Lifestyle

These are the best beaches in Massachusetts, according to Foursquare

A Provincetown seashore takes the top spot.

Crane Beach in Ipswich. (David Stone/Essex Heritage)

July 1, 2016

2 minutes to read

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Minus a few projected thunderstorms Friday evening, the weather forecast is looking pretty much perfect for the Fourth of July weekend. Some families may head out of town, while others stick close to home, but regardless of where you’re spending the holiday weekend, there will be plenty of people heading to one of the state’s many beaches. But which are the best beaches in Massachusetts?

To find out, we asked the makers of Foursquare, the location-based app that helps you discover new places using recommendations from a community you trust.

To come up with the rankings for the best beaches in Massachusetts, Foursquare used a proprietary algorithm that utilizes three factors:

Visit Popularity — how popular a place is.

Tip Sentiment — whether someone using the app describes a place using positive or negative language.

Explicit Ratings — whether someone gives the place a like, dislike, or neutral rating using the app.

With that in mind, here is Foursquare’s list for the best beaches in Massachusetts.

1. Herring Cove Beach

Province Lands Rd.

, Provincetown
Rating: 9.21

Artist, Jay Critchley, places a found flag (which was also used for the "Swim for Life" event) on carefully places bathhouse benches outside the Herring Cove Beach bathhouse as part of his art installation/show "Ten Days That Shook the World: the Centennial Decade," which will open on Sept. 28th. The ten day event will include theater, music, dance, poetry, performance art etc. which will take place throughout the bathhouse and beach area outside it. The Herring Cove Beach Bathhouse, a modernist landmark that is now threatened by beach erosion, will be torn down soon after the show. 09/25/12 Julia Cumes

An artist adjusting his art installation on Herring Cove Beach.

2. Crane Beach

310 Argilla Rd.

, Ipswich
Rating: 9.18

Ipswich, MA - 9/11/2013 - Siblings Brendan (cq), 4, and Marin Cirino (cq), 2, of Andover, chased oversized bubbles made by "Bubbleguy" James Dichter of Waltham. Beach goers were photographed for a story on the last hot day of summer at Crane's Beach in Ipswich, MA on Wednesday, September 11, 2013. (Yoon S. Byun/Globe Staff) Slug: 12heatphoto Reporter: billy baker LOID: 6.2.1066015440

Brendan, 4, and Marin Cirino, 2, chased oversized bubbles at Crane Beach.

3. Nauset Beach

, Orleans
Rating: 9.08

Orleans, MA 063010 Crowds at Nauset Beach in Orleans, MA at the Cape. For a Sam Allis' story on North Shore beaches versus Cape Cod beaches. (Essdras M Suarez/ Globe Staff)/ G 13beaches Library Tag 07132010 G section

Nauset Beach in Orleans, MA.

4. Lambert’s Cove Beach

Lamberts Cove Rd.

, West Tisbury
Rating: 8.95

Lambert's Cove Beach in West Tisbury, Martha's Vineyard.

Lambert’s Cove Beach in West Tisbury, Martha’s Vineyard.

5. Race Point Beach

, Provincetown
Rating: 8.94

Race Point Beach in Provincetown.

Race Point Beach in Provincetown.

6. Cisco Beach

Cisco Beach Access Drive

, Nantucket
Rating: 8.94

Cisco Beach on Nantucket.

Cisco Beach on Nantucket.

7. Menemsha Beach

, Chilmark
Rating: 8.94

Aquinnah, Martha's Vineyard, MA 5-11-05 - What is left of the "Orka", the boat featured in the filming of Jaws, lies rotting on the shore of Menemsha Creek. Owned by Lynn Murphy (cq), the boat has been picked apart by souvineer scavengers over the years. Several "Orkas" were used in the filming of the movie but only one remains on the Island. This one was used in the sinking scene where Quint was eaten by the shark. Library Tag 05122005 Metro

The remains of the “Orka”, the boat featured in the filming of ‘Jaws,’ on Menemsha Beach.

8. Good Harbor Beach

Nautilus Rd. (at Beach Rd.)

, Gloucester
Rating: 8.93

10nosurf - Gavin catches a wave at Good Harbor Beach. (Henry von Thaden Photography)

A boy catches a wave at Good Harbor Beach.

9. Hyannis Yacht Club

, Barnstable
Rating: 8.91

Boats anchored in front of the Hyannis Port Yacht Club.

Boats anchored in front of the Hyannis Port Yacht Club.

10. Madaket Beach

20 N. Cambridge St.

, Nantucket
Rating: 8.89

Madasket Beach at sunset.

Madaket Beach at sunset.

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