Cape Cod: Places to Explore

Lower Cape

Speckled with still-active cranberry bogs, sturdy trees, and pastures, the Lower Cape exudes a peaceful residential aura. It's blessed with large tracts set aside for conservation, so you won't find roadways cluttered with minigolf complexes, trampolines, or bumper boats. (They are close by if you happen to have kids in tow, however.) Although an influx of year-round residents has transformed much of the Upper Cape into a commuter's haven, the Lower Cape still has a quiet sense of history and simple purpose.

Rich in history and Cape flavor, Brewster and Harwich stand opposite each other in the area just shy of the Cape's elbow. Harwich, farther inland, has antique homes, rambling old burial grounds, and a modest town center with shops, restaurants, museums, churches, and public parks. Brewster is similarly historic; examples of Victorian, Greek Revival, and colonial architecture abound, most meticulously preserved. Many homes have been converted to welcoming guesthouses and bed-and-breakfasts, whereas others are privately owned.

The traditional, elegant town of Chatham perches dramatically at the end of the peninsular elbow. It's here that the Atlantic begins to wet the shores of the Cape, sometimes with frightening strength. Chatham has shown its vulnerability to the forces of nature over the years, as little by little the town's shores have succumbed to the insatiable sea.

North of Chatham is Orleans, supply center of the Lower and Outer Capes, replete with large grocery chains and shopping plazas. The famed Nauset Beach is here, its dune-backed shores crammed with sun-seeking revelers in summer. Orleans also has a rich history—you just have to leave the maze of industry to find it. Continuing north, you can reach Eastham, a town often overlooked because of its position on busy U.S. 6. It, too, is perfectly charming, if you know where to look.

South of Chatham, the Monomoy National Wildlife Refuge is a twin-island bird sanctuary. Here dozens of species of birds are free to feed, nest, and expand their numbers without human meddling. Recreation seekers should head straight to Nickerson State Park in Brewster to frolic in freshwater ponds or enjoy a serene bike ride under the shade of stately white pine, oak, and maple trees. In Eastham, where the Cape Cod National Seashore officially begins, the Salt Pond Visitor Center has a wealth of area information, educational programs, and guided tours.

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