Crane Beach Parking & Directions

To park at Crane Beach on a weekend or a summer holiday, you need an advance pass, bought online from The Trustees before you go. On other days a pass is strongly encouraged, because when the lot fills, everyone without a timed pass or a current Ipswich resident sticker is turned away until space opens. Parking is at the end of Argilla Road in Ipswich, and the price depends on the day, the time and whether you're a Trustees member (see passes and rates).

Summer passes go on sale at noon every Monday for the coming Tuesday to Thursday, and at noon every Thursday for the coming Friday to Monday. Trustees members get a presale at 11:30 a.m. on those days.

How the Parking Reservation Works

Crane Beach sells day passes by vehicle through The Trustees' online ticketing. One pass covers the car and everyone in it. You pick a date, log in with your Member ID if you have one so the discount applies, and get a confirmation by email. At the gate, every car stops and shows the pass, printed or on a phone.

The release schedule changes with the season:

• Summer (Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day): Monday at noon for Tuesday to Thursday; Thursday at noon for Friday to Monday.
• Extended season and off-season (after Labor Day to Memorial Day): every other Thursday at noon, for the next two weeks.
• Members: presale access to some passes at 11:30 a.m. on release days.

Passes are nonrefundable and can't be exchanged. The one exception is a full closure of two hours or more for thunder and lightning. Flooding on Argilla Road and water closures don't count. There's also no re-entry: if you drive out, the pass is used.

What Happens When the Lot Is Full

The Trustees close the gate to drive-up visitors whenever the beach reaches its operating capacity. Only cars with a timed entry pass or a valid Ipswich resident sticker get in until space frees up. On a hot July weekend that can mean a long wait or a wasted drive, which is why the pass matters most then.

Ipswich residents with a current beach sticker on the car don't need a pass. The gate checks the sticker and sends resident cars to the Town lot.

Baker's Pasture Overflow Lot

Baker's Pasture is a second lot The Trustees open for high-demand days. In 2026 it ran on weekends and holidays only, Memorial Day to Labor Day, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Last entry is 3 p.m., and every car has to be out by 4 p.m., when the gates lock.

• Passes for it are released Thursday at noon for the coming weekend and aren't sold on site.
• A Baker's Pasture pass doesn't let you park in the main lot or at Castle Hill.
• No walk-in or bike entry there; those come through the main lot.
• Portable toilets only. The bathhouse and beach store are a half-mile walk along the beach.
• No accessible parking; use the main lot.
• Lifeguards cover that stretch from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekends, weather permitting.

Walking, Biking or Taking the Shuttle

Trustees members who arrive on foot or by bike get in free, and nonmembers pay a small walk-in fee (amount on the passes page). Drop-offs outside the gate aren't allowed, so a ride can't leave you at the entrance.

In summer, the Cape Ann Transportation Authority (CATA) has run a weekend and holiday beach shuttle between the Ipswich commuter rail station and Crane Beach. The station is on the Newburyport line to Boston's North Station. No advance pass is needed to ride it, and members arriving by CATA get in free. Check CATA's Ipswich Essex Explorer site for the season's dates.

Directions to Crane Beach

The address is 310 Argilla Road, Ipswich, MA 01938. Argilla Road ends at the beach gate and parking lot.

• From Route 128: take exit 45B to Route 1A north for 8 miles to Ipswich. Turn right on Route 133 east for 1.5 miles, left on Northgate Road for half a mile, then right on Argilla Road for 2.5 miles to the entrance.
• From I-95: take exit 78 to Route 133 east for 4.5 miles. Turn right onto Route 1A south / Route 133 east toward Ipswich for 3.5 miles, then left on Argilla Road for 3.9 miles to the entrance.

Castle Hill has its own entrance on Argilla Road, just before the beach, at 290 Argilla Road, Ipswich, MA 01938. Its parking is for Castle Hill visitors only, and you can't reach the beach from there. Details on the Castle Hill page.

Accessible Parking and Beach Access

The main lot has 25 accessible parking spaces for ticket holders, first come, first served. Rangers will drive visitors with mobility challenges from the lot to the beachfront and back; ask at the beach store in summer or at the gate the rest of the year. A waterproof beach wheelchair is available the same way, and Mobi Mats go down on the sand in summer.

Tips for a Smooth Arrival

• Set a reminder for noon on release day.
• Have the pass ready at the gate, printed or on your phone.
• Expect the bathhouse, store and Snack Shack only from Memorial Day to Labor Day.
• Check hours before an evening visit: the gate closes 20 minutes before sunset.
• For conditions on the day (parking, greenheads, water closures), call the Crane Beach line at 978-356-4354; The Trustees post updates to its voicemail.