There are so many reasons to make a summer escape to the Cape and Islands. Find out what we’ve loved discovering on our trips to Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard, and Nantucket, which might just inspire you to go out and find even more reasons of your own.
Bass Hole Boardwalk, Yarmouth Port Credit: David Trifiletti
Henry David Thoreau was a bit of a prophet when, after a three-day walk along the outer Cape in 1849, he predicted, “This place will be a place of resort for those New Englanders who really wish to visit the seaside.” But even he would be astonished at how Cape Cod and its islands, Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard, have become one of the most recognized destinations in the nation and around the globe. Every year the Cape and Islands region draws an estimated six million visitors, most of whom come in the summer — all the better to soak up the endless outdoor diversions of this oceanside playground, from boardwalks to beaches to bike paths. There are classic lighthouses to visit, whales to watch, and holes-in-one to sink at mini golf courses. There’s handmade ice cream and superlative fried seafood practically everywhere you look.
Marconi Beach in Wellfleet, part of Cape Cod National Seashore.
Credit: Mark Fleming
Marconi Beach in Wellfleet, part of Cape Cod National Seashore. Credit: Mark Fleming
There are so many reasons to make a summer escape to the Cape and Islands, in fact, that we filled more than two dozen pages of Yankee’s May/June issue with a selection of our favorites. Read on to find out what we’ve loved discovering on our trips to Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard, and Nantucket, which might just inspire you to go out and find even more reasons of your own.
Freshly churned ice cream, fried seafood feasts, delicious dueling French bakeries, and more. Here are some of our favorite things to eat on Cape Cod.
Cape Cod ice cream.
Credit: Illustration by John S. Dykes
Cape Cod ice cream. Credit: Illustration by John S. Dykes
You Can Really Get Your Licks In
Choosing a favorite homemade ice cream on Cape Cod is like choosing a favorite child. That said, here are three to get you started on finding that superlative summer scoop: Sundae School Ice Cream in Dennis Port, an old-fashioned parlor with a marble soda fountain, doles out ginormous portions of coffee-based Bass River Mud, among other delicacies. At Four Seas Ice Cream, at Centerville’s Four Corners, family-owned since 1934, make a beeline for the coconut, mint chip, or fresh strawberry. And Twin Acres Ice Cream, set in a little oak grove in Sandwich, dishes up banana boats, hot fudge sundaes, and scoops of such perennial favorites as blueberry parfait and pumpkin.
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It’s Deep-Fried Nirvana
Clams, scallops, French fries, onion rings—guilt-free if you’re on vacation, fried food just tastes better outdoors. You can’t go wrong with a classic roadside shack like PJ’s in Wellfleet, but if you want to up the ante with a water view, try the Barnacle by Craigville Beach, Sesuit Harbor Café in Dennis, or Osterville Fish, Too, overlooking the salt marsh by Barnstable Harbor.
A fried feast at PJ’s Family Restaurant in Wellfleet.
Credit: Mark Fleming
A fried feast at PJ’s Family Restaurant in Wellfleet. Credit: Mark Fleming
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Dinners You Can Dig
Grab that clam rake and bucket: Many Cape towns offer both temporary and seasonal shellfishing licenses, meaning you can treasure-hunt for mussels, oysters, scallops, and clams. Properly refrigerated, most will keep a few days—but we bet you won’t want to wait that long.
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Cape Cod French bakeries.
Credit: Illustration by John S. Dykes
Cape Cod French bakeries. Credit: Illustration by John S. Dykes
Delicious Dueling French Bakeries
The Cape Cod food scene owes a debt to French pastry—specifically, two pâtisseries whose success heralded a wave of next-level dining here. It all began in 2009 with Wellfleet’s PB Boulangerie Bistro, where Philippe Rispoli and Boris Villatte first turned out their Paris-perfect baguettes and croissants. Alas, the partnership soured, and Villatte went on to open Maison Villatte in Falmouth. But happily, Cape diners now have two great spots to choose from.
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You’ll Never Run Out of Great Places to Eat
From avant-garde farm-to-table dining in Falmouth to chic seaside bistros in P-town, from clam shacks to artisan ice cream shops, the Cape has a flavor for every vacation. For a tour of Yankee senior editor Amy Traverso’s favorite food destinations on the Cape, go here: Amy Traverso’s Cape Cod Dining Guide
Small-town band concerts, old-fashioned ballpark thrills, whale-watching adventures, and more. Here are some of our favorite things to do on Cape Cod.
Players for the Orleans Firebirds, one of the 10 teams of college stars in the Cape Cod Baseball League.
Credit: Alex Gagne
Players for the Orleans Firebirds, one of the 10 teams of college stars in the Cape Cod Baseball League. Credit: Alex Gagne
Catching the Action on a Field of Dreams
As twilight descends, the glow of stadium lights marks the fields where teams from 10 towns play in the Cape Cod Baseball League, the country’s elite summer league for college players. They are the chosen ones, the best of the best, each athlete on the cusp of a dream to one day play under the lights at a major league park. And the drama is real: More than 300 current and former MLB players spent at least one summer on the Cape, including Hall of Famers Jeff Bagwell and Carlton Fisk and current Red Sox stars Chris Sale, Jackie Bradley Jr., and last year’s World Series MVP, Steven Pearce. The games are free, and you may even end up sitting beside a scout whose judgment could determine a young man’s future. The players know each game is an audition, and you are close enough to see the dream play out on their faces. Best for families: Each team holds youth clinics throughout the summer where youngsters can begin their own dream.
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Cruising the Dunes
What Art Costa launched more than seven decades ago with a 1936 Ford Woody, son Rob still runs today (albeit with modern SUVs) as the only company permitted to give driving tours of the Cape Cod National Seashore. Based in Provincetown, Art’s Dune Tours offers a variety of outings with guides who are steeped in local history and ecology. Put another way: You’ll get your Instagram photos, but you’ll also come to appreciate what inspired Art Costa so many years ago.
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Tours That Make a Big Splash
Six miles out to sea from Provincetown lies Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary, a massive nutrient-rich mesa that offers a smorgasbord for humpbacks, finbacks, and minkes. From spring to fall you can see these gentle giants up close on a whale-watch tour departing from Nantucket, Hyannis, or P-town (home to Dolphin Fleet Whale Watch, which lays claim to being the originator of East Coast whale watching).
