Where to spend a weekend on the Cape???

[tonrob]

Originally Posted by Blighty

Actually we are also looking for a good B&B for a family of 4 on Cape Cod, for a couple of nights. Any suggestions and also any info on the whale watching would be appreciated.

We are looking at any time from the 27th - 31st Aug

From your other posts I see you'll probably be in the Boston area during your trip too - you can also take whale watching trips from there.

Many B&Bs will be booked heavily during the summer months and will have minimum stays that may exceed the number of nights you wish to visit. A research technique that's worked well for me is to search for each of the "major" towns (as already mentioned) on a site that will list and rank B&Bs (or hotels) in order of popularity based on reviews published on the site. It will also show an indicator of cost, but beware as this is usually an average year-round cost whereas you will be staying at a time where the rates can be 200-300% of the lowest winter rates.

A surprising number of the B&Bs have their own websites, however, so you can check each one quite quickly, see minimum stay requirements and availability. Act quickly though - the dates you mention lead up to Labor Day weekend (a "Bank Holiday"), which is a very popular getaway time for Americans.

[Blighty]

Yes, only just realised that the last weekend in August is one of the big US holiday weekends. So it looks like Cape Cod will have to wait until we move over.

Thanks for the advice.

[DreamworksSKG]

I would recommend Chatham or Brewster . lots of nice B+B's and cozy Inns. also good antiquing along 6A , and shop browsing. Chatham has a quaint center, the cape cod rail trail is nearby as is monomoy island wildlife reserve.. - I would higjly recommend taking a seal cruise to see the seals from Monomoy Island. they will even drop you off for part of the afternoon on a secluded beach (No lifeguards) even.
Monomoy Island Ferry - Seal Tours, Beach Shuttle, Birdwatching, Flyfishing on the Monomoy Islands of Chatham, MA
I went on this a couple years ago and was amazed by the number of seasl swimming right up to the boat, even little baby ones. it was a cool experience.

I'd also recommend the following activities:



Cape Cod Biking/Rail Trail:
Cape Cod Bike Guide
Cape Cod Rail Trail

The rail trail runs from Dennis-Wellfleet. and from Welfleet there are some back routes through Wellfleet and truro on the bay side you can ride up to provincetown if you enjoy biking the rail trail is to die for.

Also Nickerson Park in Brewster is nice to ride in and walk or rollerblade in
nice and shady . to beat the heat on a summer day
with miles of trails -
Nickerson State Park
http://www.mass.gov/dcr/parks/trails/nickerson.gif


I would highly recommend making a day up in Provincetown
and go on a whale watch
Portuguese Princess - Provincetown Whale Watch
WhaleWatch.com

I'd recommend Dolphin fleet , though I haven't yet been on Portuguese prncess
Both are good reputable companies with guranteed whale sightings

There's a neat shutlte boat Flyers' Shuttle you can get tickets on the town dock/pier
that takes you to the tip of cape cod
with a private bayside beach out on the very tip of the cape
with a lighthouse
you can take your beach stuff out and swim out there on the bay side (Atlantic side is a bit rough, and steep drop off. ) to the channel
so I'd suggest keeping ont he bay side, swimming wise

Flyer's Boat Rentals and Apartments - Boat Rentals - Sail - Kayaks - Power Boats - Sailing Lessons - Provincetown Moorings - Cape Cod

Flyers has boat rentals for the day as well

The pilgrim monument and museum is not to be missed.
offers sweeping views of the cape
pilgrim1

I'd recommend going on the whale watch first thing in the AM when you get to p-town
so you can have some time in the afternoon to explore the town, go up in the monument check out the dunes, etc.

on the way up stop in at the Salt Pond Visitors Center in Eastham
gateway to the National Seashore.
Check out Coast Guard Beach Light - At Nauset Beach in Orleans

Check out the Marconi Wireless Station in Wellfleet
Marconi's Wellfleet (Cape Cod) Wireless - Stormfax®

Wellfleet also has a nice harbor area
My Wellfleet: WebCam of Inner Harbor Wellfleet, MA

I would recommend one night checking out a movie at the
Well-fleet drive in a still working drive in, one of the last drive -ins in the country
Wellfleet Drive-In Theater


Welfleet Bay Wildlfie sanctuary is pretty cool too
Wellfleet Bay | Mass Audubon | Nature Connection

When in Chatham I'd suggest browsing through the many shops and eating at one of the restaurants in town

Check out the Lighthouse at the Coast guard station in chatham and
the Chatham break, where a nor-easter broke through the beach, and eventually created the sand-spit you see now
Chatham Lighthouse Beach and South Beach Information

Map of Chatham
The Map for Chatham, MA :: Cape Cod

You'll want to check out the schoolhouse ice cream in Harwich Port
too
Yum
Schoolhouse Ice Cream - Harwich Port, MA

