock down your food items 'cause these gulls are crafty!
The water was pretty clean and actually had pockets of warmth where it sits on the bar and the sun bakes it. Bring a kite, this beach got some good wind while we were here.
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I "discovered" this beach for myself one day while working one weekday morning. I came back early morning on a sunny summer Saturday and it was like Christmas in July. Parking is $3, the beach is big, and the sand is really soft - more like you'd find on a beach down south then a typical New England beach. I'm sure they truck it in. The place gets crowded but you don't feel like anyone is sitting ontop of you since there is plenty of space. Tons of parking and its fun to walk along the beach and check out the quiant houses overlooking the beach in Nahant. It also takes me 15 minutes to drive there which is just icing on the cake. Props to DCR for maintaining such a great beach!
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Here's the good stuff:
-the location of this beach is fabulous. Not too far from Boston, but far enough to have breathing room.
-the view is spectacular. You can watch the kiters and view the picturesque skyline of little buildings and church steeples in the distance on one side; see the Boston skyline on the other.
-there's always room. even on a crowded day there's usually parking, and you NEVER have to walk far from your car to the beach.
-there's a nice, long paved path to take a jog or walk or bike on.
-they have built a new bathhouse.
Here's the not-so-good stuff:
-the parking lot attendants that take your money are the most rude people on the planet.
-the beach-goers here leave oodles of trash behind. it's all over the beach, despite the large garbage barrels available throughout the parking lot.
In general though, this is a great beach.
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nahant beach is VERY pretty. my boyfriend and i went here earlier this week and just walked along one of the beaches. it was low tide when we went and it looked very beautiful. there was free parking too. no one else was there when we went, so it was quiet and relaxing. great way to spend an afternoon :)
Nahant is a great in-between beach. It definitely does not have the reputation of the infamous Revere beach (which you can see from the drive once you hit the rotary to Nahant) but it still has some of that character-building North Shore grit. The last time I was there, one of the lifeguards took a cigarette break on the walkway. Nice.
Granted, Nahant beach doesn't really have that "New England summer" feel of the beaches further north in Gloucester. But even though I love a day at Good Harbor, I can't pass up Nahant's proximity to Boston, $3 parking rates, and the Dunkins at the edge of the beach.
Honestly, I think this is the best kept secret of a beach for the greater boston/boston crowd. Coming from both Tufts/somerville (boston area) as well as the suburbs (Lexington, Burlington, etc) it's definitely the closest quality beach (we're not even going to talk about Revere beach..).
It's close (about 40 minutes) and parking is only 3 dollars!!!!!!!!! Compared to it's further counterparts, Wingaersheek and Good Harbor, parking there is nearly 6-9 times that much!
Also, the water is wayyyy warmer (for a NE ocean) than Good Harbor so you can actually go in. However, usually you don't get that many huge waves there because it's in a bay of some sort.. (also why it's warmer).
but the water's clean, you don't get those huge chunks of shells/rocks hitting you in the water like at Good Harbor...
always my go-to beach.
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This is a pretty great " close to the city" beach, that offers a cheap alternative to some pricier beaches further north. I'm pretty sure I'll never go to Nahant again now that I have a membership to Crane Beach, but if you can't afford that (it's pretty darn expensive!) or only go to the beach once in a while, Nahant is a perfectly reasonable choice. It gets crowded, but not stiflingly crowded like some beaches. And some of the beachgoers are freaking trashy morons, but compared to Revere Beach it's like high tea with Emily Post here. On windy days you can catch a few waves on a body board or something, which is fun for the immature and for children. Basically, it's a good time when you can't handle (or afford) the trek out to Crane.
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This beach was a great choice for us this week. Quick to get to from Somerville and parking for $3. We went on Thursday, got there around 9 a.m. We assume that since it was a weekday, it wasn't packed, but there were a ton of local people with their kids. We could hear snippets of conversations about seeing one another's neighbors. There was also a guy scratching lines in the sand and asking people if they would play bocci. Uhhhh, not sure if it was a beach hustle or just a guy wanting to get a game of bocci ball going.
Someone mentioned seagulls, don't underestimate them, they are smart. The minute someone pops open a snack bag or unwraps a sandwich, a seagull will come on over. And we did see a seagull pulling a snack bag off someone's blanket until someone got over there.
Thursday was hot and humid and there was a constant cool breeze off the water. I never got the sense that I was "baking" on the beach.
There is a food place called Tides and a Dunkin Donuts. Odd thing was, both places at signs claiming that their credit card machines were down and were only accepting cash. Tides has an ATM (don't know the fee) but DD does not. Tides is beach food and ice cream. I remember a lobster roll for $18.00, french fries for $3.00 but I think hamburgers were about $5? Fried seafood plates averaged $14.00? We just took a quick look on our way to Dunkin Donuts, we packed our own food.
It was very clean, soft sand, short walk from the car to the beach. Nice paved path if you want to bike ride or rollerblade.
This is the best beach for you if you aren't looking to drive too far from Boston, and don't want to spend a lot of money on parking. Nahant is only about 40 minutes from Boston, and has plenty of parking (which only costs $3). The beach is a fairly good size, so you should easily be able to find a spot without feeling to crowded. I like that there are public restrooms (dirty, like most beach restrooms), a small restaurant & a Dunkin Donuts on site. The waves are decent at high tide, nothing spectacular, but fun. The water is really clear, and there isn't much seaweed (though it does get more seaweed-ish the further down the beach you go- towards the far end of the parking lot). My biggest complaint is that there are no trash cans on the beach (there are some in the parking lot), and people here are careless & lazy, thus there is quite a bit of trash on the beach. If you don't mind going a bit further (about an hour from Boston), Good Harbor beach in Gloucester is beautiful & clean (water is definitely colder & parking is $20), or of course there is always the Cape which has plenty of great beaches to offer.
