Advice for Cape Cod getaway

[andrea]

My husband and I are taking a week long trip (7 days) to Cape Cod, by way of Boston, at the end of September. I have wanted to go there for years (I’m a big history and literature buff), so I am super excited! Only problem is, we aren’t exactly sure…

1) where to stay (we fly in and out of Boston) — there are so many different areas around Cape Cod that I’m at a loss as to where we should stay and use as our home base.

2) hotel, motel, or B&B? — any first hand info on great stays people have had?

3) where to visit — what are the *must* see/do things in the area? (my husband would really like to visit Salem for a day as he’s a big fan of spooky stuff…is this doable in a day?)

We are both locals, born and raised here in the PNW, so we are not all that familiar with the northeast. Any advice, knoweldge, or info that you have to offer then will be greatly appreciated. Thank you much in advance!! Andrea

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[christopherboffoli]

Andrea: September is an excellent time to visit Massachusetts. You’ll be too early for the foliage. But it is considered a shoulder season when prices go down and the weather is still good.

One of the things that might not be so obvious to someone from the PNW is that Massachusetts is a relatively small state in a small region. In fact, you could get in a car and hit all six states in New England in one day if you were motivated!

Many of the hotels in Central Boston are within walking distance to any of the major attractions. It is a very walkable City… from the modern restaurants and shopping of Copley Place and Newbury Street, to the older historic areas like Beacon Hill (with its cobblestone streets and gas lights) and the North End (with Quincy Market, Faneuil Hall, the Old North Church and Paul Revere house), not to mention all of the excellent restaurants and bakeries of Hanover Street (do go into Mike’s Pastries and have a cannoli or a piece of ricotta pie!) The Boston Tea Party ship is a somewhat touristy ripoff. But the USS Constitution (Old Ironsides) and the Bunker Hill monument are worth seeing. There is a glut of lobster right now so prices are at their lowest in years and they will just be coming into season again in September (locals say months ending in “r” are the best for lobster). Try Legal Seafoods for excellent seafood and chowder.

All of the kids will be coming back to the ten or so colleges in Boston around that time. Everything gets really vibrant and energetic. Don’t forget that Cambridge (with Harvard, founded in 1636, and MIT) is just across the river too.

Salem is a very easy drive from Boston. Just be careful of some of the witch attractions that can be really touristy. You can certainly see everything there is to see in Salem (House of Seven Gables, etc.) in a day. If you get an early start you might expand your drive to include Cape Ann, Gloucester, Marblehead, etc.

Not sure if it is on your radar, but Lexington and Concord are an easy drive from Boston (up Route 2) if you’re interested in seeing some of the historic sites out there (including Walden Pond) too.

With traffic it is about a two hour drive from central Boston to Hyannis, the largest town on the Cape. (Don’t forget that Plymouth Rock and Plymouth Plantation are on the way too). Some of the highways to the Cape are lined with cranberry bogs which will just about at the point of early harvest when you are there.

Falmouth and Woods Hole are lovely areas and places to get the one-hour ferry to Martha’s Vineyard. But I much prefer Nantucket which is a two hour ferry ride from Hyannis (They also have a high speed ferry). Jetblue also flies from Boston to Nantucket and it is a quick flight. If you’re into history the whaling museum of Nantucket is a must-see.

Massachusetts natives overwhelmingly summer in the beach towns of the central and lower Cape, mostly because it is an easy drive and summer traffic can back up. But do invest the extra time to explore the outer Cape. Everything from Wellfleet on up to Truro and Race Point and then, of course, Provincetown. Visit the Highland Light near Truro and you might see humpback whales just off the bluffs there.

Have a great time!

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[duluc]

I’m mostly a lurker here, but couldn’t resist the opportunity to share my love for Cape Cod. I grew up in New England and return each year for a vacation week in Truro. It’s a truly wonderful place – you can kick back and just watch the waves and feel the sea breezes and forget about everything else in the world.

