Cape Cod: The Ultimate Travel Guide

Cape Cod is New England’s most iconic vacation destination, flexing like a long arm away from the mainland into the Atlantic. It’s a long drive down Route 6, but your route will be lined with white sand beaches, quaint seaside towns, and seafood-shacks where you’ll find lobster rolls, steamed clams, and freshly-shucked oysters all caught and cultivated within just a few miles. But it isn’t just beaches and bivalves: Cape Cod is also home to unmissable natural beauty, interwoven with wildlife sanctuaries and state parks great for birdwatching and bike riding, and hundreds of miles of gorgeous coastline where you can charter seafaring adventures like whale watches and deep-sea fishing. There’s also some world-class cuisine, if you know where to look (and we do). So what are you waiting for? Drop your ‘r’s, hop in the cah, and follow this ultimate travel guide to Cape Cod.

Plymouth

While not technically “on Cape,” Plymouth is a great pit-stop on the way South from Boston, and a must-see for history buffs. Known by pretty much every grade schooler as the site of the Rock where the Mayflower dropped its anchor, Plymouth is also home to some fantastic cuisine once you’re finished playing Pilgrim with the family at Plimoth Plantation. The town may be old (founded in 1620), but the dining scene is anything but. Check out the Mirbeau Inn & Spa for classic French bistro cuisine with a modern flair that leans heavily on local farms and purveyors. Eat on the patio overlooking gorgeous gardens or sip fancy cocktails while you lounge in the spa. For a less upscale but equally refined taste of the South Shore’s cuisine, check out Rye Tavern, housed in an 18th century building and serving pub fare with Asian influence with ingredients grown right on the property.

Sandwich

If you’re seeing the Cape by car, the first stop you’ll reach is Sandwich. It’s the oldest town on the peninsula, and a great first exposure to the sights, sounds, and tastes you’re likely to encounter along your drive down Route 6. Stop at the unique Sandwich Glass Museum for hourly glass-making presentations and a look into the industry’s history in the area, or visit the Heritage Museums and Gardens, which houses gardens teeming with rare flowers, including more than a thousand types of day lilies, and a staggering collection of antique American automobiles. If you’re already feeling road-weary, stop by the Dan’l Webster Inn, a period hotel with five dining rooms that has been housing Cape Codders for three centuries.

Woods Hole

More or less the elbow of the Cape, Woods Hole is home to the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute, an active research center on the cutting edge of ocean exploration. Aspiring scientists should stop by the Ocean Science Discovery Center to check out what they’re doing in the deep blue, and would-be marine biologists should visit the Woods Hole Science Aquarium for a look at over 100 species of diverse marine wildlife. Once you’re done, head up to Falmouth for dinner and a glass (or three) of wine at the Glass Onion, a cozy, upscale-casual joint dishing out New American cuisine on Main Street, then walk a few blocks to Ghelfi’s Candies of Cape Cod and get some peanut brittle and fudge for dessert. Woods Hole is also the Cape’s closest point to Martha’s Vineyard, making it a great place to park and catch a short Ferry ride across Vineyard Sound.

Hyannis

The next stop on your peninsular adventure should be the village of Hyannis, the Cape’s commercial heart and home to the Kennedy Compound, where America’s Royal Family spent summers sailing and building what we assume were very expensive sandcastles—visit the John F. Kennedy Hyannis Museum for a look into the family’s much-documented vacations and life on the Cape. Take a stroll down Hyannis’ historic Main Street for some quaint New England shopping, then catch happy hour on the porch at The Naked Oyster, where you’ll find creative takes on local seafood and oysters from the restaurant’s own farm. If you need more souvenirs (or a rainy-day alternative), head to the Cape Cod Mall. You’ll find plenty of shopping, plus great eats and entertainment at the Ten Pin Eatery, a sprawling restaurant and bar with live music, games, and fancier food than you’d expect to find in a bowling alley. The Cape Cod Maritime Museum is a great place to learn about the area’s deep historical ties to the ocean, and if you’re feeling your sea legs you can charter a sailboat or catch the ferry to Nantucket, Martha’s Vineyard, and other points further down the Cape.

