North Shore beach parking guide
Each town on Cape Ann sets its own beach parking rules and prices, and they change with residency and the day of the week. If you are bringing a car to the beach, this is the guide; when in doubt, ask our Guest Experience team.
Gloucester
Good Harbor Beach and Wingaersheek Beach. Non-residents book a parking space online, in advance, through the City of Gloucester's beach pass portal (up to 10 days ahead; no cash on site). Weekdays $30 per vehicle, weekends and holidays $35. Gates open 8 am to 9 pm. A cheaper option for Good Harbor is to park at Stage Fort Park and ride the Stage Fort Park Trolley ($1 one way, $3 all day).
Stage Fort Park, Half Moon Beach and Cressy's Beach. Weekdays $15 per vehicle, weekends and holidays $20.
Niles Beach and Plum Cove Beach. Parking is limited to vehicles with a current City of Gloucester beach sticker. Pavilion Beach has metered street parking nearby.
Gloucester beach stickers. Seasonal renters (60 days or more) $100; Essex and Rockport residents $250; other non-residents $300 (200 available). Sticker questions: 978-281-9708 or beaches@gloucester-ma.gov.
Rockport
Long Beach and Cape Hedge Beach. A non-resident beach sticker ($150, these two beaches only) allows parking at the Seaview Street lot; there is limited parking on South Street.
Front Beach and Back Beach. Limited metered street parking and a private lot. The alternative is the Park & Ride on Route 127 by the Rockport information booth, then the trolley to the beach. Old Garden Beach and Pebble Beach have very limited parking.
Manchester-by-the-Sea
Singing Beach. Non-resident parking ($25) is at Masconomo Park, half a mile from the beach, in the yellow spaces, Monday to Friday from mid-June to Labor Day (not holiday weekends). There are two-hour spaces downtown by the train station, and the Boy Scouts sell spaces behind the station for $25 on summer weekends. The walk-on fee is $7 per person over 12, or $20 for a season pass. Staffed 9 am to 5 pm through Labor Day.
Essex and Hamilton
Chebacco Lake. Not a beach, but a wonderful place to boat or kayak. The public ramp near 340 Chebacco Road is free, with room for about 17 vehicles and trailers; overflow goes to the old town beach area down the road or to Centennial Grove on the Essex–Hamilton line.
Ipswich
Crane Beach. Summer non-member prices: cars $25 on weekdays and $30 on weekends, motorcycles $5, bikes and walkers $2. A Crane Beach parking sticker needs a Trustees membership.