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Cape Cod Beach Parking: Where, When & What It Costs

Updated: June 23, 2025

Confused about Cape Cod beach parking? You're not alone.

When do you have to pay? How much will it cost? And the big one for most visitors ...

Is there one beach pass that covers all Cape Cod beaches? (Short answer: No.)

Cape Cod’s 15 towns each run their own beach parking systems. And the State Parks and National Seashore have separate systems of their own.

What do they all have in common?

Honestly, not much — except that at most beaches, you only have to pay in season. Off-season parking is free.

You’ll find each town’s beach pass info below, along with what to expect at state and National Seashore beaches.

Cape Cod National Seashore Beach Parking

The Cape Cod National Seashore manages 6 beaches on our Atlantic Ocean-facing shoreline: Coast Guard and Nauset Light in Eastham; Marconi in Wellfleet; Head of the Meadow in Truro; and Herring Cove and Race Point in Provincetown.

If you're planning to spend time on any of these beaches, you'll need a pass issued by the National Parks Service. 

Pass prices:

• Daily for vehicles $25
• Daily for motorcycles $20
• Daily for walk-in/bicycle-in $15
• Seasonal $60
• Annual Pass: $80

Other passes are available for seniors, military and dependents, people with permanent disability, and even for 4th graders.

When required:

• Weekends from late May to mid-June, then daily through Labor Day
• 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

After Labor Day, it gets a little iffy. You might find someone at the entry booth checking passes on weekends through Columbus Day — or you might not. 

Not sure which pass you’ll need, or whether you qualify for free entry? See my guide to National Seashore passes →

Massachusetts State Park Beach Parking

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts manages two saltwater beaches on Cape Cod: Scusset Beach in Sandwich and South Cape Beach in Mashpee.   

To park in the state's lot, you'll need a MA state parks pass.

Pass prices:

• MA vehicle day pass: $14
• Out-of-state vehicle day pass: $40

Other passes are available for seniors and veterans who are Massachusetts residents. And some MA libraries allow their members to borrow a state parks pass free of charge.  

When required:

See the State Parks' beach parking page →

Beach Parking by Town

Now here's where it gets more complicated.

Each of the Cape's 15 towns manages its own beaches and has its own parking fees, passes and rules.

If you want to park in a town-managed lot, you'll need a town-issued pass. 

Barnstable

In the town of Barnstable, non-resident passes are only valid at six beaches: Craigville, Kalmus, Veterans, Keyes, and Sandy Neck - plus one freshwater beach (Hathaway's Pond). Other beaches are resident-parking only.

Pass prices:

• Daily $25 
• One-week $110

When required:

• Weekends from late May to mid-June, then every day through Labor Day.
• 7:30 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. at Craigville Beach
• 9 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. at other public beaches

See the town of Barnstable’s beach parking page →

Here's my guide to Barnstable/Hyannis beaches →

Bourne

With the exception of Monument Beach, all Bourne beaches are resident-only parking.

Pass prices (for Monument Beach only): 

• One-week $40 
  
• Two-week $60

When required:

• A town-issued parking pass is required at all town lots, year-round. 
• The town doesn't list specific hours, so it's safest to assume parking is enforced 24/7.

See the town of Bourne’s beach parking page →

Here's my guide to Bourne beaches →

Brewster

Non-resident parking passes are valid at nearly all public beaches in Brewster. The exception is First Light Beach, which is residents-only parking.

Pass prices:

• Daily $20
• Seasonal $150

When required:

• Every day from mid-June through Labor Day
• 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. 
  

See the town of Brewster's beach parking page →

Here's my guide to Brewster beaches →

Chatham

Non-resident parking passes are valid at most public beaches in Chatham. The big exception is Lighthouse Beach, where all parking is restricted to 30 minutes at the overlook, and resident parking passes are required for on-street parking on Bridge Street.

Pass prices:

• Daily $20
• Weekly $75

When required:

• Every day from mid-June through Labor Day
• 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

See the town of Chatham’s beach parking page →

Here's my guide to Chatham beaches →

Dennis

Non-resident parking passes are valid at most public beaches in Dennis. Exceptions include: Bayview, Cold Storage and Harborview, which are residents-only parking.

Pass prices:

• Daily $35
• Weekly $100

When required:

• Every day from late May through Labor Day
• 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

See the town of Dennis' beach parking page →

Here's my guide to Dennis beaches →

Eastham

Non-resident parking passes are valid at all town-managed public beaches in Eastham.

