Nahant- Marblehead Beach Safari Road Ride-Tour

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Salem, MA, US

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All Day Adventures

Hiking, Cyclo-Cross, MTB, Fat Bike, Road Bike: in Eastern Mass, and New England www.AllDayAdventures.org

70 km

392 m

40 mile Coastal Route road Bike, Cycle-cross Ride. Perfect afternoon of coastline sites, public beaches and views of many coastline mansions.

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Routedetails

The **Nahant-Marblehead Multi Island Tour** is a great coastline ride for a hot summer day. Perfect for the Cycling Couple or a small cycling group.  This ride is best for a road-bike, hybrid , or Cross-cycle bike. Ride is about ~40 miles and is 95% paved roads.  This ride is for medium-intermediate level riders because of the distance, and a few scattered hills.  This ride is mostly flat.

[**www.AllDayAdventures.org**](https://www.alldayadventures.org)

**About the Ride:** This ride visits a couple of local islands, that are part of the coastline communities on the North Shore. This ride travels along as much coastline as possible.  The ride starts and ends in Salem, Mass and travels to the towns of Swampscott, Lynn, Nahant, and Marblehead.  The (2) island-towns feature upscale homes that many of us can only enjoy from the outside. (smiles)

There are many beaches, rocky coastlines, and sea-side parks.  Bring a towel as you have the opportunity to swim at 8 different beaches. Bring a camera, and take a 100 photos. Plenty of places for a food stop along the way. Traffic is scant on the Islands, but if it is a beach day, expect a lot of beach traffic.

**Riding the Route:**  Starting in Salem, you get away from the downtown area, and out on Rt 114 heading to South Salem.  Take advantage of the bike lanes where possible. Part of this ride doubles back on itself, so keep careful attention on what you are following. This is a very popular cycling route, and you will see many riders.

Passing the Salem/Marblehead line, on the right you will see the Forest River Marshland.  On the Left the back of Salem Harbor.  Heading up the hill to Marblehead, you will quickly cut across the peninsula to the coastline of Swampscott.  Humphrey Street heads to the Swampscott and Lynn Coastlines. It can be a little tight with traffic.  The streets are narrow, and people in cars are constantly opening their doors to access the ocean, so keep a careful eye.  On the way out to Nahant, try to keep on the street, but feel free to use the @photo[Lynn Harbor walkway](1628210) if you want to escape the traffic.  On the return trip you are encouraged to use the harbor walk.

Once at the Swampscott coastline, you have arrived at the views you wish to "see" at the Sea.  The entire coastline opens up to your view and you can see all the way to the Nahant Islands that you are about to visit.

If you stay on the road, or took the harbor walk trail, you will approach a @point[traffic rotary](d,10802.36) at the Lynn, Nahant boarder.  At this point, it is strongly recommended that you use the 2.5 mile long Sea-side Beachwalk that travels along@poi[ Nahant Beach](1962410).  The street part of the causeway is no place for cyclist. I do not recommend riding against traffic at the beach parking lot either.

On a beach day there will be lots of traffic and walkers on the beach path, but it is only a few short miles before you approach Nahant Island.   Be polite, and watch for children.

At the end of the Nahant Beach and causeway, you will exit the path at the parking entrance. You will want to get across to the proper side of the road as you travel into Nahant.  The very moment you cross the road you will get the feeling of a real sea-side community. Ocean will be on both sides of you with lots of sea-grass and sand dunes.

Nahant Island is a small town with secondary beaches on both the east and west coastlines.  Only Nahant residents CAN take their cars onto Nahant island, cyclist have full access.  If you did come prepared for swimming, @point[Willow Road Beach](d,16750.98) is your first stop for a swim.

Heading along the route your next stop is @poi[Eastern Point Park.](1962412)  The entrance looks like it is fenced off for the Northeastern Marine college. Just enter through the portal in the gate, and this island has no restrictions for pedestrians.  Follow the route to the top of the hill, and these are some of the best rocky coastline views you will see today.  Sometimes Province-town at the end of Cape Cod can be seen. Seeing this depends if the ocean-fog obscures your view.  A pair of site glasses will also help.

Heading back, I route you on a few side streets with some very luxurious homes on Nahant Bay.  From this coastline, you will get a great view of Egg Rock.  Once back on the main road, you will hit a great downhill that takes you past Nahant’s Short-Beach, which you also have access to on a bike.  Heading back to the causeway, I route you onto Little Nahant Island, for a quick tour of the high density mini island.

Back at Nahant Beach, this is another great place to drop your towel down and go swimming.  If you chose to continue, I recommend using the parking lot as your bike return route if the boardwalk is thick with people.  Please keep an eye open for cars, kids, and cars.

Back at the @photo[Lynn Harbor walk](1628210), this is a good time to get next to the seawall, and take in some views.  On some days, there will be a sea-weed presence that you can detect with your nose. It is only sea-weed, nothing more.@poi[  Red Rocks Park ](1962409)is a great place for a short stop, see some of the local folks fishing and playing.   Continue on to Swampscott, and the end of the overlap of this cycling route.

Traveling to Marblehead you will get in solid 4 miles before the next @photo[view-points](1628088).  Heading out to @photo[Marblehead Neck](1628087), this is probably some of the most expensive real estate in Eastern Mass.  When someone purchases a property here, new owners do not paint the rooms.  Instead they tear down the current Mansion and put up a new one.

You will pass @poi[Devereux Beach](1962413), another great place to stop and swim.  Or head across the causeway to the Neck.  @poi[Castle Rock ](1962414)is a @photo[must see](1628091), but hard to find.  Keep your eye out for a very small sign that denotes it’s entrance.

Continue on to@poi[ Chandler Park](1962415), and you will get a full view of @photo[Marblehead Harbor](1628092), the harbor islands, and some of the giant yacht clubs in the harbor. Children’s Island will be the closest island you can see and it is a YMCA Day-Camp.  You may see the children in the mini-sailboats, as they are often sailing. On a good day, there will be over 100 sail boats in action, and countless motorized ones.

Heading off of Marblehead Neck, this route will take you to Old-Town where the roads are narrow, and the houses sit on the street.  @poi[Crocker Park ](1962416)is a nice place to@photo[ view](1628085) the middle-harbor and also has a swim-dock if you want to jump in the harbor.

@poi[Fort Sewall](1962417),@poi[ Browns Island](1962418), and some more elaborate coastline homes are some of the final sites to view before returning to Salem.

Once back in Salem the tour continues to @poi[Forest River Park](1962419), @poi[Winter Island Park](1962420), @poi[Salem Willows Park](1962421), and the Salem Commons.  This will be a long day of site seeing, and swimming if you take advantage of it.

Nahant- Marblehead Beach Safari Road Ride-Tour

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