Looking to escape the summer heat of the city? With the swipe of a Charlie Card, you can find yourself relaxing on one of these sandy beaches in Boston and letting the sound of the waves erase the stress of your summer co-op.
Pleasure Bay
Location: Castle Island
Cost: Free
Travel: Take MBTA Bus 9 from Copley Station (Green Line) or Broadway Station (Red Line)
Amenities: Free parking, bathhouse and local favorite Sullivan’s snack stand
About the Beach: Pleasure Bay is known for its sunny shores and clean waters. Visitors can expect top-notch swimming conditions due to Castle Island’s treatment as a state park. But be warned, big waves are not common to the tranquil beach. National historic landmark, Fort Independence, sits nearby. The five-pointed structure was built on the island in the mid 1800s and was used in several wars including the American Revolution. It is quite the tourist attraction today. To see both, visitors can take the Harbor Walk that extends along the beach and detours to the famous fort.
Carson Beach
Location: South Boston
Cost: Free
Travel: Take Red Line T to the JFK/UMass stop and walk about 5 minutes to the beach; Take MBTA Route 5, 8, 11, 16, or 41
Amenities: Free parking, bathhouse with restrooms, changing rooms, showers, water fountains, chess tables, bocce courts and snack stand
About the Beach: Carson Beach is best for land loving visitors. Its expanse of sandy beach is rarely crowded and perfect for sunbathing with a summer read, or for starting up a game of Frisbee. But don’t work up too much of a sweat, because its waters receive less than satisfactory reviews. The most common complaint of Carson Beach is the rocky, murky, and occasionally jellyfish inhabited wading area. For swimmers willing to brave the water, consider bringing along a pair of water-shoes.
Revere Beach
Location: Revere
Cost: Free
Travel: Take the Blue Line to the Revere Beach T station
Amenities: Nearby restaurants, picnic tables and pavilion
About the Beach: Revere Beach is an expansive stretch of sand for being located so close to a city. Established in 1896, Revere is America’s first public beach, previously known as the Coney Island of New England. Its sandy shores gradually slope out into the ocean, creating a shallow but clean swimming area speckled with seashells and the occasional hermit crab. The sand is extremely clean and goes on for about 2 miles. The street lining Revere offers beachgoers a variety of choices for lunch and dinner. Unfortunately, the neighborhood surrounding Revere Beach is not the safest area. An excessive amount of police officers is a regular fixture in the surrounding area. Walk quickly from the T to the sand.
Special Events: During the 12 to the 15 of July, the beach will be transformed into an art exhibit with the arrival of the Revere Beach National Sand Sculpting Festival. This year’s event planners expect to attract about 500,000 spectators and15 sculptors traveling from as far as Mexico and Canada at the 9th annual competition. Another attraction to catch is the Revere Beach Farmers’ Market, from July 23 to October 29. The market features a variety of vendors including local farms, bakeries, and fish markets.
Savin Hill Beach and Malibu Beach
Location: Dorchester
Cost: Free
Travel: Take the Red Line to Savin Hill. Take a right on Savin Hill Avenue, and a right onto Denny Street. The beach is at the end of Denny Street (5 minutes); Take MBTA bus Route 6 or 18
Amenities: Free parking, bathhouse, ball fields, boat launch, lifeguards and a protected swimming area
About the Beaches: Although two separate beaches, the shores of Savin Hill and Malibu run together and are almost impossible to distinguish between. They were extremely popular with Bostonians before deteriorating during the 1960’s. Luckily for beachgoers, re-sanding, landscaping and other upgrades have returned the beaches to the city oasis they used to be known for. From the shore you can see the Keyspan Gas Tank, a landmark of the Dorchester waterfront. Some see this as an obstruction of their view, but to others it is a chance to see the bright rainbow-colored stripes painted on the massive gas tank: the world’s largest copyrighted piece of artwork.
_____________________
Kelsey is the Bon Appetit Editor for Woof Magazine, and is a third year Journalism student with a minor in International Affairs. In addition to Woof, her writing has been published on the Shoebuy.com blog, The Fashion and Retail Society of Northeastern’s blog, and on the New England Newspaper Press Association’s website. Kelsey is an aspiring fashion and lifestyle writer (with her own blog- see a pattern here?), and has a serious infatuation with fashion magazines, The Coveteur and anything Christmas related. Her proudest moment was being tweeted back by Glamour Fashion, and she performs at NU basketball games as a member of the Northeastern Dance Team.