Cape Cod National Seashore - The Cape Cod National Seashore preserves the natural beauty of the Cape while providing vacationers access to six protected beaches, three bike trails, and almost a dozen walking trails. The beaches which are part of the National Seashore run from Eastham all the way to Race Point at the end of the Cape. It's worth stopping in at the Saltpond Visitor Center in Eastham (on route 6) to orient yourself. In addition to providing information about the beaches and trails, the Visitor Center has exhibits and films about the Cape -- a great indoor destination for the kids on a rainy day. If you think you might use the National Seashore beaches frequently during your trip, it pays to get a seasonal pass. It pays for itself in three visits (daily fee is $15 and seasonal pass is $45). Kid Comment -- Marconi Beach is perfect for boogie boarding. Also, get a permit and have a bonfire on one of the beaches at night. www.nps.gov/caco/planyourvisit/visitorcenters.htm
Cape Cod Rail Trail - There’s more to do on the Cape than lie on the beach. The Cape Cod Rail Trail, which runs from Dennis to Wellfleet, provides 22 miles of biking fun. This scenic trail takes you by cranberry bogs, pond beaches, woods, and marshes. One of our favorite rides is to find a parking lot which makes beach biking possible. For example, try hopping on the trail at Nickerson State Park in Brewster and riding out to Coast Guard Beach. If that’s too long a trek for your family, try parking right at the Saltpondshore Visitor Center in Eastham and biking down to the beach from there. There are plenty of official parking sports along the trail. Just click the map at the website below. www.mass.gov/dcr/parks/southeast/ccrt.htm. If you need to rent a bike, here is a long list of bike rental locations on the Cape (some of which are right on the rail trail). www.capecodvisitorsdirectory.com/recreation/bike-rentals.html
Cape Cod Museum of Natural History, Brewster - The nature that abounds above, around, and below the ocean comes to life for children at the Cape Cod Museum of Natural History. The museum features an aquarium exhibit with fresh water and salt water habitats, an extensive collection of stuffed birds, and impressive shark and whale skeletons. In addition, the museum has a Native American display of relics and tools used by the first inhabitants of Cape Cod. The museum is sited along the marsh at Paine’s Creek and offers guided tours along the boardwalk down through the marsh. www.ccmnh.org
Sunset at Paine's Creek Beach, Brewster -- Paine's Creek Beach is a popular bayside beach from which to watch the sunset. Families make an evening of it and bring appetizers, a blanket, and floats for the kids. Paine's Creek, for which the beach is named, flows right into the bay, and kids love to float along and play in the creek. One of the best ways to view the sunset is to take Sparky's Hayride from Kate's Seafood (6A & Paines Creek Road). In high season, Sparky makes several trips a night in his tractor down to Paine's Creek for optimum sunset viewing. Kid Comment - The hayride is awesome. Also, you can play on the rocks while your parents watch the sunset.
Day Trip to Nantucket - Catch the Freedom Ferry from Harwich Port and spend the day exploring Nantucket. www.nantucketislandferry.com. The high-speed ferry gets you to Nantucket in one hour and 20 minutes. Once there, you can rent bikes or mopeds right in town to explore the island (you can also bring your own bikes on the ferry for a small fee). There are over 30 miles of bike trails on Nantucket. One proposed route is to take the Surfside Road bicycle path to Surfside Beach. It's an oceanside beach with big crashing waves. While on Nantucket, make sure to carve out some time to walk through town and do some window shopping. The cobblestone roads and brick facades of the downtown area couldn’t be more charming. Also worth a stop is the Nantucket Whaling Museum. Here you can learn about the history of the whaling industry in Nantucket and see a skeleton of a 46-foot sperm whale. www.nha.org/sites/index.html Kid Comment - Ride your bike through town to Jetties Beach. There you will find the warm and gentle waters of Nantucket sound, changing rooms, and a restaurant/snack bar. www.thejetties.com Hy-Line Cruises also operates a high-speed ferry from Hyannis to Nantucket. www.hylinecruises.com
Whydah Museum, Provincetown - Of the hundreds of pirate ships that once sailed the Atlantic, only one has ever been recovered by divers. Relics from that ship, The Whydah, are on display at the Whyda Pirate Museum. Your family can see and/or touch, gold coins, canon balls, clothing, weapons, tools, and several canons (including one stuffed with treasure). In addition, learn about the process used to clean these objects that have been encrusted below the ocean for three hundred years. www.whydah.org/the-whydah-museum
Pirate’s Cove Mini Golf, South Yarmouth - Cape Cod has no shortage of mini golf venues (of varying size and quality), but Pirate’s Cove is a real treasure. It offers two well-landscaped courses each fitted out with elaborate pirate-themed obstacles, including a pirate ship, a “haunted cave,” and plenty of water hazards and roped bridges. Kid Comment - You get to golf in a pirate ship, which is cool. Afterwards, go down the road for ice cream and bumper cars. www.piratescove.net/location
