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Cape Cod - places to see, etc etc (1 Viewer)

belljr

Footballguy
I did a search but did not see a thread.

We're thinking of going to Cape Code either the first week in June or the first week in September.

Is either week a no-no? Which would be better? Also we're not sure yet if it we'll be just me and the wife or the 13 year old and 2 year old.

Any and all suggestions appreciated..

 
Most people stay in Hyanis(spelling?). I like Chatham myself, lots of little shops and such and the beach below the lighthouse is nice. Be careful if you swim though, crazy currents there. Also be sure to check out a Cape Cod League baseball game at night. They play every night except one if I remember correctly. Also don't forget P. Town!

 
My wife and I honeymooned there. We stayed in a nice B&B in Falmouth. Falmouth is close to the Martha's Vineyard ferry in Wood's Hole. It's not a long drive to the fast ferries for Nantucket (Hyannis, I think). It's also an easy drive up to Boston and to the end of the Cape (Provincetown). To this day, one of the most amazing things I've ever done is whale watching. We went out of Provincetown. We saw close to 30 humpback whales. It was awesome.

 
1st week of Sept. is Labor Day week - will be very crowded and expensive. Weather will also be dicier than in June - you run a greater risk of getting no days warm enough for swimming, if that's important to you.

Do you like fishing? Rent (if you don't own one) a surf rod and pull stripers and blues right from the beach.

Day trips to the islands are good calls, as is a trip to P-town. Nauset beach is beautiful. Lots of good golf courses if you're into that.

 
1st week of Sept. is Labor Day week - will be very crowded and expensive. Weather will also be dicier than in June - you run a greater risk of getting no days warm enough for swimming, if that's important to you.Do you like fishing? Rent (if you don't own one) a surf rod and pull stripers and blues right from the beach. Day trips to the islands are good calls, as is a trip to P-town. Nauset beach is beautiful. Lots of good golf courses if you're into that.
I figured since labor day was on the first it would be less crowded, guess not. But I definitely prefer "less crowd"
 
The later in the season, the better. The water warms up around mid-late August.

What part of the cape do you plan on staying? Once labor day rolls around, it gets crowded ... quickly.

The summer is the summer and will always be busy but holiday weeks and weekends will always be busiest.

IF you are renting a house for a week/month, it should be easier. If you're in a hotel/motel, you'll have more to contend with.

 
1st week of Sept. is Labor Day week - will be very crowded and expensive. Weather will also be dicier than in June - you run a greater risk of getting no days warm enough for swimming, if that's important to you.Do you like fishing? Rent (if you don't own one) a surf rod and pull stripers and blues right from the beach. Day trips to the islands are good calls, as is a trip to P-town. Nauset beach is beautiful. Lots of good golf courses if you're into that.
I figured since labor day was on the first it would be less crowded, guess not. But I definitely prefer "less crowd"
If you prefer less crowds, try to push it back one week and go from Labor through Columbus Weekends. Oops, if you take the kids, they may be in school by then. Shoot for June, but that water is going to be cold.
 
1st week of Sept. is Labor Day week - will be very crowded and expensive. Weather will also be dicier than in June - you run a greater risk of getting no days warm enough for swimming, if that's important to you.Do you like fishing? Rent (if you don't own one) a surf rod and pull stripers and blues right from the beach. Day trips to the islands are good calls, as is a trip to P-town. Nauset beach is beautiful. Lots of good golf courses if you're into that.
I figured since labor day was on the first it would be less crowded, guess not. But I definitely prefer "less crowd"
Labor day is like the "official opening of the Cape" and will be crowded ... regardless of weather or part of the week/month. This will be one of the top 5 (worst) weeks for traffic around the cape.
 
