The Ultimate Guide to Surfing in Massachusetts

The good

• Very good array of beach breaks
• Cape Cod is a great surf stretch
• You get to visit Boston and some lovely parts of New England

The bad

• Sharks
• Cold water

Salisbury Beach

When the big low pressure systems of fall kick in, Salisbury Beach turns into one of the main wave spots of northern MA. It’s not as reliable as the soutehrn state beaches since there needs to be lots of oomph to push the groundwells around Halibut Point and into Ipswich Bay. When they come, though, they’re often glassy and well shaped, but usually no more than head height. Offshore N-NW winds in September and October help to turn this one into something special when the stars align.

Salisbury Beach

When the big low pressure systems of fall kick in, Salisbury Beach turns into one of the main wave spots of northern MA. It’s not as reliable as the soutehrn state beaches since there needs to be lots of oomph to push the groundwells around Halibut Point and into Ipswich Bay. When they come, though, they’re often glassy and well shaped, but usually no more than head height. Offshore N-NW winds in September and October help to turn this one into something special when the stars align.

Crane Beach

A lot like Salisbury Beach, Crane gets the punch of the hurricane swell from August onwards. But the location isn’t ideal becuase you need extra height in the waves to beat the protection offered by the Ipswich headland. Better for beginners and longboarders.

Long Beach

Long Beach points south and east straight into the mouth of the Atlantic Ocean. That’s great news for fall swells, and means the nor’easterner winds are almost always offshore, so there can be reliable surf here from September to March. But there’s a tendancy to close out in the middle of the bay, althought here’s a decent right at the south end that break on the rocks.

Devereux Beach

Set between the craggy headlands and old fishing ports of Marblehead north of Boston, Devereux Beach can offer some decent days. We’d say watch out for good easterly directoins in the swells on nor’easterner winds. That’s when it will be at its best, as ESE swells have a tendency to close out and the shorebreaks can be board breakers.

Nahant Beach

Nahant Beach is one of the first beaches in Greater Boston that offers reliable swells throughout the fall and winter months. It’s also a popular beginner spot, as the east-facing orientation means the bay is good at sucking up the NW from the top end of the Atlantic, but also hurricane swells from the south. The lineup is a good crowd and it’s one of the top learner spots. Wave wise, you’re looking at chest-to-head-high ankle burners most of the time. Good for longboarders.

Revere Beach

Hurricane swells coming from ESE can penetrate into Revere Beach to give some frothy waves close to the center of Boston. We’re not gonna’ lie – the quality is usually poor and it’s mainly whtiewash froth.

Yirrell Beach

Yirrell Beach has the unenviable locacation of being below the Deer Island waste treatment plant. As such, we’d reccomend checking the water quality before paddling out – it should be measured regulalry. The good news is that this is a pretty good break, with some decent rights forming off the south end of the bay. Winter swells are usually needed to get it fired up. It’s also super close to the downtown of Boston, so will often have a few people out.

Nantasket Beach

Hardly the most reliable spot in New England, Nantasket Beach only gets a short swell window, thanks mainly to the shadow cast by Cape Cod. It needs very precise NE swell channels to get pumping to work. When those go, you get head-high waves that mainly go right. Can be glassy with offhshores adn good for shortboards and Malibus alike. It’s a true intermediate wave.

Peggoty Beach

One of the last places it’s possible to get any NE swells before Cape Cod cuts it all out, Peggoty Beach is an okay-ish south Boston option. It’s not very good quality, mind, but works when it’s too big in north MA and offers lots of froth for novices.

Cape Cod

Cape Cod is probably the premier surf region in Massachusets. Well exposed to the open Atlantic it still has the familar problem of a wide continental shelf that cuts down most uber-big groundswells. But fall and winter nor’easterners can work magic in these parts, offering A-frame peaks and peeling left-to-righters for all levels. Some downsides: The peak season for surfers means uber-cold waters, most waves are sandbars so they shift and change all the time, and this is shark territory!

Check out our complete guide to surfing in Cape Cod right now!

Endless Coast, A Boutique Hotel

Placed conveniently close to Wellfleet – arguably the most reliable spot on Cape Cod – Endless Coast is a charming little stay with a touch of proper New England hospitality. There’s parking out front, a boho-chic decor, and even bikes for rent, not to mention a fire pit!

Harbor Light Inn

This 4-star lodge is a hearty way to experience Massachusetts, its surf and its history. You’ll settle in an old-school home that has overtures of the colonial era, and get to enjoy a plush lobby that’s warmed by a real-wood fire (a gift after a winter sesh in nearby Devereux Beach!).

Cape Ann Motor Inn

You could hardly get closer to the beachfront in Long Beach than with a stay at the Cape Ann Motor Inn. It’s a vintage-styled motel roll-up with salt-washed balconies and simple rooms that put you literally meters from the swell.

Summer (June-August)

Summer on the MA coastline is mainly for the swimmers and the sightseers, the prime stretches on Cape Cod are often waveless and small, while there’s nowhere near enough action to pierce through into the bays around Boston. Later on, around August time, you can get the first ESE hurricane systems, and those are the days that the locals pine for – still warm, very glassy.

Fall (September-October)

Fall sees the surfing in Massachusetts really get into full swing. You get a combo of offshore northerlies and westerlies from the Great Lakes and a mix of low-pressure groundswells off the tropics and the Azores to give consistent hits of waves. Sadly, the underwater geology does a lot to temper the groundswells, but this is nonetheless the best time of year to be surfing in these parts.

Winter (December-February)

It gets super cold during the MA winter, but the surfers here have had to get used to it. They’ll throw on all the rubber they can muster and then some to head out and enjoy the biggest swells of the year. Cape Cod all the way to northern Massachusetts can be rolling on storm swells, and you’ll get nice A-frame sandbar waves when the nor’easterner systems collide. It’s also not shark season, but that’s no guarantee!

Spring (March-May)

Spring holds up quite well in Massachusetts, as the northern breaks and the beaches in the Cape Cod swell shadow are well placed to make the most of NE swell directions off the north Atlantic. You’ll still want thick neoprene until at least May, when you might be able to shed a mil or two if you’re brave!

Ocean House Surf & Skate

Ocean House Surf & Skate are one of the original MA surf shops and one our top favs for sure. They make their home close to Nahant Beach and have a very cool shop with one of the best quiver selections we’ve encountered in the region. They also offer board hire and surf lessons.

Surfari

A local surf emporium in Gloucester, MA, Surfari is a Cape Ann go-to that offers boards, wetsuits, clothing, and friendly local advice on the breaks.

Tides Restaurants & Pub

A homey MA pub that overlooks Nahant Beach, this one’s right next door to a local surf shop and offers filling plates of nachos, sliders, surf-turf – you name it.

Blackfish

On the main road leading up the spine of Cape Cod, Blackfish is an intriguing New-American bistro in an old blacksmith’s shop. Seafood is the main option and the interior is moody and romantic. We’d say book ahead!