My advice would be to skip the “lower” Cape (which is roughly from the Canal up to Orleans). This means skipping Hyannis. There’s nothing special there to see there and it’s kind of touristy and kitschy (this area of the Cape is not on the open ocean – it’s Nantucket Sound on one side and Cape Cod Bay on the other). Rather, go straight to Orleans and then head either south (to Chatham) or north (to Eastham, Wellfleet, Truro, and Provincetown). The National Seashore is there – beautiful ocean beaches (the best is Coast Guard beach – miles of wide open sands, bordered on the back end by Nauset Marsh). Wellfleet is a gallery town – very quaint, lots of art, and some good restaurants. Truro is much smaller (“downtown” Truro consists largely of a real estate office, a post office, a yuppie grocery (closed after Labor Day) and a tiny strip mall with a fish market). There are some pretty drives in Truro: up and down N. and S. Pamet Rds., up Castle Hill and Corn Hill Rds. to Corn Hill Beach. Depot Rd. between Truro and Wellfleet.

Ballston Beach at the end of S. Pamet Rd. is another great beach.

And then there’s Provincetown, which is a great place to explore. Lots of shops and galleries – it can take hours to walk up and down Commercial St., eating and shopping, shopping and eating, gazing at art. Nothing beats The Lobster Pot for …lobster, of course! They also make a great Portuguese kale soup. If you’re in Provincetown for breakfast, go straight to Café Heaven (both the Lobster Pot and Café Heaven are on Commercial St.). I can’t advise on lodging much as I rent a cottage for the week I’m there, but I usually spend one night in Provincetown at the Chateau Provincetown and I recommend it highly.

Other things to do on the Cape:

Watch sunsets on the Bay side (supposedly the only place on the Eastern seaboard where you can see the sun set into the ocean).

Bike the Provincelands trail (in the National Seashore area at Provincetown – lots of hills!).

Take a tour into the dunes with Art’s Dune Tours (in Provincetown).

Hike (there are numerous trails – you can get info at the National Seashore visitor centers in Eastham or Provincetown).

Go on a whale watch (the Dolphin Fleet’s sunset whale watch is great) – do this in Provincetown. Even if you don’t see whales, it’s a great trip – it takes nearly 1-1/2 hours to get to the viewing spot so it’s a nice boat ride.

Take sunset sail on the Hindu (also out of Provincetown).

Eat a lobster roll (you can never get enough lobster!). When I describe lobster rolls to Seattleites they look at me kind of funny. It’s just lobster mixed with mayo on a toasted hot dog bun. And it’s divine.

If you have the time, drive route 6a along the bay side of the Cape from Orleans back to the Canal. The road winds its way through many small, typical New England villages – very picturesque. Lots of antique shops, too, if that’s your thing.

One thing to note: September is a great month to visit the Cape. The weather is usually pretty good and the other tourists have gone home, so more space for you! Also, it’s cheaper – the town beaches no longer charge a fee. The National Seashore beaches are free during the week, but still charge on weekends(for parking, that is). Also, stores start to close up for the winter after Labor Day, so the further away from Labor Day you travel, the quieter it’s likely to be. The stores that remain open may have big sales.

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[TammiWS]

I cant do near the justice Christopher and Duluc gave to Cape Cod but can add I went there last year for my birthday and we stayed in Falmouth. It was a quaint cottage setting on the water. Loved it.

Took a ferry to Marthas Vineyard and rented scooters for the day. The cottages on the Vineyard are so unique. And yes, had a delicious lobster roll. Wasnt sure what to make of it at first but it was sooooo good!!

Went to Provincetown for a day, gorgeous drive up there. Toured a lighthouse that actually had to be moved back some time ago or it would have fell into the sea.

Stopped to see Plymouth Rock on the way back – not quite the ‘rock’ I expected but worth seeing once in your life.

It was a great trip.

One thing perhaps folks from that area can comment on – I did once in Boston order lobster and it was a ‘not cleaned’ female. I guess its considered a delicacy to eat the roe and the insides, but I was really taken aback having to work through all of that and lost my appetite. Just ask it come cleaned first if you’re not into eating that part of the lobster itself.

Have fun!

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[christopherboffoli]

Tammi: That’s true about the lighthouse. That’s the Highland Light in Truro that I mentioned. Erosion undermined the high bluff so badly that they had to move the whole thing about a decade ago. They installed train tracks and then wrapped the whole lighthouse in sort of a girdle of steel so it wouldn’t topple) and then rolled it right down the tracks to a safer position inland. Apparently it wasn’t long before they realized they should have moved it back farther. Henry david Thoreau used to walk the trails through the dunes around there and wrote about it too. One of the most beautiful parts of Cape Cod IMHO.

