One of the longest, widest, sandiest beaches in the region is Crane Beach, with 4 miles of fine-sand barrier beach on Ipswich Bay. It is set in the midst of the Crane Wildlife Refuge, so the entire surrounding area is pristinely beautiful. Five miles of trails traverse the dunes. The only downside is the pesky greenhead flies that buzz around (and bite) in late July and early August. Parking costs $25/15 on weekends/weekdays.
