1. John F. Kennedy Hyannis Museum
City: Hyannis, MA
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (580) 790-3077
Address: 397 Main St.
Description: The John F. Kennedy Hyannis Museum is a multimedia exhibit designed to open a window on the days that JFK, a Hyannisport summer resident, spent on Cape Cod. Opened in 1992, the museum features an 80-photo collection, a video narrated by Walter Cronkite, and oral histories from friends of the 35th president. The museum is near the John F. Kennedy Memorial, the Kennedy Compound in Hyannisport, and St. Francis Xavier Church, where the Kennedy family has worshiped since the 1930s. The museum is open daily during the summer, but hours vary at other times of the year so call ahead or go online for specifics. The museum is closed in Jan. Admission is $5.00 for adults and $2.50 for children ages 10 to 17; children younger than 10 are admitted free.
2. Catboat Rides
City: Hyannis, MA
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (508) 775-0222, (800) 308-1837
Address: 164 Ocean St. Dock
Description: The classic catboat Eventide makes several trips daily out of Hyannis Harbor from early May through mid-Oct. Avid birders might opt for a nature cruise to the Pine Cove Wildlife Sanctuary in Lewis Bay. Other cruises include a Hyannisport cruise; a blue-water cruise; a sunset cocktail cruise, and a starlight cruise. The 34-foot Eventide, which has a 38-foot sloop-rigged mast, carries up to 22 people. It can sail in only 30 inches of water, allowing it to get very close to the shore and attractions such as the Kennedy Compound and local lighthouses. Cruise prices are $30 for adults, $25 for senior citizens, and $10 for children less than 90 pounds. Call ahead for reservations and schedules. The Eventide is available for private parties and corporate parties up to 20 people.
3. Hy-Line Cruises
City: Hyannis, MA
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (508) 778-2600, (800) 492-8082
Address: 22 Channel Point Rd.
Description: Hy-Line offers a year-round high-speed ferry between Hyannis and Martha’s Vineyard. The trip takes about an hour, with scheduled departures throughout the day, seven days a week. In season (late May to late Oct), a round-trip fare for Hyannis to Martha’s Vineyard costs $69 for adults and $48 for children ages 5 to 12 (free for children four and under with boarding passes). The company also services the Hyannis to Nantucket route and offers interisland service between Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard. It’s a good idea to call ahead for reservations, especially if you plan to travel during a holiday weekend or during July and Aug. Ferries leave from Dock One, Ocean Street, Hyannis.
4. Cape Air
City: Hyannis, MA
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (508) 771-6944, (800) 352-0714
Address: 660 Barnstable Rd.
Description: Cape Air offers hourly flights, with year-round shuttle service between Hyannis and Nantucket, and regular service from New Bedford, Boston, Providence, and Martha’s Vineyard. Seasonal service from Provincetown is available as well. In the peak season, the company offers more than seven flights daily from Boston. Flights from Hyannis leave every hour; these are approximately 15-minute flights. Flights from Boston leave at hourly intervals. These are approximately 50-minute flights. Charter service is also available, as are connections to an increasing number of locations around New England.
5. John F. Kennedy Museum
City: Hyannis, MA
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (508) 790-3077
Address: 397 Main St.
Description: The Kennedy family and Hyannis are inextricably linked. The Kennedys have been summer residents of this seaside town since the early 1920s. Located in the center of Hyannis, this small museum captures with photos, memorabilia, and video memories of President Kennedy’s time on the Cape from boyhood days through the years when the Kennedy compound served as the “Summer White House.” Baseball fans will not want to miss the Cape Cod Baseball League Hall of Fame on the museum’s lower level. The museum is open daily Memorial Day through Oct, closed in Dec and Jan; check website for days and times the rest of the year.
6. Solstice Spa
City: Hyannis, MA
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (508) 775-7400
Address: 408 Main St.
Description: Solstice Spa is the Cape’s day spa of choice to escape the stress of everyday life and enjoy a few hours of pampering. Delicious body wraps and scrubs, relaxing massages, and expert facials await you in a soothing atmosphere. Vacation beauty emergency? Solstice excels at blowouts and last-minute mani-pedis, too.
7. Cape Cod Potato Chip Factory
City: Hyannis, MA
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (888) 881-2447
Address: 100 Breed’s Hill Rd.
Description: The Cape Cod Potato Chip factory tour is one of the Cape’s top attractions: a fun, quick stop—and super crowded on a rainy summer day. Tours are a self-guided walk down a glass-enclosed corridor where you can watch (and smell!) the manufacturing process from spud to chip. At the end, you are given 2 sample bags of Cape Cod hand-stirred kettle-cooked potato chips (and the opportunity to buy more in the gift shop). Open Mon through Fri 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., closed Sat and Sun.