Humpback whales at sunset.
Credit: Eric Kulin
Humpback whales at sunset. Credit: Eric Kulin
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There’s No Better Place to Dip a Paddle
Each of Cape Cod’s 15 towns has lovely and diverse places to kayak, but one spot rises to the top: the protected, calm waters of Pleasant Bay and Nauset Marsh. From swooping seabirds to vibrant green marsh grasses and endless barrier beaches, the view changes with each passing hour. (Pay attention to the tide, though—you don’t want to get caught too far out when it ebbs.) The experts at Goose Hummock in Orleans are a go-to for navigational advice, kayak rentals, and instruction. Parking is limited at the town landings in Orleans and Eastham, but it’s free.
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The Gifts of the Glaciers
On a map of Cape Cod, blue swatches are everywhere you look. These are kettle ponds, the legacy of glaciers that scoured the land thousands of years ago. Clear and mostly shallow, these pleasingly warm respites from ocean waves are often tucked into woods and require a walk or a bike ride, or even a paddle, to reach. There are supposedly 365 kettle ponds—Nickerson State Park alone has eight, while Wellfleet and Truro claim nearly 20—but you need only discover your favorite. Ask for recommendations at town information booths, and you’ll soon see a whole new side to Cape Cod.
Kettle ponds inset like gems in the Cape landscape.
Credit: Mark Fleming
Kettle ponds inset like gems in the Cape landscape. Credit: Mark Fleming
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A Supremely Snackable Tour
When backseat munchkins beg for bags of chips, you can give them something better: a whole factory filled with dancing potato slices. Monday through Friday year-round, self-guided tours of the Cape Cod Potato Chips factory in Hyannis demystify the process that transforms potatoes into all-natural, crunchable delights before they hip-hop along conveyor belts and into bags. Best of all for families on a budget, tours and samples are free.
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Hanging at the Drive-in
Having first flickered to life in 1957, the Wellfleet Drive-in Theatre is a time capsule, yes, but still very much an essential part of summer. Finding the right parking spot is an art form, as is the proper beach chair and picnic setup. People mill around, tossing Frisbees and footballs, and hitting up the concession stand. Then dusk descends, and a community of strangers comes together to watch a very big screen against the night sky. Forget streaming services and multiplexes: The best moviegoing experience on the Cape still happens at the Wellfleet.
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A Bike Trail as Beautiful as America’s Song
A 10.7-mile paved trail from Woods Hole to North Falmouth, the spectacular Shining Sea Bikeway traverses unspoiled beaches, cranberry bogs, harbors, marshes, and bird sanctuaries and offers spectacular views of Vineyard Sound. Named in honor of Falmouth native Katharine Lee Bates, composer of “America the Beautiful,” the trail evokes the last line of her song: “from sea to shining sea.” Park at the Falmouth trailhead at Depot Avenue, take a glorious spur trail from Woods Hole to Sippewissett, and make a tiny detour to Nobska Light, commanding a perfect picnicking perch.
A family biking moment on the Shining Sea Bikeway near Woods Hole.
Credit: Dan Cutrona
A family biking moment on the Shining Sea Bikeway near Woods Hole. Credit: Dan Cutrona
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It’s Even Prettier from Above
Take off from the grass runway of Cape Cod Airfield in Marstons Mills aboard a replica 1930s biplane, or if you prefer, depart from Provincetown Airport in a renovated original biplane from 1940. Either way, you are in for an unparalleled perspective on the Cape’s history and landscape—and with a little luck, you may even spy a whale or two amid the sparkling waves offshore. Tours range from 15 minutes to half an hour or more. For a special treat, schedule a sunset ride.
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Watching the Catch Come In at the Chatham Fish Pier
Get a front seat to the hustle and bustle of the small-boat fishing industry—not to mention a sweeping harbor view—as the daily catch is unloaded at the Chatham Fish Pier. Seasoned fishermen called “pier hosts” are usually stationed at the observation deck, ready to chat with visitors, between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. Fridays through Mondays. And talk about local flavor: Right next door is the Chatham Fish Pier Market, which serves some of the best chowder we’ve ever tasted.
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Ah, Those Links to Childhood
Looking much the same today as it did in the 1950s or ’60s—or will do, years into the future—a summer day at a mini golf course is part sport, part performance art, as players of all ages do battle with kitschy windmills and lighthouses. Cape Cod is mini golf central, offering over a dozen courses that differ wildly in theme and scope. But at each, the heart of the game remains: children clutching little clubs, parents holding scorecards with a stubby pencil tucked behind an ear. And the magical moment when the ball disappears into a hole with a single stroke? A giddy joy that never gets old.
Among the Cape’s many mini golf hot spots: Pirate’s Cove Adventure Golf in South Yarmouth.
Credit: Mark Fleming
Among the Cape’s many mini-golf hot spots: Pirate’s Cove Adventure Golf in South Yarmouth. Credit: Mark Fleming
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Old-School Summer Band Concerts
It’s all about claiming a prime spot for Friday night concerts by the Chatham Band. At 5:15—nearly three hours before the music starts—we set our chairs on the rim of the grassy bowl in Kate Gould Park. Below us is a crazy quilt of beach blankets around a traditional white bandstand. Nobody’s here, because after you anchor your blanket or unfold your chairs, you’re all set till showtime. Time to grab dinner on Main Street.
Two hours later, the park is packed with families, and new arrivals are claiming their spaces on the far hillside. We see youngsters fencing with light sabers, and girls turning cartwheels on a strip of unblanketed grass. We see teenagers—yes, teenagers—unpacking their coolers, taking selfies, and eating to-go burgers and fries.
On town commons across New England, summer band concerts were once the ultimate in unplugged entertainment. On Cape Cod, they still are. If the weather holds, you can see six town bands—Harwich, Barnstable, Sandwich, Brewster, Chatham, and Falmouth—in just eight days. You’ll hear marches, Broadway showstoppers, pop tunes, classical hits, and big band spectaculars. All outdoors, accompanied by the setting sun, under the gaze of gliding great gulls. Many musicians, all volunteers, play in more than one band, and within each ensemble you’ll find musical families: couples, kids, parents, grandparents.