A couple lodging ideas for ya

Chatham Wayside Inn
Welcome to the Chatham Wayside Inn, Chatham Cape Cod MA

Cranberry inn
Cape Cod Hotel Bed And Breakfast Chatham MA Romantic Getaway Cape Cod B&B

Captains House inn
Captains House Inn, a Cape Cod bed and breakfast, Chatham, MA

Carriage House inn
Cape Cod Bed and Breakfast, Cape Cod Inn, Cape Cod Lodging

Bradford Inn
Chatham Lodging, Chatham Inn, Cape Cod, MA - The Bradford Inn

Old harbor inn
Chatham Massachusetts Bed and Breakfast, Cape Cod Bed and Breakfast

Queen Anne Inn
The Chatham Queen Anne Inn, Cape Cod famous Hotel and Bed and Breakfast

Chatham Guest rooms
Chatham Guest Houses Bed And Breakfast Inns Cape Cod Massachusetts

The beach house at chatham
The Beach House at Chatham

B+B's Brewster MA
Brewster Bed and Breakfasts

I'd also recommend Paine's creek beach in Brewster - you can get a beach pass sticker for the brewster beaches at the town hall in Brewster during business hours
the beaches have great sunset views and you can walk way out with the tide when it goes out just beware the water fills in from the sides, leaving the last sandbar, the last one to go under. so make sure you start coming back to shore before most of the tide is in
or you could get stuck out there

Paines Creek Beach - Cape Cod Picture

Paine's creek beach has great sunset views - I think parking is free after 6pm -
though the lot gets kind of full - for the sunsets
you could park along the side of the road a bit up the paine's creek road and walk the rest of the way

its a cool tidal creek with a nice current so when the tide comes in the river fills up and you can float a raft or a boogie board down the river.

a great beach for kids - there's a cool tidepool area. - in the grasses kids can look for small minnows , crabs and other things

Paine's Creek | Creek, Paines, Brewster, Town, Vacation | MoreBeach.com

I'd recommend checking out the cape cod league as well
its a baseball league that has actually produced a number of major leaguers. -while they're in college its a collegiate summer developmental league
there's teams all across the cape
and I'd recommend the chatham team, Harwich, Brewster, Yarmouth-Dennis and/or Orleans cardinals.

Official Site of The Cape Cod Baseball League

On the way up to the cape
I'd recommend stopping at

Plymouth plantation, plymouth rock, the mayflower ship and downtown plymouth,

Definitely check out Sandwich Village and
Sandwich Village glass museum
with glass blowing demonstrations on the way up
Sandwich Glass Museum

Also at the sagamore flyover check out the
(formerly the sagamore rotary) check out the Christmas tree shops where you'll always find a bargain
Christmas Tree Shops - Sagamore MA Hours & Directions

On the way up or back you'll also want to check out the Cape Cod Potato Chip co.
in Hyannis
and see how potato chips are made. I think you even get a free bag of potato chips
Factory Tour

Hy-line cruises offers tours of the cape cod canal 3 hours which are brilliant. I went on this and highly enjoyed it
you go from Onset. on Buzzards bay through the canal, under the bridges, get a history tour along the way turn around in cape cod bay and come back
Hy-Line Cruises

The captain was funny and amusing and great

Hy line offers other tours as well some from Hyannis

For provincetown day trip
I'd suggest

getting up early leaving early -

driving up route 6

check out the nauset lighthouse
the Marconi Station -
and the welfleet bay wildlife sanctuary

then get up to P-town

do the whale watch -

come back from the whale watch stroll the town---a bit.
have lunch or dinner at one of the seafood restaurants such as the Lobster pot.

do the Arts Dune tour sunset tour
(make your reservation in the AM)

Welcome to Art's Dune Tours - "You got to have Art's !" Offering historical tours of the famous national seashore sand dunes in Provincetown, Cape Cod, Massachusets

or in advance.
(recommended)

There's a arts dune tour sunset tour only which is $35
if you do the clambake with the tour its $85
if you do the BBQ with the tour its $75

kids prices are a bit cheaper
Welcome to Art's Dune Tours - "You got to have Art's !" Offering historical tours of the famous national seashore sand dunes in Provincetown, Cape Cod, Massachusets

The arts dune tour is fantastic and takes you through the unaccessable parts of the dunes, lets you off on the beach to see the ocean, and gives you a history of the dunes and dune shacks where the artists worked and lived
and still do on occasion

Hope this helps in your trip planning

Oh there's some back dirt roads in eastham off of route 6 which have some dead end streets that overlook the cape cod bay on a cliff.
there's one i found with a awesome view of the cape cod bay, I could see all the way to Provincetown

