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Trip Report
Cape Cod in the Summer
Anyone from New England USA knows how special a week in Cape Cod, MA is for the family.
+ 6
North AmericaUnited States7 days / July 2019
Highs & Lows
The National Seashore!
We had some rainy days
Itinerary Overview
Eastham is in the lower cape so you end up on a more narrow piece of land with the best beaches around. A typical day here without rain looks like spending time at one of the national seashore beaches for swimming (its cold year round!) a packed lunch on the beach, surfing/ boogie boarding, tanning/ reading. We also love to bring spike ball or a volleyball to play with people we meet or just ourselves. Then we head home around 3pm, shower and go out for some dinner which is usually pizza from Red Barn Pizza or somewhere fancier like the beachcomber, some mini golf, and then ice cream on the bay side beach to watch a sunset that never disappoints.
Provincetown or p-town, is a cute little down at the very tip of the cape where you can find hundreds of people walking down commercial st, fun and tasty restaurants, trendy shops, souvenir shops, drag shows, and anything else you can imagine. Be sure to check out the candy shops, the pier, and my personal favorite restaurant, The Patio. This trip is about an hour drive away from Eastham and can be done in an afternoon or night. Or, if you want to stay the night there are many places to choose from around the area, just try to stay in walking distance of Commercial St. There are also some beaches around, although they are more chill than those in Eastham and Wellfleet. On the fourth of July, the city puts on a firework show on the pier (although it was cancelled in 2020), just be wary of traffic!
Wellfleet is just one town over from Eastham and has even more beaches to swim and watch the sunset at. It is also home to some well known restaurants and my personal favorite, the drive-in movie theater which shows a new double feature each week throughout the summer. The best movie I've seen here has had to have been Jaws since we are of course on the Cape and so close to Martha's Vineyard.
Eastham Annual Family Vacation
Eastham is in the lower cape so you end up on a more narrow piece of land with the best beaches around. A typical day here without rain looks like spending time at one of the national seashore beaches for swimming (its cold year round!) a packed lunch on the beach, surfing/ boogie boarding, tanning/ reading. We also love to bring spike ball or a volleyball to play with people we meet or just ourselves. Then we head home around 3pm, shower and go out for some dinner which is usually pizza from Red Barn Pizza or somewhere fancier like the beachcomber, some mini golf, and then ice cream on the bay side beach to watch a sunset that never disappoints.
Provincetown Nice to go for dinner and shopping or fireworks on the fourth of July
Provincetown or p-town, is a cute little down at the very tip of the cape where you can find hundreds of people walking down commercial st, fun and tasty restaurants, trendy shops, souvenir shops, drag shows, and anything else you can imagine. Be sure to check out the candy shops, the pier, and my personal favorite restaurant, The Patio. This trip is about an hour drive away from Eastham and can be done in an afternoon or night. Or, if you want to stay the night there are many places to choose from around the area, just try to stay in walking distance of Commercial St. There are also some beaches around, although they are more chill than those in Eastham and Wellfleet. On the fourth of July, the city puts on a firework show on the pier (although it was cancelled in 2020), just be wary of traffic!
Wellfleet beaches and drive-in movie
Wellfleet is just one town over from Eastham and has even more beaches to swim and watch the sunset at. It is also home to some well known restaurants and my personal favorite, the drive-in movie theater which shows a new double feature each week throughout the summer. The best movie I've seen here has had to have been Jaws since we are of course on the Cape and so close to Martha's Vineyard.
Q & A
Anything go wrong during the trip?
Sometimes rain can last a whole week in the summer in the Cape which can kind of kill any beach plans you have. However, if you happen to catch a rainy day or two consider still going to the beach with a rain jacket (it will be super cold) but the rain makes the waves go crazy and they put on a great show for you to watch.Tips you would give a friend?
Get a house instead of a hotel! It's great for spending time with family and friends and allows you to cook your own breakfast and lunch instead of having to go out for every meal. Most hotels around are nice but they are more like motels and don't have many amenities.Packing tips?
As with the chance of rain, you want to be prepared for all weather, temperatures are usually around 70 F during the day but once the sun goes down you'll probably want some long pants and a sweater. If it rains, it'll get even colder and a jacket may be nice! The pants are also super helpful for watching the sunset if you are prone to getting nasty bug bites on your legs (who isn't?)Transportation Tips?
When driving into Provincetown you may hit some traffic which is followed by either very hard to find or expensive parking. The best bet is to park a little bit outside of the town and enjoy a nice hour-ish walk into town or take one of the local busses.Any surprises?
If you go to any of the national seashores take a walk down the beach away from people and you may find a whole squad of sunbathing seals! They are also all over the water so check for their heads popping up along the shore.
Lodging
AirBnB Rental, definitely better than getting a hotel if you're staying for a month and they're very easy to come by! Look for one thats in walking distance to the bay side for some great sunsets.