In Chatham, the crowds have been coming since the summer of 1932 (with a few years off, when many band members were serving in WWII). While most summer bands tend toward khakis and polo shirts, the Chatham Band dresses up in spiffy blue and gold peaked caps and crisp red jackets—a tribute to the Red Men’s Hall, where they were granted free rehearsal space in the late 1930s.
This most venerable of summer bands opens with its own theme song: “It’s Band Time in Chatham.” Conductor Tom Jahnke, sporting a deep blue jacket festooned with gold buttons—an homage to John Philip Sousa—strikes up the band. Some of the regulars sing along. There must be a thousand of us here, and there’s an electric energy in the air. When it’s time for the first march-around, a few hundred concertgoers join the parade. (A march-around is exactly what it sounds like: Holding the hands of any affiliated children, you high-step it around the bandstand.) Tonight, and every Friday, we can count on two march-arounds, two dance-arounds, and a bunny hop. The program changes weekly—everything from Mary Poppins to Bruno Mars. But wait, here’s a remarkable debut: “My Shot” from Hamilton, featuring rapper J.P. Sousa, aka Tom Jahnke.
The Chatham Band closes every concert with “The Star-Spangled Banner.” But just before the patriotic finale, Jahnke thanks everyone for coming. “That feeling you are feeling now is Chatham Band love,” he says, suggesting we hold on to it all week. Will it last that long? I’m not sure. But rising for the national anthem, I know this: To feel the love, you have to show up early. —Kate Whouley
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Outside-the-Box Stores
• Atlantic Spice Company, North Truro: Discover a literal world of herbs and spices (more than 250 in all, from Egyptian chamomile to Greek oregano) at wholesale prices. atlanticspice.com
• Bird Watcher’s General Store, Orleans: One of the first-ever birding specialty stores (c. 1983), this place has gear, gifts, guidance—and a great sense of humor. • Cape Cod Beach Chair Company, Harwich: Outside: a selfie-ready 10-foot-tall beach chair. Inside: scaled-down but equally impressive handcrafted wood-framed seaside seating. • Marine Specialties, Provincetown: This vast space isn’t so much stocked as encrusted with eclectic wares that span decades: military surplus, world flags, dishes, flip-flops…. Allow plenty of time to take it all in. • Dr. Gravity’s Kite Shop, Harwich Port: Here’s your one-stop not only for every kind of kite—sport, parafoil, box, delta, diamond—but also for beach supplies and toys. (Plus: candy!)
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Jam-Packed Summer Stages
From the birthplace of modern American theater (the Provincetown Playhouse), to the storied stage where Henry Fonda and Bette Davis first honed their acting chops (the Cape Playhouse in Dennis), to the nation’s only continuously operated theaters in the round (the Cape Cod Melody Tent in Hyannis and the South Shore Music Circus in Cohasset), the Cape’s wealth of venues are just the ticket for visiting culture vultures.
Pirate’s booty, towering views, gee-whiz science centers, unbeatable sunsets, and more. Here are some of our favorite things to see on Cape Cod.
A bird’s-eye view of Provincetown’s Pilgrim Monument, the tallest all-granite structure in the country.
Credit: Mark Fleming
A bird’s-eye view of Provincetown’s Pilgrim Monument, the tallest granite structure in the U.S. Credit: Mark Fleming
The Pilgrim-Inspired Panorama
Traversing 60 ramps and 116 steps may sound daunting, but summiting Provincetown’s Pilgrim Monument takes only about 10 minutes at a leisurely pace (longer, if you pause to examine the many interior stones inscribed with the names of U.S. cities that donated them). At the top of the 252-foot tribute to the Pilgrims’ first landing in the New World, in Provincetown, you’ll be rewarded with a vista that on clear days stretches all the way to Boston.
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Museums That Put the Odd in Cape Cod
Though generally not known for the outlandish, the Cape does have a few worthy oddities among its attractions. The Cahoon Museum of American Art, a seemingly run-of-the-mill farmhouse in Cotuit, is filled with whimsical paintings by the late neoprimitive artists Martha and Ralph Cahoon (think: mermaids on a Ferris wheel). Yarmouth Port’s Edward Gorey House, where the famed artist with the Gothic sense of humor lived until he died in 2000, bursts at the seams with his quirky illustrations. And last but not least, the Susan Baker Memorial Museum in North Truro is the entertaining creation of a noted local humorist-painter who decided not to wait until her death for a museum of her own.
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The Artistry of Faith
With so much natural wonder to be found on Cape Cod, it may come as a surprise to walk into the Church of the Transfiguration in Orleans and be almost overcome by the richness of what human hands have made: the mosaic floor, the painted frescoes. And when you attend an organ concert here, the church’s unique surround sound will create a memory that will stay with you forever.
Byzantine-style mosaics fill the Church of the Transfiguration in Orleans.
Credit: Robert Benson
Byzantine-style mosaics fill the Church of the Transfiguration in Orleans. Credit: Robert Benson
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Science Is Happening!
Although Woods Hole boasts one of the nation’s most photographed lighthouses (Nobska), its true wonder is the scores of scientists who come here to further our understanding of the ocean and the life it holds. Their work at such places as the Marine Biological Laboratory and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution will help the world make crucial decisions about climate change. Guided tours give a glimpse of the men and women engaged in research that has never been so important.
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The Private Garden That’s an Eden for Everyone
Worthy gardens dot the Cape, including the granddaddy 100-acre Heritage Museums & Gardens in Sandwich, but Spohr Gardens in Woods Hole is an unparalleled waterfront oasis that feels like a hidden treasure. Thanks to benefactors Charles and Margaret Spohr, this spectacular six-acre private garden is yours to wander, free. More than 100,000 daffodils bloom in spring, followed by lilies, azaleas, magnolias, and hydrangeas. Heading down to the iris garden by the water, you’ll share the wide paths with geese and ducks.
