2 Best Sights in Cape Cod, Massachusetts

Smells and sights are abundant at Chatham's most popular tourist destination; keep an eye out for the many lingering seals who are hoping for a free meal. The unloading of the boats is a big local event, drawing crowds who watch it all from an observation deck. From their fishing grounds 3–100 miles offshore, fishermen bring in haddock, cod, flounder, lobster, halibut, and pollack, which are packed in ice and shipped to New York and Boston or sold at the fish market here. Also here is The Provider, a monument to the town's fishing industry, showing a hand pulling a fish-filled net from the sea.

This harbor was the site of a War of 1812 skirmish in which the Orleans militia kept a British warship from docking. In the 19th century Orleans had active saltworks, and a flourishing packet service between Rock Harbor and Boston developed. Today it's the base of charter fishing and party boats in season, as well as a small commercial fishing fleet.

The historic Coast Guard vessel CG36500, featured in the book and film, The Finest Hours and owned by the Orleans Historical Society, is berthed at Rock Harbor each summer. The 36-foot wooden lifeboat, the only operating vessel of its class on the East Coast, can be viewed from the dock; talks and tours are sometimes scheduled. Sunsets over the harbor are spectacular, and it's a great place to watch the boats float past. Parking is free.

Fronting the harbor, the magnificently adorned Church of the Transfiguration incorporates mosaics, frescoes, sculpted bronze, wood, stone, and glass to illustrate acts of God from Genesis to Revelation. Constructed of limestone, with a massive bell tower, the church is an architectural masterpiece. The church is typically open for tours (free) daily except Wednesday, when it closes for services.