First Encounter Beach
First Encounter Beach
4.5
8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Monday
8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Tuesday
8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Wednesday
8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Thursday
8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Friday
8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
About
This beach in Cape Cod Bay offers two fantastic experiences, depending on the tide. At low tide, walk on the sandbar and spot crabs, clams, and tiny fish. Kids will love playing in the tidal pools. At high tide, lounge on the shore and go for a swim in the calm waters. High tide is typically when the whole area gets busier. Look out toward the Herring River estuary, and don’t miss the stunning sunset on the beach. Make sure you pack some snacks, as a portable toilet is the only public facility in the area. – Tripadvisor
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The area
Address
Best nearby
Restaurants
70 within 3 miles
Attractions
68 within 6 miles
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
264 reviews
Excellent
188
Very good
53
Average
20
Poor
3
Terrible
0
Travelers01752
Boston, MA15 contributions
Aug 2020
We arrived around 11am and enjoyed seeing the tide come in over the grasses and sand bars. Perfect beach for families. Small but clean bathrooms and a portapotty onsite. We even had cell service, which was a plus.
Written August 10, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Milla
Ontario, Canada91 contributions
Sep 2023 • Couples
If you’re looking for a calmer bay beach, this is a nice choice! Waters were warm and calm with a very low tide to explore more. Lots of fish and nice sand but I just wish there were proper washrooms or change rooms. This spot also has amazing sunsets!
Written October 3, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Lea S
11 contributions
Jul 2023
First Encounter marks the location where the Pilgrims first encountered the Native Americans ... not our finest hour! Be sure to stay at the beach to watch an incredible sunset! During the day watching the wind surfers, walking the sand flats at low tide, or swimming in the sun-warmed water will provide memories to take home after your vacation ends!
Written July 19, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
CapeCodgirl71
Underhill, VT303 contributions
Sep 2023 • Couples
The picturesque sandbar and tide pools are a welcome respite from the turbulence of the oceanside beaches, with no steep or long steps from the parking lot. Big plus when toting beach chairs, etc. There is no restroom or porta-potty, though, so plan accordingly. (I changed into my swimsuit in my hot car. Luckily, it has tinted windows.)
Written September 13, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
melisbaz
Paris, France98 contributions
Jul 2018 • Family
What an incredible treasure this beach turned out to be! We arrived during low tide and found an expansive beach filled with tidal pools/rivers a half a mile out until the actual bay itself. It's a great space for families with young kids, as the tidal water is shallow and warm. My somewhat older children were initially disappointed that the bay was so far away, but we took a trek out and saw some interesting sea life on the way - even when we reached the bay itself, we found it to be quite shallow. My husband and I were able to relax and read and enjoy not being packed in with tons of people while the kids dug holes and played in the colorful sand. The tide comes in pretty suddenly, which was fun for us to watch. There appear to be bathroom facilities as well, and the frequent visit of an ice cream truck. Definitely a great spot and would recomment.
Written July 10, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Boomer
Florida110 contributions
Jul 2014 • Couples
This is the place where the Pilgrims and the Native Americans had their first encounter, in the year 1620... It wasn't a happy meeting. The natives had previously had some bad experiences with Europeans. The Pilgrims who arrived on the ship "Mayflower" stole some corn and robbed some graves. At First Encounter Beach, the natives responded to the newcomers by firing a few arrows into their camp. The Pilgrims decided to move on to Plymouth.... History buffs will appreciate the story. Families will enjoy the beach.... No fee for beach use during the "off season" months..... The Salt Pond Visitor Center in Eastham is the best source of information on local history, the natural environment, etc. Restrooms available.
Written August 10, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
mjtraveler01
Boston, MA8 contributions
Sep 2011
This beach came recommended on several websites and word-of-mouth. I am going to give it a good rating based on my personal experience only. It might not be your cup of tea depending on what you want to do. I was here with my 1.3 and 3.3 year old children. On the first evening, we only got in at 3:30 PM and it was already high tide and therefore the water was back to normal in terms of proximity to shore line. While the surf wasnt strong, it could certainly knock a 2 or 3 year old down. We did manage to get ourselves wet and enjoy the water.
