These New England beach towns have everything you look for in a quintessential coastal town: think walkable shops, beaches worth spending the day at, and great food. This post contains affiliate links. If you choose to use my links to purchase certain items, I may receive a small commission at no cost to you. I appreciate your support.
I gather if you’re here, then you care as much as I do about finding the perfect New England beach towns for your next summer vacation.
While many people praise Newport, Provincetown, and Chatham (which, don’t get me wrong, are really great places to visit), I took a different approach. I decided to never mind what everyone else was recommending and recommend the places I personally ended up loving.
These are places I go back to again and again, visited once and still think about, or have at the very top of my New England beach towns list.
This post is all about charming New England beach towns.
If you’re heading to coastal new england and YOU WANT a classic new england style capsule wardrobe, I have curated a list of my GO-TO coastal wardrobe staples. Visit my shopmy.
1. Edgartown, Martha’s Vineyard: Classic Coastal Charm, Shops, and Lighthouse Views
Okay, Martha’s Vineyard has thrown me for a HUGE loop! I expected a mini Nantucket, but nope. Martha’s Vineyard is like your cool uncle who flies by the seat of his pants with no plan in place. It is way more artsy, hippy, and boasting with local flair than I had thought.
Having said that, I love that Edgartown still delivers that quintessential New England coastal feel, without it at all feeling snooty. It boasts both white classic homes and cedar shake homes with white picket fences lined with flowers, restaurants, and walkable shops. I advise you to wander the streets with no itinerary and take it all in.
You can easily venture to the lighthouse on foot and plop in a chair and stick your nose in a book like we did and feel away from the crowds. But my favorite thing to do in Edgartown is to walk to the water and head up to the Edgartown Memorial Wharf. Grab a Nantucket Blue or a High Noon and some shrimp cocktail, and just relax looking at the harbor. PERFECTION FOR FREE.
You can head to South Beach for a great beach day. It is a wave-heavy beach, so keep that in mind. It is also one of the beaches that was used in JAWS. Side note, we really enjoyed the walking JAWS tour we took with Edgartown Tour Company. You get a great handle and inside scoop on Edgartown and the movie. I highly recommend it! Plus, you end the tour at the Wharf!
I would check out Behind the Bookstore Cafe if you have time. We were unable to eat there, but we have heard great things about them. We did mosey into the bookstore, which was darling! For ice cream, we liked Mad Martha’s Homemade Ice Cream (tons of flavors, but no homemade waffle cones) and Vineyard Scoops (also homemade ice cream with fewer flavors to choose from, but homemade waffle cones).
2. Watch Hill, Rhode Island Upscale seaside charm with walkable shops and beaches
Hey, if Watch Hill is good enough for Taylor Swift, it is good enough for me, LOL! I have been here, but honestly, just a drive-through. I really want to spend a solid day or two here.
It reads old money charm, all the way. The iconic Ocean House is a sprawling yellow seaside resort that makes you want to throw on a corset and an after-lunch ball gown and wander the grounds with an umbrella in hand, forgetting it’s actually the 21st century.
We drove by the shops, but didn’t have time to meander through them. But they’re totally walkable. I like that the area doesn’t have so much to do that you’d feel like you were missing out by spending a good amount of time on the beach.
There are two beaches I want to check out when we go baack here: Ocean House Beach (even people who are not fans of East Coast beaches praise this one), and East Beach (a 2-mile stretch of sand and waves, um, yes please).
I really want to eat at The Cafe. It is a local staple and has the same owner as the Ocean House, I believe. The menu looks amazing, and it reminds me of old times.
3. Kennebunkport, Maine: Storybook coastal town with shops, dining, and beaches nearby
If you’re looking for that classic, storybook version of coastal Maine, Kennebunkport is one of those places that just feels like summer in New England. I made it to Kennebunk, which, by the way, was adorable (chasing lobster rolls, if you want confession and blood), but never made it to Kennebunkport, I don’t think anyway, if I did, we drove or walked through it and didn’t realize it… Yeah… I do that 🙄, but it is surely at the top of my list for future New England beach towns to visit, intentionally this time:)
Here are a few reasons why:
Dock Square and Ocean Ave for shopping. It’s full of charming shops, local boutiques, and spots to grab a lobster roll or dinner after a day by the water. It just seems like it’d be easy to wander without a plan, popping in and out of stores and taking your time.
