Upper Cape

The closest part of the Cape to the mainland, the Upper Cape has none of the briny, otherworldly breeziness of the Outer Cape and little of the resort feel of Lower Cape towns like Chatham. Instead, its year-round population is substantial, its beaches are intimate, and more of its attractions—freshwater ponds, conservation areas, and small museums—are inland. You'll discover plenty of history here: Sandwich is the oldest town on the Cape, and Bourne was the Pilgrims' first Cape Cod settlement and an important trading area. The first Native American reservation in the United States was established in Mashpee, which still has a large Wampanoag population and a tribal-council governing body.