On the second day, we got there at 10 AM and it was peak low tide. We had to walk atleast 1 1/2 miles to access the water. We were looking forward to seeing crabs, horse shoe crabs etc. as was described by several people. Alas, there was no sea-creatures for viewing. I am not sure when they show up for young children's viewing pleasures as was described by other reviewers! However, it was a treat to walk on land that was covered with water just a few hours ago. We eneded up staying till 3 PM that day. Thus we were able to witness low tide changing to high tide and water coming closer and closer to the shoreline. On this day, the kids did not get wet even though I managed to walk towards the water and take a dip.
Parking was plentiful and the town of Eastham has plenty of motels, restaurants etc. It cost us $15 to park for the day since we did not have a sticker. There are no fresh water showers here and the bathrooms are clean enough. The usual ice-cream truck is there often enough for one to stop counting the number of times the truck showed up. There are no food shacks or eating amenties on the beach.
On the second day, we got there at 10 AM and it was peak low tide. We had to walk atleast 1 1/2 miles to access the water. We were looking forward to seeing crabs, horse shoe crabs etc. as was described by several people. Alas, there was no sea-creatures for viewing. I am not sure when they show up for young children's viewing pleasures as was described by other reviewers! However, it was a treat to walk on land that was covered with water just a few hours ago. We eneded up staying till 3 PM that day. Thus we were able to witness low tide changing to high tide and water coming closer and closer to the shoreline. On this day, the kids did not get wet even though I managed to walk towards the water and take a dip.
Parking was plentiful and the town of Eastham has plenty of motels, restaurants etc. It cost us $15 to park for the day since we did not have a sticker. There are no fresh water showers here and the bathrooms are clean enough. The usual ice-cream truck is there often enough for one to stop counting the number of times the truck showed up. There are no food shacks or eating amenties on the beach.
Written September 7, 2011
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Amanda G
Perrysburg, OH13 contributions
Aug 2011
This was my family's favorite part of our Cape Cod vacation. There were tons of crabs, hermit crabs, horseshoe crabs, shore birds, little fish, shells and rocks scattered on the sand and in the many tidal pools. My 2 year old was overjoyed by all of the creatures we found. The sunsets were incredible. We had no complaints about First Encounter Beach.
Written August 12, 2011
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Bill G
Waltham, MA217 contributions
Aug 2015 • Family
A beautiful beach with plenty of parking, First Encounter has a long bay-facing beach, as well as a stretch along the Herring River which is great for swimming. Like all bay beaches, when the tide goes out, it REALLY goes out, leaving lots of tidal pools for exploring. For history buffs, as it's name suggests, it is the location of the first encounter between the Native Americans and the Pilgrims, before they moved onto Plymouth.
For a somewhat less crowded experience, drive past the main parking area down to the end of the road, where there is additional parking, then walk a few yards across one of the many dune paths to get to the beach.
For a somewhat less crowded experience, drive past the main parking area down to the end of the road, where there is additional parking, then walk a few yards across one of the many dune paths to get to the beach.
Written August 18, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
John B
Grafton, MA1 contribution
Aug 2012 • Family
I really would like to think I I could keep this a secret but First Encounter Beach is the best family beach on the Cape. Other beaches like Mayflower and Skaket are some what similar in terms of small surf, long extended sandbars at low tide, warmer water etc but the tidal river at the south end of the beach is truly special. Depending on in coming or out going tide, to simply float lazily along the river is a wonderful experience. Our children can spend 7-8 hrs playing in the water exploring and searching for sea life only to come out for a snack or to ask us to join them in the fun. The best part of all is that in the 20 or so vista we have made it is always far less crowded than any of the aforementioned beaches. Other cape beaches may have more amenities and big surf but none offers the tranquility and beauty of First Encounter.
Written August 12, 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Yes. Also ice cream trucks visit beach.
Written September 7, 2017
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