1st week of Sept. is Labor Day week - will be very crowded and expensive. Weather will also be dicier than in June - you run a greater risk of getting no days warm enough for swimming, if that's important to you.Do you like fishing? Rent (if you don't own one) a surf rod and pull stripers and blues right from the beach. Day trips to the islands are good calls, as is a trip to P-town. Nauset beach is beautiful. Lots of good golf courses if you're into that.
I figured since labor day was on the first it would be less crowded, guess not. But I definitely prefer "less crowd"
Labor day is like the "official opening of the Cape" and will be crowded ... regardless of weather or part of the week/month. This will be one of the top 5 (worst) weeks for traffic around the cape.
Isn't that Memorial Day?
 
My wife and I honeymooned there. We stayed in a nice B&B in Falmouth. Falmouth is close to the Martha's Vineyard ferry in Wood's Hole. It's not a long drive to the fast ferries for Nantucket (Hyannis, I think). It's also an easy drive up to Boston and to the end of the Cape (Provincetown). To this day, one of the most amazing things I've ever done is whale watching. We went out of Provincetown. We saw close to 30 humpback whales. It was awesome.
:no: I went last summer and also saws tons of Humpbacks. P-Town is an adventure on it's own. My favorite thing I did while on the cape was to go bkie riding on the trials that run thorugh the Cape. My cousin, his sons and I rode for like 20 minutes and found really cool little lakes and just went swimming. The local baseball games where always awesome and make sure you catch a movie at the drive in. I forget where it was, but I had a really good time there.
 
We stay in Harwich every August for a week. Great area, not too pricey and maintains a lot of the old style Cape charm. Nice and quiet for a family vacation and the traffic isn't as bad is it gets down in that Wellfleet/Truro area.

I avoid Hyannis like the plague.

 
1st week of Sept. is Labor Day week - will be very crowded and expensive. Weather will also be dicier than in June - you run a greater risk of getting no days warm enough for swimming, if that's important to you.Do you like fishing? Rent (if you don't own one) a surf rod and pull stripers and blues right from the beach. Day trips to the islands are good calls, as is a trip to P-town. Nauset beach is beautiful. Lots of good golf courses if you're into that.
I figured since labor day was on the first it would be less crowded, guess not. But I definitely prefer "less crowd"
Labor day is like the "official opening of the Cape" and will be crowded ... regardless of weather or part of the week/month. This will be one of the top 5 (worst) weeks for traffic around the cape.
Labor day is the opening of the Cape?
1st week of Sept. is Labor Day week - will be very crowded and expensive. Weather will also be dicier than in June - you run a greater risk of getting no days warm enough for swimming, if that's important to you.Do you like fishing? Rent (if you don't own one) a surf rod and pull stripers and blues right from the beach. Day trips to the islands are good calls, as is a trip to P-town. Nauset beach is beautiful. Lots of good golf courses if you're into that.
I figured since labor day was on the first it would be less crowded, guess not. But I definitely prefer "less crowd"
If you prefer less crowds, try to push it back one week and go from Labor through Columbus Weekends. Oops, if you take the kids, they may be in school by then. Shoot for June, but that water is going to be cold.
Columbus day is October - I'm confused now.August 30- Sept 7 is the week yes - Sept 1 is Labor Day but I never thought the whole week would be busy. Need to rethink this.
 
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1st week of Sept. is Labor Day week - will be very crowded and expensive. Weather will also be dicier than in June - you run a greater risk of getting no days warm enough for swimming, if that's important to you.Do you like fishing? Rent (if you don't own one) a surf rod and pull stripers and blues right from the beach. Day trips to the islands are good calls, as is a trip to P-town. Nauset beach is beautiful. Lots of good golf courses if you're into that.
I figured since labor day was on the first it would be less crowded, guess not. But I definitely prefer "less crowd"
Labor day is like the "official opening of the Cape" and will be crowded ... regardless of weather or part of the week/month. This will be one of the top 5 (worst) weeks for traffic around the cape.
Isn't that Memorial Day?
I dunno ... I meant the one that happens at the beginning of the summer? :fishing:
 
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Second the suggestions of Falmouth and Chatham, and Provincetown. If you can fit in a couple of days on Nantucket, I recommend it. Pricey, but it's a nice town and a lot of good restaurants. Biking to the other ends of the islands is also a nice family activity.

