Mark Herz: Beach season has officially started, and we have some expert advice on where to enjoy the sun, sand, and swimming around the Commonwealth. Joining us now is Kate Fox, the Executive Director at the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism, whose favorite beach happens to be Lynch Park in Beverly, but she has some great ideas for all over our region. Good morning, Kate.

Kate Fox: Good morning, Mark, thanks for having me.

Herz: It’s our pleasure to have you. I want to start with a big question: what makes Massachusetts beaches special?

Fox: I think it’s the range of opportunities for our beaches across the state. We have miles and miles of beautiful, sandy beaches. And then when you get up on the North Shore, you can find some different landscapes and seascapes and some rocky beaches, but it’s really the different types of beaches around. We have freshwater, we have saltwater, we really have accessible beaches to some of our urban centers. Get up to Ipswich on the North Shore and you’re so close to some of the best fried seafood in the state. So, it’s the range of opportunities for going to the beach.

Herz: OK, well, let’s get to some recommendations. Where would you send families with kids versus, say, beaches for lovers of wildlife or with nearby hiking or biking?

Fox: So, for lovers of wildlife, and we’re talking about summer beaches, but Salisbury Beach on the North Shore is great because you have sea lions in the winter, you have piping plovers in the summer, you have beautiful beaches, a campground, great opportunities there. In Plymouth, we have Morton Park, and that is a great swimming beach. It has picnic areas, there’s a food concession, restrooms, which are so important when you’re going to the beach, and also has some great footpaths, so you can go for a walk and get off the beach, and sometimes if you’re at the beach and the weather turns and you think, "I don’t want to go in the water anymore," you have some great options down in Plymouth at Morton Park. For families with kids, I think Lynch Park in Beverly is a great one, it’s got a splash pad. Down on Cape Cod in Brewster, Paines Creek Beach. It’s an inlet, and it turns into a natural lazy river with the tides on the Brewster Flats, and you can go swimming, tubing, and float the day away. It’s super family-friendly. You’ll find sea creatures, good tide pooling. Back on the North Shore in Salem, we have Waikiki Beach, which is part of Winter Island Park and there’s a great playground there. You have a beach, and you’re accessible to all the things to do in Salem before and after you’re at the beach.

Herz: Well, going to the beach can be expensive when you consider parking costs and gas money. Any advice on affordability?

Fox: I think looking at our DCR beaches, the state properties have great options. The parking might be a little bit more affordable. But any beaches you go to, sometimes midweek, it’s going to be less expensive than going on a Saturday or Sunday. And what we say with beaches and anything you’re doing to explore a region is know before you go. So make sure you get online, check the website for the beach, see what the policies are, what the parking fees are, and you might find some discounts there. If you go in in the morning before 9 a.m. Or if you at the end of the day after four, you might get in without paying a fee. So you can check on the website for any beach and see what their rules and regulations are.

Herz: Sounds smart, and I know also DCR has senior parking passes.

Fox: They do and they also have great accessibility options for DCR beaches. So if you go in, in addition to accessible parking, they have ramps and some beaches do have accessible wheelchairs for the beach as well.

Herz: Oh, that’s great. And I just wanted to ask you, a lot of people love our rocky ocean beaches, some people find them a little on the cool side, shall we say, even in the summer. Any options for warmer water?

Fox: I think you wanna head to the southeast coast and the south side of the Cape. So there are beaches in Falmouth and Craigville Beach is a great one on the Cape and of course, Horseneck in Westport. Those are all great options for slightly warmer water than what you’ll find on the Atlantic side of this state.

Beach season has officially begun in Massachusetts. If you’re looking for a spot that’s a good fit for you, GBH’s Morning Edition host Mark Herz was joined by Kate Fox, the executive director at the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism, for advice on the best places to enjoy the sun, sand, and water around the commonwealth.

For lovers of wildlife

For those hoping to catch a bit of nature, Fox recommends Salisbury Beach on the North Shore. “You have sea lions in the winter, you have piping plovers in the summer, you have beautiful beaches, a campground, great opportunities there,” she said.

On the South Shore, Fox suggests Plymouth’s Morton Park, which boasts picnic areas, restrooms, and foot paths in addition to great swimming conditions.

For kids and families

For those with young ones in tow, Fox recommends Lynch Park in Beverly, known for its splash pad, which she says also happens to be her favorite beach in the state. Also on the North Shore is Salem’s Waikiki Beach, part of Winter Island Park, which has a playground.

For families visiting Cape Cod, there’s Paines Creek Beach in Brewster. “It’s an inlet, and it turns into a natural lazy river with the tides on the Brewster Flats, and you can go swimming, tubing, and float the day away,” Fox said. “It’s super family-friendly.”

For warm(er) water

If you find Massachusetts beaches too cold for your liking, Fox recommends visiting beaches on the southeast coast and south side of the Cape. “Craigville Beach is a great one, and of course, Horseneck in Westport,” she said.