The 7 Best Things To Do On Cape Cod!

There’s salt in your veins and sand in your sheets. Hydrangeas along the sidewalks and lighthouses amongst the seaboard. Driftwood, seaweed, and conch shells are sprawled along the coast by the afternoon tides as the briny ocean air fills your senses. This is Cape Cod.

The hook-shaped island off the southwestern side of Massachusetts is home to a windswept coastline filled with 15 towns to explore, from their scenic hikes to their straight-from-the-ocean seafood. 5 million people visit each year to experience the Cape for the first time, or return to their 10+ year-long Summer tradition. If you’re a first-timer or just want to hit up the must-see spots, we’ll be breaking it all down today!

1. The Cape Cod National Seashore

The Cape Cod National Seashore, which spans 40 miles, helps protect hundreds of species that benefit from the wetland, coastal, and highland ecosystems. The seaside preserves notable sites and landmarks, like lighthouses and historic homes, as well as the natural environment, but the highlight is the beaches. The 6 beaches that span from Eastham to Provincetown include Coast Guard, Nauset Light, Marconi, Head of the Meadow, Race Point, and Herring Cove. With stunning views off of steep dunes, the seashore is nothing less than perfect.

2. Great Island Trail

The Great Island trail, which is also a part of the National Seashore, is the longest hike along the protected seaboard. The farthest you can go is the 8-mile trek to Jeremy Point, which can be submerged at high tide, but if you’re up for something more leisurely, check out Great Beach Hill or the Great Island Tavern Site. Throughout the hike, you’ll see views of Wellfleet Harbor, The Herring River, Cape Cod Bay, towering dunes, and sparkling waves, so don’t forget your camera. And if you can make it over the dunes, you’ll see the The Gut, a hidden gem of a beach on an isolated stretch of sand.

3. Provincetown

At the tip of the island sits Provincetown, which has developed into a refuge for artists and the LGBTQ+ community throughout the years. Visit Commercial Street for a 3-mile-long stretch of endless boutiques, art galleries, and restaurants. The town offers lots of opportunities to explore nature, whether it’s sailing or biking throughout the dunes and along the seashore or going on a whale watching tour.

4. Chatham

The most beautiful town on Cape Cod is, without a doubt, Chatham, which is situated on the "elbow" of the island. Main Street's 1950s feel offers gorgeous shops, the classic Orpheum Theatre, historic homes, and the most extravagant Fourth of July parade on the island. The lighthouse at the end of the street is one of the only ones in the U.S. that still operates 24 hours a day, and if you turn around, you’ll be at one of the best sunrise spots, Lighthouse Beach. Don’t forget to hit up the Pier Fish Market, Godfrey Windmill, and walk along Shore Road to see magnificent hydrangea displays against oceanfront homes.

5. Ice Cream

A trip to the Cape without waiting in long lines after dinner for ice cream isn’t a real vacation, so here’s the best ice cream spot in every town:

Bourne: Somerset Creamery

Falmouth: Smitty’s Homemade Ice Cream

Mashpee: Polar Cave

Sandwich: Twin Acres

Barnstable: Four Seas Ice Cream

Yarmouth: The Cape Cod Creamery

Dennis: Sundae School

Harwich: Schoolhouse Ice Cream

Brewster: Brewster Scoop

Chatham: Buffy’s Ice Cream

Orleans: Ice Cream Cafe

Eastham: Nauset Ice Cream

Wellfleet: PJ’s

Truro: Savory & The Sweet Escape

Provincetown: Lewis Brothers Homemade Ice Cream

6. The Beaches

What else can you not go to the Cape without? A stunning beach! Check out White Crest in Wellfleet to hit the surf, or The Beachcomber at Cahoon Hollow if you want to be at an oceanfront restaurant/club with panoramic views of the Atlantic Ocean. Mayflower in Dennis offers amazing sunsets, while Surf Drive Beach in Falmouth boasts stunning sunrises over the Nantucket Sound. Breakwater in Brewster is great for kids and shell collecting, while Corn Hill in Truro is great for spotting the boats coming in and out of the harbor.

7. Lighthouses

What’s a better way to conclude your New England trip than visiting a lighthouse? The most iconic and well-recognized lighthouse is Nauset Lighthouse in Chatham, the red and white one pictured on the Cape Cod Potato Chip bags. An amazing sunset spot is the Nobska lighthouse in Falmouth, although, if you want to travel to the complete opposite end of the island, then don’t miss The Long Point Light Station in Provincetown.