 
Well we decided to go.

We'll be going Sept 7 - 14. - I know I know - football season but it's the only time the timeshare was available.

Is there anything "special" during that time frame?

 
As someone who has spent many summers (as both a child and an adult) on Cape Cod perhaps I bring a non-tourist view to this discussion, but I am shocked by what I am reading from the many above posters. The Cape is NOT a accessible, small town...it is a long, narrow, crowded peninsula. Those telling you to go to Martha's Vineyard AND Provincetown AND Nantucket are suggesting that you plan on spending fully have your vacation in travel mode (a la Steve Martin in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles...thogh you'll be adding boats!) This is not my idea of a Cape vacation, but maybe it is yours. If it isn't, I'd suggest picking a destination and then coming back here for suggestions on what to do that's around the area you'll be staying.

 
Jefferson the Caregiver said:
Take the ferry from Woods Hole to Martha's Vineyard.
:thumbdown: Get some bikes if you can, love biking around the island
Sorry for slight highjack but I am going to Martha's Vineyard this summer. Any suggestions for the Island?
One thing I like to do is rent bikes where the ferry drops you off, which is either vineyard haven or oakbluffs.Than bike it all the way to Edgartown (around 10 miles). Hit South Beach in Edgartown for a few hours and then go into Edgartown for lunch.
 
belljr said:
Well we decided to go. We'll be going Sept 7 - 14. - I know I know - football season but it's the only time the timeshare was available.Is there anything "special" during that time frame?
:unsure: best time to enjoy the cape. Weather is fantastic and the crowds are gone.
 
The Cape is so overrated and easily one of my least favorite places near the water in New England. I would much rather be in coastal Maine, Rhode Island or one of the Islands (Martha's Vineyard, Block Island).

 
The Cape is so overrated and easily one of my least favorite places near the water in New England. I would much rather be in coastal Maine, Rhode Island or one of the Islands (Martha's Vineyard, Block Island).
We've been to Mystic and Newport and all the way up to Rockland, Maine. Just never went east to the Cape. Never did Block Island though either.
 
The Cape is so overrated and easily one of my least favorite places near the water in New England. I would much rather be in coastal Maine, Rhode Island or one of the Islands (Martha's Vineyard, Block Island).
I've lived on the Cape my whole life, and agree haha it is overrated. Too busy in the summer.
 
'jamny said:
'Ray Hueston said:
The Cape is so overrated and easily one of my least favorite places near the water in New England. I would much rather be in coastal Maine, Rhode Island or one of the Islands (Martha's Vineyard, Block Island).
We've been to Mystic and Newport and all the way up to Rockland, Maine. Just never went east to the Cape. Never did Block Island though either.
Block Island is full of New Yorkers. If there's one thing that's worse than M***holes it's New Yorkers. I like Maine, too, but Maine generally doesn't have the greatest beaches and the water gets very cold after the current goes out to sea at Chatham. I like the Cape, but not in peak summer when it's packed with tourists. The Cape in the fall is nice. I generally shun the Vineyard in favor of Nantucket, as would any true FBG. That said, when I was flying my airplane, pre-divorce, South Beach on the Vineyard, adjacent to Katama Airfield, was one of my absolute favorite beach destinations. Water is noticably warmer than up in Maine. My favorite place on the Cape is probably Chatham. P-Town can be easily accessed by high-speed ferry from Boston, so we usually make at least one trip there every summer, too.
 
Been going to the Cape my whole life...family has a place that's been in the family almost 100 years. It's on 7 acres of land we have under the conservation act on a small, fresh water pond with a private beach. It's more like being in Maine that on the Cape since it's so private. I would hate the Cape otherwise cause of the crowds, but for me it's the most peaceful place on earth. :thumbup:

 
Beautiful fireworks up in Provincetown for the Fourth of July, if you don't mind explaining to your children why there are two men making out. NTTIAWWT.

