Getty Images
Cape Cod
Quaint fishing villages, kitschy tourist traps and genteel towns – the Cape has many faces. Each attracts a different crowd. Families seeking calm waters perfect for little tykes favor Cape Cod Bay on the peninsula's quieter north side. College students looking to play hard in the day and let loose after the sun goes down set out for Falmouth or Wellfleet. Provincetown is a paradise for art lovers, whale-watchers, LGBTIQ+ travelers and…well, just about everyone.
Attractions
Must-see attractions
Cape Cod
Cape Cod National Seashore extends some 40 miles around the curve of the Outer Cape and encompasses the Atlantic shoreline from Orleans all the way to…
Cape Cod
The Salt Pond Visitor Center is the place to start exploring the National Seashore – and it has a great view to boot. Here you'll find exhibits and short…
Provincetown Art Association & Museum
Provincetown
Founded in 1914 to celebrate the town’s thriving art community, this vibrant museum showcases the works of hundreds of artists who have found their…
Pilgrim Monument & Provincetown Museum
Provincetown
Climb to the top of the country's tallest all-granite structure (253ft) for a sweeping view of town, the beaches and the spine of the Lower Cape. The…
Cape Cod
Fun for kids and adults alike, the 100-acre Heritage Museums & Gardens sports a superb vintage automobile collection in a Shaker-style round barn, an…
Cape Cod
Nearly 50 historic sea captains' homes are lined up along MA 6A (the Old King's Hwy) in Yarmouth Port, on a 1.5-mile stretch known as the Captains' Mile…
Cape Cod
Hyannis has been the summer home of the Kennedy clan for generations. Back in the day, JFK spent the warmer months here – times that are beautifully…
Cape Cod
All roads lead to the National Seashore's Coast Guard Beach. The main road from the Salt Pond Visitor Center deposits you here, as do cycling and hiking…
Attractions
Top picks from our travel experts
17 of the best things to do in Cape Cod from beaches to whales to seafood shacks
Cape Cod
If you're ready for some serious partying, 'Da Coma' is the place to rock the night away. It's a bar. It's a restaurant. It's a dance club. It's the…
Cape Cod
This is the Cape Cod you won't find on the highway: an idyllic shack tucked into Sesuit Harbor serving freshly caught seafood at picnic tables smack on…
Cape Cod
The barrier beach at Sandy Neck extends 6.5 miles along Cape Cod Bay, backed the entire way by undulating dunes and a scenic salt marsh. It's a…
Cape Cod
When the tide goes out on Cape Cod Bay, the flats – basically giant sandbars – offer opportunities to commune with crabs, clams and gulls, and to take in…
Cape Cod
Enjoy 22 miles of walking or cycling through six Cape Cod towns on the underrated Cape Cod Rail Trail. A popular place to start your adventure is…
Cape Cod
In the mid- to late afternoon, head to Chatham Fish Pier, 1 mile north of Chatham Light, to watch the fishing fleet unload its daily catch.This is a prime…
Cape Cod
This is a fancier, full-service version of Mac's on the Pier, complete with cocktails, sushi chef and raw bar. The menu keeps the classic clam-shack…
Cape Cod
Cape Cod National Seashore extends some 40 miles around the curve of the Outer Cape and encompasses the Atlantic shoreline from Orleans all the way to…
Cape Cod
Limited ingredient travel times are preferred at this upmarket joint, where the eponymous bivalves come from the restaurant's oyster farm in Barnstable…
Monomoy National Wildlife Refuge
Cape Cod
Take Morris Island Rd beyond the Chatham lighthouse to reach this 7600-acre wildlife refuge, spreading from Morris Island to encompass the shifting sands…
Cape Cod
By night, park your car at the 1950s-era Wellfleet Drive-In, where everything except the feature flick is true to the era. Grab a bite to eat at the old…
Cape Cod
Fun for kids and adults alike, the 100-acre Heritage Museums & Gardens sports a superb vintage automobile collection in a Shaker-style round barn, an…
