Race Point Beach

A vast north-facing beach at the very tip of Cape Cod, part of the National Seashore. Wide sand, rolling dunes, surfcasting fishermen, and — in spring and early summer — whales often visible from shore. Because it faces north it gets sun all day and is one of the Cape's best sunset beaches.

The historic Old Harbor Life-Saving Station Museum sits in the dunes here, and the Race Point Lighthouse is reachable via a roughly 3-mile hike over sand for the ambitious. Parking lot holds around 300 cars; $25/vehicle in season, covered by the Seashore annual pass.