 
'jamny said:
'Ray Hueston said:
The Cape is so overrated and easily one of my least favorite places near the water in New England. I would much rather be in coastal Maine, Rhode Island or one of the Islands (Martha's Vineyard, Block Island).
We've been to Mystic and Newport and all the way up to Rockland, Maine. Just never went east to the Cape. Never did Block Island though either.
Block Island is full of New Yorkers. If there's one thing that's worse than M***holes it's New Yorkers. I like Maine, too, but Maine generally doesn't have the greatest beaches and the water gets very cold after the current goes out to sea at Chatham. I like the Cape, but not in peak summer when it's packed with tourists. The Cape in the fall is nice. I generally shun the Vineyard in favor of Nantucket, as would any true FBG. That said, when I was flying my airplane, pre-divorce, South Beach on the Vineyard, adjacent to Katama Airfield, was one of my absolute favorite beach destinations. Water is noticably warmer than up in Maine. My favorite place on the Cape is probably Chatham. P-Town can be easily accessed by high-speed ferry from Boston, so we usually make at least one trip there every summer, too.
:goodposting:
 
West Harwich isn't bad. If you bicycle, the Rail Trail is due north of you about a mile and a half up Bell's Neck Road, and once you're on there you can get pretty much anywhere and not deal with traffic. ETA: Make sure that you have good tires as Bell's Neck Road is not exactly improved. Cool walking trails there as well.You can go to Captain Parker's for legendary (read: thick as hell) chowder in Yarmouthport, but outside of that I'd head east and north. Not at all a fan of Hyannis.As mentioned before, Chatham is pretty cool, if you like walking on a semi-deserted beach area you won't be far from Monomoy Wildlife Refuge (south of Chatham), lots of decent food in that town as well. Chatham Pier is fun to watch seals chow down on the scraps from the fishing boats at high tide.We spend a ton of time up in Eastham, and the Cape Cod National Seashore visitor's center is a recommended first stop. Coast Guard Beach (park and access by shuttle) is great for boogie-boarding, get there about a half hour before low tide and figure on 2+ hours of prime water time. Some good food out that way - Yardarm in Orleans is a Red Sox townie bar but the onion strings are killer as is the chowder and Caesar salad, the rest of the food is decent but won't blow you away; Mahoney's in Orleans has a great rep, esp for their ahi tuna sesame grilled sashimi; Pearl in Wellfleet was great when we went there last summer for my wife's birthday. P-town, definitely fun on the fourth of July but be prepared for a long ### drive and impossible parking (we usually leave the car at a lot in Eastham and take the bus) from the sheer volume of traffic. Get some fried dough at the Portuguese Bakery and sit on the beach to watch the fireworks. There's a good seafood take-out sort of place in the small indoor marketplace next door to Marine Specialties if you want casual. The default choice is the Lobster Pot, right by the pier, been around forever, solid but not mindblowing (even if Bourdain did lines of blow there in his early days).Vineyard? Go. Bring bikes, or just take the bus everywhere. Great place to spend a day.

 
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'MacArtist said:
Beautiful fireworks up in Provincetown for the Fourth of July, if you don't mind explaining to your children why there are two men making out. NTTIAWWT.
:goodposting:I loved P-town. Wife and I got married there. It was AWESOME for us to spend a few days in a place where we could hold hands, be affectionate and not get shot dirty looks. We felt more comfortable as a couple in public than anywhere we've been.
Get a room; no one cares that you feel the need to display how much you love each other.
 
