Crane Beach

Activity Overview

Ipswich, Massachusetts is home to Crane Beach, one of the finest beaches the northeast of America has to offer. You can come here with your family for a lazy, sunny summer's day and enjoy the water and the people. The beach is also a conservation area and home to threatened shorebirds.

Things to Do

• There are 5.5 miles of trails through the beach's dunes for you to hike and explore. Castle Neck, the North Shore's largest pitch pine forest is also nearby.
• During the summer, a beach day at Crane Beach is pure delight. This particular beach's landscape changes dramatically from high to low tide, creating wonderful tide pools and sand bars to enjoy.
• There is a snack bar, restrooms and a changing area with showers near the parking lot.
• Adjacent to the beach is the magnificent Crane Estate, which boasts a 59 room mansion (take a tour!), and beautiful grounds that lead up to an overlook of the ocean. Family-friendly activities like croquet (are sometimes offered at the 'casino' area of the lawn.

Crane Beach Insider Tips

• During the peak summer months, it is best to get to the beach early to ensure a parking spot. While this beach does boast one of the larger lots - it does fill up by about 10:00am on weekends.
• The beach features the following amenities: bike racks, bathhouses with toilets and changing rooms, outside showers, picnic tables, water fountains, an information kiosk, transportation for the mobility impaired and lifeguards. In the off season portable toilets are provided.
• Dogs are welcome on the beach from October 1st to March 30th (only), as part of Crane Beach's Green Dogs Program.
• During the summer ,you must pay for parking at the beach. It is possible to buy a parking permit sticker. Once you do this you will incur no additional cost when you park at the beach. The price of admission falls every day after 3 P.M.
• If you plan on bringing your own horses to ride on the beach you must first apply and pay for a Horse Permit.
• The beach recommends you download a trail map before you visit.