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Race Point Beach at Sunset
There’s an unmatched quality to the light in the Cape and Islands, a special glow where sea meets the sky. But when daylight recedes, the real drama begins. Before sunset at Race Point Beach in Provincetown, people arrive with blankets, and those with permits stoke bonfires. As the sun sinks into the sea, the sky flames red and orange; on the beach, embers leap skyward. Soon darkness settles in. The sky fills with stars. A perfect summer day comes to an end.
Thanks to its location on the northwestern tip of the Cape, Race Point offers a front-row seat to sunset vistas.
Credit: Mark Fleming
Thanks to its location on the northwestern tip of the Cape, Race Point offers a front-row seat to sunset vistas. Credit: Mark Fleming
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Every Day There’s a Boat Parade
Hanging by the canal, checking out marine traffic? Yup. It’s a thing. On an average summer day, between 200 and 300 boats will pass through the Cape Cod Canal—from a 20-foot skiff to a cargo carrier. You’ll see tugboats, barges, fishing vessels, and pleasure yachts. Cruise ships, too. They usually pass through at night, when they’re all lit up. The paved pathways that run along both sides of the canal are wheelchair-, stroller-, bicycle-, and pedestrian-friendly.
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Pirates!
Wrecked off Cape Cod in 1717 while carrying treasure from 50 plundered ships, the Whydah Gally was discovered in 1984 by underwater adventurer and Provincetown resident Barry Clifford. And at the Whydah Pirate Museum in West Yarmouth, you can see the booty! Coins, cannons, handmade weapons, and even a leg bone are part of a fascinating collection drawn from the more than 200,000 artifacts Clifford and his team have recovered. And if you’re really into the undersea-adventure angle, check out the Expedition Whydah Sea Lab and Learning Center in P-town, which serves as the headquarters for the ongoing exploration.
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They’re Happy to School You on Sharks
As the only site in the North Atlantic where great white sharks reliably gather, Cape Cod has long known the importance of understanding these fearsome and fascinating summer visitors. A leader in separating fact from fiction is the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy, which not only conducts research but also works for public safety and education. Stop in at its Chatham Shark Center to take a virtual-reality swim with sharks, snap a selfie in a diving cage, and support the conservancy’s mission with a one-of-a-kind souvenir from its gift shop. (Our pick? The drink cozy that reads “You’re Going to Need a Bigger Beer.”)
World-class lifeguards, a classic summer cocktail, people-watching in P-town, a talking clam, and more. Here are even more reasons why we love Cape Cod.
Bass Hole Boardwalk, Gray’s Beach. Yarmouth Port.
Credit: David Trifiletti
Bass Hole Boardwalk, Gray’s Beach, Yarmouth Port. Credit: David Trifiletti
You Can Walk on Water
The many boardwalks across the Cape protect the fragile wetland places—the shallows, salt marshes, and bogs. And taking a stroll on one can feel miraculous: the teeming ecosystem beneath your feet, the shorebirds preening nearby, the wide-open view…
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The Cape Cod National Seashore
Created on August 7, 1961, with JFK’s presidential pen stroke, this 43,600-acre national park gave everyone access to one of the most treasured stretches of coastline in the East—and in doing so, helped save it. Read the whole story here.
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It Rewards Wandering
Puzzling out directions on Cape Cod isn’t easy: To go “down Cape,” you travel north toward Provincetown; to go “up Cape,” you head south and west toward Bourne and Falmouth. So keep a map handy, but be open to serendipity. The Cape’s 400 square miles are packed with summer hot spots—some of which you might discover only by letting yourself get lost.
Cape Cod rewards wandering.
Credit: Illustration by John S. Dykes
Cape Cod rewards wandering. Credit: Illustration by John S. Dykes
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You Can Tell Time Like a Mariner
The clock at the First Congregational Church in Wellfleet is the only town clock in the world that strikes ship’s time. Listen for the chimes every 30 minutes: twice at the top of the hour, once at the half hour.
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It’s Easy to Tune In to the Community
Home to such local-interest programs as Fishing News and The Weekly Bird Report, award-winning public radio station WCAI gets hyperlocal with the supershort audio clips it sprinkles throughout the day. With titles like “Scalloper,” “Bakesale,” and “Dogs and Boats,” these so-called sonic IDs typically feature someone talking about a uniquely local phenomenon—or as WCAI puts it, “little fragments of life as lived by our neighbors.”
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The Cape Codder
Credit: Adam DeTour
The Cape Codder Credit: Adam DeTour
The Cape Codder
In the beginning there was the Rangoon Ruby, which begat the Bog Fog. Never mind that they were precisely the same: vodka, cranberry, squeeze of lime. Cocktails are fickle like that—they exist for a time, and then someone anoints them with a new name.
So, sometime in the 1960s, the drink got yet another name: the Cape Codder. This was in part due to savvy marketing by Ocean Spray, which was looking to encourage cranberry consumption on days that didn’t begin with “thanks” and end with “giving.”
But it was also a drink for the times. Vodka was ascendant, and the Cape Codder was a simple and tasty way to mix it. It became a hallowed standard of bars everywhere—especially on Cape Cod, possibly because the drink was as elemental as the Cape, which itself has three key ingredients: sand, sky, and sea.
The Ocean Spray website features a Cape Codder recipe that specifies five minutes’ prep time. Can it really take that long to mix three things? Is this a typo? No. It’s just proof that in summer, near the beach, with drink in hand, time slows down.—Wayne Curtis
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Doug the Quahog
Credit: Illustration by John S. Dykes
Doug the Quahog Credit: Illustration by John S. Dykes
Who Needs a Groundhog When You Have a Quahog?
Beginning in 2009, Doug the Quahog has emerged from his figurative shell on the first day of summer to predict how many beach days the Cape will have that year. This year the crusty little soothsayer—who speaks in secret clam language to his trusted human interpreter, the pirate Johnny Quahog—will deliver his forecast June 21 at the Sea Crest Beach Hotel in North Falmouth (though of course he’s also on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram).
