Scusset Beach: A Cape Cod Treasure

Last weekend, Mike and I took a drive over to beautiful Scusset Beach State Reservation, located in Southeastern Massachusetts on Cape Cod Bay. This gorgeous beach is located at the east end of the Cape Cod Canal (at the end of the 8 mile Canal bike path, which I also recommend).

Being avid seaglass collectors, we decided to take a ride over as this beach is regarded as one of the hotspots in the state for collecting. Mike and I have been collecting ever since we lived on an island off the coast of Maine called Islesboro. We knew nothing about beachglass until local residents told us all about it. Ever since then, we search for beautiful frosty gems across the country. We were very pleased with our haul at this beautiful beach.

A hotspot for beach combers

If you are new to the term, seaglass is basically former discarded glass which has had years to tumble. It becomes smooth and frosty after many years tumbling amongst the rocks. In the past, beaches and other bodies of water were used as public dumping areas (thankfully, this has been illegal for many years).

Today, unending glass from years ago continues to wash up on the shores. Just as in garage sales & flea markets, someone else’s trash often becomes someone else’s treasures. I often use the glass I collect in art pieces or simply store them in pretty glass vases as seen in my photo below.

Even though it was a beautiful 60 degree day, the windy weather made it feel much cooler! It was also insanely windy during our bike ride (prob the windiest & hardest ride I’ve taken in recent years), and we needed a break afterwards. Walking along the beach we were absolutely freezing, however, the scenery was stunning and we ended up finding a surprising selection of colorful pieces.

In fact, we found our first perfectly rounded jewelry grade piece to add to our collection. We also found a piece of rare cobalt blue (which derives from early 1900’s Milk of Magnesia bottles) and a really cool piece of glass from an old Coke bottle. While cobalt blue is pretty rare around here, I found so much while living in Maine. The colors you will find pretty much depends on the history of the area i.e. what type of dump site, nearby factories, etc.

All these glass pieces are smooth to the touch as a result of years (or even decades) of waves, storms, sand, and rocks. You will not cut your hands on it. It’s much more rare to find a completely tumbled piece like the turquoise gem in my picture. The most desirable colors to find include: blue, purple, red, orange, and yellow. Most of the time, you will find brown, white, and green (which come from beer bottles and other common glass items).

Take a look at our collection below! If we found this much in one day (and later in the afternoon at that), I can’t imagine what we would find in the morning. Note that local collectors will probably be out in full force as early as possible, so the later in the day you arrive, the higher chance the good pieces have already been found.

The best time to search for Sea Glass is low tide, preferably the first of the day. I recommend arriving at the beach early before all the glass is picked over by other people. It’s always best to grab a coffee to go and hit the road as early as possible. Ideally, after a storm is your best chance for collecting as the storm will bring more “junk” up to the surface.

Update 2025: For anyone interested in more great beaches, I have a few to recommend. I have been traveling around the country for a few years since initially writing this post. I recommend these beaches to any avid collector.

• Isleboro: Any of the public beaches are great for collecting cobalt blue. This is a popular summer destination, but island rentals are pricey. Note: many beaches are private. Check out my guide to the island.
• Conneaut Township Park: Another winner for finding cobalt blue. Located on Lake Erie about an hour east of Cleveland.
• Seaglass Beach: This Ft. Bragg beach is home to “the world’s highest concentration of glass.” You can look but not take anything from this gem.
• Bradstreet’s Landing: Found so many wonderful pieces here in every hue.
• Perkins Beach at Clearwater: A great find just minutes from downtown Cleveland.
• Sheldon’s Marsh: A quiet nature preserve with a hidden beach. Located in Huron just minutes from Sandusky. More fantastic Lake Erie gems I recommend visiting if you are near Cleveland.
• La Jolla Cove: A small, uncrowded beach in San Diego. It’s also a great place to see sea lions sunbathing.

A Quiet Cape Cod Gem

I imagine this beach would also be beautiful to visit during the summer months. The sand is smooth and the water especially clear for a New England beach. The beach is very long (1.5 miles) and wide so crowds are not a big problem. You can get in a nice long walk here or combine it with a bike ride along the canal for a nice workout (we definitely skipped the gym the next day after our rough bike workout!). Also, there are plenty of places to spread out and relax.

You will notice more of a secluded feel than other Massachusetts beaches, which depending on your preference, can be a plus or minus. I prefer the laid back, quietness of this beach over a noisy, overpopulated beach like Horseneck in Westport. Scusset would be an ideal beach to take a summer stroll or even jog and while watching a gorgeous Cape Cod sunrise. I would definitely add it to your Cape bucket list as it’s a gorgeous place.

Note that some sections of this beach are private. Watch the signs and keep only to public areas. It’s illegal to collect glass on anyone’s private property.

Tips for a great visit

Wear warm clothing if searching for Sea Glass during the cool spring/fall months. Even if it is warm outside, the temps get very, very cold near the water. Plus, it can get extremely windy!

Take a summer ride along the scenic Canal path before relaxing at the beach. As a bonus, you can avoid the beach parking fee by parking for free at the start of the bike path.

Camping is another popular summer activity. 98 RV sites and 5 tent sites are offered. You can learn more about camping and other activities on the beach website.

Directions: This beach is located at 20 Scusset Beach Rd in Sandwich, Massachusetts, approximately an hour from both Providence and Boston. Parking is $14 per day for residents and $40 for non residents. Parking fee is in effect from May 24th-October 13th. No RV parking from May 14 to September 15th.