In the summer, life in New England is all about finding beautiful beaches that not everybody knows about. Demarest Lloyd State Park has one of the best kept secrets in the Massachusetts forest and park system, according to Leland Stein of Arlington's Regent Theatre, a Dispatches sponsor. At this little-known gem, an 1800-foot saltwater beach is backed by rambling hills of beach grass and shaded, grassy picnic sites. A broad, scenic marsh lines the Slocum River on the park's eastern edge.Notes another Dispatches reader who has a house nearby: "At low tide, you can walk straight out a sandbar that crosses the bay. It's actually a pretty long walk out, but beware! While the sandbar walk is a really cool experience, the current around the bar is very, very strong. There have been drownings there, so do not swim off the sandbar, as tempting as it may be!"
