We're a couple of 60 year olds from Maine who are planning a 4 day trip to Cape Cod for the middle of April (teacher so need to go during school vacation). We've been to Nantucket a few times as our son lived there but haven't seen any of Cape Cod. We like walking on the beach, museums, shopping, aquariums, etc. And really want to drive out to Provincetown to see all of the Cape. Should we stay midway to make that our home base? And would love suggestions about what town(s) might suit us best for staying in or just tooling around in and hotels too (probably mid-priced ones). Thank you so much!

DH and I just did a weekend on the cape and it was lovely, although this has been an unusually warm winter. We did just wing it and found the Sheraton four Points in Eastham, right on route 6 was open. I think it was about $130 or so per night. Many of the motels/B&Bs were closed, but by April things should be starting to wake up.

We mostly did the National Seashore area. The VC in Eastham was open but the one in Provincelands was undergoing construction and was closed.

It was great to be able to park at all the beaches that are closed to people who don't have a sticker. Provincetown is an easy drive from Eastham. There were plenty of places to eat in Ptown.

I really like Eastham and Wellfleet, but I don't know how much would be open. East Orleans or Chatham might have more options. If you are having a hard time finding an open motel, Hyannis has a Courtyard and West Yarmouth has a Hampton Inn. That would put you further from Provincetown though.

emalloy, did you like the Four Points? I stayed in its sister hotel (right next door, same owner) about three or four years ago, and it was in very rough shape back then.

Four Points was fine, clean, comfy beds, not fancy and there is a small restaurant on site where we had breakfast. Location was perfect for what we wanted to do, National Seashore, wander through Wellfleet, visit beaches.

I really prefer Provincetown for a base. Fun, walkable place with Lots of restaurants, shops, the National SeaShore, etc. I've done it many times and would do it again in a heartbeat!

"Four Points was fine, clean, comfy beds, not fancy and there is a small restaurant on site where we had breakfast. Location was perfect for what we wanted to do, National Seashore, wander through Wellfleet, visit beaches."

Thanks, emalloy. Good to know. I do love that location.

MareW is right. It's still a little "sleepy" on the Outer Cape (Eastham, Wellfleet, Truro and P-town) in April. Some lodgings, restaurants, etc. will just be opening up for the season, but many will still be closed.

Of course, you'll find more places to stay, things to do, etc. in Provincetown than any other town on the Outer cape. But if you base yourselves in P-town, you won't be in the greatest location for daytrips to other parts of the Cape. I'd say your best bet would be to choose a more centrally located town.

If your main criteria are: (1) a town that you can easily "tool around in" on foot; (2) that's centrally located; and (3) most things will be open in April, then there's only one town that really fits that description. Hyannis.

I bet some others in this forum will say, "Hyannis? Ugh!". Admittedly, Hyannis isn't exactly the "Capey-est" town on Cape Cod, and it does get kind of a bad rap as being too touristy.

But I'm not suggesting that you spend all your time in Hyannis. Only that it makes a good home-base town in the offseason.

In April, traffic is rarely an issue around here. So wherever you want to go, you should be able to get there without any hassle. Provincetown will be about an hour's drive from Hyannis. Falmouth a little less. And Chatham (well worth a visit!), about 45 minutes.

Re lodging, The Anchor In is a very nice, reasonably priced place to stay overlooking Hyannis Harbor. I just checked their website, and their April room rates begin at around $100/night.

During your time here, I'd suggest you take one day and go to the Outer Cape. Check out the National Seashore, and visit Provincetown. Make a day of it and poke around.

Be sure to stop at the National Seashore Visitors Center in Eastham. It has a cool little museum and a small theater with short films (10-15 minutes long) about the Cape that're well worth seeing. The folks at the front desk are wonderful about suggesting an itinerary for the day, complete with maps and directions to "don't miss" places.

Outside the Visitors Center, there's a deck overlooking Salt Pond. And there's a nice nature trail to walk if the weather is conducive.

Another day, plan to go exploring along Rt. 6A on the north (Cape Cod Bay) side of the Cape.

