What to See and Do
Summer is the busiest tourism season along the South Shore and on Cape Cod, and it is easy to understand why this scenic and historic coastal region appeals to so many vacationers. You'll find all of the ingredients here for a memorable getaway filled with time to play and unwind and opportunities to understand one of the earliest chapters in America's history. Want to avoid summer's tourist swell? Plan a November pilgrimage, and give thanks along with Pilgrim re-enactors, or head to the Cape and islands during the quiet off-season. Warm ocean breezes help keep the climate more moderate than other New England spots.
Beaches
Cape Cod has more than 550 miles of coastline, and you're never far from a public beach where you can swim, sunbathe, and breathe deeply of the salty air. Most beaches have a parking or admission fee; some require season permits. In general, waters are warmer on the southern Nantucket Sound coast than on the northern Cape Cod Bay side. The most vigorous surf can be found along the Outer Cape at the beaches that are within the National Seashore.
Here are a few major beach destinations, but be sure to ask the staff at your hotel or inn for their recommendations.
Cape Cod National Seashore
Salt Pond Visitor Center, Route 6, Eastham
508-255-3421
Province Lands Visitor Center, Race Point Road, Provincetown
508-255-1256
Cape Cod National Seashore is New England's most visited national park, drawing about 4 million visitors annually. The park features lighthouses and historic structures, numerous Cape Cod-style houses, six beaches for swimming, self-guided nature trails for walking and hiking, and a variety of picnic and scenic overlook areas. The Salt Pond Visitor Center off Route 6 in Eastham is a good place to get oriented. Vehicle entrance fees are charged at beaches from late June through early September, and a vehicle season pass may be your best buy if you plan to visit for several days.
Craigville Beach
Craigville Beach Road, Centerville
508-790-6345
Known for its warm waters, this popular Cape beach is one of thirteen ocean and freshwater beaches under the jurisdiction of the Town of Barnstable's Recreation Division. Visitors may purchase a daily vehicle permit at Craigville Beach. A bathhouse is available, and lifeguards are on duty during the season.
Nantasket Beach Reservation
Route 3A, Hull
617-727-5290
Bostonites have fled the city for the fine sands of Nantasket since the mid-1800s. Lifeguards look over this mile-plus-long South Shore beach in the summer months, and the twenty-six-acre reservation is open for public enjoyment year-round. A per-vehicle parking fee is charged during the summer season.
Veterans Beach
Ocean Street, Hyannis
508-790-6345
With its playground and picnic area, this lifeguard-protected beach, under the jurisdiction of the Town of Barnstable, is a good choice for families. A daily vehicle permit may be purchased at the beach.
Boat and Train Tours
Many of the best excursions are on the water. If you'd rather stay on land, consider a leisurely train ride along the coast.
Cape Cod Central Railroad
252 Main Street, Hyannis
888-797-RAIL
Embrace the nostalgia of the rail era during a two-hour journey past cranberry bogs and tidal marshes as you chug along from Hyannis to the Cape Cod Canal and Sandwich. There is a regular schedule of scenic train excursions from Memorial Day weekend through October.
Catboat Rides
Ocean Street Dock, Hyannis
800-308-1837
See Kennedy family homes and other landmarks from the Catboat, a thirty-four-foot sailing vessel that will whisk you out to sea on an exhilarating ninety-minute trip. Six daily departures are offered in July and August, and a more limited schedule is available in late spring and early fall.
Chatham Water Tours
508-432-5895
Make reservations for these boat tours departing from Chatham for an unforgettable opportunity to see harbor and gray seals cavorting in their natural environment. You'll also enjoy splendid views of the Cape from the water and spy a variety of shorebirds.
Dolphin Fleet of Provincetown
MacMillan Pier, Provincetown
800-826-9300
Provincetown is a popular departure point for whale watches. In the unlikely event that you don't see a whale, Dolphin Fleet will give you a free pass for another excursion. Onboard naturalists will help you spy these fascinating marine mammals, and hands-on displays give kids something to do as you cruise toward the whales' habitat.
