Location: 137 Warren Avenue, Plymouth , MA (45 minutes south of Boston, MA, 1 hour west of Providence, RI)
Cost: (Memorial to Labor Day) Weekdays: $15
Weekends: $15
Bus (by reservation): $50 (check this fee with Town Hall above)
You can also purchase a sticker for the beach for a $50 annual fee
Free after Labor Day until Memorial Day
Parking: There is ample parking available (at least 100 spots)
Dog Friendly: Yes, in certain areas (signs are clearly marked in these areas)
Highlights: Rocky jetties, scenic views, ample parking, restaurant on premises, fishing, boating and other aquatic activities
Plymouth Long Beach, more commonly known as just Plymouth Beach, was another spot I happened upon unexpectedly. While trying to find the painted lobsters in Plymouth (blog post to follow soon), I pulled over into this parking lot to get my bearings. Since I was there, I figured I would check the place out and take some shots. I’m so glad I did!
There is a rocky jetti you can walk out to get some photos of the bay. Yes please.
The waves were pretty, well, wavey. But, otherwise it was a pitcure perfect beach day.
One of the great things about the beach is there is a deli and comfort stations as well.
On the other side of the beach is a stream that runs between the beach area and the residences of the neighborhood. There are also some bridges that connect the residents to the beach.
The birds aren’t very shy at the beach, probably because they are so well fed by the beach goers.
In fact, some of them lurk around, waiting for crumbs.
People also like to go fishing, mainly for stripers, at Plymouth Beach.
Plymouth Long Beach is beach friendly (but only in designated areas).
Proving that it is indeed a small world, I ran into Vivi, a dog I had photographed during my visit to Chestnut Hill Reservation. Vivi is still her playful self.
Daisy, a 4 year old Black Lab, and Cricket, a 2 year old Chocolate Lab, had fun playing in the water.
Below is a video of the waves and scenic views of Plymouth Beach
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Location: 1 Stonewall Lane York, Maine (1 and 15 hours north of Boston), (45 minutes north of Manchester, NH), (45 minutes south of Portland, Maine)
Hours: Open everyday, 24 hours a day
Cost: Free
Parking: There are many metered parking spots along the beach. They do fill up quickly on “ideal” beach days.
Beach Size: 1.5 miles
Dog Friendly: Yes, Long Sands Beach has the following dog rules: From April 1 to June 15, leashed dogs are allowed at any time of day; from June 16 to Sept. 15, dogs are only allowed before 8 a.m. and after 6 p.m.
Highlights: Scenic views, swimming, surfing and other aquatic activities
October is not usually the month that comes to mind when one thinks of beach weather. This is not the case at Long Sands Beach. The 1.5 mile long beach is a haven for sun seekers and water sport enthusiasts alike.
Maine is known for being hardy folks. You have to be when the weather can be so extreme. As my friend told me when she saw my photos, “They will surf in any weather.” I would add, the more active the water the better. When I drove by the beach an hour later, and the weather had intensified there were even more surfers and paddlers in the water than when I had first arrived to photograph the beach and off street parking was almost nonexistent.
As is often the case with our best experiences, I had not planned on visiting Long Sands. Rather, I happened upon it on my way to Nubble Lighthouse. When I saw the active water and the activity in the water, I had to pull over to see and photograph the beautiful beach.
The waves were very active and there were many surfers and paddlers in the water taking advantage of the waves. It was very cool seeing people with such athleticism and grace in the water.
I met these two friendly surfers on the beach.
Long Sands is a dog friendly beach (see the dog rules above). I met Ollie, a 1 and a half year old Hound mix at the beach.
Below is a video of the surfers and stand up paddlers at Long Sands Beach. As you can see, it was very windy and a little hard to control the camera.
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Location: Revere Beach, Revere Beach Boulevard, Revere, MA
Hours:
The hours of the sand sculpting festival were:
July 22 and Sat. July 23 from 10AM to 10PM and Sun. July 24 from 10AM to 8PM
Revere Beach is open 365 days a year
Cost: No Admission Fee
Parking: One website states there is free parking on Revere Beach Boulevard where the beach is located. But, I noticed signs said read there is a 4 hour parking limit on the boulevard during weekdays. Parking is free on the boulevard during weekends and holidays. If you can’t find parking on the boulevard there is a $5 parking fee at the Wonderland Greyhound (1300 North Shore Road, Revere MA). You can also park at Suffolk Downs (525 William F McClellan Highway, Boston MA) about 20 minutes away. A free shuttle can take you to the beach on the weekends There are literally hundreds of parking spots on the boulevard.
