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Browsing Cape Cod
Aptucxet Trading Post Museum
In 1627, a trading post was built here to encourage commerce among Native Americans, Dutch colonists and the Pilgrims of Plymouth. It is believed that this was the first commercial establishment in the New World. In the 1920s the area was excavated and the original foundation was discovered, along with a rune stone experts believe came from the Viking era (around 1000 AD). Also on the grounds are a windmill, herb and wildflower gardens, and a trail along the canal.
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Ballston Beach
This is one in a series of ocean beaches that dots the shore of the Cape Cod Children's Museum
Designed to combine fun with learning, the displays at this museum are educational and interactive. A puppet theatre, planetarium, Dress-Up Castle, submarine and train are open for exploration. The highlight is a 30-foot pirate ship where children can imagine themselves riding the high seas. Special programs include holiday parties, cooking classes, crafts and workshops with unusual themes such as "All About Cranberries." Children under 13 must be accompanied by an adult.
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Cape Cod National Seashore
First designated as protected by the United States government in 1961, the sprawling, 43,604-acre Cape Cod National Seashore offers stunning vistas and a glimpse into the natural and cultural history of the area. The park boasts six swimming beaches, but also nature trails, picnic areas, freshwater ponds, historic lighthouses and Cape Cod-style residences. The seashore makes a great day trip, but for those who would like to stay longer there are several resorts, hotels and motels nearby, but not along the shore.
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Cape Cod Rail Trail
Although referred to as the bike trail, this paved path also welcomes walking, running, horseback riding and rollerblading. And if there is enough snow (which is rare), you may cross-country ski, too. Built on an old railway bed, the scenic 25-mile trail takes you from Dennis to Wellfleet via cranberry bogs, lakes and towns. Nickerson State Park, off Route 6A in Brewster, maintains the trail and is at the halfway point. See the Web site for a map with other rest areas and access points.
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Corn Hill Beach
Curled against a hill, this is a lovely spot on the bay for family or solo swimming. You can drive up and pay a reasonable parking fee and walk directly onto a clean beach. Whether floating on rafts, digging up the odd clam, or swimming in the brisk water (which is nevertheless warmer than the oceanside of Truro), this is one beach everyone enjoys. Historically, Corn Hill was the site of a stash of Native American corn borrowed by hungry Pilgrims when they came ashore in nearby Provincetown.
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Craigville Beach
This beach, located on Nantucket Sound, is one of the largest and most popular on Cape Cod. The water is a very pleasant temperature from mid-July to early September, and the gentle swells are refreshing compared to more placid Cape waters. It is generally free of seaweed and rocks, as well. There are lifeguards and bathhouses in season, as well as noisy kids and parking hassles, but that's summer on the Cape, right? The long beach and foamy surf make for beautiful walks in quieter seasons.
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Cranberry World Visitor Center
Anyone who's been near a cranberry bog knows that it's something of an odd sight: rolling waves of red fruit floating on the surface of the water. Follow up your curiosity at this musuem, offering nearly a century of cranberry history, plus free tastings and a real cranberry bog just outside. Learn how to tell good cranberries from bad ones and other interesting facts about this native American fruit. Juice and baked-good samples are all compliments of Ocean Spray. Free admission.
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Green Briar Nature Center
Peter Rabbit (the American version) loved his briar patch, as did his creator, Thornton W. Burgess. Burgess, a native of nearby Sandwich, was a naturalist as well as a storyteller, and the Burgess Society runs this center adjacent to the 57-acre briar patch in his memory. There are nature trails, a wildflower garden, a host of programs, the Robert S. Swain Natural History Library, and a jam kitchen and gift shop.
Admission by donation.
The
Heritage Museum & Gardens
This is a complex of museums devoted to early American life. The art museum contains antique toys and the largest collection of Currier and Ives lithographs in the country. A 1912 carousel is a favorite with children. A replica of a Shaker roundhouse contains antique cars. Antique firearms and uniforms are on display in the Military Museum. Charles Dexter, the original owner, spent years here planting and perfecting varieties of rhododendrons.
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John F. Kennedy Hyannis Museum
For years the Kennedys have vacationed at their summer home in Hyannisport. While the compound is private, visitors to this museum get a glimpse of what this special place meant to the 35th president through video and photo displays. In them, John F. Kennedy is shown relaxing at the place he called "the one place I can think and be alone." A memorial to John F. Kennedy, Jr, who died in a plane crash, was recently added.
