The Beaches of Marion, Massachusetts

The town of Marion, Massachusetts is home to under 5,000 people but provides an all-embracing lifestyle for everyone who lives here. For starters, Marion is just off Cape Cod, minutes from Bourne and a short drive from Falmouth and Sandwich. In addition, Marion is barely over an hour from downtown Boston, 20 minutes from New Bedford, and 50 minutes from Providence, providing access to the amenities of these cities and making it possible to commute for work.

If you have a boat, you can take the Cape Cod Canal north into Cape Cod Bay or head east into Vineyard Sound, depending on what you want to do on any given day. Once on the water, you can fish, visit the Cape or Martha’s Vineyard, or head south down the coast to Rhode Island for a day of exploration.

There's also the fact that Marion is on Buzzards Bay and, therefore, has direct access to the ocean and is full of great beaches to explore. The beaches in Marion are well-maintained and provide an attractive place to spend a day throughout the summer, or even into the fall months. Once you're a local here, you're sure to spend a lot of time enjoying the sand and sun on Marion's coast, and since all of the public beaches are reserved for locals only, you won’t have to contend with hoards of tourists.

If you haven't considered buying a home in Marion, now's the time to have a look because this is a small town that honestly provides the best of everything in a convenient, yet secluded, oceanfront location.

Silvershell Beach

Perhaps the most popular waterfront area in Marion is Silvershell Beach, which sits just south of Marion Center at the end of Front Street. The beach is only open to residents of Marion and Rochester, providing a friendly place to escape the vacationist crowds during the summer. You'll need a resident privilege sticker, which costs $10 for the year, to use the beach and local officials strictly enforce this policy.

Once at the beach, you'll find a decent-sized sandy area, playground, and basketball court. The beach also has a parking lot, washrooms, a grassy area with trees, and a snack bar. Lifeguards are on duty from the middle of June until late August at the beach, as well.

Planting Island

There is a beach on the Planting Island Causeway that provides access to both Sippican Harbor and the protected waters of Planting Island Cove. While this beach isn't the best for sunbathing or beach activities, due to it being extremely rocky, it is popular with kayakers and other paddlers because you can pull right up to the water with your boat.

The parking at Planting Island Beach is right along the road, but keep in mind that you'll need a resident sticker to use these spaces. These restrictions are good news once you live here, however, as you won't have to compete with tourists for parking spots.

Oakdale Avenue Beach

Just off Route 6 in a quiet, residential area is Oakdale Avenue Beach, a small, sandy area with a salt marsh and large grass field on which to play. There isn't much parking at this beach, and since it is in the protected waters of Hammett Cove, it's a reliable place to take a kayak or canoe into the water without having to worry about the weather. This beach is also reserved for those with a resident privilege sticker.

You can swim at the beach, but remember that there aren’t any lifeguards. The area is a decent place to visit with the kids, however, because there won't be many other people around to bother you and the water is wadable. There's a picnic area, as well, if you want to make a day of it. Keep an eye out for the local osprey, as there is a nesting platform nearby and the birds often catch fish in the cove.

Piney Point Beach Club

A slightly different option for ocean-lovers is the Piney Point Beach Club, which is a private stretch of sand on Sedge Cove and bordering Kittanset Golf Club. In addition to the immaculately-kept beach, there's a large parking area, two tennis courts, a basketball court, and a clubhouse at Piney Point.

You'll have to be a member to visit this beach, or have a member bring you as a guest, but it might be worth it if you plan on spending a lot of time in Marion, especially since your parking space is part of your membership. Other bonuses at the club include special dinner nights and parties throughout the summer, sailboat storage, and a playground, so the club will keep you as busy as you want to be with its activities and offerings.

Staying in Marion All Summer

While other areas on the Massachusetts coast might receive more fanfare, nowhere takes care of its own like Marion does with its local-resident-only beaches and parking spots.

Once you buy a home in Marion, you’ll be eligible to purchase one of these stickers as long as you live here for over six months of the year. Even if you spend your winters elsewhere, you can acquire a transferable guest pass for your property for $35 that will provide you with beach access in the summer.

If you’re looking for all of the benefits of living on Cape Cod without the crowds, Marion is one of the nearby communities that is calling your name.