Time To Allot For Visit: About 30 minutes to an hour to view all of the sand sculptures
Dog Friendly: Yes, on the sidewalk but not on the beach
Highlights: Sand sculptures, pretty beach, long, well kept beach
Each year, sand sculpting masters come to Revere Beach from all over the world to test their skills at the International Sand Sculpting Festival. The family (and dog) friendly event is usually held the 4th weekend of July. In addition to the intricate works of art and pristine beach, there are also many activities and vendors for the entire family to enjoy. The theme of this year’s main sand sculpture pictured above was “Hands On The Wheel” (a not so slight jab at texting while driving I would gather) and the gracious sponsors.
Being the early riser than I am (have become), the shading and sun was tough to work with. It’s actually easier in some ways to shoot when the sun is higher or when there is cloud cover, I have learned.
The big winner in the solo competition at this year’s festival was Melinage Beauregard of Montreal, Canada, for her “Go With The Flow” sand sculpture. This is the second year in a row Melinage has won this competition. She won both the overall competition voted on by the audience and she also won the sculptors choice award which was voted on by the fellow sculptors.
One thing I have noticed about these impressive sculptures is the subtle things that still must take an inordinate amount of time to create but make a huge improvement, like grading on the side of a sculpture.
Second prize in the solo competition went to Italian sculptor Leonardo Ugolini for his work “Together.” Ugolini paid close attention to detail in his sculptuure. In the front, just above the astronaut’s head he etched “We Are Alone”. On the back of the sculpture, he etched “We Are Alone” backwards.
The third place winner in the solo competition was Guy-Olivier Deveau of Montreal, Canada, for his sculpture “Carcass.”
In the duo sand sculpting competition, the team of Dan Belcher of St. Louis, Missouri and Marianne van den Broek of Key West, Florida for their sculpture, “Body Art.”
One of the interesting things about this sculpture is there is supposed to be a hidden image if you look at it from a certain angle (straight ahead), As the arrow and instructions in front of the sculpture directs you, you should see a frog in the sculpture.
Do you see it? Me neither.
Second place in the duo competition went, appropriately enough, to Abe Waterman of Prince Edward Island, Canada and Morgan Rudluff of Santa Cruz, California for their piece “Le Numero Deux” (the number two). This sculpture looks innocent and harmless enough until you take a closer look.
Well, you get the jist of it.
Third place in the duo competition was awarded to Deborah Barrett/Cutulle of Saugus, MA, and her partner Steve Topazio of Tiverton, Rhode Island. They also took home the People’s Choice Award. As a side note, you may notice that some of the sculptures seem grainier than other sculptures, this is because it rained Saturday night and when I took the photos on Sunday there was a different texture to the sand. I included a closeup of the sand in this group of photos for a better perspective of how the sand looked.
The other contestants'(there were 20 contestants total including the duo and solo artists) sculptures are posted below.
“I Love You So Much” by Marielle Heesels from the Netherlands.
“Always Connected” by Pavel Mylnikov from Moscow, Russia.
“Peaceful Dreams” by Nikolay Torkov of Moscow, Russia (maybe not so peaceful dreams?)
“The Last Flight” by Benjamin Probanza from Acapulco, Mexico.
“Redemption” by Jonathan Bouchard (aka “Jobi”) hailing from Montreal, Canada.
“How They View Us” – an interpretation of the Statue of Liberty holding a weapon. This was the only sculpture with any inkling of a political theme.
“Fractal” by David Durcharme of British Columbia and Enguerrand David from Brussels, Belgium.
“Little Owl”by Paul and Remy Hoggard of Bulgaria.
They also held a children’s sculpting lesson activity for ages 5 to 12. I am sure there were some future sand sculpters in that class.
Dogs like the sculptures also. Revere Beach is a great place to walk your dog. The long walkway along the beach will wear out even the most active dog.
Here are a few of the cute pooches I saw during my visit.
Neelix is a 4 year old pure breed Keeshond. Neelix is named after the Star Trek Voyager character and he is so cool he even has his own Facebook page which you can like and follow here. I did.
Darby is a 14 year old Boston Terrier Lab.
Lucy is a 10 year old Labradoodle.
James, a 6 year old French Bulldog, preferred to ride with his mom on her bicycle.
Below is a short video of one of the sand sculptors working on his sculpture.
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Location: 428 North St, Feeding Hills (Agawam), MA
Cost: $8 for MA vehicle, $10 for non-MA vehicle
Parking: There are about 50 parking spots in the park itself at various designated parking areas. There are also several entrances besides the actual entrance to the park where you can park for free but there are gates at these entrances and you have to walk rather than drive to the beach and fields in the park.
Time To Allot For Visit: 3 to 4 hours to hike the entire park
Size of the park: 800 acres, 5 miles of frontage on the Westfield River
Dog Friendly: Yes
Highlights: walking trails, stream, beach, picnic area, fields, lots of wildlife, great for bikers, joggers, walkers and dogs
Known for its abundant wildlife, long paved trail and scenic views of the Westfield River, Robinson State Park is one of my favorite parks to visit. I love the paved, winding trail and abundant wildlife. I have jogged the main trail hundreds, if not thousands, of times. The wide paved trail is wide enough to accommodate joggers, bikers, walkers and even vehicles (cars are allowed on the main paved trail during the summer months only).
About a mile or a little more than a mile from the main entrance there is a small beach next to a grassy area for people to relax and sun themselves. If you’re lucky, you may even see a tadpole.
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One thing to keep in mind is there are a lot of bugs in the area. Since it is located by a stream of water, bugs and mosquitoes are a real problem, especially during the summer months. So, either cover up or use bug spray if you plan on hiking the various trails. Another downside to the park, if you want to call it that, is that some trails just seem to end…right in people’s backyards. This happened on two of the side trails I ventured on. No biggie. You just turn around and come back the way you came. But it can be anticlimactic and annoying (for the homeowner as much as it would be for you).
The Westfield River runs along the paved trail giving off some pretty views. There are some side trails you can use to get a better view.
There is a pond just down the trail from the beach. I heard lots of frogs, toads and other wildlife in the pond but they are pretty well hidden.
Robinson Park is also teeming with wildlife. In fact, Westfield, one of the cities the park borders, is known for its black squirrels. Unfortunately, I didn’t see any during my visit or at least none that I could photograph. But, there were plenty of other animals visible at the park the days I visited.
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There is also a pond and a variety of trees, plants, flowers and berries along the trails.
The trails are well defined and there are a number of bridges at the park.
Because it has such a wide main trail and lots of area to roam, Robinson Park is a great place to walk your dog and I ran into quite a few cute dogs during my visits.
Oliver is an 11 year old Collie and Chow mix.
Josie is a 9 year old Cocker Spaniel.
And Bruno is a 2 year old Shepherd and Lab mix rescue.
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Location: 180 Ocean Blvd, Hampton Beach, New Hampshire (an hour north of Boston)
Parking: There are about 100 to 200 parking spots in front of the beach – you pay at a parking metered machine. Or, you can find parking at parking lots on Ashworth St. The prices for parking vary depending on the season or month or when there is a special event such as the sand sculpting competition. In April, metered parking costs $1 and hour and it costs $2 an hour from May until Nov. Free parking begins Nov. 4. Parking on Ashworth St. can vary depending on the time and day during “beach season”. During my visit, parking was $10 in the morning but was increased to $15 in the afternoon for all day parking (until 2 a.m.) and $20 all day parking during the weekends in the summer.
Cost: The beach does not have an admission fee.
Dog Friendly: Yes, but not on the beach (at least not during beach season)
This time of year past 16 years, people flock to Hampton Beach to show off their sand sculpting skills. It may seem like child’s play. But, these are no run of the mill sand castles. They really are works of art.
It takes a long time to construct these complex sculptures. The photos below show the progression of the works of art. It’s hard to believe some of the photos of the works of art are the same as the final work of art. Some of these photos do not show the sculptures in their final phase.
“Emerge” by David Andrews (third place)
“Rising From The Abyss” by Guy-Oliver Deaveau of Quebec (first place and Sculptor’s Choice)
“She Loves Me” by Justin Gordon of Massachusetts (People’s Choice Award winner)
“Dada Read” by Carl Jara of Ohio (4th place)
“Let It Be Magnificent” by Mélineige Beauregard of Montreal
“Phoenix Rising” by Karen Jean Fralich of Toronto (5th place)
“Selfie In Sand” by Damon Langlois of British Columbia
“Hunters Of The Sky” by Michel Lepire of Quebec
“All Together Now” by Abe Waterman of Prince Edward Island (2nd place)
“It’s About Time” by Greg J. Grady of New Hampshire
There were also some sculptures that weren’t part of the contest like this sand castle (what would a sand sculpture contest be without one?) and a sand sculpture designed for the sponsors of the event.
There were some other cool things at the event like Ronald McDonald (ok, I said some cool things) and a cool car that was being raffled off.
Dogs love the sand sculpting competition also.
