6 Cape Cod Beaches Within 25 Minutes of Your Room
Warm Nantucket Sound, dramatic Cape Cod Bay tides - drive times, parking costs, and honest local tips
Three Coastlines from One Motel
Relax Inn sits on Route 28 in West Yarmouth, right in the middle of Cape Cod's south shore. From here you can reach warm, calm Nantucket Sound beaches in 3-12 minutes, or drive 25 minutes north for the cooler water and dramatic tidal flats of Cape Cod Bay. Below is every beach we actually recommend to our guests - with real drive times, parking costs, and the things guidebooks leave out.
Book Now
Nantucket Sound Beaches - Warm and Calm
All five of these beaches face south on Nantucket Sound. Water temperatures reach the mid-70s °F by July. Waves are gentle - more lap than crash - making them ideal for families with young kids.
Englewood Beach (3 min, free parking) - 1 mile from the motel at the end of Berry Avenue. Just 33 free parking spaces - no sticker needed. Ultra-shallow water, playground at the lot. Fills early on weekends.
Seagull Beach (5 min, $25/day) - Yarmouth's largest. 2 miles south via South Sea Avenue. Lifeguards, restrooms, boardwalk. Wide sand, warm water. Full Seagull Beach details →
More Nantucket Sound Options
Veterans Park Beach (7 min) - On Ocean Street in Hyannis. Small beach with cookout grills, a playground, and picnic tables. Good for a half-day trip combined with a walk around downtown Hyannis. Free with Hyannis parking.
Kalmus Beach (10 min) - At the end of Ocean Street, where Hyannis Harbor meets the Sound. Popular with windsurfers on the east side, calmer swimming on the west side. Walk the jetty at sunset - one of the best free things to do on Cape Cod.
Craigville Beach (12 min) - In Centerville, one of the Cape's most popular beaches. 450-space lot, $25/day - but the attendant leaves around 3:45 PM, after which parking is free. The Barnacle (lobster rolls) and Craigville Pizza & Mexican ($7-12 cheese pie, possibly the best pizza on Cape Cod) are right across the street.
Cape Cod Bay - Cooler Water, Dramatic Tides
Sandy Neck Beach (25 min) - A 6.5-mile barrier beach between Barnstable and Sandwich. The Bay side has cooler water (low-to-mid 60s °F in summer) and tides that expose hundreds of yards of tidal flats at low tide - kids love exploring the sandbars and tidal pools.
Sandy Neck is a different experience from the Sound beaches: bigger sky, wilder dunes, fewer crowds. The off-road vehicle trail runs the length of the beach if you have a 4WD with the right permit. For most guests, the main beach parking lot ($25/day in summer) is the way in. Worth the longer drive at least once during your stay.
Which Beach Fits Your Group?
- Toddlers & young kids: Englewood Beach (shallow water, playground, free)
- All-day family beach day: Seagull Beach (wide sand, lifeguards, warm water)
- Picnic & grills: Veterans Park Beach (tables, grills, playground)
- Windsurfing or sunset walk: Kalmus Beach (jetty, windsurfing)
- Food nearby: Craigville Beach (The Barnacle + pizza across the street)
- Adventure & nature: Sandy Neck Beach (6.5-mile barrier beach, tidal flats)
Sound vs. Bay - What's the Difference?
Nantucket Sound (south side) - Warmer water (mid-70s °F), smaller waves, gradual depth. The Sound is protected by Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard, so it stays calmer than open ocean. Most guests spend most of their beach time here.
Cape Cod Bay (north side) - Cooler water (low-to-mid 60s °F), dramatic tidal range, wider open sky. At low tide, you can walk out hundreds of yards on exposed sandbars. The Bay feels bigger and wilder. Best on a calm, warm day - it can be chilly with a north wind.
Both are swimmable. The Sound is warmer and easier for kids. The Bay is more scenic and adventurous. Try both if you have time.
Back at the Motel
Our outdoor pool is open 9 AM-8 PM daily in season - freshwater, no sand. Rinse off, swim, and relax on the pool deck. Every room has air conditioning, a refrigerator for cold drinks, and a coffee maker for the morning. Free parking means you can load up the car with beach gear without worrying about space or fees.
