Revere Beach

Revere Beach, on Revere Beach Boulevard in Revere, Massachusetts, is widely described as the first public beach in the United States, set aside as part of the Metropolitan Park system in 1896. It is a long, gently curving stretch of open Atlantic shoreline roughly three miles from downtown Boston, and it is one of the easiest ocean beaches in the region to reach without a car. The sand is a medium-grained tan sand, wide at low tide and noticeably narrower at high tide. The water is the cool, greenish-grey of Massachusetts Bay; it is usually calm in summer but can carry small to moderate waves on windy days, and it stays cold well into July. Because the beach is exposed and straight rather than a sheltered cove, onshore wind is common and the stretch has a lively, open feel. The atmosphere mixes day-trippers, local families, joggers and groups gathering on the sand, and it is busiest on hot weekends. Facilities are among the best of any public beach near Boston. Lifeguards are posted during the summer season, restrooms and a bathhouse are available, and a row of pavilions and a seaside promenade run along the boulevard. Across the road, casual restaurants, ice cream shops and the long-running roast beef sandwich shops offer food within a few steps of the sand, so there is no need to pack a full picnic. The beach hosts the Revere Beach International Sand Sculpting Festival each July, when large sculptures line the sand and attract crowds. Access is straightforward. The MBTA Blue Line stops at Revere Beach station directly beside the sand, with Wonderland station at the northern end, and the ride from downtown Boston takes roughly twenty-five minutes with a transfer. Drivers can use metered street parking along Revere Beach Boulevard and nearby lots, which fill early on summer weekends. The beachfront walkway is flat and paved, making it popular for walking and cycling outside swimming hours, and the sunrise over the water makes the early morning a good time for photography.