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Mayflower II
In the 1950s, shipbuilder William Baker designed and built this accurate recreation of the cramped vessel the Pilgrims took from England to the New World. In 1957, the new ship sailed from Plymouth, England to Cape Cod, retracing the original "Mayflower's" journey. Today, it is moored in National Marine Fisheries Service Aquarium
Focused solely on local waters, this small but impressive aquarium has been delighting visitors since 1871. Kids especially love the "touch tank," where they can reach into tide pools filled with starfish and sea cucumbers. Other displays include sea turtles, lobster and wolffish. A special exhibit shows the effect of plastic trash on marine life. Two harbor seals have taken up residence in an outdoor pool and are a star attraction.
The aquarium is operated by the Northeast Fisheries Science Center. Admission is free. More »
Ocean Edge Golf Club
An 18-hole championship layout situated on the grounds of the spectacular Pilgrim Hall Museum
The Plymouth colony, which lasted from 1620-1692, is firmly embedded in the collective imagination as one of the major chapters in the story of the United States. This museum reveals some of the earliest pages in that story, through artifacts both famous (William Bradford's Bible) and humble (household artifacts). It also acknowledges the other, and often overlooked, characters in the story: the native Americans who had settled these shores many centuries before Europeans came sailing in on the Mayflower. A gift shop carries reproductions of many of the museum's artifacts.
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Pilgrim Monument
Few people know that the Pilgrims first struck land in Provincetown, on November 21, 1620, before continuing on to Plymouth. While anchored in Provincetown Harbor, the Pilgrims signed the Mayflower Compact, dedicating themselves to a community governed by rudimentary democratic rule. This tower was built in 1910 to commemorate that landing, and a climb to the top affords one of the best views on the entire Cape. Admission includes access to the tower and the adjacent Plimoth Plantation
This living museum recreates Plymouth as it was in 1627, and does a great job at separating fact from the enduring (and completely inaccurate) legend of the First Thanksgiving. Historians and curators have paid great attention to detail, from the street plans to furniture, tools, and cooking equipment. Specially bred 17th-century livestock occupies the barns and pastures, and trained re-enactors and artisans demonstrate how life was lived among the Pilgrims. In addition to information on the European colonists, visitors can find information on the Native American population at Hobbamock's Homesite. Hobbamock, a Wampanoag Indian, lived with his family in Plymouth from 1621-1641 as part of a peace treaty agreement.
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Plymouth
The story of the Pilgrims and their struggle to survive in the New World is a familiar one. Plymouth is the location of their first settlement and the site of the first Thanksgiving celebration. Today Plymouth offers visitors Pilgrim and non-Pilgrim related attractions, charming shops and great seafood restaurants. Visitors can see recreations of colonial Plymouth and the Pilgrim ship, the Mayflower, at Plymouth Plantation, and visit the legendary Plymouth Rock. Those interested in cranberries can stop by Ocean Spray Cranberry World.
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Provincetown
Provincetown, one of the most well known towns on Cape Cod, offers rich cultural and artistic history as well as plenty of contemporary pleasures. The Pilgrims made their first New World landing here and the historic Mayflower Compact was written and signed just off the coast. Later, an artists' colony developed, attracting the intellectual elite and resulting in many artistic and literary institutions. Today, Provincetown thrives as a cultural center and vacation destination, known for plentiful inns and restaurants, great shopping, beautiful sunsets and a vibrant gay and lesbian community.
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Provincetown Art Association and Museum
Established in 1914 and centrally located on Commercial Street, this gallery displays a range of works spanning an 80-year period. This is one of the premier art museums in the country, and includes a permanent collection of regional art. It also hosts juried shows, slide shows, special exhibitions, children's art classes, concerts and educational workshops. This is an excellent place in which to view the talents of both established and emerging artists, in a town that has long been home to a thriving art colony.
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Provincetown Bike Trails
There are various entrances to the Provincetown bike trails; each is well marked and quite easy to find. This is a fun way to spend part of a day, touring the wild and windswept land of dunes and dense woods, ponds and beach. All sorts of sites and birdlife await you on these twisty but well-maintained trails. Paths are usually clearly marked. Be sure to bring a camera, water and sunblock.
