ESCAPE TO the cape

HEAD NORTHEAST FOR SOME R&R

BY ANNETTE BROOKS

Sandcastles, campfires on the beach, nature trails, whale watching, historic lighthouses, music festivals, quaint seaside villages — there’s nothing quite like an escape to Cape Cod. With a multitude of things to do and see, this 65-mile-long hook-shaped peninsula stretching into the Atlantic Ocean offers something for everyone.

FIVE REASONS YOU’LL LOVE VACATIONING IN CAPE COD, MASSACHUSETTS

Beach Life – With miles of soft sand beaches, there’s a favorite oceanside or bayside spot for everyone. Nauset Beach in Orleans offers a classic Cape Cod experience. If you prefer calmer waters, try Mayflower Beach (Dennis), Old Silver Beach near Vineyard Sound (Falmouth), or Craigville Beach on Nantucket Sound (Barnstable). Catch a sunrise at Lighthouse Beach (Chatham), or soak in a majestic sunset at secluded Chapin Beach (Dennis), bayside Skaket Beach (Orleans), or at the tip of the Cape at Race Point Beach in Provincetown. Visit CapeCodChamber.org/things-t o-do/beaches/ for detailed beach information.

Cape Cod National Seashore – Covering over 44,000 acres, the National Seashore is home to diverse marine, estuarine, freshwater, and terrestrial ecosystems. Explore its undulating dunes, coastal bluffs, heathlands, forested ponds, and beaches. Speaking of beaches, the National Seashore boasts six of them. Coast Guard Beach and Nauset Light Beach are both in Eastham. Race Point Beach and Herring Cove Beach are near Provincetown. Marconi Beach is on Cape Cod Bay in Wellfleet, and Head of the Meadow Beach is ocean-side in Truro.

The National Seashore is also home to six of Cape Cod’s 14 lighthouses. Visit CapeCodLighthouses.info for details. Tip: Spend an evening around your own beach campfire. Visit NPS.gov/caco for general information and to read about beach campfire permits, which may be reserved three days in advance.

Hiking, Biking, Fishing – Wildlife enthusiasts enjoy Monomoy National Wildlife Refuge (FWS.gov/refuge/ Monomoy), which stretches from Chatham into theNantucket Sound.

Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary (MassAudubon.org/places-to-explore/wildlife-sanctuaries/wellfleet-bay) covers over 900 acres of salt marsh, sandy beach, and pine woodland. Great Island Trail (Wellfleet) leads to beautiful, secluded beaches and marsh views. Check the tidal chart since portions of this trail may be submerged at high tide.

The Cape Cod Rail Trail (Mass.gov/locations/cape-cod-rail-trail) includes 25 miles of paved trails for biking (rentals are available) or walking. The calm waters of Cape Cod Bay and the area’s numerous rivers and estuaries provide kayaking, paddleboarding, and even sailing opportunities. Or take a commercial sunset cruise out of Hyannis.

If you like to fish, reserve a day with one of Cape’s charter fishing companies. Have fun reeling in striped bass, bluefish, and black seabass, to name a few.

Ocean-fresh Seafood – Excellent restaurants abound, serving various types of cuisine and local specialties like fresh lobster, dayboat sea scallops, and clams. Try freshly harvested Wellfleet oysters, farmed in protected flats of cold, fast-moving waters, or indulge in traditional New England lobster or clambake on the beach. If you have a place to cook, you can buy fresh catch off the boat, including, you guessed it —

cod, which is light and flakey.

Arts, Culture, History, Shopping – Charming small towns with galleries and a variety of shops dot the island. Chatham, for example, is a favorite with its historic buildings and picturesque downtown.

Museums include Plimoth Patuxet Museums in Plymouth, voted USA Today’s 2024 Readers’ Choice best open-air museum. Heritage Museums & Gardens in Sandwich features American Folk Art and a vintage carousel. The Edward Gorey House (Yarmouth Port) celebrates the life and work of this quirky American author, illustrator, puppeteer, and playwright. Whydah Pirate Museum (West Yarmouth) includes a replica pirate ship and artifacts recovered from an actual vessel that sank off the coast in 1717.