About the lob-STAH: You DO eat the roe. It is bright red, slightly waxy and delicious. The green part is the tamale and you are not supposed to eat that. But deconstructing your own lobster is definitely de rigueur. I order lobsters from one of my favorite sources in Maine at least once a year and have them shipped in overnight to Seattle via Fed Ex. I’m always entertained by how much of a novelty they are to my friends here in Seattle (who sometimes I think would rather study and play with them on the kitchen counter than actually kill and eat them).

Also worth noting that lobster rolls are made with the New England version of a hot dog roll which has square sides and that are less crusty (and more white bready) than hot dog rolls available here in Seattle.

I second duluc’s recommendation about the Lobster Pot on Commercial Street in P-Town. Their steamed clams are my favorite. If you have a chance you should also have whole fried clams somewhere too. Nothing makes me think of Cape Cod more! And they are like no fried clam you will have elsewhere.

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[datamuse]

Christopher and duluc said pretty much what I would’ve. I spent many summers on the Cape as a child, mostly in the Provincetown and Chatham areas, and loved it. Don’t know if it’s still warm enough to swim in September but wouldn’t be surprised if it is. I do miss Gulf Stream-warmed ocean out here…

I can’t remember ever having a “cleaned” lobster, especially since we used to just pop them into boiling water while they were still alive. (If that bothers you…don’t eat them, but you’re missing out.)

Don’t eat the gills. I’ve heard of people eating the tamale but since that’s the liver and livers filter toxins I wouldn’t recommend it.

Where to stay…we always used to rent beach houses. This is the way to go if you can find one for a reasonable price. Otherwise I’d say a B&B, though it’s been so long since I’ve been there that I don’t have specific recommendations.

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[rockergirl]

How exciting Andrea – I too am visiting New england area this fall in early October. Went last year to visit my daughter who moved there last June. Last year we walked and drove around and explored alot of the Boston area – was fun as they have different parts of town like Little Italy, Chinatown, Back Bay and Beacon Hill. We were typical tourists and rode “the DUCK” which goes on the Charles River and through different parts of the city. It was actually very fun. Lots of historical places to see and as they say the Fall colors are truly extraordinaire and the fall weather was very nice last year in mid october (mid 70’s).

This year one of my former co-workers is getting married and so we will be visiting rhode Island for a few days. They are getting married in Portsmouth at Greenvale Vineyards (http://www.greenvale.com/) located along the Sakonnet River not far from Mewport and having a traditional “clambake” put on by McGrath Clambakes (http://www.riclambake.com/). I am sure we will spend some time exploring the Newport Mansions, historical sites and area while there.

Also hoping to visit the Cape and so all of your suggestions and information is very helpful. Needless to say I am very excited to be visiting my daughter again and looking forward to exploring the area more this year.

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[jschu]

Westport, WA is closer and has similar to offer. Always had fun there with the beach and site seeing. Boston sounds fun too.

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[christopherboffoli]

Rhode Island’s claim to fame is that it is the smallest state in the USA. I think cab fare from one side of the state to the other is about $1.35! Delaware could probably beat the crap out of it in a war.

datamuse: Warm enough to swim in September? Hah! It is barely warm enough to swim in Cape Cod waters on the 4th of July! Anyway, you’re looking at it all wrong. During my Cape Cod and Nantucket summers the question was not whether or not it was warm enough to swim. It was: Is it cold enough to throw your younger sibling into the water against their will and give them a proper heart attack!?

And that’s pronounced Haaaaaht attack.

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[datamuse]

These things must be relative…I’ve gone swimming in Nova Scotia, too. It’s possible that I’m actually a shark. :D

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[celeste17]

My Mom and Dad lived in Cape Cod. I have been there a few times and can’t really recommend anything but I can tell you my Mom is related to Lizzie Borden and there is a Lizzie Borden Bed and Breakfast in Fall River Massachusetts that is the house that her father and step mother died. Here is the link http://www.lizzie-borden.com/

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[voodoo]

Here’s my advice:

Stay at B&B’s, as the motels on the Cape are pretty skanky for the most part.

I would in fact stay at least 2 B&B’s on different parts of the Cape: at the Josiah Sampson House (this is a GREAT place run by a fantastic couple, and the food is superb! http://www.josiahsampson.com) in Cotuit to explore Falmouth and Sandwich which are completely & historically worthwhile (contrary to some of the advice you have been given). This is also the best part of the Cape to stay in to take a ferry to Martha’s Vineyard or Nantucket for a daytrip. My advice would be the Vineyard because it is far more varied and beautiful than Nantucket, although Nantucket village has a lot of history and a good whaling museum.