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Provincetown Museum
The Cape Cod Pilgrim Memorial Association began collecting mementos of local history in 1892, and opened its first museum in 1910. The museum features exhibits on the Pilgrims and the early history of the local Cape, as well as the Provincetown Players, the pioneering local theater that introduced the world to the work of Eugene O'Neill. Admission: Adults USD7; seniors and students USD5; children 4-14 USD3.50; children under 4 free. Admission includes access to the museum and the adjacent Pilgrim Monument.
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Race Point Beach
Provincetown was recently listed as the sixth best beach location in the US, and dramatic Race Point may be one reason why. Here the Cape Cod Bay waters meet wild Atlantic Ocean waves to create a roiling surge called "The Race." Not always safe for small boats, it's probably no accident that this beach contains the Race Point Lifesaving Museum. But it is well guarded in season, has a bath house, and is an overall good location for sunning and swimming. It can also be quite windy here, adding to the feeling that you are facing the elemental ocean at the end of the world.
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Sandwich Glass Museum
Sandwich Historical Society and the Glass Museum interpret the history of the town and its glass industry here. Over 6,000 glass pieces on display were created by companies located in Sandwich during the 19th and 20th centuries. The Museum includes glassblowing demonstrations, a multi-media theater, new contemporary gallery, and introductory exhibits. After your visit, stop in the dazzling gift shop where creations from the workshop are available to purchase.
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Scargo Stoneware Pottery & Art Gallery
This gallery will appeal to shoppers and artisans alike. Many people come here for the atmosphere: it is a beautiful, relaxing setting by Scargo Lake, perfect for showing off the whimsical garden sculptures for which founder Harry Holl is famous. Other types of stoneware that he and his family produce include dinnerware, tiles and plaques. But they share their secrets; potters are welcome to spend the day and learn their glaze formulas. The gallery also sells work, including masks and oil paintings, by other artists.
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Scargo Tower
This brick tower is not remarkable for its architecture; it does, however, have a great view. Located on top of the 160-foot Scargo Hill in Dennis (the highest point on the Cape), a clear day allows views of the Provincetown Monument to the west and mainland Massachusetts to the east. In almost any weather condition you can see Scargo Lake, which was named after a Native American princess. You may find it a romantic spot too, especially for sunsets and star gazing.
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St. Francis Xavier Church
This pretty Roman Catholic church was the summer parish of the Kennedy family. John F. Kennedy and his brothers were altar boys here and a plaque marks the pew of the former president. Joseph and Rose Kennedy donated the carving over the altar in memory of Joe Jr's tragic death during World War II. It has been the site of family celebrations, too; Maria Shriver and Arnold Schwarzenegger were married here.
Call ahead to check times that the church will be open for visitors. More »
Swift-Daley House and Tool Museum
This Cape house with a large bow-style roof was built in 1741 and once belonged to Nathaniel Swift, a pioneer in the meat-packing industry. The wide floorboards, a narrow ship's-cabin staircase and large fireplaces in every downstairs room are typical of 18th-century homes in the area. The house is fully furnished with period antiques and clothing. Behind the house is a Tool Museum featuring numerous antiques, including early cranberry sorters and implements used in saltworking.
Admission is free. More »
Thorton W Burgess Museum
Sandwich native Thornton Burgess created such characters as Peter Rabbit (the American version), Jimmy Skunk, Sammy Jay, and Bobby Raccoon. This museum dedicated to his work is an excellent place to bring children any time of the year. During the summer, the museum offers a regular schedule of story times. The many special events include Peter Rabbit Animal Day in August, and a Victorian Christmas in December.
Burgess was a naturalist as well as a story teller, and the Thornton W. Burgess Society operates the
Waquoit Bay National Estuarine Reserve
Made up of 2,500 acres of marshlands, open water, barrier beaches, trout streams, watersheds and uplands, with 11 wilderness campsites and several walking tours, the Waquoit Bay National Estuarine Reserve makes for a great day trip. Other park activities include swimming, shell fishing, canoeing, kayaking and even restricted hunting on Washburn Island, which is accessible only by boat. The reserve also includes the 500-acre South Cape Beach State Park.
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