Cape Cod is one of those quintessential American summer vacation destination. In my travel guide I include the best town to visit and top things to do in each town on your next trip to Cape Cod. The Cape is loved and visited by millions each year. So, when I think of Cape Cod images of soft sandy beaches and sand dunes come to mind. And, beautiful lighthouses. I don’t think I have seen before so many lighthouses in close vicinity to each other.
Cape Cod is a large barrier island. It’s filled with numerous towns that each have their own feel and vibe to them. But, the wonderful think about visiting the Cape is the chance to explore a new area and beach every day.
Cape Cod Map
So, to get idea of the exact size of Cape Cod I’ve included a map showing the places I talk about in this post. What they call the “upper Cape” is on the left towards Falmouth, and the “lower Cape” is at the end where Provincetown is located.
Towns To Visit in Cape Cod & Things To Do
1. Sandwich, MA
- Eat: The Chew Café ( https://www.cafechew.com)
- Visit: Sandwich Board Walk and Sandy Neck Beach
So, on my way into Cape Cod from driving from the airport I knew I wanted to stop for brunch before reaching my hotel. So, I stopped in The Chew Café. The Chew Café is known for having a very popular breakfast menu, and lunch menu. It was a delicious place. They have a variety of breakfast and lunch items to pick. I stopped by The Chew Cafe on my drive into and out of Cape Cod.
Then after that I went to see Sandwich Board which is a beautiful scenic place to walk. And, connected to the famous boardwalk is Sandy Neck beach. Sandy Neck beach is a gorgeous beach with it’s pretty dunes and grass. I only walked along the beach as I wasn’t in beach attire having had lunch, but it was an extremely rocky beach. So, if you want to go walking along the beach or swimming there bring water shoes. It is a very clean beach though, and perfect for laying out.
2. Hyannis, MA
- Visit: Walk along Main Street, Visit the JFK museum, and go to Craigville Beach
- Eat: Mattakeese ( http://www.mattakeese.com/) seafood, soups, and variety of things
- The Black Cat (https://www.blackcattavern.com) seafood, soups,and sandwiches
- Pain D’Avignon ( https://www.paindavignon.com) This is a very good French restaurant that is tucked away in a location I would not have found if it wasn’t for yelp
I had never been to Cape Cod before and picked Hyannis as the town to base myself in for the trip. I picked Hyannis because it was in the middle of the Cape and is the biggest town filled with a big main street. Also, I had planned to take a day trip to Martha’s Vineyard and the high-speed ferries leave from Hyannis. Hyannis was home to the ship masters and is the famous summer retreat for the Kennedy family. I liked that there were plenty of restaurants to choose from, but it wasn’t very close to my favorite beaches.
The closest beach to Hyannis that is popular is Craigville Beach. The location of the beach was not my favorite, but it was clean and had easy parking.
3. Chatham, MA
- Eat: Chatham Fish & Chips: Great casual place that made yummy lobster rolls.
- Del Mar Bar & Bistro: cute little restaurant locate on Main Street with delicious food.
- Visit: Chatham Lighthouse & Chatham Lighthouse Beach & Main Street
The first lighthouse on my trip I visited was Chatham Lighthouse. Chatham Lighthouse was built back in 1808. Then, Chatham Lighthouse Beach is a perfect beach to spend the day at in the summer. It is a super soft sandy beach to walk on, and is surrounded by pretty sand dunes.
Chatham has a great main street filled with a variety of fun stores and great restaurants. I liked that they didn’t have a huge amount of tacky souvenir stores.
4. Eastham, MA
- Eat: Arnold’s Lobster & Clam
- Visit: Coast Guard Beach & Nauset Lighthouse
Another great beach I visited was Coast Guard Beach. It is very popular with locals. It is a very clean beach with soft sand. It has gorgeous bluffs and is a great place for a swim or simply talking a stroll along the beach. Also, it has public restrooms.
Right next to the beach is Nauset Lighthouse which was built in 1838.
5. Falmouth, MA
- Eat: Crepe Cod- I didn’t visit many dessert places on my trip But, Crepe Cod made the best crepes!
- Visit: Old Silver Beach
I only spent a few hours in the morning exploring Falmouth. Falmouth has a nice main street area filled with plenty of shops. Old Silver Beach was another good one, but parking was very tricky when coming to this beach.
6. Take a day-trip to Martha’s Vineyard or Nantucket
So, I made another post about my day trip to Martha’s Vineyard. But, most people can take a day trip from the Cape to either Martha’s Vineyard or Nantucket. For my first visit I opted to visit the island of Martha’s Vineyard. https://ceciliasluxelife.commarthas-vineyard-day-trip/
What is your favorite town to stay while in Cape Cod?
Cape Cod Travel Guide. Cape Cod Travel Guide. Cape Cod Travel Guide