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Dune Shack
Credit: Julie Tremblay
A Cape Cod dune shack. Credit: Julie Tremblay
The Splendid Solitude of the Outer Beach
The old dune shack rose out of the sand as though it had been waiting for me. Maybe it had. For nearly an hour I’d hiked under an intense July sun, through the sandy landscape in a southern section of the Province Lands—a barren, beautiful 3,000-acre piece of the Cape Cod National Seashore in Provincetown. I traipsed around scrubby trees and wavy clumps of dune grass, wandered up and down hills of sand, all in an effort to make it to the sea. Along the way I didn’t see another soul.
For the past two days I’d navigated traffic and tourists, but there was another Cape, a longtime Eastham resident told me—one you could find if you were willing to trek off the busy path. An empty beach, an endless expanse of sand and weather-beaten shacks. You just had to look for it.
I arrived at the Snail Road access trail off Route 6 in Provincetown and began walking. I galloped up one dune to find an expansive natural landscape that seemed a galaxy away from the Cape’s crowds but in reality was only a few miles from souvenir shops, bars, and restaurants.
A full afternoon sun was right on top of me as I strolled along a rough trail, a ribbon of sand that eventually crossed a narrow dune-buggy road. I made my way up a small hill, and there it was, the dune shack I’d fixed my eyes on, nestled into the earth as though it had fully accepted its fate: that one day it would be consumed by the sands. A mix of vegetation—mostly shrubs and unwieldy patches of dune grass—framed the building, whose worn cedar shingles gave it an inviting appearance. A rusted lock kept the old door shut.
A good 20 yards in front of the shack were a table and two chairs, positioned perfectly to take in the view: a wide strip of sand and a softly rolling Atlantic. Not a single other person was in sight. I took a seat and settled into this moment, when it felt as though I had one of New England’s prized summer destinations all to myself. —Ian Aldrich
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All dogs go to heaven in Provincetown.
Credit: Illustration by John S. Dykes
All dogs go to heaven in Provincetown. Credit: Illustration by John S. Dykes
All Dogs Go to Heaven in Provincetown
Three reasons P-town is one of the nation’s most dog-friendly towns: 1) Dogs can go off-leash on town beaches mornings and evenings through the summer and fall, then all day long in the off-season. 2) The Pilgrim Bark Park invites dog play amid a backdrop of locally created sculptures. 3) July 2020 sees the return of the popular Paw Palooza festival, which includes a “radar run” to answer your burning question: Just how fast does my dog run when chasing a tennis ball?
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Feathered Friends Flock Here
On the Cape, spring is signaled not by robins but by ospreys, whose arrival is doubly welcome: After declining to a single pair here in the ’70s, these sea hawks have become a big conservation success story, with about 350 nesting pairs expected this year. They’re among some 400 bird species you can spot on the Cape or just offshore, where pelagic birds such as shearwaters and storm-petrels are a whale-watching cruise bonus.
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World-Class Lifeguards
Not all Cape waters are smooth waters. Some of the most powerful surf on the East Coast can be found on the Outer Cape’s east-facing beaches. But know this: When you’re riding the waves along the Cape Cod National Seashore, you’re being watched over by an elite crew of lifeguards whose basic training is supplemented by 30 hours of preseason training and sharpened by daily workouts throughout the summer. Plus, many National Seashore lifeguards have years or even decades of experience. You may never need these pros, but in this unforgiving part of the Atlantic, you’ll be glad they’re here if you do.
Cape Cod is home to world-class lifeguards.
Credit: Mark Fleming
Cape Cod is home to world-class lifeguards. Credit: Mark Fleming
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The Cape Cod House
When a kid draws a house, what emerges will likely look a lot like the simple, sturdy dwelling known as a Cape Cod. Visit the Cape today, and you can see 17th-century originals and marvel at how they still fit seamlessly into the landscape. “[Capes] are as unpretentious as they are livable,” observed famed Boston architect Royal Barry Wills. “Carping critics may poke fun at their rambler roses, picket fences, and stately elms, but such things spell home to most of us.”
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People-Watching in Provincetown
I am a person who forgets things—names, the dates of essential historical events, where I was two Christmases ago. I blame this partly on genetics (my dad is famously forgetful) and partly on the drugs I experimented with in college, some of which I remember.
But I haven’t forgotten the first time I visited Provincetown. I was a 27-year-old Californian who had recently relocated to Boston, a city I found beautiful but not as interesting as San Francisco, the once-quirky place where I grew up. A few months into my new New England life, I was told by gays, writers, and an opinioned grandmother from South Boston that I must visit a place called P-town, at the tip of a place called Cape Cod. Norman Mailer also recommended it. “There could be no other town like it,” he wrote.
Don’t miss the people-watching in Provincetown.
Credit: Illustration by Nigel Buchanan
Don’t miss the people-watching in Provincetown. Credit: Illustration by Nigel Buchanan
I arrived by boat in July (as one does), and after a short walk along a pier I found myself on Commercial Street, the town’s main drag, where a seemingly unusual but actually quite common P-town summer scene played out before me. There was John Waters on a bicycle. There was a drag queen with terrific posture laughing about something with a family from Ohio. There was a tank top–wearing young man on a moped stopping (too abruptly!) to flirt with tank top–wearing young men on a balcony. There were townies just trying to get to the post office. There was a middle-aged lesbian couple talking to their dog. There was an older man (in his 50s) and a younger man (in his 20s) walking together and smiling, and I couldn’t be sure if they were lovers or father and son. There was a large man in a harness carrying a small man in a Speedo. There was a street performer playing the piano. There were teenagers from the suburbs, grown men from Dallas, a shirtless Jamaican on a skateboard, a painter lugging his supplies, an activist shouting to be heard, and a handsome man who seemed like trouble. (I would come to learn that my instincts were correct: He was running away from many things, including quite possibly the authorities. People come to P-town to lose themselves and to find themselves.)
I fell in love with Provincetown immediately, and I have spent part or all of every summer there since. I have also braved the town in February, when it feels so desolate that even the proudest introverts sometimes wander the streets in search of a party that isn’t happening. P-town is addictive; it bear-hugs you and dares you to try summer somewhere else. It has many appeals, of course, but I spend a good portion of each day there watching people. Partly this is because I’m a writer who fancies himself a sociologist, and partly this is because I’m a gay man who fancies handsome men.