West Harwich isn't bad. If you bicycle, the Rail Trail is due north of you about a mile and a half up Bell's Neck Road, and once you're on there you can get pretty much anywhere and not deal with traffic. ETA: Make sure that you have good tires as Bell's Neck Road is not exactly improved. Cool walking trails there as well.You can go to Captain Parker's for legendary (read: thick as hell) chowder in Yarmouthport, but outside of that I'd head east and north. Not at all a fan of Hyannis.As mentioned before, Chatham is pretty cool, if you like walking on a semi-deserted beach area you won't be far from Monomoy Wildlife Refuge (south of Chatham), lots of decent food in that town as well. Chatham Pier is fun to watch seals chow down on the scraps from the fishing boats at high tide.We spend a ton of time up in Eastham, and the Cape Cod National Seashore visitor's center is a recommended first stop. Coast Guard Beach (park and access by shuttle) is great for boogie-boarding, get there about a half hour before low tide and figure on 2+ hours of prime water time. Some good food out that way - Yardarm in Orleans is a Red Sox townie bar but the onion strings are killer as is the chowder and Caesar salad, the rest of the food is decent but won't blow you away; Mahoney's in Orleans has a great rep, esp for their ahi tuna sesame grilled sashimi; Pearl in Wellfleet was great when we went there last summer for my wife's birthday. P-town, definitely fun on the fourth of July but be prepared for a long ### drive and impossible parking (we usually leave the car at a lot in Eastham and take the bus) from the sheer volume of traffic. Get some fried dough at the Portuguese Bakery and sit on the beach to watch the fireworks. There's a good seafood take-out sort of place in the small indoor marketplace next door to Marine Specialties if you want casual. The default choice is the Lobster Pot, right by the pier, been around forever, solid but not mindblowing (even if Bourdain did lines of blow there in his early days).Vineyard? Go. Bring bikes, or just take the bus everywhere. Great place to spend a day.
:thumbup: Thanks for all the advice!
 
West Harwich isn't bad. If you bicycle, the Rail Trail is due north of you about a mile and a half up Bell's Neck Road, and once you're on there you can get pretty much anywhere and not deal with traffic. ETA: Make sure that you have good tires as Bell's Neck Road is not exactly improved. Cool walking trails there as well.You can go to Captain Parker's for legendary (read: thick as hell) chowder in Yarmouthport, but outside of that I'd head east and north. Not at all a fan of Hyannis.As mentioned before, Chatham is pretty cool, if you like walking on a semi-deserted beach area you won't be far from Monomoy Wildlife Refuge (south of Chatham), lots of decent food in that town as well. Chatham Pier is fun to watch seals chow down on the scraps from the fishing boats at high tide.We spend a ton of time up in Eastham, and the Cape Cod National Seashore visitor's center is a recommended first stop. Coast Guard Beach (park and access by shuttle) is great for boogie-boarding, get there about a half hour before low tide and figure on 2+ hours of prime water time. Some good food out that way - Yardarm in Orleans is a Red Sox townie bar but the onion strings are killer as is the chowder and Caesar salad, the rest of the food is decent but won't blow you away; Mahoney's in Orleans has a great rep, esp for their ahi tuna sesame grilled sashimi; Pearl in Wellfleet was great when we went there last summer for my wife's birthday. P-town, definitely fun on the fourth of July but be prepared for a long ### drive and impossible parking (we usually leave the car at a lot in Eastham and take the bus) from the sheer volume of traffic. Get some fried dough at the Portuguese Bakery and sit on the beach to watch the fireworks. There's a good seafood take-out sort of place in the small indoor marketplace next door to Marine Specialties if you want casual. The default choice is the Lobster Pot, right by the pier, been around forever, solid but not mindblowing (even if Bourdain did lines of blow there in his early days).Vineyard? Go. Bring bikes, or just take the bus everywhere. Great place to spend a day.
:thumbup: Thanks for all the advice!
Heading there Thursday,,,can't wait!

Thinking of spending most of the day in Chatham on Thursday (getting to the Cape around noon), going to Provincetown on Friday and Saturday is up in the air. Head to Martha's Vineyard or explore the Cape more?

 
'MacArtist said:
Beautiful fireworks up in Provincetown for the Fourth of July, if you don't mind explaining to your children why there are two men making out. NTTIAWWT.
:goodposting:I loved P-town. Wife and I got married there. It was AWESOME for us to spend a few days in a place where we could hold hands, be affectionate and not get shot dirty looks. We felt more comfortable as a couple in public than anywhere we've been.
Get a room; no one cares that you feel the need to display how much you love each other.
Good God, I hope you know that I was joking.

