Mel, the reason that most of the houses for rent for under $1000 do not offer air conditioning is that Cape Cod has some of the highest costs for electricity in the country. When the AC goes on, the meter really starts moving! I have heard about renters using AC and gas fireplace simultaneously and it's not uncommon for renters to use the AC with the windows open. Go figure!! I suppose eventually places on the Cape will follow the example of some Italian villas by charging for electricity separately, instead of giving a flat rate for rental with utilities included. If you really think that a few days of heat and humidity might ruin your vacation then you should make AC a priority. Perhaps you could persuade the landlord to provide AC for some fixed amount extra? Just a thought. On the other hand, as others have mentioned, why not just go in June and hope for the best!

I am heeding everyones advice and looking at June dates! I can definitely tell where the "summer" price break is as the week of June 21-28 is booked at a lot of the properties that I am reviewing. Interestingly enough, the week of June 28-July 5 is still pretty open.

Thanks for all of the tips! My search continues as I hope to finalize a place within the next week.

Well, you've never seen a 4th of July parade like the parade in Ptown

But, that's an entirely different story.

Still, I would love to celebrate the 4th on the cape.

Good choice for June, although the Cape is very festive for the 4th of July. Great fireworks and parades in most towns.
You will have a great time whenever you come, the Cape is especially great for kids...I live on the beach with my 2 almost all summer.

Mel-
One of the reasons the earlier June date is booked, is because many of the owners are here, before the season begins, and in September, afterward. That is the time they get to enjoy their properties, before the renters come in.

Go for the 28th week. Being the first week of the season, it really isn't overly crowded- at least here on the Lower?Outer Cape, and you can enjoy the 4th parade and fireworks in Orleans, Wellfleet or P'town-ir in the town where you will be renting, if they've a parade there.

To add to the list of the towns on the Sound: southern part of Barnstable (Osterville, Cotuit, Centerville, Hyannis) and West Yarmouth also have beaches on Nantucket Sound.

I prefer to have A/C while on the Cape - definitely for daytime, although nights could be ok without.

It looks like it's going to be Dennis. I'm just waiting for the other two adults in my party to get their vacation requests approved. I'm hoping that they have fireworks or a parade so we don't have to go far on the 4th. The beaches there seem good for my 5 year old. I do want to visit the beach at Centerville though as well as the Oceanside!

CapeCodShanty - me and my other Midwestern friends and colleagues have no idea what the Low Tide/High Tide, 1 hour later thing means. Here in Chicago, it's just lake Michgian. What exactly does that mean?

I'll try and explain to you!

The gravitational pull of the sun and the moon causes the water to rise and fall, at different times in different places on earth.The tide is the alternate rising and falling of the ocean, and the connected bodies of water.

High tide is when the water is highest, allowing boats to come close to shore, people to swim in waters close to the beach. Low tide is when the ebb is at its further point.

Much of the Cape has a 5 to 10 foot difference, in the level of the water between high and low tide. At low tide, one can walk out on the "flats: (the sandy bed of the bay), and enjoy the creatures (snails, oysters, et al) exposed by the tide. Fun thing for the kids, to collect the shells, etal. Or one can watch the shell fisherman, working their beds of oysters and clams- or do it yourself, on the days permissable with a shellfish license.

At high tide, one can boat, swim, the water becomes deep quickly.You may have to move your beach gear up

Ask the Dennis Chamber the beach away, to keep things from getting wet! It is important to know your tide times. Low tide- swimmin at the ocean is the best, the breakers are not as high. High tide, head to the bay,

It takes 6 hours for the tide to change.and then it reverses itself. So- if high tide is noon, low tide will be about 6 p.m. Every day it gains an hour.

Ask the Dennis Chamber to send you their book for 2008-call and leave a message with your address. It will have a tide chart for you, it does help to plan your day. There are beautiful bay beaches on the North side of Dennis. You will enjoy!

Hope this helps- and my thanks t0 Keith and Mignon for the help in explaining!