Hy-Line Cruises
Ocean Street Dock, Hyannis
800-492-8082
Hy-Line operates both fishing trips and leisurely harbor sightseeing outings from Hyannis. Hy-Line's ferry to Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard also departs from the Ocean Street Dock.
Family Amusements
If you long for old-fashioned fun and a chance to introduce your children to the simple pleasures of a seaside getaway, you'll be hard-pressed to find a better vacation destination than Cape Cod and the nearby South Shore. While there are many attractions with family appeal, don't slot too many activities into your itinerary. Collecting seashells, playing card games, reading good books, and taking long walks can all be enjoyable diversions.
Art's Dune Tours
4 Standish Street, Provincetown
508-487-1950
Rob Costa carries on the family business founded by his father, Art Costa, in 1946, taking visitors on memorable drives over the Cape's sand dunes in an air-conditioned Suburban. The views are remarkable, and the stories are equally entertaining. In addition to daily dune tours in season, you can also book a two-hour sunset tour and even add a beach clambake or barbecue.
Cape Cod Baseball League
The ten-team Cape Cod Baseball League is a nonprofit organization that aims to make family entertainment affordable each summer, while also fostering the talents of up-and-coming amateur ball players. There are no tickets for games; some teams pass the hat or request a donation at the gate. From mid-June through early August, games are played at fields Cape-wide, so check the online schedule and plan to take your family out to the ballgame.
Cape Cod Melody Tent
21 West Main Street, Hyannis
508-775-5630
On a summer's eve, nothing quite beats a concert at the Cape Cod Melody Tent, which hosts popular performers and features a round, revolving stage. If your children are too young for a concert, check the Melody Tent's schedule of morning children's shows. The South Shore Music Circus (130 Sohier Street, Cohasset, 781-383-9850,
Edaville USA
Pine Street, South Carver
877-EDAVILLE
Admission to this small family amusement park located southwest of Plymouth includes unlimited train rides and kiddie rides. Edaville USA, which also exhibits antique cars, locomotives, and cranberry harvesting equipment, opens for the season in mid-June and hosts a variety of seasonal events, including the National Cranberry Festival each Columbus Day weekend and a Christmas Festival of Lights in November and December.
JUST FOR PARENTS
Tucked away between New Bedford and Fall River in Westport, you'll find one of the country's leading producers of sparkling wines and New England's largest vineyard. Westport Rivers Vineyard and Winery (417 Hixbridge Road, 800-993-9695,
Flying Horses Carousel
Oak Bluffs Avenue, Oak Bluffs
508-693-9481
If you make it out to Martha's Vineyard, you'll definitely want to treat your tots to a ride on the oldest operating platform carousel in the United States. The Flying Horses Carousel is a National Historic Landmark.
Wellfleet Drive-In Theater
Route 6 at the Eastham/Wellfleet town line
508-349-7176
The whole family will enjoy the retro vibe at the drive-in movie theater, which screens first-run double features every night from late April through early October. Movies are shown rain or shine, and there's a snack bar, plus a playground for kids to enjoy before the show and during intermission.
RAINY DAY FUN
Children will enjoy seeing where potato chips are born on a free tour of Cape Cod Potato Chip Company (100 Breed's Hill Road, Hyannis, 508-775-3358,
Museums and Historic Sites
You may be reluctant to interrupt your relaxation for a visit to a historic site or museum, but consider taking in some of these attractions.
Battleship Cove
Five Water Street, Fall River
508-678-1100
At this waterfront attraction, you'll see the world's largest collection of historic World War II ships including the battleship
Heritage Museums & Gardens
67 Grove Street, Sandwich
508-888-3300
This sprawling and beautifully landscaped attraction is home to diverse collections of Americana, an automobile museum, a military museum, plus gardens and an antique carousel. The facility is open April through October.