 
True story. The first time I went to P-Town, I had NO CLUE it was a gay hotspot. The previous summer, we had taken a cruise to the Caribbean and one of the stops was St. Thomas. While there, I purchased a shirt that had a skull and crossbones graphic on the back with the words "Show me your Booty". I wore said shirt to P-Town on my first visit. We went whale watching, ate a great dinner and then I developed a pretty bad headache. I remember seeing a pharmacy about 4 blocks away from the restaurant we ate at. I told my wife that I would run and get some Advil. On the way there, I kept seeing signs that said "Bear Week". Now this is pre-smart phones, so I couldn't look any of this up. On the way back, it was as if the witching hour had begun and a bunch of gay guys started pouring into the streets and giving me catcalls. Most of them were older, heavier, hairy guys. Think Cliff Clavin from cheers mixed with a little Willie Nelson. Suddenly everything clicked in my brain. I had that "A-HA" moment and picked up my pace. Then I heard, "I'll show you my booty, if you want!" I got back to my wife, and got the hell out of Dodge.

Now in hindsight, I don't recall seeing much gay activity during the daytime hours. But I guess once the tourists start going back home, the local festivities really kick up. I've been back a few times after that incident, and now I see it everywhere. Great place to visit, just don't wear a "Show me your Booty" shirt if you're not ready to do so.

 
True story. The first time I went to P-Town, I had NO CLUE it was a gay hotspot. The previous summer, we had taken a cruise to the Caribbean and one of the stops was St. Thomas. While there, I purchased a shirt that had a skull and crossbones graphic on the back with the words "Show me your Booty". I wore said shirt to P-Town on my first visit. We went whale watching, ate a great dinner and then I developed a pretty bad headache. I remember seeing a pharmacy about 4 blocks away from the restaurant we ate at. I told my wife that I would run and get some Advil. On the way there, I kept seeing signs that said "Bear Week". Now this is pre-smart phones, so I couldn't look any of this up. On the way back, it was as if the witching hour had begun and a bunch of gay guys started pouring into the streets and giving me catcalls. Most of them were older, heavier, hairy guys. Think Cliff Clavin from cheers mixed with a little Willie Nelson. Suddenly everything clicked in my brain. I had that "A-HA" moment and picked up my pace. Then I heard, "I'll show you my booty, if you want!" I got back to my wife, and got the hell out of Dodge.

Now in hindsight, I don't recall seeing much gay activity during the daytime hours. But I guess once the tourists start going back home, the local festivities really kick up. I've been back a few times after that incident, and now I see it everywhere. Great place to visit, just don't wear a "Show me your Booty" shirt if you're not ready to do so.
You should try a "I hate my wife" shirt.
 
I was just my wife, 6 month old, and myself. All I know is we parked, got right on the boat, ate dinner at a restaurant next to this huge anchor in the middle of the street, and the CVS or Walgreens was about 4 blocks away. I guess we really didn't delve into the sweatier parts of town. I know it was near town hall.

 
Absolutely loved the Cape! There aren't many places I'd consider moving to but Cape Cod makes the list. Nice little town we stayed in at West Harwich, Race Point Beach is amazing. P'Town was...interesting. We had hoped to get onto Cahoon Hollow Beach but it was totally packed on Saturday. I was looking forward to hanging out at the Beachcomber but we wound up heading into Wellfleet and had lunch at the Bookstore restaurant at the harbor. Traffic actually wasn't bad getting in on the 4th and Friday was no problem either heading up to Race Point but Saturday was bad around the island, especially if you were trying to head out. Chatham is one of the nicest towns I've ever seen. We drove down all kinds of roads to no where deep into the various towns to their coasts. Love the houses, no two are alike. Lots of great restaurants, locally in West Harwich we went to Brax's Landing, The Ocean House, Oyster Company and Buca's Roadhouse.

I can't get over how great it is there. Can't believe we haven't been there before. I just assumed it was like the Hamptons (not a fan) but it's so much more. We didn't get to do half the things we wanted to do. I may never move there but we'll be going back every year or two for a while.

 

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