Pass prices:

• Daily $30  
• Three-day $75 
• One-week $120
  
• Two-week $175
• Seasonal $300

When required:

• Every day from mid-June through Labor Day
• 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

*Important: National Seashore passes are not valid at town-managed beaches in Eastham.

See the town of Eastham’s beach parking page →

Here's my guide to Eastham beaches →

Falmouth

Non-resident parking passes are valid at all of the town's public beaches.   

Pass prices:

• Daily $20 ($30 at Old Silver)
• One-week $80
  
• Two-week $130
• Three-week $175
• Four-week $225
  
• Seasonal $375

When required:

• Weekends from late May to late June, then every day through Labor Day
• 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

See the town of Falmouth’s beach parking page →

Here's my guide to Falmouth beaches →

Harwich

Non-resident parking passes are valid at all public beaches in the town.

Pass prices:

• Daily $25 
• One-week $65
• Two-week $125
• Seasonal $150

When required:

• Every day from July 1 through Labor Day
• 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

See the town of Harwich’s beach parking page →

Here's my guide to Harwich beaches →

Mashpee

A Mashpee non-resident parking pass is valid at one saltwater beach: the town section at South Cape Beach.  

Pass price: 

• One-week $50

When required:

• Every day from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day

*Reminder: South Cape Beach State Park requires a state-issued parking pass. (See State Parks section above.) 

See the town of Mashpee’s beach parking page →

Here's my guide to South Cape Beach →

Orleans

In the town of Orleans, non-resident parking passes are valid at Nauset Beach on the Atlantic Ocean side of town, and at Skaket Beach on Cape Cod Bay.

Pass prices:

• Daily $32.50
• Weekly $165
• Seasonal $420

When required:

• Weekends from late May to mid-June, then daily through Labor Day
• 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

See the town of Orleans' beach parking page →

Here's my guide to Orleans beaches →

Provincetown

The town-managed public beaches in Provincetown are easy to access from Commercial Street. No pass or entry fee required.

*Reminder: Herring Cove and Race Point are National Seashore beaches, and require a National Seashore pass. (See National Seashore section above.)

Here's my guide to Provincetown beaches →

Sandwich

Non-resident parking passes are valid at most town-managed public beaches in Sandwich. The exception is Sandy Neck, which is actually managed by the town of Barnstable and requires a Barnstable non-resident pass or a daily fee. (See Barnstable section above.)  

Pass prices:

• Daily $30
• Weekly $90
• Seasonal $105

When required:

• Every day from late June through Labor Day
• 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

*Reminder: Parking at Scusset Beach in Sandwich requires a MA Parks pass. (See State Parks section above).

See the town of Sandwich’s beach parking page →

Here's my guide to Sandwich beaches →

Truro

Non-resident parking passes are valid at all town-managed public beaches in Truro.

Pass prices:

• Daily $35 
• One-week $120
• Two-week $175
• Three-week $200
• Four-week $250
• Seasonal $375

When required:

• Every day from mid-June through Labor Day
• 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

*Note: Head of the Meadow has two parking lots. One is for vehicles with a town of Truro parking pass, the other is for visitors with a National Seashore pass. (See National Seashore section above.)

See the town of Truro’s beach parking page →

Here's my guide to Truro beaches →

Wellfleet

Non-resident parking passes are valid at all town-managed public beaches in Wellfleet.  

Pass prices:

• Daily $31.50 
• Three-day $70
• One-week $105
• Two-week $200
• Seasonal $350

When required:

• Every day from mid-June through Labor Day
• Usually enforced from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

*Reminder: Parking at Marconi Beach requires a National Seashore pass. (See National Seashore section above.) 

See the town of Wellfleet’s beach parking page →

Here's my guide to Wellfleet beaches →

Yarmouth

Non-resident parking passes are valid at nearly all public beaches in Yarmouth. The exception is South Middle Beach which is residents-only parking.

Pass prices:

• Daily: $25 
• Weekly: $100
• Seasonal: $250

When required:

• Weekends from Memorial Day weekend to mid-June, then every day through Labor Day
• 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

See the town of Yarmouth’s beach parking page →

Here's my guide to Yarmouth beaches →

Quick Answers to Common Beach Parking Questions

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