Composed of a two-lane road, parkland, a seaside pedestrian esplanade, and a seawall, Lynn Shore Drive runs for approximately one mile (1.6 km) along Lynn's Atlantic Ocean coastline, following the upland boundary of the adjoining Lynn Shore Reservation, and connecting Nahant with Swampscott.

[1] Known for its scenic views of the open Atlantic, Nahant Bay, Egg Rock, and Boston Skyline, Lynn Shore Drive is part of the Essex Coastal Scenic Byway[2] and forms the southeasterly edge of the National Register Diamond Historic District.

[3] An early example of a parkway, and distinctive by virtue of its oceanfront setting, Lynn Shore Drive opened to the public in 1907.

Prior to the drive’s creation, Lynn’s oceanfront was held largely in private estates and was not accessible to the public.

[6][3] Lynn Shore Drive is today managed by the Metropolitan District Commission's successor agency, the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation.