Yarmouth has beaches on both sides of the Cape — the calm, warmer waters of Cape Cod Bay on the north side, and the cooler, more open ocean beaches of Nantucket Sound on the south. The bay beaches are generally preferred for swimming with children; the south-side beaches have stronger surf. A town beach sticker is required for parking in summer.
Bass Hole (Gray's Beach) on the bay side is the main bay beach, with the adjacent boardwalk through the marsh. Grays Beach itself is sandy and shallow, good for wading. On the south shore, Smugglers Beach and Sea Gull Beach are the most popular.