Hello! I'll be spending a week at the Cape (somewhere in Barnstable) this month with my sons, ages 6 and 3. They are children who love looking for frogs, bugs, interesting rocks, etc. Any suggestions for good beaches or ponds for them? We'll be within walking distance of Barnstable Harbor, but, having never been to the Cape before, I don't know if it's an appropriate place for those sorts of activities.

Oh yeah, and I'd love to hear opinions about the best ice cream places and seafood shacks, too! Many thanks!

I don't care for the sound beaches but if you head north to route 6A, the bay beaches of Brewster,(the flats) as well as Eastham, Wellfleet etc. have extremely low tides that allow you to walk forever with tons of tide pools. A true Cape experience. Brewster also has Nickerson State Park which has some lovely fresh water lakes with many frog catching opportunities.

Golightly is right about the bay beaches at low tide but the public beaches in Brewster are very small and hard to find and park. Mayflower beach in Dennis and Skaket beach in Orleans are much bigger with lots of parking.

The Ocean Street Docks and Hazelton Park? in Hyannis are just a few miles from where you will be. From here you can take the kids on one of the pirate ships that go into the harbor and pick up creatures, rocks, shells and other stuff from the harbor bottom for kids
to see and touch. Nearby there is Spanky's Clam Shack, Baxters Fish & Chips as well as Ice Cream shops and other places to eat.

The Bay side beaches in Brewster,Orleans and Wellfleet are wonderful for "creature finding" at low tide, when you can walk "waaay" out on the flats.Barnstable is the county, and also the town in which the villages of Hyannis, cotuit, Centerville, et al are located . In Centerville, the Ice cream place is the Four C's. In Harwich, it is the Sundae School. In Wellfleet it is Emack and Bolio's.
For seafood, Moby Dick's in Wellfleet is a favorite,but I'm sure most towns have a good one also.
Any pond, of which each town has several will be appropriate for waterbugs,frogs, and, if your lucky and its not too late polywogs.
You will find much to do with the children, from pupper shows at the libraries, to Junior Theatre in Harwich, and Kids theater in Wellfleet, as well as weekly square dances on the pier.
Have fun- pick up a chamber of commerce book once y9ou arrive for the town you are in. They are in all commercial establishments.

Thanks for your imput! Any other suggestions out there?

Hi,
We just returned from 2 beautiful days on the cape. I second the motion about Skaket Beach in Orleans; great beach for young kids, warm water, can walk far out at low tide, great tidal pools. Also recommend Corporation Beach, on the bay side, in Dennis.

Restaurant suggestions: The Tugboat at Hyannis Marina & Surf Club in Provincetown, overlooking P'town Harbor.
Tons of mini-golf around, too. I recommend Pirate Cove but don't remember what town it is in.

I third Skaket Beach. Get their either early in the morning, or late in the day - think parking is free after 4:30. If you go in the morning and have to pay for parking, your parking pass will get you in at Nauset Beach, as well.

We spent four mornings in a row last weekend digging in the sand and finding hermit crabs, little fishies, snails, empty clam shells, and other little critters. My kid loved it (and we taught him to make sure they go back where they came from).

If you find anything closer to Barnstable, please post - I was there last week for work and fell in love with the town. Want to book a long weekend there next month! We usually spend time much further out.