Cavendish Beach

You park, cross a long flat boardwalk over the dune area, and then take stairs or a multi-level ramp down to the sand. That boardwalk crossing is part of the appeal: elevated views over the dune grass before the beach opens up. Once down, most people either settle in for a swim day or walk the shoreline toward the cliffs for photos. The Dunelands Trail information and its gravel path start right at the boardwalk, so the trail can be added without moving your car.

The park is open year-round and visitor services generally run May to October, so a spring or fall visit gives you the dunes, cliffs and shoreline walk with almost nobody around. Accept the tradeoff: seasonal facilities and supervision may not be operating, so plan for no canteen and no lifeguards.

This shore is windy, the water runs cool, and entry can occasionally be rocky or slippery, so do not arrive expecting bathtub swimming. The facilities and boardwalks are well kept, but at peak times the beach feels like a busy public beach rather than a wild one. If solitude matters more than services, come off-peak or walk well away from the access point.

Domestic animals are prohibited on the park's beaches from April 1 through October 15. Stay off fenced or signed areas: they protect Piping Plover nesting sites and fragile dune vegetation. Use the boardwalk and stairs rather than cutting across the dunes.

The strongest subjects are the red cliffs at the eastern end, the dune lines seen from the boardwalk, and the boardwalk itself as a leading line toward the water. Early morning gives you low light plus empty sand; late in the day the beach is at its busiest, so frame tighter if you want clean shots.