I would then move on to a B&B in Provincetown, which although very gay, is also very open and welcoming and has the nicest and best run B&B’s and is the ideal place to explore the outer Cape beauty as well as have decent places to eat. There are also great whale watch tours which are totally worth doing.

Two caveats: don’t try to do Boston and the Cape…they are 2 different trips. If you are in Boston for a day take a Boston Ducks tour to get a good broad overview and call it a day.

AND despite all the claims and expectations, you can’t really get great lobster there…you really have to go to Maine. Seafood is also better in Boston than on the Cape.

Whew! Sounds like a great trip! Enjoy!

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[sld]

Go to Christmas Tree Shops – they are all over there. They always have great things at really low prices.

I actually liked the beach up in Newburyport, MA, better than the Cape and we didn’t have to fight the traffic to get there. Salem is very Halloweenish and touristy. Walden Pond is nice to walk around and is near Concord. There is a lot to see right in Boston walking the Freedom Trail. You can go into Paul Revere’s House and the Old North Church. You can ride the Swan Boats in the Common. The North End is a lot of fun to visit in Boston, too. Be careful crossing streets – they will run you down. Boston has wild drivers. Springfield has the Basketball Hall of Fame if you are into that. Like someone else said, you can easily see a lot because the states are so small. Plymouth is close to the Cape. Maine and NH are beautiful, too. Mark Twain and Harriet Beecher Stowes’ houses are in Hartford,CT. We used to fly into the airport in Rhode Island – it usually cost less and was a short drive to Boston.

You’ll love MA. I’m from the NW, but lived in the NE for several years before coming back here. I actually miss the NE and I think we’ll move back in a few years.

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[PlaneGuy]

I have a Cape Cod Getaway every Friday after work! A little bit Kettle One, coupled with some cranberry juice and a wedge of lime. Aah, I can hear the ocean waves.

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[andrea]

Wow! Thanks everyone for the input and advice. I will definitely incorporate all of it into our travel plans. Please keep them coming though, if anyone else has any further advice to impart…I’ll greatly appreciate it all!

PlaneGuy: I like how you think! And, in honor of the now late Teddy Kennedy, I think I’ll have one of those tonight in his honor.

jschu: I agree that Westport is a great town! However, the northeast and specifically Cape Cod had been beckoning to me for years, and I am just super excited to visit there.

duluc: I am going to print and take your suggestions on things to do and where to go as it sounds awesome. Thank you very much for your thoughtfulness.

rockergirl: Your trip sounds wonderful! I wish I had family and/or coworkers that lived in the northeast so I had a more frequent excuse to visit the area as you do! I hope you have fun on your trip! (I’ll have to do RI next time I think!)

voodoo: I think we’re going to go the B&B route actually, after looking a few places up online (love the josiah one!). I like the idea of staying in 2 different areas too. I will see if I can make that happen. Thanks!

christopher: Well, I am super envious of your travels! From your posts here, it seems that there aren’t many places you haven’t been. I hope to be able to visit half the places you’ve already seen in this lifetime! Thanks for the advice.

Oh and much obliged on the lobster front too guys. I can honestly say that I have never had a lobster before! I’ve had a part of a tail once or twice in a fancy restaurant, but never a full one. I am totally looking forward to one now, as well as the rolls!

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[christopherboffoli]

Andrea: As I was raised in New England I’m not sure if the Cape and Islands qualify as a place I’ve traveled TO! More like a place that I’ve traveled FROM. But thanks just the same. Living away from New England has certainly given me a renewed appreciation for the diversity of its delights and the qualities that truly make it special. Have a blast!

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[swimcat]

I stayed at a hotel in Provincetown three years ago and would recommend going the B&B route instead. Look on Trip Advisor for reviews. The hotel was nothing fancy and even though we went in mid-late September it was overpriced IMO. I wasn’t too excited about P’town either. Since we were there in the off-season, it was mostly locals and they weren’t all that welcoming, which totally surprised me. We toured the Pilgrim museum and climbed the tower (a good workout); I really enjoyed the museum, but we cut our stay in P’town short since we weren’t enjoying it there.

