Spending time on the Cape’s beaches will likely be a central part of your next vacation, but you don’t necessarily have to spend all your time lounging. Many visitors go beachcombing on their trips to the sand, which involves looking for interesting or valuable items that appear near the water.
On Cape Cod, beachcombing could uncover cool-looking shells from quahogs, oysters, sea scallops, mussels, moon snails, periwinkles, horseshoe crabs, and whelks. You might also encounter some shorebirds during your travels.
Beachcombing is an excellent way to get outdoors and spend some time in the sand while remaining active during your vacation. Here are four outstanding spots to give it a try the next time you’re on the Cape.
1) Wood Neck Beach
The shores overlooking Buzzards Bay provide wonderful beachcombing experiences because the significant currents that run through the area leave plenty of sea life behind. Wood Neck Beach in Falmouth is worth checking out on your journey because it rarely gets overcrowded, has a large parking lot, and is easily accessible from Route 28.
When the tide is out, you can walk a fair distance into the water to look for shells and anything else the water left behind. As a bonus, Wood Neck Beach offers one of the Cape’s most breathtaking sunsets, making it a top spot to check out in the evening.
2) Squeteague Harbor Beach
For an off-the-beaten-path beachcombing experience, visit Squeteague Harbor Beach in Bourne. This protected harbor won’t appear on any tourist maps, as it’s small, hidden, and doesn’t get much traffic, even in the heart of the summer.
However, the water at Squeteague Harbor Beach is warm, calm, and shallow, making it an excellent spot for beachcombing. You can also launch kayaks from its small boat launch if you want to spend time on the ocean.
The beach is easily accessible from Route 28 in Cataumet, as well. Remember that you’ll need a beach sticker to park in the area.
3) Crosby Landing Beach
Cape Cod Bay provides some excellent beachcombing experiences because you can walk out an incredible distance during low tide. Tidal pools will be left behind when the tide heads out, giving you plenty of places to look for shells, sea life, and other objects.
A location you will want to take advantage of on the Cape Cod Bay side is Crosby Landing Beach in Brewster. The beach has a small parking area and soft sand, making it a nice spot to spend the day. It also backs onto Namskaket Marsh, which features small creeks running into the ocean. The mouth of these creeks is a first-class place for beachcombing because so much sea life passes through the waters.
The entire Brewster Flats area is great for beachcombing, too, so visiting any of the town’s oceanfront beaches during low tide ensures you’ll uncover something remarkable during your travels.
4) Ballston Beach
Although the Cape Cod National Seashore isn’t known for its beachcombing opportunities because of its strong currents, large waves, and rough Atlantic waters, Ballston Beach in Truro provides a bit of an exception. You can wander the sand for a fair distance in either direction from this spot, as doing some beachcombing during low tide is entirely possible.
Beyond the shells that might wash up on shore, the Cape Cod National Seashore is an excellent spot to look for shorebirds like the piping plover, American oystercatcher, and least tern. Just ensure you give these birds and their nests enough space if you happen to come across them.
Check Out Some Cape Cod Beaches
Most Cape Cod beaches offer some beachcombing opportunities. As a result, it doesn’t matter where you book a vacation rental; it’s possible to search for shells and other valuable items near the water. Beaches on the Nantucket Sound of the Cape also provide excellent beachcombing spots, and there are plenty of quiet places to explore there, too.
Your Cape Cod vacation can be whatever you want it to be, as there are so many different activities and ways to spend your time. If you’re into sea life and looking for cool stuff from the ocean, allocate a day or two to beachcombing in one of these top-notch locations on the Cape.