Cape Cod National Seashore

Created by President Kennedy in 1961, the Cape Cod National Seashore preserves over 43,000 acres of pristine coastline between Chatham and Provincetown. This National Park protects more than the Cape’s natural beauty and wildlife, however—working lighthouses and cranberry bogs dot this 40 mile stretch of beaches and dunes, allowing visitors a peek into the Cape’s colonial past. Highland Light is a nineteenth century working lighthouse in North Truro where intrepid visitors can climb the spiral stairs to the top and enjoy sweeping views of the Atlantic. The Seashore is laced with paved bike trails, and rentals are abundant in most towns. Spend an evening (or a few days) at the Chatham Bars Inn, a 25-acre resort overlooking the ocean with a spa and four world-class restaurants ranging from casual grub to haute cuisine. For a unique dining experience after your day exploring the dunes, make a reservation at Chillingsworth, a 300 year-old estate boasting some of the Cape’s most refined dining, or head to Chill’s Bistro & Bar for a more relaxed vibe.

Provincetown

Known locally as P-town, Provincetown was the first landfall for the Mayflower and her crew, and has long been Cape Cod’s center for vibrant art and culture. Nestled all the way at the Cape’s end, the famously LGBTQ-friendly community is home to galleries, clubs, and cabarets, and some of the best nightlife you’re likely to find anywhere. It’s also a great beach town, and picnickers should stock up at Angel Foods, a gourmet grocer in the East End with great wine, cheese, and prepared foods. For something a little more traditional, head to the Lobster Pot on Commercial Street for—we promise—the best clam chowder you’ll ever have. For a true taste of the culture, visit during Carnival, a colorful weeklong celebration of P-town Pride that attracts some 90,000 visitors each year. Provincetown is reachable by the long drive down the cape or by a 90 minute ferry from Boston.

Martha’s Vineyard

Catch the ferry out of Woods Hole or a puddle-jumper from Logan Airport to this New England getaway that’s only accessible by air or sea. Most boats land in touristy Vineyard Haven, but steer clear of the crowds queuing for mayonnaise-heavy “lobstah rolls” and make your way to the Copper Wok for seafood instead, where you’ll find creative sushi and sake cocktails. Oak Bluffs, the other ferry terminal, offers more diverse dining options. Grab locally-sourced small plates from a knowledgeable, likely mustachioed bartender at 20byNine, then head to Beetlebung for local beer and a farm-to-table dinner. If you’re feeling like an adventure, head further from port to Edgartown and check out Alchemy Restaurant, a chic spot with outdoor dining downstairs and fantastic bar upstairs with some of the best craft cocktails on the island. Take your dessert to go and head to Menemsha Public Beach, one of the few spots on the East Coast where you can watch the sun set over the Atlantic. Need spots to stay? Hit up bed-and-breakfasts like Tivoli Inn and Oak Bluffs Inn or hotels such as Summercamp for a comfy place to crash.

Nantucket

Once a working hub for the booming Massachusetts whaling industry, Nantucket has long been a haven for wealthy tourists and snowbirds seeking shelter from the summer heat—and crowds—on the mainland. The tiny island is like the Vineyard’s snooty (but refined) older sibling, where the visitors tend to be more couth and the bars less raucous—but that doesn’t mean they don’t know how to have a good time. When you’re done enjoying the quaint clapboards, cobblestones, and picturesque lighthouses (Brant Point has the best views), get gussied up for oysters at Cru’s harbor-view bar, dine at Dune for nuanced New American with incredible cocktails, then loosen your tie and check out the Chicken Box, where you’ll find nightly live jazz, pool tables, and all the dive bar charm you can handle.