Tuckerman, a 9 year old Golden Retriever, looked like a teddy bear!
Caspian, whose name is made up of the first letter of his guardian’s relatives, is a 4 year old Siberian Husky. As you can see, he loved to be petted.
Minnie got dressed up for the event!
Lola’s smile was infectious.
Becca, a terrier mix who turned one in May, wanted to play in the sand.
As if one Burnese Mountain dog wasn’t enough, Brooksie, pitcured above, (3 years old) ran into his friend Guiness (5 years old)
Guiness is on the left and Brooksie is on the right in this photo.
As you can see from the photos, the sand sculpting competition is a big hit with both people and dogs!
Although they all look great, I liked the “She Loves Me” sculpture (the third one listed in the photos) best. What is your favorite sculpture?
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Parking: about 8 parking spots. Parking is also available at the beach which is located about half a mile away on Quincy Shore Drive and is an easy walk to Moswetuset.
Highlights: great views, easy trail, secluded, not usually very busy, a lot of historical significance
Mosewtuset may seem much like all the other small parks that dot the Massachusetts shoreline. But, its significance in the historical landscape of Massachusetts and all of the colonies and commonwealths should never be minimized.
Moswetuset is not only significant because the commonwealth of Massachusetts derived its name from Moswetuset but it is also the original trading place of Chickatawbot Sacamore and Myles Standish in 1621 that spurred the trade of the early settlers and the Native Americans. Moswetuset was also the area they used as their planting grounds.
What does a funky name like Moswetuset mean, you may ask. Moswetuset has been translated into “shaped like an arrowhead” (the area does have a distinct arrowhead shape) and “site of the great house.” The area is shielded by rows of trees and growth.
The trail is an easy loop with a very minor incline.
Only underscoring how small things can be very big in their place in history, Moswetuset is only a quarter of a mile loop, if that. But, it does offer some pretty views and it is a nice place to take a short stroll or sit on one of the many rocks along the beach (Moswetuset is located next to Wollaston Beach). It was low tide when I went so I was able to get out onto the rocks and get some decent views of the water and the surrounding neighborhood of Squantum (which is technically part of Quincy) which is in the background of the photos.
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Of course, what would a park or attraction in Quincy be without graffiti? There were some interesting works of graffiti at Moswetuset.
Moswetuset is a popular place for dog walkers. But, for some reason, there weren’t any dog walkers at Moswetuset when I visited. I found Buddy, though, on my way to my car as I walked along the beach.
Cost: I paid $15 (the weekday fee) to get in (I went on a Saturday). But, the prices on their web site show the cost as being $13 for CT residents and $22 for non CT residents on weekends and holidays (it’s worth every penny) and $9 for CT residents and $15 for non CT residents. Also, if you enter at 4 or later it costs $6 for CT residents and $6 for non CT residents to enter the park (bear in mind the park’s gates close at 8 pm when it is in season). There are also additional fees for camping there.
One workaround to paying a fee is to park at 1288 Boston Post Road instead of driving down the access road to the payment booths and walk (almost 2 miles) to the beach. I would recommend this option when it is nice out or if you are bicycling. However, since the park is so big it may be hard to see everything on foot. So, riding your bike from 1288 Boston post Road may be a best option.
Hours: The beach is still accessible, by foot or bike, in the off season without any staff.
Connecticut’s largest public beach, Hammonasset Beach is split into different areas for camping and for people who want to visit the more than 2 miles of beach.
Meaning “where we dig holes in the ground”, Hammonasset is actually part of Long Island Sound.
The campground at Hammonasset has 556 campsites and 8 rustic cabins for reservation during camping season which runs from mid-May until October 8. Hammonasset also has a nature center at Meigs Point and acres of wetlands.
After paying the entrance fee, we asked the helpful woman at the booth where the best place to go for photography is and she suggested Meigs Point.
Meigs Point runs along the shoreline of the beach. There are lots of ducks, birds and lots of other wildlife on the beach and on the trails behind the beach.
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The beach has some pretty views. There are also restrooms with showers and changing rooms at Meigs Point if you decide to go for a swim. During my visit it was overcast and chilly. The lack of sun didn’t take away from the beauty of the beach.
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There is also a jetty. It went out quite a way. Since the rocks were pretty slippery, I made it about half way out before turning back.
Hammonasset is a beautiful beach, although it can get crowded as many beaches do during the summer months. If you live nearby it may be best to get a seasonal pass rather than paying the somewhat hefty fee each time you visit.
Leashed dogs are allowed on the beach during the off season (from November until April). They are still allowed on the trails but not on the beach from April until the end of October.
I met Summer, a golden retriever, on the trail Meigs Point. Especially after this unseasonably cold winter, we all could use a little more summer in our lives!
Jessie, a chocolate Labrador, had a great time on the trail.
The beach, dogs and summer-like weather. Who could ask for more? Not me. Usually, I do most of my photography and trips during the weekend. But, with unusually high temperatures for this time of the year (60’s and low 70’s) and later sunsets, I decided to head to the local beach in the hopes of photographing some cute dogs. I wasn’t disappointed. There are so many distractions at the beach, especially for our furry friends. But, they all posed so well and made my job easy.
I met Tooko, 4 years old, in the parking lot. Tooko was a barker, but a friendly barker. His bark was much worse than his bite (he really doesn’t bite). But, he sure does likes to play. We played for a while and I continued on the way to the beach.
Pedro is a 3 year old boxer. Loved his markings.
Chuckles (on the left), that is the name of the dog not the man – at least I hope it is, is am 11 year old Chihuahua. Buddy is a 7 year old Cocker Spaniel. They were a little camera shy but I still thought they were cute dogs.
Marley is an 8 year old Beagle. Her guardians also think she might have some fox hound in her. I have always been a sucker for Beagles! So, I had to get her photo.
Penny (short for Penelope) is an 8 month Corgi and Australian Sheepdog. As if on command, Penny lied down on the sand and struck a pose. Her markings were very striking. You go, Penny!
Kayser is a 4 year old German Shepherd and a Massachusetts native. The color of his coat and his sharp features caught my eye. He clocks in at 110 lbs.
Annie is a 3 year old Shepherd Husky. Her sibling is Oakley. Get it…Annie Oakley. Annie is from Tennessee. She’s the only ten I see in the photo! Love the one ear up and one ear down pose and she looked very pretty against the rising sunset.
Parking: Parking is available at the entrance, before the gate and there is a big parking lot where you can also launch your watercraft at the head of the beach.
Cost: There are a variety of different fees established for visitors to Lake Chargoggagoggmanchauggagoggchaubunagungamaugg. For instance, if you walk in or ride your bicycle to the lake and you are 17 or younger it is free. If you walk to the lake or ride your bike and you are 18 or older it is $1 to get in. A resident (of Webster) motor vehicle costs $5 for entry. A resident motor vehicle with a water craft is $25, etc. See the link below for all of the fees and regulations.
Lake Chargoggagoggmanchauggagoggchaubunagungamaugg. Try saying that 5 times fast. I dare you!
Originally named Lake Chaubunagungamaugg or “Fishing Place at the Boundary”, Lake Chargoggagoggmanchauggagoggchaubunagungamaugg (meaning, “Englishmen at Manchaug at the Fishing Place at the Boundary”) is actually broken into two parts; a lake (Lake Chargoggagoggmanchauggagoggchaubunagungamaugg) and beach (Memorial Beach).
For the purposes of this post, I will call Lake Chargoggagoggmanchauggagoggchaubunagungamaugg Lake Webster as it is now more commonly called.
At the main entrance ofWebster Lake, there is a memorial to our veterans. It is a fitting tribute for those who have gave so much.
Upon arriving at Webster Lake, you will see the lake.
Memorial Beach is dedicated to the veterans of all of our wars.
As beautiful as the lake is, I found the beach, located just beyond the lake to be even more beautiful. To me, it’s basically one large body of water and I am not sure why they have separate names.
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Webster Lake and Memorial Beach are a boaters/kayakers/fisher person’s dream.
Lake Webster also has a variety of bird life.
Dogs are not allowed at the lake or beach.
There is also a basketball court and play area.
The beauty of the beach and the sound of the water could only be captured in a video
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A hidden gem of the Coolidge Reservation, Magnolia Beach is located a short walk from the main entrance (about a half mile walk). From Coolidge Reservation, just take a left by the bridge off the main trail and you’ll find this sandy paradise. Or, you can access the beach more directly from a lot at the main entrance in the nearby city of Gloucester. Magnolia Beach is a fairly small beach so if you do plan on going, I would plan on getting there early as it must get packed during the summer days.
It was the perfect day for a walk along the beach – low tide, 50 degree weather and the waves were swelling.
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Magnolia Beach is a perfect for dogs and humans. Gigi had fun playing catch.
The sea shells on the beach are very unique.
This house on the hill above the beach must have some great views.
One of the beach goers took advantage of the windy conditions to fly his or her kite.
Attached below is a video of the sights and sounds of the beach during my visit.
New England Nomad 