Long Pond Brewster Beach
Brewster, Massachusetts · on Long Pond · Long Pond Landing
Verified · 4 independent sources · top-verified
- WATER
- pond
- ACCESS
- Designated swim area
- FEE
- $25
- SEASON
- Best in summer
About Long Pond Brewster Beach
Long Pond Brewster Beach is one of the Town of Brewster's two designated freshwater swimming beaches, located on Long Pond, the largest pond on Cape Cod, which straddles the Brewster-Harwich town line. It is a town-managed, permit-parking beach with seasonal lifeguard coverage rather than a hidden or informal swimming hole.
Long Pond Beach sits on the shore of Long Pond, a large freshwater kettle pond on Cape Cod that is shared between Brewster and Harwich, with the two towns' boundary running through the middle of the water. Local reporting describes the pond as seeing heavy summertime use, with many shoreline residents and recreational visitors, and the town has been working to redesign its landing area to separate boat-trailer traffic from beachgoers.
Swimming at Long Pond Brewster Beach
The town designates Long Pond Beach as one of its two official freshwater swimming beaches (the other being Fisherman's Landing on Sheep Pond), and staffs it with a lifeguard during the peak of summer (mid-July through mid-August, 9am-4pm). It functions as a general-purpose town swim beach on a large, open pond rather than a secluded or specialty swimming hole; outside the lifeguarded window, swimming is unsupervised.
How to get to this swimming hole
The beach is accessed off Crowells Bog Road in Brewster, on the Long Pond shoreline near the Brewster-Harwich line (per reverse geocoding of the site's coordinates); no more detailed official driving directions were found.
Parking: On-site parking lot requiring a town permit from June 15 through Labor Day weekend (resident permit $25 for the first vehicle; non-resident daily pass $20 or seasonal pass $150, purchasable online); the town notes a permit does not guarantee an open spot due to limited capacity, and overnight parking is not allowed.
The walk in
No real hike here. The water is a short walk from where you park. Drive-up town beach; parking lot sits directly on the Long Pond shoreline off Crowells Bog Road, so it is a short walk (well under 5 minutes) from car to water. No formal trail or hike is involved.
Plan your visit
Bringing kids
OK with supervision
Town-run beach with a sandy swim area, but lifeguard coverage only runs mid-July through mid-August (9am-4pm) per the town beach page; outside that window swimming is unsupervised. Long Pond is a large multi-town kettle pond with its own boat ramp (shared with Harwich) that the town has been redesigning specifically to separate boat-trailer traffic from beachgoers, so families should be mindful of boat activity near the shoreline. No documented drop-off, depth, or bottom-composition details were found this session, so exact wading conditions are unconfirmed.
Parking
Paid, $25 resident (first vehicle) / $20 non-resident daily / $150 non-resident season
On-site town lot requires a parking permit June 15-Labor Day, purchasable online through the town; a permit does not guarantee an open spot due to limited capacity, and overnight parking is prohibited.
Restrooms
Yes
Portable toilets provided at the beach from Memorial Day through the Columbus Day weekend (per brewster-ma.gov); no permanent restroom building confirmed.
Hours
Beach open 6:00am-10:00pm daily; lifeguard on duty mid-July through mid-August, 9am-4pm only.
On the water
Long Pond has a town boat ramp (in Brewster, with two additional access points in Harwich) that the town natural-resources director describes as seeing significant summertime recreational boat-trailer traffic, and which the town is redesigning specifically to separate boat launch traffic from the swim beach. No specific horsepower limit, no-wake zone, or electric-only rule was found in the sources checked this session, so those remain unconfirmed. Non-motorized craft (kayak/canoe/paddleboard) are very likely usable on a pond this size with a public ramp, but no source explicitly documenting their permitted use (vs. restriction) at this location was found, so they are left off the confirmed list per the no-guess rule.
Long Pond Brewster Beach: FAQ
Does Long Pond Brewster Beach charge a fee?
No separate swimming admission fee found; access in season is gated by the parking permit system described above (resident $25, non-resident daily $20 or seasonal $150).
Is Long Pond Brewster Beach kid friendly?
Town-run beach with a sandy swim area, but lifeguard coverage only runs mid-July through mid-August (9am-4pm) per the town beach page; outside that window swimming is unsupervised. Long Pond is a large multi-town kettle pond with its own boat ramp (shared with Harwich) that the town has been redesigning specifically to separate boat-trailer traffic from beachgoers, so families should be mindful of boat activity near the shoreline. No documented drop-off, depth, or bottom-composition details were found this session, so exact wading conditions are unconfirmed.
Do I need to hike to reach Long Pond Brewster Beach?
No significant hike is required. The swimming area is close to parking and access.
Where do I park for Long Pond Brewster Beach?
On-site town lot requires a parking permit June 15-Labor Day, purchasable online through the town; a permit does not guarantee an open spot due to limited capacity, and overnight parking is prohibited.
Can I bring a kayak or paddleboard to Long Pond Brewster Beach?
Long Pond has a town boat ramp (in Brewster, with two additional access points in Harwich) that the town natural-resources director describes as seeing significant summertime recreational boat-trailer traffic, and which the town is redesigning specifically to separate boat launch traffic from the swim beach. No specific horsepower limit, no-wake zone, or electric-only rule was found in the sources checked this session, so those remain unconfirmed. Non-motorized craft (kayak/canoe/paddleboard) are very likely usable on a pond this size with a public ramp, but no source explicitly documenting their permitted use (vs. restriction) at this location was found, so they are left off the confirmed list per the no-guess rule.
When is the best time to visit Long Pond Brewster Beach?
Summer, with lifeguard coverage specifically mid-July through mid-August (9am-4pm); portable toilets are provided from Memorial Day through the October (Columbus Day) holiday weekend, bracketing the main season.
What are the rules at Long Pond Brewster Beach?
Beach hours 6:00am-10:00pm daily; no dogs allowed May 15-September 15; smoking prohibited; beach fires not permitted; no overnight parking.
What water body is Long Pond Brewster Beach on?
Long Pond Brewster Beach is on Long Pond, a natural pond verified in USGS hydrography data.
More swimming holes near Brewster
★ Top verifiedSeymour Pond
Harwich, Massachusettspond
🛶
★ Top verifiedLong Pond Beach and Boat Ramp
Harwich, Massachusettspond
🛶🏄🚤
★ Top verifiedCahoon Beach Landing - Long Pond
Harwich, Massachusettspond
🛶🏄🚤
★ Top verifiedSand Pond Beach
Harwich, Massachusettspond
🛶
Flax Pond Recreation Area
South Yarmouth, Massachusettspond
★ Top verifiedWiley Park
Eastham, Massachusettspond
⛺🛶🏄