I am going to be visiting Cape Cod 1st week in October for a 40th bday getaway, 3 days. I know the weathers going to be a bit cool and thats fine, not looking to swim!! Wanted to know the best area to visit being my 1st time there? Hyannis Harbor, Sandwich and Rockport are some of the areas Ive researched? Looking for quaint shopping and good eats! Would like to find a nice B&B to stay at where I can just relax for a few days? Any suggestions??

My favorite for shopping on the cape is to drive along Hwy 6A starting at the Sagamore bridge, going through Sandwich, Barnstable, etc. Of course I always have to visit the Christmas Tree Shops. There's a big one right at the bridge. I haven't stayed in a B&B there, so I can't recommend anything

In Sandwich is the Dan'l Webster Inn not a B&B but a small and very popular Inn with a spa, gift shop, pub and restaurant. It is located in Sandwich center close to gift shops and other shopping.

In Hyannis Harbor there are several inns and motels on Ocean Street across from the Park where you can take harbor tours, island ferries, pirate ships and fishing boats. This area also has many restaurants, and other shops.

Rockport is on the North Shore of Boston not Cape Cod.

Do a check on B&Bs in Chatham, there are quite a few (like the Carriage House Inn) and Chatham is about in the middle of the Cape and quaint. It is one of the few Cape towns with a real Main Street. Hyannis is fine if you want busy, nothing quaint about it though and most of the accommodations are only so-so. Whalewalk Inn in Eastham is very nice, easy to get most any place on the Cape from there. Belfry Inn & Bistro is interesting in Sandwich (never stayed there, but dinner is excellent). Sandwich is in the upper end of the Cape - long way from some of the more interesting spots in the mid-Cape and perhaps Provincetown. This may be a biased opinion on my part.

You might want to check out the very nice Wequasset Inn in Chatham-which has shopping.