John F. Kennedy Hyannis Museum
397 Main Street, Hyannis
508-790-3077
This museum's collection of photographs and video tells the story of our thirty-fifth president's love for Cape Cod.
New Bedford Whaling Museum
18 Johnny Cake Hill, New Bedford
508-997-0046
At the largest American museum devoted to the history of the whaling industry, you'll be awed by a complete skeleton of a rare blue whale, the world's largest ship model, and the world's most extensive collection of whaling artifacts. The museum is open daily.
Pilgrim Hall Museum
75 Court Street, Plymouth
508-746-1620
Located in the center of Plymouth, this museum, which was built in 1824, exhibits Pilgrim possessions and Native American artifacts.
TRAVEL TIP
Colonial Lantern Tours (508-747-4161,
Pilgrim Monument
High Pole Hill Road, Provincetown
508-487-1310
You might expect the Pilgrim Monument to be located in Plymouth … but it's not. The 252-foot tower that commemorates the site of the Pilgrims' first landing in America is located in Provincetown at the tip of Cape Cod. The Pilgrims spent five weeks exploring the Cape before they decided to sail across Cape Cod Bay to Plymouth, which they found more suitable for settlement. The monument is open to visitors from April through November. You'll get a workout climbing the 116 steps to the top; the view is worth the climb.
Plimoth Plantation
137 Warren Avenue, Plymouth
508-746-1622
Time is frozen in 1627 at this re-created Pilgrim village. Nearly half a million people descend upon this living history attraction each year to interact with costumed interpreters and to glimpse the life of New England's first settlers and their Native American neighbors. The attraction operates daily from late March through late November. Purchase a combination ticket, and you'll also be able to visit the nearby
Shopping
It would be easier to list the places where you can't find cool shops on the South Shore, Cape, and islands than it is to point to all the retail riches of this region. Shopaholics should definitely plan to spend some concentrated time in Plymouth, Hyannis, Chatham, Wellfleet, Provincetown, Vineyard Haven, Oak Bluffs, Edgartown, in the heart of Nantucket Town, and cruising along the Cape's Route 6A. Keep in mind that Provincetown is a very open-minded community and a popular gay and lesbian resort, and some shop window displays may evoke questions from younger children.
If you want to take home a souvenir made in this region, popular choices include scrimshaw, cranberry food products, chichi and very expensive Nantucket lightship baskets, pottery, nautical wood carvings, braided rugs, shell gifts, and designer clothing. Antique shops and flea markets are very popular in this region, too.
Cape Cod Factory Outlet Mall
1 Factory Outlet Road, Sagamore
508-888-8417
For bargains, take exit 1 off Route 6, and visit the twenty name-brand factory stores at this indoor outlet mall.
Christmas Tree Shops
888-287-3232
You'll find these wildly popular discount centers located in Falmouth, Hyannis, North Attleboro, North Dartmouth, Orleans, Pembroke, Sagamore, West Dennis, and West Yarmouth. The name of the chain is a bit misleading, as the merchandise offered is diverse and always in season.
Davoll's General Store
1228 Russell's Mills Road, Dartmouth
508-636-4530
You can visit one of the oldest general stores in America in Dartmouth.
Davoll's has been in business since 1793 and today sells an assortment of clothing, antiques, and collectibles.
Northeast Knitting Mills Factory Outlet Store
Tower Outlet Mill, 657 Quarry Street, Fall River
508-678-1383
You'll save 50 percent or more off retail prices at this factory outlet store, which sells closeouts and overstocked merchandise manufactured at Northeast Knitting Mills in Fall River. The fourth-generation, family-owned company has been making sweaters and other knitwear for children and adults for more than eighty-five years.
The Red Balloon Toy Shop
114 Route 6A, Orleans
800-901-TOYS
In business since 1970, the Cape's best-loved toy store has puzzles, games, and other playthings to stimulate young imaginations.