[CoastalMaine]

Originally Posted by DreamworksSKG

I would recommend Chatham or Brewster . lots of nice B+B's and cozy Inns. also good antiquing along 6A , and shop browsing. Chatham has a quaint center, the cape cod rail trail is nearby as is monomoy island wildlife reserve.. - I would higjly recommend taking a seal cruise to see the seals from Monomoy Island. they will even drop you off for part of the afternoon on a secluded beach (No lifeguards) even.
Monomoy Island Ferry - Seal Tours, Beach Shuttle, Birdwatching, Flyfishing on the Monomoy Islands of Chatham, MA
I went on this a couple years ago and was amazed by the number of seasl swimming right up to the boat, even little baby ones. it was a cool experience.

I'd also recommend the following activities:



Cape Cod Biking/Rail Trail:
Cape Cod Bike Guide
Cape Cod Rail Trail

The rail trail runs from Dennis-Wellfleet. and from Welfleet there are some back routes through Wellfleet and truro on the bay side you can ride up to provincetown if you enjoy biking the rail trail is to die for.

Also Nickerson Park in Brewster is nice to ride in and walk or rollerblade in
nice and shady . to beat the heat on a summer day
with miles of trails -
Nickerson State Park
http://www.mass.gov/dcr/parks/trails/nickerson.gif


I would highly recommend making a day up in Provincetown
and go on a whale watch
Portuguese Princess - Provincetown Whale Watch
WhaleWatch.com

I'd recommend Dolphin fleet , though I haven't yet been on Portuguese prncess
Both are good reputable companies with guranteed whale sightings

There's a neat shutlte boat Flyers' Shuttle you can get tickets on the town dock/pier
that takes you to the tip of cape cod
with a private bayside beach out on the very tip of the cape
with a lighthouse
you can take your beach stuff out and swim out there on the bay side (Atlantic side is a bit rough, and steep drop off. ) to the channel
so I'd suggest keeping ont he bay side, swimming wise

Flyer's Boat Rentals and Apartments - Boat Rentals - Sail - Kayaks - Power Boats - Sailing Lessons - Provincetown Moorings - Cape Cod

Flyers has boat rentals for the day as well

The pilgrim monument and museum is not to be missed.
offers sweeping views of the cape
pilgrim1

I'd recommend going on the whale watch first thing in the AM when you get to p-town
so you can have some time in the afternoon to explore the town, go up in the monument check out the dunes, etc.

on the way up stop in at the Salt Pond Visitors Center in Eastham
gateway to the National Seashore.
Check out Coast Guard Beach Light - At Nauset Beach in Orleans

Check out the Marconi Wireless Station in Wellfleet
Marconi's Wellfleet (Cape Cod) Wireless - Stormfax®

Wellfleet also has a nice harbor area
My Wellfleet: WebCam of Inner Harbor Wellfleet, MA

I would recommend one night checking out a movie at the
Well-fleet drive in a still working drive in, one of the last drive -ins in the country
Wellfleet Drive-In Theater


Welfleet Bay Wildlfie sanctuary is pretty cool too
Wellfleet Bay | Mass Audubon | Nature Connection

When in Chatham I'd suggest browsing through the many shops and eating at one of the restaurants in town

Check out the Lighthouse at the Coast guard station in chatham and
the Chatham break, where a nor-easter broke through the beach, and eventually created the sand-spit you see now
Chatham Lighthouse Beach and South Beach Information

Map of Chatham
The Map for Chatham, MA :: Cape Cod

You'll want to check out the schoolhouse ice cream in Harwich Port
too
Yum
Schoolhouse Ice Cream - Harwich Port, MA

A couple lodging ideas for ya

Chatham Wayside Inn
Welcome to the Chatham Wayside Inn, Chatham Cape Cod MA

Cranberry inn
Cape Cod Hotel Bed And Breakfast Chatham MA Romantic Getaway Cape Cod B&B

Captains House inn
Captains House Inn, a Cape Cod bed and breakfast, Chatham, MA

Carriage House inn
Cape Cod Bed and Breakfast, Cape Cod Inn, Cape Cod Lodging

Bradford Inn
Chatham Lodging, Chatham Inn, Cape Cod, MA - The Bradford Inn

Old harbor inn
Chatham Massachusetts Bed and Breakfast, Cape Cod Bed and Breakfast

Queen Anne Inn
The Chatham Queen Anne Inn, Cape Cod famous Hotel and Bed and Breakfast

Chatham Guest rooms
Chatham Guest Houses Bed And Breakfast Inns Cape Cod Massachusetts

