Beach Camping on Cape Cod

Are you in the mood to try something a little different (okay - a lot different!) than RV parks and campgrounds on Cape Cod?

No, not the kind of camping where you pitch your tent or roll out your sleeping bag at the water's edge. Open-air and tent camping aren't allowed on Cape Cod beaches.

Instead, I'm talking about the kind of camping where you take your self-contained vehicle, drive it out onto the beach, park it ...

And claim a little slice of paradise as your "home away from home" for a day, a week, or longer.

There are only two places on Cape Cod where beach camping is allowed.

Here they are, beginning with the one closest to the Cape Cod Canal ...


Sandy Neck Beach
West Barnstable, MA

How about this for an amazing stretch of seashore?!

Sandy Neck is nearly 7 miles long, so it really does go on as far as the eye can see - backed by over 4,000 acres of dunes, marshlands and maritime forests.

In the evening, it's a fantastic spot for campfires on the beach ... and SCV camping.

If you plan to overnight at Sandy Neck, you'll need an off-road vehicle ("ORV") permit.

Sandy Neck 2012 ORV Permit Fees:

• Annual ORV Permits - valid April 15 to April 14 of the following year:

  Town of Barnstable Residents - $75
  Town of Sandwich Residents - $115
  Non Residents - $150

• Seasonal ORV Permits - valid the day after Labor Day through April 15th of the following year (i.e., during the "off-season" only):

  Town of Barnstable Residents - $25
  Town of Sandwich Residents - $35
  Non Residents - $50

Note: SCV camping on Sandy Neck is limited to 4 consecutive nights at a time. After that, you'll have to leave for 24 hours before returning.

Permits are available at the Sandy Neck Gatehouse, at the end of Sandy Neck Road in West Barnstable.

For more information on beach camping at Sandy Neck, see the park's website, or call the Gatehouse at (508) 362-8300 or the Marine and Environmental Affairs Office at (508) 790-6272.

At the opposite end of the Cape, camping on Cape Cod National Seashore's remote Race Point Beach is the ultimate "get away from it all" adventure!

Out on Race Point, nothing comes between you and Mother Nature.
You'll be right there, smack in the midst of miles and miles of rolling dunes, spectacular beachfront, and there's a good chance you'll see the occasional family of seals sunning on the sand or whales cruising by just offshore.

Sound amazing? It is! Race Point is one of the most beautiful spots on Cape Cod.

Here's where it gets really good ...

Permit Fees for 2012:

• SCV 7-Day - $75
• SCV Annual - $225

Yes, you read that right! Only $75 per week for a permit to camp on one of the prettiest beaches on Cape Cod!

SCV beach camping at Race Point is limited to 100 vehicles per night and restricted to 21 days per vehicle from July 1st through Labor Day.

Here's where you can find out all about SCV beach camping on Cape Cod National Seashore and download an advance permit application.