BuffaloGirl

I'm going to Cape Cod for the first time on Saturday and have an unexplained desire to see big sand dunes. My research so far points to Wellfleet or Sandy Neck. We'll be staying in Hyannisport, and I get the impression that the beaches there are very nice, with shallow, calm waters. That's fine for the most part, but looking for an interesting beach (with dunes) for a day trip.

Also, do the crowds thin by the last week of August?

Thanks.

cigalechanta

The most beautiful beach with dunes is in Provincetown, Race Point.

Anonymous

Sorry, the crowds do NOT "thin" for the last week of August, and this year might be even bigger than usual because Labor Day is so early, the last weekend in August is also Labor Day wekend!

BuffaloGirl

Thank you for the warning, Anonymous. I guess I'll have to put up with the crowds....and they'll have to put up with me!!!

Cigalechanta: We're going to P-Town to go whale watching, so I'll check out Race Point. However, can you tell me how it compares to Wellfleet? I understand the sand dunes are 85 feet tall in Wellfleet. Thanks.

cigalechanta

I never heard that? You can rent a bike in town and there is a beautiful bike trail, very beautiful but should you, be careful not riding too close to the edge of the road, that beach sand can be dangerous skidding.

Gene

Buff: If you drive right to the end of route 6 at the Provincetown Inn you will pass by the Dunes that surround Pilgrim Lake on your right they are so close their sand spills right onto the highway.

You can also drive through some of the dunes along Race Point road and view them from the Race Point Visitor's Center.

To get a real feel for them take Art's Dune Tours right from the center of town.

zootsi

I believe the Wellfleet dunes are the ones on bay side. This area is a bit off the beaten track, and not as accessable as the dunes right along the highway.

BuffaloGirl

Thanks for the replies, everyone! Zootsi, I think I read that Cahoon Hollow Beach and Marconi Beach in Wellfleet have the large dunes.

karens

Hi. We've been to Marconi Beach and I think it was Newcomb Hollow, and both had very high sand dunes - which are so cool. I don't know if these beaches have the highest ones along the cape, but they are very big. I think any beach along the Atlantic Ocean within the National Seashore will have high dunes, but I might be mistaken.

We love Cape Cod. If you want a different beach from the dunes, we also like Mayflower Beach, north of Dennis. There are no big waves and the water is much warmer than the Atlantic b/c it fronts Cape Cod Bay. The tide change is drastic here - and you can walk very far out into the water without the water getting very deep. It's a nice beach for kids, and a nice change from the Atlantic beaches. But the dunes are not to be missed!

Let us know where you go! Karen

BuffaloGirl

Hi everyone....just returned from a wonderful week in Cape Cod.

Karens: I spent a day at Marconi Beach and found the dunes I was hoping for. They were definitely "big and bad!"

Cigalechanta: Race Point was also very nice...thank you for the information.

Anonymous: I think we lucked out...there really weren't any crowds to deal with, and we pretty much traveled all over the Cape. Well, Provincetown was a bit crowded.

Thanks again, everyone!

raineday33

Gene Cape Cod expert....Pigrim Lake is on Rte 6 before entering P-Town(North Truro)The area of dunes is called High Head. The Provincetown Inn is at the end of Commercial St