The beach house at chatham
The Beach House at Chatham

B+B's Brewster MA
Brewster Bed and Breakfasts

I'd also recommend Paine's creek beach in Brewster - you can get a beach pass sticker for the brewster beaches at the town hall in Brewster during business hours
the beaches have great sunset views and you can walk way out with the tide when it goes out just beware the water fills in from the sides, leaving the last sandbar, the last one to go under. so make sure you start coming back to shore before most of the tide is in
or you could get stuck out there

Paines Creek Beach - Cape Cod Picture

Paine's creek beach has great sunset views - I think parking is free after 6pm -
though the lot gets kind of full - for the sunsets
you could park along the side of the road a bit up the paine's creek road and walk the rest of the way

its a cool tidal creek with a nice current so when the tide comes in the river fills up and you can float a raft or a boogie board down the river.

a great beach for kids - there's a cool tidepool area. - in the grasses kids can look for small minnows , crabs and other things

Paine's Creek | Creek, Paines, Brewster, Town, Vacation | MoreBeach.com

I'd recommend checking out the cape cod league as well
its a baseball league that has actually produced a number of major leaguers. -while they're in college its a collegiate summer developmental league
there's teams all across the cape
and I'd recommend the chatham team, Harwich, Brewster, Yarmouth-Dennis and/or Orleans cardinals.

Official Site of The Cape Cod Baseball League

On the way up to the cape
I'd recommend stopping at

Plymouth plantation, plymouth rock, the mayflower ship and downtown plymouth,

Definitely check out Sandwich Village and
Sandwich Village glass museum
with glass blowing demonstrations on the way up
Sandwich Glass Museum

Also at the sagamore flyover check out the
(formerly the sagamore rotary) check out the Christmas tree shops where you'll always find a bargain
Christmas Tree Shops - Sagamore MA Hours & Directions

On the way up or back you'll also want to check out the Cape Cod Potato Chip co.
in Hyannis
and see how potato chips are made. I think you even get a free bag of potato chips
Factory Tour

Hy-line cruises offers tours of the cape cod canal 3 hours which are brilliant. I went on this and highly enjoyed it
you go from Onset. on Buzzards bay through the canal, under the bridges, get a history tour along the way turn around in cape cod bay and come back
Hy-Line Cruises

The captain was funny and amusing and great

Hy line offers other tours as well some from Hyannis

For provincetown day trip
I'd suggest

getting up early leaving early -

driving up route 6

check out the nauset lighthouse
the Marconi Station -
and the welfleet bay wildlife sanctuary

then get up to P-town

do the whale watch -

come back from the whale watch stroll the town---a bit.
have lunch or dinner at one of the seafood restaurants such as the Lobster pot.

do the Arts Dune tour sunset tour
(make your reservation in the AM)

Welcome to Art's Dune Tours - "You got to have Art's !" Offering historical tours of the famous national seashore sand dunes in Provincetown, Cape Cod, Massachusets

or in advance.
(recommended)

There's a arts dune tour sunset tour only which is $35
if you do the clambake with the tour its $85
if you do the BBQ with the tour its $75

kids prices are a bit cheaper
Welcome to Art's Dune Tours - "You got to have Art's !" Offering historical tours of the famous national seashore sand dunes in Provincetown, Cape Cod, Massachusets

The arts dune tour is fantastic and takes you through the unaccessable parts of the dunes, lets you off on the beach to see the ocean, and gives you a history of the dunes and dune shacks where the artists worked and lived
and still do on occasion

Hope this helps in your trip planning

Oh there's some back dirt roads in eastham off of route 6 which have some dead end streets that overlook the cape cod bay on a cliff.
there's one i found with a awesome view of the cape cod bay, I could see all the way to Provincetown

Great post! A bit too much for a weekend, but one could pick and choose. The beaches in Brewster have free parking after 3 pm.

[DreamworksSKG]

definitely check out paines creek at low tide, high tide once, and sunset :-)

-jeff-

Your really need a week or two at the cape to see everything

You could also do a couple things on the drive down and up like plymouth plantation a cape cod canal cruise, sandwich--sandwich glass museum, potato chip factory etc

[CoastalMaine]

Gees, quit posting about the best beach in town, will ya? lol Mums the word!!!!

[DreamworksSKG]

There are some nice beaches on the south shore of Chatham as well around stage harbor

Check them out

The nauset side is rougher with more undertow-and waves.., even some small rocks that get thrown by the waves at times. - If you know how to deal with undertow-have boogey-borded before or surfed you should be fine---I would recommend keeping children close to the shore at these beaches, the undertow can be quite strong at times , Make sure someone is watching the kids at all times (this should be self explanitory but i've seen kids playing without adult supervision in the rough surf) This is the kind of current that if you look away for one minute your child could be floating out into sea. -

The South Side of chatham - toward Harwich would be better for the children