Plum Island is one of those great little places in Massachusetts that nobody has heard of unless you live close by. The island is named for the hundreds of beach-plum bushes growing everywhere.

Its spring in New England and the weather and ocean are warming up. If you live anywhere within striking distance of a coast in the region then your thoughts are probably turning towards the beach. And Plum Island - about one-hour drive north of Boston -offers miles of public sandy beaches.

But that’s not all this 11-mile long barrier island off the shore of Newburyport and Newbury offers the visitor.

You’ll also discover an excellent wildlife refuge, a beautiful coastal park, a lighthouse, and many more outdoor activities such as kayaking and deep sea fishing charters, and of course summer rentals, restaurants and plenty of shops to keep you browsing when you’ve had enough sun and hiking.

Sandy Point State Reservation is a 77-acre state park on the southern tip of Plum Island and is where most people head to swim and sun in the area. You can reach the beach through the gate to the wildlife refuge area. In addition to the beach there are scenic viewing areas and walking trails.

The Parker River National Wildlife Refuge is a bird-watchers paradise. The 4,662-acre sanctuary occupies the southern three-fourths of Plum Island and offers excellent wildlife-oriented recreational and educational opportunities with visitor facilities and programs. Because the refuge is composed of a variety of habitats including beaches, sand dunes, salt marshes, salt panes, freshwater ponds, and maritime forests, it attracts a stunning array of birds. Depending on the season these include: the endangered Piping plover, egrets, herons, songbirds, Rough-legged Hawk, Northern Shrike, and Snowy Owl.

The Plum Island Lighthouse is at the northern tip of Plum Island. You can walk around the grounds all year and they have occasional open houses from May through October. Make sure you wear sneakers if you want to climb to the top. You get a great view of the island from up there!

Plum Island is about four miles from Newburyport town. In Newburyport you can rent kayaks for the day, take a whale watch cruise out to Stellwagen Bank, charter a boat for deep sea fishing, or browse the shops and restaurants. This is a lively little town by day and a great place to stay for dinner in the evening – but make sure you book a table or expect long lines if you visit during summer weekends.

Newburyport is on the extreme northeast coast of Massachusetts and easily reached by taking Route 95 north out of Boston to Route 110 to the town. From Newburyport follow the road south to Newbury Old Town and then the signs to the Wildlife Refuge area.

You can find an excellent resource on Plum Island by clicking here.

For more suggestions on destinations to visit and things to do in Massachusetts check out my Massachusetts vacations site by clicking here.

Until next week, enjoy the beach!

Cliff Calderwood
Executive Director
New England Destinations Guide