We drove all over the Northeast, from DC to Maine on that trip, and I must say that Bar Harbor was my favorite place! Excellent food, friendly people, beautiful location… I wish I could go back! Maine is just wonderful in general, Newport RI was really cool too, and I loved Boston. We rode the Duck there and it was a fun, quick way to see the city. Boston is so walkable; we stayed for three days and never drove our car once. Bid on Priceline for a hotel if you stay there- we got an excellent rate in such a good location.

Have fun on your trip! Can you bring back some Dunkin Donuts for us? lol.

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[cathyw]

Another New Englander here. You are going to have a wonderful time. My favorites: Provincetown, Martha’s Vineyard. Fenway Park and Museum of Fine Art as well. :) Don’t forget the saltwater taffy.

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[mrhineh]

I think a lot of great ideas have been given to you already. Here is another viewpoint, but it depends on your likes. If you are going for 7 days I would consider:

Stay downtown, perhaps Copley Square area for 2-4 days. There are some B&B’s on Newbury St/Marlborough if you can price it. The leaf peepers might be starting in, but staying d/t is rewarding in that Boston is a very walkable city. Copley Square is on the Green Line a good center point for MFA (Museum of Fine Art), Library, Fenway, Esplanade (where the Fireworks and Hatch Shell are), City Hall, Public Garden, and Freedom Trail. The architecture is fantastic too with the old brownstones mixed in the new skyscrapers. Newbury Street is the hot, highend shopping zone, good for coffer shops, grabbing a bite at the sidewalk bistros and people watching. Copley Square/Prudential building is a good place for shopping and there is a Legal Seafoods there. The North End is another great place for dinner and pasteries (Mike’s). Try North Station too for beers.

The subway system is excellent in Boston, and Cambridge is a quick stop away. You can also take the commuter rail to Salem for a day, but if you drive, take in the rest of Cape Ann. Essex, Ipswich, Hamilton, Gloucester (Perfect Storm), Newburyport and Woodmans in the Rough for fresh lobster. There should be a lot of farm stands open too with hand made preserves, and antique shops.

The Cape is good for 2-3 days of relaxation, the National Seashore is beautiful. Nausett Beach is where the lighthouse mentioned above is, near Eastham. P-town, Chatham, Brewster and Orleans are good off-the beaten-path places. Brester Fish House has awesome lobster bisque. Unfortunately, the Cape is very seasonal and a lot of places will be shut down after Labor Day.

If you want a peek at the younger side of Boston life, head to Kenmore SQ and Landsdowne St (behind the Green Monster at Fenway Park). Lots of good, live clubs where the college kids hang out. The Paridise was my favorite music spot on Comm(onwealth) Ave past BU (Boston U.) Great acts for a reasonable price.

So much to do, so little time. Plan on a second trip some day to followup on your favorite places you didn’t have more time for. Maine, NH and western MA is worth exploring too. We go back each year as my spouse is from there. Will definitely considering moving back except for the April snows storms (enough by then!!)

Also, try ICE CREAM!! There are several mom and pop shops for home dipped cones, and Brighams is popular. Some of the best stuff is in NE where the consumption per capital is the highest. Favorite beers = Tremont, Long Trail, Bass (on tap), Magic Hat, Ipswich Ale. Have a great trip!

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[BBGuest]

The Chamber of Commerce office in each town has a great deal of information, and the locals man the desk. Many of the smaller guest houses only register with them so if you want a different take on things it is a good start. I lived in Truro for many years and summered in Wellfleet before that. I think avoiding Hyannisport might be a good idea since it will be crazy there for awhile. You can fly from Boston to P-town then rent a car to do the trip in reverse. Some things to think about.

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[kathy]

I agree with someone’s suggestion to skip the lower cape and head out to everything past the elbow – Chatham out to Provincetown. Nauset Beach (near Orleans) is my favorite beach! There’s a great bike trail the follows a railroad bed up and down the Cape. It should be quieter at that time of year. Have a great time!

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[Ginaf]

Stop into Van Rensselaer’s in South Wellfleet and say hi to Becky, one of the chefs there. She’s a White Center/WS native who graduated from Evergreen.

http://vanrensselaers.com/index.php

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[rockergirl]

Andrea – now that you are back and I am getting ready to depart how was your trip? What did you end up dong and what did you enjoy the most? Lot’s of great ideas on the list above and super excited to check some of the things mentioned above out this trip. Hope you ahd fun and I know I will.

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