But mostly it’s because I have found no better place to people-watch in New England. Though P-town has changed some in the past decade (like so many unconventional places, it’s been altered by conventional people with money), it remains a magical summer escape, a summer camp for seemingly disparate adults who gather each season, like clockwork, in the greatest beach town on earth. —Benoit Denizet-Lewis
Local farms, storied lighthouses, fairy-tale cottages, famous faces, and more. Here are 10 of our favorite reasons to love the bustling island of Martha’s Vineyard.
The Everything-to-Everyone Store
Since opening its doors in 1858, Alley’s General Store in West Tisbury has been the central meeting point for natives, tourists, and wash-ashores who need a gallon of milk, penny candy, pet shampoo, the latest Vineyard souvenir T-shirt, or a large coffee and some valuable porch time in one of the store’s rockers.
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Celebrity-spotting on Martha’s Vineyard.
Credit: Illustration by John S. Dykes
Celebrity-spotting on Martha’s Vineyard. Credit: Illustration by John S. Dykes
You Never Know Who You’ll Run Into
Unlike the busy party circuit of that other East Coast summer getaway for A-listers, the Hamptons, Martha’s Vineyard gives celebrities a break from velvet ropes and flashing cameras. Aside from the occasional splashy event—island regular Spike Lee previewed BlacKkKlansman at the Strand Theatre last year, for instance—the stars who come here mostly embrace the laid-back roles of small-town residents. (Of course, the Secret Service detail is a dead giveaway for the most famous visitors of recent years, the Obamas.) A sampler of some of the famous folks going about their days here: Meg Ryan at the dog show at the Martha’s Vineyard Agricultural Society Fair … Bill Murray having lunch in the parking lot at the Menemsha town beach … Mary Steenburgen and Ted Danson at the Martha’s Vineyard Playhouse … Larry David at 7a Foods in West Tisbury (where he’s been known to order the Liz Lemon sandwich) … David McCullough at the West Tisbury Free Public Library … Peter Farrelly at Offshore Ale Co. in Oak Bluffs … Skip Gates pedaling his three-wheeled bike on the path along Beach Road … Seth Meyers on the porch at the Chilmark General Store … Caroline Kennedy and Carly Simon at the West Tisbury Farmers’ Market.
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Last Call Never Tasted So Sweet
For more than three decades, candy lovers have journeyed to Chilmark Chocolates like pilgrims to the Holy Land. Only the shop’s offbeat hours (closed in August?) could leave them disappointed. But if you want a taste of this tradition, act now: At the end of this year the beloved up-island confectionary will close for good, making its Vineyard-inspired handmade treats—like Chappy Chewies, Squibnuggets, and Tashmoo Truffles—nothing but sweet memories.
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Serenity Now
You can count on the typical Martha’s Vineyard garden—pink roses, blue hydrangeas, white picket fences—to delight the eye. To feed the soul, though, spend an afternoon in the very untypical garden of Mytoi, a Japanese-style gem on Chappaquiddick. Nearly destroyed by a 1991 hurricane, this 14-acre landscape of intimate gardens, winding paths, and hidden nooks was rejuvenated by the Trustees of Reservations (which also owns the nearby Cape Poge Wildlife Refuge and the nature reserve Wasque, two oases in their own right).
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Making the rounds on Oak Bluffs’ Flying Horses Carousel.
Credit: Elizabeth Cecil
Making the rounds on Oak Bluffs’ Flying Horses Carousel. Credit: Elizabeth Cecil
We Can’t Tear Ourselves Away from Oak Bluffs
From beaches and boutiques to historic houses and a classic carousel, the town of Oak Bluffs has an almost ridiculously long list of things to keep visitors occupied. Just steps from the ferry is Inkwell Beach, perfect for those looking to jump right into a day of sunbathing; beach ramblers, meanwhile, can head down the road to the two-mile-longJoseph Sylvia State Beach. At the foot of the main thoroughfare, Circuit Avenue, is the oldest platform carousel in America, the Flying Horses Carousel (kids will delight in the chance to grab at an honest-to-goodness brass ring). After browsing the shops lining the avenue—and maybe indulging in a scoop of Mad Martha’s ice cream—it’s off to the Oak Bluffs Campground, a neighborhood of wee 19th-century cottages painted in all colors of the rainbow. Lush greenery and the shade of a gazebo await at Ocean Park, an ideal spot for a walk, a game of Frisbee, or a picnic lunch. And for those who inevitably while away the entire day in Oak Bluffs, the delicious aroma of gourmet pastries will lead the way to Back Door Donuts, a landmark bakery whose “back door” opens from 7 p.m. to 1 a.m.
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Vessels from the local fishing fleet in Menemsha Harbor.
Credit: Lori Pedrick
Vessels from the local fishing fleet in Menemsha Harbor. Credit: Lori Pedrick
Seafood and Sunsets in Menemsha
Generations of local fishermen have peddled their briny wares on the docks of this village, which remains seafood central on the Vineyard. From the landmark fish markets Larsen’s and Menemsha, the classic shack Menemsha Galley, or the Home Port Back Door, you can procure a takeout banquet of steamers, fried clams, lobsters, and more—a bounty that is best enjoyed right on the beach, before one of the grandest sunset views on the East Coast.
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This Beach Makes You Work for It
A narrow, bumpy dirt road is the only way in or out, and parking is scarce. Who cares? You were smart enough to walk or bike the mile from Vineyard Haven to Lake Tashmoo Town Beach, which borders both a 270-acre coastal pond and the ocean. It’s great for swimming, sunbathing, surf-casting … but not for multitudes.
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Reel Earnings
Yes, the Martha’s Vineyard Striped Bass and Bluefish Derby draws anglers from all around the world in September. But bluefish start running in May, and you can catch a good striper during most of the summer. You could try asking a local for the best place to catch a fish, but they probably won’t tell you—so just know that with 100-plus miles of shoreline to choose from, casting from nearly any spot is a good bet.
