Guide to Beaches

What to Know

• Make safety your top prority! Read and heed all safety advisories posted at the beach. Get beach and ocean safety tips, including information about sharks. Download the FAQ sheet about sharks and public safety.
• Lifeguards are typically on duty at all six beaches from late June through Labor Day.During the summer months, all beaches have restrooms or vault toilets, outdoor showers, drinking fountains or bottle filling stations, changing rooms, and first aid kits.
• Every beach has an emergency call box that dials directly to emergency response and is operable all year.
• A limited number of beach campfire permits per day, per national seashore-managed beach, may be reserved up to three days in advance in person or by phone.

Fees

• Seasonal beach fees apply during the summer months. Fees are collected at beach entrances between late June and mid-September. Fees may be paid on a daily basis, or beachgoers may purchase a national seashore seasonal pass good for the entire summer.
• There are additional passes available for purchase, such as the America the Beautiful Annual Pass, Lifetime Senior Pass, the Access Pass and the Military Pass. Certain passes may be obtained online or in person at beach fee booths during summer operating hours.
• The national seashore seasonal pass is not available for puchase online; it must be purchased in person at fee booths.

Accessibility

• Beach wheelchairs are typically available to borrow during the summer at Coast Guard and Herring Cove beaches, which are the two seashore beaches where parking is generally at beach level. The other beaches involve stairs (Marconi) or paths over dunes. Where feasible, a Mobi Mat is placed down during summer months to provide a firm surface helpful for stollers and wheelchairs.