Traveling with little ones tends to involve a spur-of-the-moment approach to dining decisions. On the Cape, especially, there are so many restaurants that you'll be overwhelmed. Here, however, are a few eating experiences that are worth planning for. Be sure to ask hotel staff and folks you meet for additional restaurant recommendations.

A Taste of History

Each November, the public can break bread with the Pilgrims as Plimoth Plantation (137 Warren Avenue, Plymouth, 508-746-1622, www.plimoth.org) hosts Thanksgiving dinner. Advance reservations are required for the Victorian Thanksgiving Dinner and the Thanks-giving Day Buffet, and they book up fast. Call 800-262-9356, ext. 8366, for a schedule, prices, and reservations. If you've procrastinated and all seats are reserved, walk-in Thanksgiving Day dining is also available at Plimoth Plantation on a first-come, first-served basis.

If you're celebrating an event with older children, have dinner inside a 200-year-old barn at the Red Pheasant (905 Route 6A, Dennis, 508-385-2133 or 800-480-2133, www.redpheasantinn.com), which specializes in local ingredients and traditional New England cooking.

Seafood Delights

Seafood, seafood, seafood! That should be your dining mantra when you're vacationing in this region. Something about the salty air and the laid-back surroundings makes lobster, clams, scallops, fish, and other fruits of the sea taste even more succulent.

For outdoor dining overlooking Plymouth Harbor, head to Wood's Seafood (15 Town Pier, Plymouth, 508-746-0261 or 800-626-1011, www.woodsseafoods.com), which has been serving seafood for more than seventy-five years.

In New Bedford, grab a bite at Freestone's City Grill (41 William Street, 508-993-7477, www.freestones.com), a two-time first-place winner in the Newport Chowder Cook-Off that is also known for its fish chowder. The kid-friendly restaurant is housed in a historic 1877 bank building and is also a showcase for funky art.

Slurp seafood chowder and enjoy fried scallops, Cape oysters, and other seafood specialties with a view of Hyannis Harbor at the upscale Black Cat (165 Ocean Street, Hyannis, 508-778-1233, www.blackcattavern.com). At the Dolphin Restaurant (3250 Main Street/Route 6A, Barnstable Village, 508-362-6610, www.thedolphinrestaurant.com), sit beside the fireplace and enjoy sophisticated dishes, including some of the freshest and tastiest seafood offerings you'll find anywhere. The Impudent Oyster (15 Chatham Bars Avenue, Chatham, 508-9453545) serves fresh-caught seafood and some of the Cape's most clever culinary combinations.

For fried clams you'll be talking about long after you leave the Cape, head to Baxter's (177 Pleasant Street, Hyannis, 508-775-4490, www.baxterscapecod.com), a casual waterfront restaurant. Cobies Clam Shack (3260 Main Street, Brewster, 508-896-7021, www.cobies.com) is another good choice for fried clams and other casual fare; save room for the cranberry soft-serve ice cream.

Memorable Meals

In Fall River, you can watch tomorrow's chefs prepare your meal in the kitchen laboratory of the Abbey Grill (100 Rock Street, 508679-9108, www.iicaculinary.com/abbey.htm), the dining room at the International Institute of Culinary Arts, where lunch is served daily and dinner is served on weekends.

Kids love picnics, so stop at one of the Box Lunch restaurants (www.boxlunch.com), located in Brewster, Falmouth, Hyannis, North Eastham, Provincetown, South Dennis, or Wellfleet, to pick up their signature Rollwich sandwiches to take with you on your Cape Cod meanderings.

Combine eating and sightseeing on an elegant dinner train or family supper train excursion with Cape Cod Central Railroad (252 Main Street, Hyannis, 508-771-3800 or 888-797-RAIL, www.capetrain.com). Reservations and entrée selections are required in advance.