Is Nantasket that Fantastic?

People from all over the south shore flock there to get their beach fix. Adults hold fond memories of their childhood there. It is the famous Nantasket beach in Hull, MA.

Located in Hull, as far as I'm concerned Nantasket is not convenient or near anything. Although we have gone there in the past to take pictures of the kids in the winter, I had never been to Nantasket to swim.

We did not go out of our way to go there, we had to be in Hingham for something in the afternoon so I suggested that we try that beach for a couple of hours. The parking is $7 for the day, and there is 2 hour parking on the street. Just be careful to NOT park on a yellow curb. Apparently yellow curb=$20 parking ticket.

We arrive at the beach, find parking, and unload the car. There are many parking lots yet many of them were at capacity at noontime. The beach itself was also at capacity. Here's the thing about Nantasket-there's not much sand. Not that the sand isn't nice or thick and cushy. It's that the beach front is only maybe 10-45 feet depending on the tide. At high tide there is no beach front.

Arriving late in terms of a beach day, we had to carefully pick our way through the crowd, making sure not to knock anybody out with the beach bag or lawn chair. I found a square of space not yet claimed, yet I still felt like I was somehow invading somebody's personal space...but oh well. Kids ran into the water and the only thing left was the chairs and the bag. Those aren't too noisy.

The kids ran into the water and proclaimed "It's so cold!!" I tested the waters and agreed. Nantasket's water is very cold. Not Maine water cold, but very cold for Massachusetts. After a little splashing around we decided to check out the main drag. We put the chairs in the car and headed into "The Dream Machine" to give the kids a few minutes at the arcade.

Here's the reason people love Nantasket: Nostalgia. It is like a mini Hampton beach. There are arcades and souvenir shops. You can lick an ice cream or munch on french fries as you walk down the road while looking at tourist trap souvenirs. There is even a playground that looks exactly like the one at Hampton beach. (The bathrooms are quite nice too;)

It is definitely an experience everybody should have, and right now there is a carnival set up right by the ocean. That's a very nostalgic experience. As far as the beach's stand-alone quality, I would give it a 3/10. If you add in all there is to do around the area-it goes up to about a 7.

Best Beach for only $7....Horseneck

Drive down Route 88 in Westport for what feels like an eternity, and hit the beach. Not just any beach, but Horseneck Beach in Westport, MA.

I woke up on the first day of my kids' summer vacation feeling adventurous. I was content going to Onset beach for the millionth time, but I felt we should do something special. I said to my husband "It's kinda far, but let's go to Horseneck." He said, "Sure!"

So while he got directions and I loaded the car, we contacted my best friend to see if she wanted to come along. In our two-car caravan loaded with a total of 6 kids between the ages of 8-11 and three adults, we made our way to Westport. After we got on Route 88 I thought for sure we were lost. Finally we pulled into "The Back Eddy" and asked a fisherman if we had missed something. Nope. It was about 1/2 mile further.

First things first, you aren't lost. If you drive down 88 you will eventually hit the beach, you have no other choice it is pretty much the end of the road. You are greeted by teens who collect your $7 parking fee and you head to the ample parking lot. (You can check out a free day pass at your local library). The bathroom facilities appear gorgeous. They advertise showers, but only the little foot-wash spigots were in working order. The bathroom is an environmentally friendly, water-free facility. The toilet material goes down into a composting tank underground. So, basically, it's a giant, fancy port-a-potty. It's cleaner than a port-a-potty...much cleaner.

My all-time fave beach until this point in time WAS Old-Silver. Don't get me wrong, Old-Silver will be mentioned in a future blog as soon as I make it there. It still is nostalgically my favorite beach in childhood memory. However, it is very crowded and pricey to park. Horseneck has two miles of beachfront. It only costs $7 to park. It is gorgeous.

After I doused the kids with sunscreen, they were off and running. The waves were huge, but not overpowering. The water was warmer. The scenery was gorgeous. The sand is soft and fine like Old Silver but this beach is immaculate. A man drives down with a tractor and picks up trash with one of those grabbers. There are dumpsters to throw your trash away. Cops are on patrol throughout the day, driving a cruiser around on the paved walkway. You feel safe and sound.

The only complaints my kids had were that:
a)no floatation devices including boogie boards, state regulations for safety (fine with me)
b) they frown on catching crabs, as it is part of the state park...granted Ashton treats each crab with love and care, but some little boys prefer to rip their legs off

I highly recommend this little bit of heaven at the end of Route 88. It is well worth the drive and makes for a great day at the beach!!