Wellfleet Drive-In Theater - Nostalgia abounds at the Wellfleet Drive-In Theater. Do you remember what is was like to pile into the family station wagon (maybe even in your pajamas) to go watch a movie? Relive that experience with your children at the Wellfleet Drive-In Theater. Open May to Labor Day, this 1957 drive-in theater is a great way to stay cool and take in a movie on a summer evening. www.wellfleetcinemas.com
Cape Cod Rail Trail - There’s more to do on the Cape than lie on the beach. The Cape Cod Rail Trail, which runs from Dennis to Wellfleet, provides 22 miles of biking fun. This scenic trail takes you by cranberry bogs, pond beaches, woods, and marshes. One of our favorite rides is to find a parking lot which makes beach biking possible. For example, try hopping on the trail at Nickerson State Park in Brewster and riding out to Coast Guard Beach. If that’s too long a trek for your family, try parking right at the Saltpondshore Visitor Center in Eastham and biking down to the beach from there. There are plenty of official parking sports along the trail. Just click the map at the website below. www.mass.gov/dcr/parks/southeast/ccrt.htm. If you need to rent a bike, here is a long list of bike rental locations on the Cape (some of which are right on the rail trail). www.capecodvisitorsdirectory.com/recreation/bike-rentals.html
Cape Cod Museum of Natural History, Brewster - The nature that abounds above, around, and below the ocean comes to life for children at the Cape Cod Museum of Natural History. The museum features an aquarium exhibit with fresh water and salt water habitats, an extensive collection of stuffed birds, and impressive shark and whale skeletons. In addition, the museum has a Native American display of relics and tools used by the first inhabitants of Cape Cod. The museum is sited along the marsh at Paine’s Creek and offers guided tours along the boardwalk down through the marsh. www.ccmnh.org
Sunset at Paine's Creek Beach, Brewster -- Paine's Creek Beach is a popular bayside beach from which to watch the sunset. Families make an evening of it and bring appetizers, a blanket, and floats for the kids. Paine's Creek, for which the beach is named, flows right into the bay, and kids love to float along and play in the creek. One of the best ways to view the sunset is to take Sparky's Hayride from Kate's Seafood (6A & Paines Creek Road). In high season, Sparky makes several trips a night in his tractor down to Paine's Creek for optimum sunset viewing. Kid Comment - The hayride is awesome. Also, you can play on the rocks while your parents watch the sunset.
Day Trip to Nantucket - Catch the Freedom Ferry from Harwich Port and spend the day exploring Nantucket. www.nantucketislandferry.com. The high-speed ferry gets you to Nantucket in one hour and 20 minutes. Once there, you can rent bikes or mopeds right in town to explore the island (you can also bring your own bikes on the ferry for a small fee). There are over 30 miles of bike trails on Nantucket. One proposed route is to take the Surfside Road bicycle path to Surfside Beach. It's an oceanside beach with big crashing waves. While on Nantucket, make sure to carve out some time to walk through town and do some window shopping. The cobblestone roads and brick facades of the downtown area couldn’t be more charming. Also worth a stop is the Nantucket Whaling Museum. Here you can learn about the history of the whaling industry in Nantucket and see a skeleton of a 46-foot sperm whale. www.nha.org/sites/index.html Kid Comment - Ride your bike through town to Jetties Beach. There you will find the warm and gentle waters of Nantucket sound, changing rooms, and a restaurant/snack bar. www.thejetties.com Hy-Line Cruises also operates a high-speed ferry from Hyannis to Nantucket. www.hylinecruises.com
Whydah Museum, Provincetown - Of the hundreds of pirate ships that once sailed the Atlantic, only one has ever been recovered by divers. Relics from that ship, The Whydah, are on display at the Whyda Pirate Museum. Your family can see and/or touch, gold coins, canon balls, clothing, weapons, tools, and several canons (including one stuffed with treasure). In addition, learn about the process used to clean these objects that have been encrusted below the ocean for three hundred years. www.whydah.org/the-whydah-museum
Pirate’s Cove Mini Golf, South Yarmouth - Cape Cod has no shortage of mini golf venues (of varying size and quality), but Pirate’s Cove is a real treasure. It offers two well-landscaped courses each fitted out with elaborate pirate-themed obstacles, including a pirate ship, a “haunted cave,” and plenty of water hazards and roped bridges. Kid Comment - You get to golf in a pirate ship, which is cool. Afterwards, go down the road for ice cream and bumper cars. www.piratescove.net/location
Wellfleet Drive-In Theater - Nostalgia abounds at the Wellfleet Drive-In Theater. Do you remember what is was like to pile into the family station wagon (maybe even in your pajamas) to go watch a movie? Relive that experience with your children at the Wellfleet Drive-In Theater. Open May to Labor Day, this 1957 drive-in theater is a great way to stay cool and take in a movie on a summer evening. www.wellfleetcinemas.com
The Cape & Islands with Kids
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