Scusset Beach, located on Cape Cod Bay at the east end of the Cape Cod Canal, has a beautiful sandy beach and a long stone jetty that extends from the end of the service road into Cape Cod Bay, separating the canal from Scusset Beach. Kids will love to climb the rocks and walk down to the end. The jetty is also a popular area to fish, and a fishing pier is at the first parking lot. You can gain access to the Cape Cod Canal Bikeway (see below) from the beach.

The 98-site camping area at the beach is usually filled to capacity in summer, and some people camp here well into winter. Reservations are accepted six months in advance. The majority of sites are for RVs ($20 per night), but five are tent sites ($15 per night). For a family vacation on a Cape Cod beach, this is a great deal. A 0.7-mile trail to the left of the first parking lot goes to Sagamore Hill, where you can visit an area that was once an American Indian meeting ground. Later, it was the site of a World War II coastal fortification.

Nearby, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers runs the Cape Cod Canal Visitor Center, where you can learn about the area’s history, the operation of the Cape Cod Canal, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (60 Ed Moffitt Drive, Sandwich; 508-833-9678). It’s open May through October.

Remember: The parking fee is enforced from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. If you arrive earlier, stop at the park office to pay, as the gate is unattended until 9 a.m.

The Cape Cod Canal Bikeway follows the Cape Cod Canal for about 7 miles through sections of Bourne and Sagamore.

Several places to eat are along Scusset Beach Road.