Maine, in general, is a foodie’s paradise, so I know there are great places to eat in the area.
For the beach, head to Gooch’s Beach, which is just a short drive away and perfect for a classic coastal day: wide, sandy, and great for long walks. There are numerous other beaches to choose from as well.
Kennebunkport or Maine, is just coastal in a different way than Rhode Island, Cape Cod, and the Islands. It is storybook instead of old money or fairytale. It sort of strikes a balance, like it’s polished but relaxed, scenic without trying too hard. I just kind of want to check into a bed and breakfast with a good book in tow, slow down, and stay for a bit.
4. Dennis, Cape Cod: Bayside beaches, stunning sunsets, and thrift shops
So while Dennis may not be quite as picturesque as the other New England beach towns I have mentioned, I have 4 solid reasons for including it: Bayside beaches, sunsets, thrifting, and one of my favorite Cape Cod clam shacks.
Bayside beaches are known for their soft sand, calm waves, and warmer water. This makes them perfect for a relaxed, easy, breezy beach day and great for families with smaller kiddos. At low tide, the shoreline sprawls out for what feels like forever, with wide sand flats that are perfect for exploring.
The sunsets on these bayside beaches are UNREAL. Some of the best I have ever seen, and I lived in San Diego for two years, just saying… Not only are the sunsets to die for, but the late afternoons also get a golden light that makes it feel surreal.
Dennis is also home to a few really unique shops along Main Street. I really liked Gatherings at Home (an antique store) and Scout Vintage (a small home goods store). But exploring the whole street offers great shops, restaurants, and ice cream. Dennis is also home to plenty of thrift and antique shops if you love a good find.
If you’re in Dennis, Sesuit Harbor Cafe is a great clam shack with harbor views. It’s a local favorite, and it’s BYOB. I love that groups bring coastal style tablecloths, adorable picnic baskets, wine, and set up. It’s just such a nice vibe. A must check out in my book. The food is great too.
tip: sesuit Harbor cafe is cash only, and the lobster rolls come cold. We ordered one with warm butter, and it still came with cold lobster. So if you like warm butter lobster rolls, i’d suggest ordering SOMETHING else.
5. Siasconset, Nantucket: Fairytale coastal village with a stunning walk, beach, and streets flooded with cedar shake homes
Siasconset (Sconset) is just so darling, I don’t even know what else to say. I feel like everyone needs to experience it at least once. It almost feels remote, and the town area where you get dropped off by the bus is very small, I’m talking dinky. Having said that, it really has all you need, especially for just swinging in for a few hours. There is a small market that sells fine groceries, ice cream, pastries, and coffee.
If you come during the off-season, you’ll have to pack a lunch, which we have done, and it was just fine. But if you go during the summer season, I’d go to Claudette’s. It’s a little sandwich shop (they also have breakfast sandwiches), and I have to say, it was surprisingly good. I suppose you’d have to be when there is not much else to eat. They have a few tables outside, but the beach is just a few-minute walk away, so we walked down and ate on the beach. It was so relaxing and quieter compared to any other place I have mentioned thus far.
The biggest reason to head to Sconset is to do The Bluff Walk. This is a breathtaking 2-mile walk along a public footpath that runs through the backyards of cottages. Essentially, you have floral-infested cottages on one side and the ocean on the other. I know!
Once you finish The Bluff Walk, be sure to take your time meandering through the streets as you wander back to the small town area. Seeing all of the beautiful cedar shake homes, perfectly curated, like they have been waiting for you all year, is an experience in and of itself. I just wander in awe that any human being gets to call this place home and can tolerate all of us sightseeing our way through their neighborhood with our jaws dragging on the ground. Good for them 🙂
I feel like a kid in a real-life fairytale whenever I go here, and I cannot believe it took me a pandemic to discover this place. Just trust me…go here.
I have a whole post on Nantucket that describes how to get to sconset, sconset beach, and the bluff walk. you can read that post here: The perfect day trip to nantucket | 7 things to do
That’s a Wrap
Thank you so much for being here. As I said, these are just my favorites so far. These are places that draw me back again or are drawing me in, and I wanted to share them. I’m sure there’ll be more as I make my way through coastal New England. If you have a favorite New England beach town, please DM me on Instagram. I’d love to check it out. Happy travels.
This post was all about charming New England beach towns.
You May Like…
Nantucket vs Martha’s Vineyard vs Cape Cod | Which New England Escape Is Best For You?
