The island has many residences, a national wildlife refuge, small shops and restaurants, and of course miles of beautiful sandy beaches. Sandy Point on the southern tip of Plum Island is a State Park and a wonderful place to swim, sun yourself or go tidepooling. Parking is available at the Refuge, the Point or in private parking lots. There are plenty of fish to be caught in the Merrimack River and off shore. If you enjoy fishing, you can cast your lines off the shore of Plum Island, or sign up for an off-shore excursion on a charter boat.
Parking is available at the Refuge, the Point or in private parking lots.
The focal point for many birding trips is the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge, a 4,662-acre sanctuary located on Plum Island. The entrance to the refuge is situated less than four miles from Market Square, the historic center of downtown Newburyport. The refuge contains a wide variety of habitats including beaches, sand dunes, saltmarshes, salt pannes, freshwater impoundments, and maritime forests. The Hellcat Wildlife Observation Area has large freshwater impoundments, an extensive swamp, and deciduous forest. The impoundments and swamp usually support large numbers of waterfowl, herons, and shorebirds.