This MA Beach Is A Top-Notch Summer Time Destination

Travel and Leisure magazine rates this beach as the BEST in the Bay State. Keep in mind, it's located east of the beautiful Berkshires and our tri-state region, but it's worth the trip as Boston residents make this trek to escape the daily, urban city surroundings as they can escape to a slice of paradise for a few hours and it truly is a rejuvenating experience.

(Photo image of Good Harbor Beach courtesy of Frank Taylor)

The beach that is "making waves" is located in Gloucester. Take a trip to Good Harbor Beach and you'll have "the time of your life" swimming in pristine waters that serve as a gateway to The Atlantic Ocean. A cool sea breeze also makes this visit tolerable where beachgoers don't have to "sweat it out' during those dog days of summer.

Located on the North Shore, Good Harbor is described as one of the community’s “crown jewels” and a “premier spot” for those visiting from near and far. it has been deemed as a beautiful beach with lovely white sand, where one can enjoy long, relaxing walks or try your luck at body surfing or boogie boarding. This is a family-friendly spot with sugar-soft sand and relatively calm waters. During low tide, you can walk across a sand bar and explore rocky Salt Island, while youngsters get to play in warm tidal pools.

There are lifeguards on duty at the beach which remains open until Labor Day from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Snacks and water toy rentals are also sold at the concession stand. keep in mind that you must arrive early to assure yourself of a parking spot which is available Monday through Friday at a rate of $30 per vehicle. During the weekends and holidays, the price is $35 per vehicle. You can also take advantage of off-site parking and shuttles are also available which drop you off at the main entrance. For more information, log on to the city of Gloucester's website 

Two other New England beaches also made it onto Travel & Leisure’s top 25 list: The beach at Crystal Lake State Park in Barton, Vermont is landlocked territory .The glacial lake is three miles long and one mile wide, and in various locations, some areas are 100 feet deep. The park’s beach is situated among rough-hewn mountain sides, has a marked swimming area and a historic, granite bathhouse with restrooms, changing areas and a concession stand. For more details, head to the state of Vermont's State Park web site by going here.

(Photo image of Ocean Beach courtesy of www.wikipedia.com)

One more New England destination is situated on Connecticut's shoreline: New London’s Ocean Beach Park made it onto the list as well. This golden-sand beach features gentle tides as the venue offers stellar views of ferries and schooners that sail past the Whaling City’s lighthouse. They also have an awesome boardwalk, complete with a picnic area, playground, snack bar, mini-golf, an arcade, and more.

Plus, this is familiar turf to me as we hosted AWESOME classic car shows every Monday night while I was working at oldies based KOOL 101. You might say, this was OUR weekly Sounds of Summer get-together and listeners were guaranteed a good time as some of the BEST music ever made blasted through the loud speakers. Good times for sure! A complete list of events can be found here.

A full list of the BEST beaches in The USA can be found by logging on to the Travel & Leisure website.

BOTTOM LINE: Soak up the sun and make sure you bring the sunscreen!

(Some information obtained in this article, courtesy of Travel & leisure magazine and www.masslive.com)