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It’s a Beacon for Lighthouse Lovers
Martha’s Vineyard has more lighthouses (five), in more diverse styles, in close proximity than anywhere else in the country. And for good reason: The island has long been known for treacherous tides, rocky shores, sandy shoals, and the underwater reefs dubbed the Devil’s Bridge, off Aquinnah, where the steamship City of Columbus was wrecked in January 1884. Vineyard lighthouses stretch from sunrise (Cape Poge, on Chappaquiddick’s northeast point) to sunset (Gay Head on the southwest), and you can visit all but one (West Chop). Little-known fact: There’s actually a sixth lighthouse, in a manner of speaking. The original 1854 Fresnel lens used in Gay Head Light is now at the Martha’s Vineyard Museum’s new home in Vineyard Haven, where it stands sentinel—in spirit, anyway—over Lagoon Pond.
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Island Flavors from Island Farms
For an island with such coveted real estate, the Vineyard retains an impressive cache of agricultural land, thanks to forward-thinking groups like the Martha’s Vineyard Land Bank. There are about three dozen produce farms, cheese makers, a mushroom farm, and even pastured cattle. Find a range of homegrown treasures at such places as the superlative farm stand at Edgartown’s Morning Glory Farm, the small but mighty Larder in Vineyard Haven, and the must-visit West Tisbury Farmers’ Market. Or stop by any number of self-serve farm stands, like the Grey Barn and Farm, an award-winning cheese operation in Chilmark, or West Tisbury’s Blackwater Farm, where kids can pet the animals.
Seaside bike paths, whaling lore, a stunning island stroll, and more. Here are 10 of our favorite reasons to love the charming island of Nantucket.
Storybook cottages crowd close to the ’Sconsett Bluff Walk.
Credit: Jillian Eversole/Rhyme & Reason
Storybook cottages crowd close to the ’Sconsett Bluff Walk. Credit: Jillian Eversole/Rhyme & Reason
The Prettiest Island Walk
Beginning in the picturesque fishing village of Siasconset and ending at the Sankaty Head Light, the mile-long ‘Sconset Bluff Walk offers up different identities. Here, you’re on a narrow village road. Next, you’re cutting through scrubby forest. Now, you’re strolling across the manicured backyards of tony seaside estates. There are beach roses and birds, hydrangeas, and, of course, stunning views of an endless Atlantic.
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No Lines in the Sand
In a welcome contrast to most of New England’s ocean communities, virtually all of Nantucket’s 110-mile coastline is free and open to the public—including 80 miles of some of the world’s most beautiful beaches.
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Big Sails
Of all the celebrities summering on Nantucket, none are as welcoming to paparazzi as the tall ship Lynx, a handsome replica of a topsail schooner that sailed as a privateer during the War of 1812. Snap a photo as it glides through Nantucket Harbor in July and August—or better yet, climb aboard for a trip back into maritime history.
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Nantucket Reds from Murray’s Toggery Shop.
Credit: Heath Robbins
Nantucket Reds from Murray’s Toggery Shop. Credit: Heath Robbins
Nantucket Reds
You can be on a dude ranch in Wyoming and step out in your favorite faded red-to-pink trousers, and immediately everyone knows where you’ve been—and a little something about who you are. The island’s signature clothing line began in the 1960s not long after Philip C. Murray took over his father’s Main Street clothing shop. Today, Murray’s Toggery Shopremains the only place on the world that’s legally allowed to claim it sells authentic Nantucket Reds attire.
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The Ultimate Summer Beer Garden
There’s a party every day at Cisco Brewers, located in the small agricultural “heartland” southwest of town. Starting at 11 a.m. (noon on Sunday), visitors can grab a seat in the breezy courtyard, enjoy house-made beer, wine, or spirits, and find a nosh among a rotating lineup of food trucks (we love Raw Bar Yoho’s oysters and bluefish pâté). Live music starts at 3, then the whole thing wraps up … until the next day.
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Local Lore Is a Whale of a Tale
For the better part of a century, Nantucket was the world’s whaling capital. The dangerous but lucrative industry made it one of the wealthiest communities in America and left every captain’s house, lighthouse, and harbor with a tale worth telling. Learn even a few of them at the Nantucket History Association’s Whaling Museum, and your sense of the island will be transformed.
Inside the Nantucket Whaling Museum.
Credit: Nantucket Historical Association
A peek inside the Nantucket Whaling Museum. Credit: Nantucket Historical Association
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This Island’s Made for Biking
On Nantucket, cycling routes fan out from downtown in every direction. To Madaket. To Surfside Beach. To Wauwinet. Of the 30-odd miles of paved paths here, the longest (and arguably most scenic) is an 18-mile round-trip that begins downtown and heads east, parallel to Polpis Road, to the sea. Bring your bike or rent from a number of local outfitters—most notably Young’s Bicycle Shop, overseen by third-generation owner Harvey Young just steps from the ferry landing.
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Dream Weavings
Want a souvenir that skews a bit more heirloom than an “ACK” sticker? Nantucket’s signature lightship baskets, first made by crews on the island’s 19th-century floating beacons, are still available today from local artisans (a good place to start: Four Winds Craft Guild). Another only-on-Nantucket find: ultrafine throws and blankets handwoven at Nantucket Looms since 1968.
A pirate-ship playground, old-school ice cream truck, and activity-packed Children’s Center (scavenger hunts, movie nights)—what’s not to love? wequassett.com
With five swimming pools, biking on the Cape Cod Rail Trail, and the Cape’s only Nicklaus Design golf course, this is what “something for everyone” looks like.
Antique fire truck rides and an oversize outdoor chess set? Fun. The “family beach survival kit” with towels, a kite, sand castle supplies, and more? Genius.
Web Exclusive! Where to Eat on Cape Cod | Best Bakery, Seafood Spot, Farm-to-Table…and More!
Senior food editor Amy Traverso shares her list of the best places to eat on the Cape, from beachfront dining to the perfect cup of coffee.
For decades, Cape Cod was seen as a vacation destination that offered every possible summer attraction … except a vibrant dining scene. Not anymore. Now that tourists have discovered the lure of shoulder seasons, restaurants have a more reliable customer base from spring through fall. And, as if making up for lost time, chefs have been flocking to the Cape, rediscovering the wealth of local seafood, importing every of-the-moment food trend (kombucha, burrata, hakuna matata), partnering with local farms, and figuring out the complicated economics of how to thrive in a seasonal market. Thanks to their efforts, the region is a food lover’s dream.
