Wollaston Beach

It’s not the prettiest beach, but it will make do if you’re near the Quincy area. I’ve come during lunchtime from work, I’ve been able to find parking both times. (Parking is free by the way). Just make sure you come on a hot sunny day with a blanket since the beach is somewhat rocky.

I am not a Quincy native, nor am I a native of any neighboring Boston city, and even I know this beach is NOT meant for swimming. You can forego my warning, but you’d run the risk of crawling out of the water with an extra arm, leg, or tail.
Although the bacteria levels of the water are concerning, the beach serves as a brilliant jogging route that spans about 2 miles each way and is home to an incredible sunset. The people of Quincy are lucky to have had this gem around them while growing up!
It doesn’t matter if it’s a weekday or weekend, the beach walkway is full of residents who want to get out and wind down after a long day.

I have been going to this beach most of my life. It is a great place to have some yummy food or ice cream at Tony’s or The Clam Box. There is a playground for the children across the street from the beach and a bath house is open in the summer. You have gorgeous views of Boston in the distance. Some people swim in the water, but I don’t take that chance. I guess some people love that dirty water. TIPS: Dogs are not allowed on the beach from Memorial Day — September. Most people think it is a quick walk from the Wollaston T Station, however it is not. It is about a 30 min walk. I am sure in the age of Über you can get a quick ride down the beach and spend the day. There is a Dunkin Donuts and CVS located towards the end of the beach which is a plus for snacks etc. There are also events during the summer down the beach for families which is great!

A nice city-​beach promenade with some simple restaurants across the street that serve fresh seafood, ice cream… A great place for a picknick or promenade, winter or summer to enjoy seaside & sunshine, and to «rub elbows» with the many diverse ethnic groups that populate the greater Boston area. A reminder of what makes this country great and strong.

Probably the most depressing beach I’ve ever been to. The sand is so rocky and hard. Theres barely any water. Only good thing about this place is the view.

its an OK beach, def got to try the clam shacks there next time i go. But in comparison to revere and nahant beach, this beach is just OK… nothing amazing.

This place is absolutely breath taking! It’s my go to place in Boston in the summer. The beach has clean white sand but closer to the water it’s gravel based.
I wouldn’t recommend swimming in this water but you definitely can. To me this place is just so much more enjoyable taking in the breathtaking views and smelling the crisp sea air.
Please make sure you come here early and partake in some of the amazing food this area has to offer. There are two seafood places and both are so very delicious!
Please do yourself a favor in the warmer months and head to Wollaston Beach… It’s really a hidden gem in Boston.

I’m from Boston. Dorchester, to be exact. As most of you know, Dorchester is just right across the Neponset, and with Wolly Beach being so close, my family and I often frequented the area during the summer months. I now live in Quincy, and it’s quite close to my apartment.
When I was younger, we would play in the water all the time. Then it got polluted at some point with sewage, there was red tide for a few summers, then it was eventually cleaned up well and filled with clean sand. I don’t go in the water anymore… I just walk on the sand if I want to or just sit and people watch. More than anything, I walk the length of beach for exercise, and it’s a great place to do just that. It’s roughly 3 miles one way, and it’s quite refreshing.
Other reasons for visiting Wolly Beach are The Clam Box, The Ice Box, and Tony’s Clam Shoppe. People are usually divided about which clam spot to go to, but I’m a neutral kinda person, and I happen to like both. Prices and portions are similar and the food is just so good.
Wolly Beach is a spot to hang, go for a walk, people watch or a place to gaze at the skyline to the west, Harbor Islands to the east, and the lighthouse that’s dead center of the beach. People go fishing all the time too, which I won’t ever ever do — I just don’t trust the water to be clean enough.
Oh! There’s also a playground across the street up on a tiny hill. If you want to bring your kids to play, it’s a good spot. Not so great at night because it’s not very well lit. It’s cute, and tucked away from the summer beach craziness.

super shallow (it was low tide and it went out super fast). not packed because it’s huge. they need more shops on both ends of the beach, I guess there are more on the south and we saw none on the north.
once the parking fills up, you can find some on the backstreets around the houses.
I wouldn’t trust those lifeguards to save me ever… they were too busy doing the ice bucket challenge and failing because they stopped filming RIGHT before she dumped it on her hair.

I run here regularly and few times a year hit the clam spots with family.
I get confused over the people complaining about kids and music, ITS A BEACH!! ITS SUPPOSED TO BE FUN!!! the water is like all beaches in the city, not very nice but everything else about the beach is great!

Wolly beach has it’s share of pluses and minuses. The very critical me always starts with bad news first:
Sand: 2 stars
If it’s a beach, it has to have sand. For a man made beach, I wish they had put good sand here. For the 2 months of nice weather we get that allows us to dare and get into the atlantic from anywhere we can, the quality of sand at wolly beach is not good. More pebbles and rocks than what you really want. So if you are into taking a dip with your flip flops on, give it a shot. Mind the rocks though.
Water: 3 stars
It is good old Atlantic of the upper east coast. It is fine. Depending on the tide and the sunlight, it can sometimes give you the illusion of being clear, but I won’t judge the waters up here too much. I personally haven’t gone swimming on this beach because it is not that big a beach where you can swim and not be enshrined in the «people who swam in the waters of wolly beach» list. I am good for now.
Here starts the good part!
Walks /​Runs /​Jogs: 5 stars
Totally renovated recently (a year+ now), Wolly beach has possibly the best side walks along Quincy Shore drive to walk and jog along. Very friendly crowd, every local and visitor is very accommodating and attitude free. I can vouch for many an easy jogs that I have jogged back and forth from mid May through mid September. Love it.
Food: 4 stars
A couple of great options for fried sea food lovers are almost always jam packed during evening and lunch hours and of course the weekends. Parking near them is an absolute challenge as should be expected. But they do serve some good fried grub and when i am in the mood to indulge, I stop over with friends to enjoy the great people watching while adding to my daily bad calorie intake.
In a nutshell, Wolly Beach is in my back yard but as they say, grass is greener on the other side. I stick to the private beach in front of my house which is almost always clear to swim in because of the location (it’s a bay). And if I really want a ‘baskin in the sun and on real sand’ kinda day, I drive to Nantasket beach which is such a blessing for us folks on the south shore who don’t frequent the cape as much. Else, South Beach is just a 3 hr plane ride away.

