Sights in Cape Cod
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Cape Cod Rail Trail
The mother of all Cape bicycle trails, the Cape Cod Rail Trail (Dennis), runs 22 glorious miles through forest, past cranberry bogs and along sandy ponds ideal for a dip. This rural route, formerly used as a railroad line, is one of the finest bike trails in all of New England. The path begins in Dennis on MA 134 and continues through Nickerson State Park and the Cape Cod National Seashore all the way to South Wellfleet. There's a hefty dose of Olde Cape Cod scenery en route and you'll have opportunities to detour into the villages for lunch or sightseeing. Bicycle rentals are available from a kiosk at the trailhead in Dennis and at Nickerson State Park.
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Commercial Street
Provincetown's racing heart throbs from this waterfront drag. Walking down Commercial Street through the town center on any given day, you may see cross-dressers, leather-clad motorcyclists, barely clad in-line skaters, same-sex couples strolling hand in hand and heterosexual tourists wondering what they've stumbled into on their way to a whale-watch. Actually, walking down bustling Commercial St is the main attraction in this town.
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Herring Cove Beach
Swimmers generally head over to the relatively calmer, though equally brisk, waters of Herring Cove Beach, also part of the National Seashore. The long sandy beach is popular with everyone. Nude (though illegal) sunbathers generally head to the south section of the beach; families usually break out the picnic baskets closer to the parking lot. The entire beach faces west, making it a spectacular place to be at sunset.
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Commercial Wharves
The lifeblood of this seaside town flows from the pair of commercial wharves at its very center. Most of the action is on the east-side MacMillan Wharf, the jumping-off point for whale-watching cruises and the site of the Expedition Whydah Pirate Museum. The west wharf, Fisherman's Wharf, sees most of the local commerce and is the place to catch fishermen unloading their catch. The town's main public parking lot sits between the two.
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Long Point Beach
Long Point Beach, home to the Cape's most remote grains of sand, is reached by a two-hour walk (each way) along the stone dike at the western end of Commercial St. There are no facilities, so bring water. Also time your walk carefully, as the dike is submerged at extreme high tide. Or do it the easy way and hop on the Long Point Shuttle from MacMillan Wharf (operates mid-May to September), which ferries sunbathers across the bay.
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Race Point Beach
On the wild tip of the Cape, Race Point Beach, in the Cape Cod National Seashore, is a breathtaking stretch of sand with crashing surf and undulating dunes extending as far as the eye can see. Kick off your sandals, kids – the soft, grainy sand makes a fun run. This is the kind of beach where you could walk for miles and see no one but the occasional angler casting for bluefish.
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Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary
Extending north from Provincetown, this is the major summer feeding ground for humpback whales, awesome creatures with a flair for acrobatically breaching out of the water. They come surprisingly close to the boats, offering great photo ops. Other whales also frequent these waters, including many of the 300 remaining North Atlantic right whales, the world's most endangered whale species.
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Pilgrim Monument & Provincetown Museum
You can’t miss the 253ft-tall tower of the Pilgrim Monument & Provincetown Museum. Climb the 116 stairs for a view of town, the beaches, the spine of the Lower Cape and even Boston on a clear day. The museum at the base of the tower features the landing of the Mayflower Pilgrims and the town’s history.
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Old Harbor Lifesaving Station
The Old Harbor Lifesaving Station, built in 1898, hosts exhibits about the Cape’s fearless ‘surfmen’ who made daring rescues of distressed vessels on the treacherous coastline. If you’re around in midsummer, try to catch a faithful-to-the-period reenactment of a 1902 rescue drill.
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Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary
Birders flock to Massachusetts Audubon Society's Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary, off MA 6A, where trails cross 1100 acres of tidal creeks, salt marshes and sandy beaches. You can walk along the trails until dusk, but get there before 5pm to see the displays in the solar-powered nature center.
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Expedition Whydah Pirate Museum
The Expedition Whydah is one of more than 3000 shipwrecks that occurred off the coast of the Cape, but it is the only authentic pirate ship ever raised. Visit the Expedition Whydah Pirate Museum to see the booty, as well as the crew’s weapons, supplies and clothing.
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Pilgrim Monument
Climb to the top of the USA's tallest all-granite structure, the 253ft-high Pilgrim Monument, for a sweeping view of town and the surrounding coast. The monument commemorates the Mayflower Pilgrims, who landed in Provincetown in 1620 before moving on to Plymouth.
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Province Lands Visitor Center
The National Seashore's Province Lands Visitor Center has displays on dune ecology and leads dune walks. Don't miss the rooftop observation deck with its eye-popping 360-degree view of the outermost reaches of Cape Cod; the deck stays open until midnight.
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Salt Pond Visitor Center
The Salt Pond Visitor Center is the place to start and has a great view to boot. Here you'll find exhibits and films on the area's ecology and the scoop on the park's numerous cycling and hiking trails, some of which begin right at the center.
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Cape Cod National Seashore
Cape Cod National Seashore extends some 40 miles around the curve of the Outer Cape and encompasses most of the shoreline from Eastham to Provincetown. It's a treasure-trove of unspoiled beaches, dunes, salt marshes and forests.
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Provincetown Art Association & Museum
Boasts the works of some 500 artists who have found their inspiration on the Lower Cape.
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Heritage Museums & Gardens
The 76-acre Heritage Museums & Gardens sports a terrific vintage automobile collection, folk-art exhibits and one of the finest rhododendron gardens in America. Kids will love riding the classic 1912 carousel.
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Marconi Beach
Marconi Beach has a monument to Guglielmo Marconi, who sent the first wireless transmission across the Atlantic from this site, and a grand beach backed by undulating dunes. Parking costs around US$15.
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Chatham Light Beach
At the east end of Chatham, The Cape's most genteel town, just below the historic coast guard lighthouse on Shore Rd is Chatham Light Beach, a lovely strand that invites strolling.
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Sandy Neck Beach
If you're ready for salt spray, head to Sandy Neck Beach, off MA 6A, a 6-mile dune-backed strand (parking $15) ideal for beachcombing and a bracing swim.
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Cape Cod Museum of Natural History
The Cape Cod Museum of Natural History has exhibits on the Cape's creatures and a cool boardwalk trail that tromps across a saltmarsh to a remote beach.
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Albert Merola Gallery
You won’t want to miss the high quality Albert Merola Gallery, which showcases works by both contemporary and notable past Provincetown artists.
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Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary Exhibit
Before heading out to whale watch, stop by the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary Exhibit for an audiovisual glimpse into the underwater world.
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Sandwich Glass Museum
Artfully displayed in the Sandwich Glass Museum is the town's 19th-century glass-making heritage. Glass-blowing demonstrations are given on the hour.
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Kate Gould Park
If you're in town on a Friday night, don't miss the summertime band concerts under the stars at Kate Gould Park, an atmospheric throwback to an earlier era.
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