As part of Yankee’s May/June travel feature “63 Reasons Why We Love the Cape and Islands,” I’m sharing some of my favorite Cape dining spots. So when you start planning your own getaway, be sure to bring your appetite!
Where to Eat on Cape Cod
Every table has an ocean view at The Beach House Grill at the Chatham Bars Inn
Credit: Courtesy of the Chatham Bars Inn
Every table has an ocean view at the Beach House at the Chatham Bars Inn. Credit: Courtesy of the Chatham Bars Inn
A few steps beyond the Beach House’s patio is a sandy path down to the water, but the restaurant itself is perched high enough to capture sweeping views of Chatham Harbor. Throughout the summer, there are clambakes on the beach three times a week, and executive chef Anthony Cole enriches the classic menu (chowder, swordfish tacos, tuna tartare) with seafood from the Chatham Fish Pier and exceptional produce from the inn’s own farm. (These ingredients also take center stage at the more formal restaurant, Stars, in the main building.) Save room for dessert … and time for a postprandial beach walk.
Boris Villatte trained in Paris with the legendary Eric Kayser and Alain Ducasse, followed a wave of ambitious young French chefs to Las Vegas, and eventually landed in Falmouth, where he opened a bakery-pâtisserie. Here you’ll find all the classics: opera cakes, pain aux raisins, croissants, and éclairs. But don’t overlook the equally superb breads, which have raised the baguette game for every other baker in the region. During the peak summer season, waits can be long, but when the goods are this good, it’s always worth it.
Another sunny-side-up morning at Spoon and Seed in Hyannis
Credit: Matthew Tropeano
Another sunny-side-up morning at Spoon and Seed in Hyannis. Credit: Matthew Tropeano
Chef-owner Matt Tropeano grew up in Massachusetts but made his name in the kitchens of Manhattan. At La Grenouille, he earned a coveted three-star review from TheNew York Times. With a new family, however, came new priorities and the call of home. So at this casual Hyannis eatery, Tropeano serves the breakfast of your dreams: The challah in the French toast is house-made, the pancakes are fluffy and laced with buttermilk, and there are five kinds of eggs Benedict topped with real hollandaise. My personal fave: the cheddar biscuit with scrambled eggs, house-smoked pork loin, and homemade ham.
Since 1976, Sundae School has woven itself into the hearts and memories of generations of ice cream–loving vacationers. This is the kind of place where the strawberry, peach, and blueberry ice creams are made with seasonal fruit; classic New England grape-nut lives on; and the whipped cream is the real deal. New flavors may make their way onto the board, but the Endres family also knows that part of their magic is to make us feel as though some things never change. Locations in Harwichport, Dennis Port, and East Orleans.
A sampling of house-roasted coffee at Snowy Owl Coffee Roasters in Brewster
Credit: Courtesy of Snowy Owl
A sampling of house-roasted coffee at Snowy Owl Coffee Roasters in Brewster. Credit: Courtesy of Snowy Owl
Shayna Ferullo and Manuel Ainzuain fell in love in San Francisco cafés, and when they decided to relocate to the Cape, they applied their entrepreneurial mojo to opening the Cape’s most charming roastery. With its rustic-boho interior and comfy chairs, this Brewster spot may also be the friendliest, but don’t mistake the laid-back vibe for any lack of seriousness. This is top-grade coffee, sourced from small-lot growers and co-ops and roasted on-site. Coffee nerds love it, but fear not: You can also order a decaf with extra milk and sugar with pride.
I wouldn’t normally take this category quite so literally, but if it’s local/seasonal you want, why not head to an actual farm — in this case, Coonamessett Farm in East Falmouth? That’s what chef-owners Brandon Baltzley and Laura Higgins-Baltzley had in mind when they began doing informal pop-up dinners in 2016. Now, the Buffalo Jump serves a casual, imaginative breakfast and lunch seven days a week, April to January, as well as a dinner tasting menu Sunday through Tuesday. That dinner menu is eclectic, drawing from the local food shed; the couples’ earlier stints at restaurants in New York, Boston, and Copenhagen (Baltzley staged at Noma); and Baltlzey’s very fertile imagination. Here, simple crudités of farm-fresh veg are served with ”aioli that tastes like sunshine.” Grilled beach roses adorn in a scallop dish. Sometimes the food is funky, sometimes it’s delightful, but it’s always exciting. And in a dining scene that leans heavily on the tried-and-true, it’s a welcome addition.
The Brewster Fish House, formerly a fish market, sets the bar for fresh, innovative seafood.
Credit: Courtesy of Brewster Fish House
The Brewster Fish House, formerly a fish market, sets the bar for fresh, innovative seafood. Credit: Courtesy of Brewster Fish House
What started out decades ago as a local fish market is now a destination restaurant, and as the Cape’s dining scene grows more ambitious, the Brewster Fish House keeps raising the bar. Yes, there’s perfect chowder, but also crudo and a New England spin on bouillabaisse layered with Maine crab and sweet lobster. Vegetarians and meat lovers are well cared for (as are gluten-free diners), but try not to miss chef Erik Schnackenberg’s many takes on monkfish (as a chop with pancetta and kale in autumn; as medallions with fiddleheads in spring).
The plates at Vers are as artful as they are seasonal.
Credit: Ashley Bilodeau Photography
The plates at Vers are as artful as they are seasonal. Credit: Ashley Bilodeau Photography
Fans of Jonathan and Karen Haffmans mourned the loss of Vers in Chatham, but the ambitious modern American restaurant reopened in Orleans and it’s drawing visitors from both ends of the Cape. Jonathan Haffmans’s cooking could be described as painterly: Take one perfect ingredient, then layer on complementary flavors to achieve a perfect whole. And given how beautiful his plating is, the visual metaphor works. This is artful cooking, but never stuffy.
Where are your favorite Cape Cod dining spots? Let us know!
Katherine Keenan
Formerly associate digital editor, Katherine Keenan created content for NewEngland.com, managed the New England Today newsletter, and shared the best of the magazine on social media channels. A graduate of Smith College, she grew up in the White Mountains of New Hampshire and currently lives in southern Maine.
