Vacation in the Cape - Hyannis? (Yarmouth, Dennis: to rent, house, school)

[jyyanks]

My family and I rent a house in Chatham every year and love it. This year, my DH wants to go on a vacation with his sister and her family and his parents. There are 11 of us in total. At first I suggested Chatham since I am familiar with it but then I figured it was a good time to check out a different part of the Cape. There will be 5 kids (under 10) and 6 adults so we need a very family friendly area.

We thought Hyannis might fit the bill since it seems to have a lot to do and it was close to the ferries in case we want to go to Martha's Vineyard or Nantucket. There is a house we are looking at in Hyannisport that is close to the town but 1 mile from the beach. Ideally we'd like to be in a place that is walking distance to town and has a beach that is either walking distance or has free parking. Is Hyannis the place for us?

Thanks in advance for your help.

[Ronniec78]

I lived on the Cape for several years and I think Hyannis Port is a good spot if you're looking to dine out, walk, and want a close drive to a lot of restaurants or just hustle and bustle in general. Chatham is a great town and the downtown area is great. I would say I prefer Chatham over Hyannis Port because there is less riff raff, tourists, and traffic. I would definitely rule out any town on the Lower and Outer Cape if you're looking for a lot of things to do. However, Provincetown is always jamming (if you can get past a lot of people who prefer the alternative lifestyle) and Wellfleet has a small but nice downtown. I would say Yarmouth and Dennis are two great options since there are also a lot of restaurants and nice beaches with less traffic and tourists than Hyannis. Hyannis really isn't all that nice in my opinion. Hyannis itself is the worst part of the Cape. I would say South Yarmouth, West Yarmouth, and Dennis Port are great options and are more "Cape Cod" to me. Hyannis is a busy place and all but for the most part it's full of a lot of riff raff.

[jyyanks]

Thank you for your response. We are going to see if we can find something in Chatham or Dennis.

[15steps]

Having lived on the cape my whole life, I'm going to offer my expert opinion here. Anything to the west of brewster/harwhich is not really Cape Cod. Aesthetically speaking, your ideal picturesque cape cod does not exist anywhere but the lower cape (thats provincetown to orleans). sure it may be a little more pricey than the midcape, but hey.. your family rents in chatham, so you should be able to afford it. check out eastham wellfleet and truro if your looking for family oriented. It's no secret, the ocean beaches on the lower-cape are absolutely world class, mid/upper cape not at all. Lots of commercial development in hyannis/yarmouth/dennis, the lower cape on the other hand works hard to be less developed. Think about this: from provincetown to dennis there is only ONE fast-food franchise. Its a wendy's, and its been that way for more than 30 years. where else in the country do you get that?

[jyyanks]

Thank you. We are currenly looking to see if we could fins something on Chatham but will also look in Wellfleet or Truro (heard great things about Truro). I appreciate your response.

[Ronniec78]

I do agree that the Lower Cape is true Cape Cod. It's my favorite part of the Cape. Truro is very nice but there is really no downtown as you know. Jyyanks is looking for a downtown area I think. The Wellfleet is pretty decent as far as Main Street goes but Truro is a very small town with pretty much no downtown at all.

[jyyanks]

Thanks Ronnie - didn't realize Truro didn't have a town. I'll look into Wellfleet. Its hard to find a home in Chatham for 10 that's not $9000/week to rent!

[Ronniec78]

Not a problem. Truro is a beautiful town there really isn't a downtown. However, P-town is right next door and there is a ton of activity down there and I'm sure your kids would get a kick out of the freaks you'd see down on Commercial Street. Plus, there are a ton of stores. Wellfleet is a great town. The downtown is pretty decent and the Beachcomber on Cahoon Hollow Beach is great for adults and kids.

[Ronniec78]

I forgot to mention the Well Fleet Oyster Fest happens in Downtown Wellfleet during Columbus Day weekend. I'm not sure if you're going to be there in October but it's a blast if you like raw oysters & littlenecks or just an overall good time.

[notdancingqueen]

If you prefer mid-cape for access to everything, I'd suggest West Dennis and Harwichport. I prefer the lower cape myself, but we have vacationed mid-cape for 30+ years for various reasons (mostly sentimental and habit, though not adding another hour to the already-long trip is also part of it.) They have everything you mentioned -- we used to walk to "town" (such that it is...the post office and ice cream shop) in W. Dennis all the time. In Harwichport you can often walk to Sundae School - what's better than ice cream? :-) You might try Brewster, too, for a compromise. I'd advise against Hyannis - it is SO crowded, lacks charm, and has almost nothing going for it (imho) except for crowded outlets and the ferry. Oh - and Timmy's roast beef sandwiches!