Thinking about our next family beach vacation-would like to tie it to a trip to Boston. Any nice beach areas within 1 hour or so of Boston. We did not really like Cape Cod when we went (may have had to do with the 100 degree plus temps the week we were there). We like to stay on the beach or within a block or two. We also like a beach that continues for a few miles so you can get a nice long walk on the beach. Does such a place exist near Boston? thanks for your wisdom

How about York, Maine? Lots of nice beaches there. Plus it's only a little over an hour to Boston-you could drive to Newburyport MA and take the commuter rail into the city.
Unfortunately, I can't help w/accomodations as it's close enough for a day trip for me, but if you do a search on this forum you should get some great ideas.

Rachel,

The further North of Boston you go - Maine, NH the colder the water gets. Rhode Island has some nice long beaches and would be about 1 - 2 hours from Boston.

I love Cranes Beach {sp?} for both walking {long} and swimming - not too cold the last time I went. I only go when I visit my inlaws, so I'm not going to be much help about location or accommodations. I do know that it's not an area with lodgings directly on the beach; you'd have to stay nearby and bike, walk or drive in.

Cranes Beach in Ipswich is a great suggestion. There is a new WONDERFUL B&B there called the Inn at Castle Hill at the Crane Estate. I am not sure if children are welcome but it is well worth checking out. Ipswich is a fun little town. Look into the Cape Ann area including Rockport and Gloucester and Essex. Long Beach, Good Harbor or Wingersheek are beautiful beaches. The North Shore has lots to see and do,ie. history, boating, whale watching, shopping, great restaurants.Marblehead is another special harbor/beach town and don't miss a side trip to Salem.

North of Boston you can find rentals on Plum Island. Part of the island is in the town of Newbury and part of the island is in Newburyport (in case you are searching on the internet). Newburyport is about an hours drive or train ride to Boston. Also very close to Portsmouth, NH or a day trip to the White Mountains in NH.

Plum Island is my favorite beach - I prefer it to the Cape also ( I spent summers on the Cape for years). The waves can be a bit much but my kids love jumping in them. The beach goes on for miles. We walk on it every chance we get. Plus in Massachusetts all beaches are "public" up to the high water mark so no nasty owners telling you to get off "their beach".

Plum Island is also home to a national wildlife sanctuary that has great trails to walk on, beautiful beaches (that close periodically to help the endangered piping plover sucessfully breed). Its also a mecca for bird watching. Newburyport provides nightlife, shopping etc.

You can also find plenty of rentals in Salisbury MA - home of a nice beach but has a somewhat seedy reputation and in Seabrook and Hampton NH. Seabrook is home to a very visable nuclear power plant that spooks many people but the homes there are quite nice. Hampton has quite a tourist strip of tshirt shops etc. The beach is pretty popular with teens.

If you do stay up this way try to clams and lobsters at Brown's in Seabrook - the best in the area.

Cranes's beach in Ipswich is beautiful but the rentals on Plum Island are somewhat more reasonable.

Thanks for all the great info. Expecting lots of snow today (now that's something to look forward to) and I need a good diversion-planning a vacation!

Rachel - if you do decide on a rental on Plum Island be sure to do your grocery shopping at Tendercrop Farm on Rt 1a in Newbury. Their marinated steak tips are to die for and the bread is great as well as the freshest produce around. Favorite summer meal is tomato, onion & mozzerella salad (with basil and drizzled with olive oil), sourdough bread from their bakery and marinated steak tips from their butcher. The kids will like gawking at the buffalo and peacocks, and feeding the llamas too.

Rachel-
Just make sure you don't plan to go during the green fly season. I am not quite sure when it is but they post a sign at the beach. The flies bite! It would definitely ruin a fine beach day.

Greenhead season runs 2 to 3 weeks in late July and early August. The numbers can fluctuate from day to day, depending on things like how windy it is, whether there's a land breeze or sea breeze, etc. Bug repellants can help. Greenheads tend to go for the legs, and they move slowly so are easy to swat if you spot them in time. I've been to the beach a number of times during greenhead season when they were only a minor annoyance, but on a bad day they can be pretty pesky.

I agree that the North Shore/ Cape Ann area is great, with beautiful beaches (Crane Beach is my favorite, you can walk for miles, but I love Wingaersheek Beach too). Crane Beach is a wildlife refuge, with no hotels within walking distance (with the exception of the aforementioned Inn at Castle Hill, which I believe is pretty upscale and maybe not what you'd be looking for for a family beach vacation), and I don't know of any hotels next to Wingaersheek, either, although maybe some of the houses there could be rented? There are hotels in Gloucester across from Good Harbor Beach, a very nice beach, but not particularly long for taking walks - although you could drive to the other ones ( Wingarsheek is really only accessible for a long walk when the tide is low - you go to the left around the rocks at the public beach, and then it stretches for a couple of miles to the mouth of the Essex River). Plum Island is supposed to be beautiful; I haven't been to the beach there, but I have heard that the undertow can be pretty bad there sometimes.

Another possibility is Ogunquit, Maine, about an hour and a half from Boston - nice beach, a number of hotels overlooking the water, and at least one right on the beach - quaint little town with some nice shops and restaurants. It's fairly close to Portsmouth, which is an interesting place to explore, and which has a great waterpark your kids might enjoy.