A fun place to people watch. Needs some vendors selling pails and inflatables like it had ages ago. Couple of good clam places to dine at. Good for jogging, kite flying or leisurely bike riding.
I still don’t understand why the water is so… opaque…after how my water bill went through the stratosphere to clean it up. Plymouth Harbor is not so far away and is nice and clear.

Well, when I came to school in Boston, you definitely did NOT want to come to Wolly Beach at low tide. We did fish for flounder though. Lots of people did back then. It’s nice to have a beach walking distance away, however, the beach is dusty when dry, muddy when wet.

My dad grew up here, the beach itself got redone a while ago, it’s a good place to walk your dog. The water is un-​swim able I believe. Also, some people don’t clean up after their pets! Otherwise it’s a great place to go for a walk!

Had the day off today and wanted to relax, but didn’t want to travel far. It’s my first summer in Boston so I thought I’d head out to Quincy to check out the beach. It’s dirty. When I read these other reviews commenting on how much cleaner it is now, I’m amazed. Cigarette butts everywhere, bottle caps, etc. Not to mention, the sand is really rough anyway. Tons of rocks. It is not one of those beaches you would want to go for long walks on. I really just wanted to lay out somewhere, but it was hard to find a spot that wasn’t going to be uncomfortable. Being right by the road kills it for me too. Ahh the relaxing sounds of traffic! I guess it’s ok if you have no other options, don’t want to travel far, listen to some music to cover up the traffic, bring a thick blanket and just take a nap or something. I doubt I’ll go back.

It’s relatively clean, as long as you pay attention to the water conditions (water gets unsafe… it’s part of the deal with humans screwing up the planet). The «sand» is rocky though, so it’s not great to walk on if you’re barefoot. The sidewalk along the shore is great for walking any time of the day; definitely be ware of bikes, dogs, and kids. Right across Quincy Shore drive are a selection of fried seafood and ice cream places to satisfy your food cravings.
The views of the Harbor Islands on clear days is spectacular. Speaking of views, you can’t beat the view on July 4 – an almost 360 degree view of the surrounding communities’ fireworks displays, a great view of the Boston fireworks without the crowds, and local beach fireworks, you can’t go wrong. if you want parking, get here early and make a day of it with your family/​friends.

I can’t get over the changes in Wollaston Beach. It’s actually clean. The people that go there go to have fun with their kids or sit and chat and work on their tans (Like I do with Friends). But, it’s very clean and relaxing .
You can get the most beautiful pics of the sun rise or sun set here.
The flowers are kept up and very pretty :). I am just shocked at the changes… for the better.
Even the sand is cleaner

There isn’t really anything superior about Wollaston; the sand isn’t the best, no one really swims in this water, nor is there a fun-​bright-​shining boardwalk to stroll along at night.
But, the atmosphere, Clam Box, and the memories I’ve had here are just enough to make me rate this 4 stars here on Unilocal.
Everyone in this area that I’ve encountered is friendly and usually sitting on the stone wall, walking along the shore or sidewalk, or hanging out with their dogs. Parking has never been an issue here for me, with plenty of spaces lining the beach.
Right across the street sits Johnny’s, The Clam Box, and Tony’s Clam Shack, which are great places to get a local taste of seafood fare. My friends and I are usually eating a lemon slush and soaking in the glorious feeling of summer.
Although not one of the best beaches in the world, it still remains as one of my favorites =) I will be back for a countless number of times to come.

Have grown up frequenting Wollaston, my Dad grew up on the beach (Literally — he lived in the house across from the Yacht Club) so he was always taking me there to see it & hang out…
It hasnt changed much except they have improved on the Parking & Washing Stations…
Went the other day & the beach was all rocky & dirty & I was soo disappointed… I want to love it more than Revere (closer to home), but it wasnt all pretty like it used to be… Maybe it was just due to High Tide…
But am often in the area & trying to get my son used to the beach & the water, so will def be back to visit…
Just some tips: Park near the wash off station so you dont have to track sand into your car…
And Tonys is the better shop for Clams…

I’m glad there is a Wollaston Beach. I like driving by it. I like knowing it’s there. But then I forget it’s there.
It is definitely a beach in the «where the ocean meets the land» sense, but it is not a beach because of the «the water may or may not have tons of poop in it, check the flag before you proceed» factor. Everybody says it’s much cleaner now than ever before, but it is really hard to get past a lifetime of «Stay out of the Poopwater!» warnings.
The boardwalk-​type area has been renovated in the past decade and looks much nicer than it used to, but it is still covered in teenagers all summer long. I would prefer the old, rotting seawall with no teenagers to the shiny new one with extra teenagers. But there were always teenagers here so I guess it doesn’t matter.
I have seen horshoecrabs and teenagers mating here. Not together, but also not very far from eachother. Romantic!