13 free things to do in Cape Cod (leaving more money for shopping and lobster rolls)
Cape Cod
The Salt Pond Visitor Center is the place to start exploring the National Seashore – and it has a great view to boot. Here you'll find exhibits and short…
Cape Cod
For dramatic vistas of sand and sea, head to the lighthouse viewing area on Shore Rd. The landmark lighthouse dates to 1878; its light is visible 15 miles…
Cape Cod
Part of the Cape Cod National Seashore, Marconi is a narrow Atlantic beach backed by sea cliffs and undulating dunes. Facilities include changing rooms,…
Cape Cod
When the tide goes out on Cape Cod Bay, the flats – basically giant sandbars – offer opportunities to commune with crabs, clams and gulls, and to take in…
Cape Cod
Enjoy 22 miles of walking or cycling through six Cape Cod towns on the underrated Cape Cod Rail Trail. A popular place to start your adventure is…
Cape Cod
Cape Cod isn't connected by land to the mainland, but it's not exactly an island, or at least wasn't until the Cape Cod Canal was dug in 1914. The 7-mile…
Cape Cod
Hyannis has been the summer home of the Kennedy clan for generations. Back in the day, JFK spent the warmer months here – times that are beautifully…
Cape Cod
Nauset Light is a picturesque red-and-white lighthouse guarding the shoreline at the Nauset Light Beach. Look familiar? You may have seen it on all the…
WHOI Ocean Science Exhibit Center
Cape Cod
You'll gain insights into the work of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution at this museum, where interactive exhibits include a full-size model of the…
Cape Cod
While visiting Nauset Light Beach, don't miss this curious trio of 19th-century lighthouses – they were saved from an eroding sea cliff and moved to a…
Cape Cod
Dune-backed and gloriously wide and sandy, this wild barrier beach extends for miles along the open Atlantic. Nauset is one of the Cape’s best beaches for…
Planning Tools
Expert guidance to help you plan your trip
Best Things to Do
From fun in the sun to vibrant towns and unexpected adventures, here are the best things to do in Cape Cod.
Read articleThings to Know
From surviving the traffic to avoiding sharks, here are 11 things you need to know before you go to Cape Cod.
Read articleTransportation
How to avoid the traffic so you can best enjoy getting around Cape Cod in the height of summer.
Read articleMoney and Costs
Cape Cod may not be top of the budget travel list, but there are plenty of ways to stretch your dollars. Here are our top money-saving tips.
Read articleFree Things to Do
Visitors flock to Cape Cod, MA, to frolic on the beaches and scope out the lighthouses, and there's plenty to do for free if you know where to look.
Read articleArticles
Latest stories from Cape Cod
Filter by interest:
- Budget TravelThe best ways to get around Cape Cod to avoid traffic and see the sights
Jul 30, 2022 • 4 min read
Hiking8 of the best hikes in Cape Cod, and top tips to make the most of your time on the trailsJul 25, 2022 • 6 min read
Budget TravelThe ultimate guide to visiting Cape Cod on a budget: discounts, savings and affordable activitiesJul 15, 2022 • 6 min read
- Destination PracticalitiesBest time to visit Cape Cod for whale watching, Martha's Vineyard and empty beaches
Jul 7, 2022 • 6 min read
Activities17 of the best things to do in Cape Cod from beaches to whales to seafood shacksJul 5, 2022 • 8 min read
Budget Travel13 free things to do in Cape Cod (leaving more money for shopping and lobster rolls)Jun 29, 2022 • 8 min read
BeachesThe 12 best beaches in Cape Cod: swim, windsurf and hike along this varied coastlineJun 23, 2022 • 7 min read
- ActivitiesThe 11 best places to visit on Cape Cod, from penny candy shops to maritime museums
Jun 17, 2022 • 7 min read
in partnership with getyourguide
Book popular activities in Cape Cod
Guidebooks
Purchase our award-winning guidebooks
Get to the heart of Cape Cod with one of our in-depth, award-winning guidebooks, covering maps, itineraries, and expert guidance.