We are coming to Cape Cod for the first time in the fall as a 30th anniversary trip and I wasn't sure if September or October would be better. In talking to one person there, it was suggested September to be sure whale watching tours would still be open as sometimes they close in early October. I read alot of posts and have narrowed down our stay to be between either Chatham or West Harwich. We would like to be very near, if not on the ocean, and would love some suggestions on B&B's or inns and opinions on Chatham vs. West Harwich. Also inn/B&B suggestions would be great. Commodore Inn in West Harwich, Duncroft by the Sea, Chatham Bars Inn (very, very pricey) or Winstead Inn are some choices I was looking at. We would just like a nice beach for picking up shells, and maybe relaxing if it's not too cold, some restaurants with great food, and some cute shops in a quaint town. We are coming from Indiana, have never been to the East Coast and are really looking forward to it. Any help anyone could give would be greatly appreciated! Thank you!

Well, Chatham and W. Harwich are only 20 minutes apart. Chatham is a very nice little town perfect for tourists w/ its interesting stores and restaurants. Chatham Bars overlooks the ocean and is one of those grand old hotels. The Commodore in W. Harwich is only a minute from the ocean and has a pool. W. Harwich is not exactly a town w/a center. There is Harwichport just down the road that has a few stores and rest. Alyce's Dunscroft is in Harwichport and a few minutes from the ocean. You might stay in W. Harwich and hang out in Chatham. Have you looked at the Wequasset in Chatham? Eat at Chillingsworth.

Chatham Bars and Wequasset are top notch resorts that I adore!
I would go mid September while things are still open and the rates have come down some after Labor Day.
P-Town and Truro are great seaside towns..one more happier than the other.
We also have stayed in Brewster at Ocean's Edge Resort.

We went to the Cape last October for the first time. We stayed at the Wequasset and were somewhat dissapointed but this was based on what we were told when me made the reservation. We were told the outdoor pool was heated...it is not. We were told all of the facilities including the pool bar/restaurant were open...they were not. Also, the room was a little outdated and had one of those ac/heating units that you see at courtyards/fairfield inns. The ones that mount on the wall. It was very very noisy. We left after 3 days though our reservation was for 4 days. The manager was very kind in not charging us for the 4th day. Also, there is no spa at this resort if that is important.

The nicest town by far on the Cape was Chatham. I would recommend staying there if possible. The Chatham Bars Inn is just outside of town.

Personally, depending on how long you are going for I would not stay more than 3 days on the Cape. Go stay on Nantucket or spend some time in Newport RI for your other days.

First let's make sure you understand what the "ocean" means for Cape Cod as there are several different interpretations all with distinct characteristics. Take a look at a map to see what I mean about locations relative to the "bare and bended arm" of Cape Cod.

The "armpit" of Cape Cod is Buzzards Bay where the towns of Falmouth and Bourne have beaches. Buzzards Bay is a favorite for relatively calm water, great boating and ferries to the islands.

On the south side, towns from East Falmouth through West Chatham ("arm pit to elbow"), including West Harwich, have beaches on Nantucket Sound. These beaches have relatively calm water, backed by residential and commercial activity. Most of the beach on the Nantucket Sound side is private but some of the lodging on the beach have their own beaches and each town has public beaches that should not be crowded in the fall. The water is the warmest and calmest of all the cape beaches, due to protection from the islands.

On the north side from Sandwich to Provincetown ("shoulder to fist along the inside of a bent arm"), you will find Cape Cod Bay beaches. These vary widely with the towns but in general are quite tidal, meaning that at low tide there is lots of beach and shallow wading pools, while at high tide there is swimming in warmish, relatively calm water. We like to watch the sunset over Cape Cod Bay from the town of Eastham (mid-way between the elbow and fist), on the outer cape which has about 6 public Bay beaches. Again, on the bay, most of the beach area is private so long walks along the beach may not be possible at high tide. At low tide you can practically walk from Brewster to Wellfleet across the bay!

Pleasant Bay is a salt water Bay that hosts mostly private beaches on the eastern side of Chatham, Harwich and Orleans. The bay is backed by resorts like Chatham Bars Inn and Wequassett Inn and has the sand dunes of the National Seashore on the eastern side. The water is fairly warm and in my mind, the bay is like a big salt water lake. The beaches are backed by mostly residential development.

On the eastern shore of Cape Cod from Chatham to Provincetown you will find the "great outer beach" . Go to any one of these beaches to watch a sunrise. This is the beach that is often featured in advertising, showing long undeveloped sandy stretches of dune-backe beach, ocean waves and no commercial or residential development in sight. The entire beach is preserved as part of the Cape Cod National Seashore and is characterized by miles of public pristine beaches. You can walk from Coast Guard Beach in Eastham, the southern most National Seashore beach to Provincetown, at the "fist". This great sand spit has had considerable erosion over the years, most recently this past winter. But the beaches are nothing short of magnificent and should not be missed on a visit to Cape Cod. There is no commercial or residential development allowed inside the National Park. The only lodging exception inside the park is the Fort Hill Bed and Breakfast in Eastham. You can read about Fort Hill B+B on Fodor's (it's an editor's pick) and I can highly recommend it as we have stayed there several times.

We especially like Eastham because it is only 3 miles wide from Ocean to bay, with the sense of water all around. It does not have much of a town center but it is only a few minutes to Orleans, the largest town on the lower/outer cape, and it is mid-way between Chatham/Hyannis and Provincetown, popular towns for day-trips with whale-watches, shops and restaurants.

Chatham is a working fishing village in addition to being a tourist destination. It's lovely and you don't have to stay at Chatham Bars Inn to appreciate its beauty. Of your two choices I would stay in Chatham but certainly would visit other Cape towns, especially those that enjoy the Cape Cod National Seashore beaches.

Thank you all for all the great information. We look forward to spending time on the Cape and hope you are all hanging in there during the flooding - our thoughts and prayers are with you!

We are looking forward to our stay in Chatham next month at The Carriage House Inn which is rated highly on tripadvisor. We wanted to stay somewhere more personal than a large hotel and there are great recommendations on their website for dining etc. Counting down the days now to relaxation, seafood, sea air...............!

Great choice, stephieje. You'll love it there. Chatham's great.

One of our favorite places to stay in Chatham

http://chathamtides.com/

Chatham Tides is wonderful. It's a little hidden gem, isn't it?

I went for a long weekend with my mom last fall. We stayed at The Bradford Inn and really enjoyed it. It is not directly on the water but in the village and not far from the water. I love going to the cape in the fall - I am sure you will enjoy it no matter where you end up staying.