Rt. 6A is known as "Old Kings Highway", and traveling along this incredibly scenic two-lane road is like a trip back to Colonial days. Lots of old sea captains homes (especially in Brewster), antiques shops, taverns and inns, art galleries, museums, and peeks of Cape Cod Bay here and there along the way.

Take a turn off Rt. 6A every now and then to check out the Bay-side beaches. There's a long boardwalk that goes out over the marsh and the water in Yarmouthport, at Gray's Beach (turn off Rt. 6A at Center Street and go to the end). It's a fantastic place to see the sunset.

And father along to the east are two of my absolute Bay-side beaches: Cold Storage Beach in Dennis and Paine's Creek Beach in Brewster. Spectacular views, and great beachcombing/walking when the tide is out!

Wherever you decide to stay, I know you'll have a wonderful time exploring the Cape. Enjoy!

Dee

Oops. Sorry about that ... I meant "two of my absolute favorite" Bay-side beaches.

Gotta proofread better next time, before I hit the Submit button!

Dee

Thank you very much everyone for all the great suggestions! I'm excited to decide on a place to stay & get reservations made. I have another question please. I'm now wondering if we should stay 2 nights in two different areas - what do you think?

Just an added note---since that is also a school vacation week in Massachusetts, if you mean Patirots' week, then it is hard for me to imagine that there might not be some places in Provincetown that are open by then.

.......saving for future Cape trip this spring!

I also stayed at the Four Points sheraton in eastham and it was very nice. They even have a indoor pool which we really enjoyed. Eastham is a great location. If this is your first time on the cape I would plan stops in Sandwich, Chatham, Drive scenic route 6A, Centerville is really nice. You can easily do the National seashore with stops at each of the beaches, they are all worth a peak. This will take you all the way up to Provincetown.Ptown is my favorite along with Chatham,Sandwich, Wellfleet..I love the entire Cape. Do your homework, read up about the different towns and stop at the places that most interest you. No matter what you decide to see on the Cape it will be nice! The Crow's Nest in Truro is a great place to stay. Fanazzis in Ptown over looking the bay is a great place to eat. I recommend both. Enjoy.

I have done that, stayed in different parts of the Cape. I always regret the time and hassle of checking out and checking back in to a new place. It has pro's and con's I guess. It takes one hour from Hyannis to Ptown, maybe a bit less. Staying central, like Eastham or Orleans will also work well to.I think your best bet is Four Points Sheraton in Eastham.

Seems that I'm being soundly out-voted, with the Outer Cape and FourPoints coming in at the top of the recommendations list.

I can certainly understand why you all are so passionate about the Outer Cape. It's one of the prettiest places on Earth! IMHO, if you haven't seen the Outer Cape, you haven't seen Cape Cod.

As far as FourPoints is concerned, it's an okay place to stay if you like national chain hotels.

My only concerns with marthav and her hubby basing themselves in Eastham are: It really is much more quiet on the Outer Cape in mid-April than many folks realize. And it's not a convenient homebase if you also want to visit other parts of the Cape.

Each region of the Cape, and for that matter - each town, is so different and so special in its own way. And springtime is a perfect time of year to hop in the car and go exploring.

See lots of different towns; visit beaches on the Ocean, the Bay, and the Sounds (yes, beaches on each body of water are very different, too); and get a sense of where you'd like to stay the next time you're here. (And believe me, there will be a next time!)

If it were me and I only had 4 days to experience as much of Cape Cod as I could, without having to spend more time in the car than absolutely necessary, I'd choose a town that's centrally located.

I'd also opt for lodgings that were a little more "Cape-y" than a Sheraton. But that's just me ...

caper64, I absolutely agree with you about the Sheraton. Part of the appeal for me on the Cape is staying in a unique accomodation in an interesting town. The Four Point Sheraton, IMHO, is nothing more than a chain motel on a busy highway.

There are some wonderful villages with interesting hotels/inns/etc. I always stay in Provincetown or Chatham...towns with character.

Hyannis is the commercial, retail center of Cape Cod and not a desirable location for vacations.

Well said, SusieQQ!

I totally concur about Hyannis. As a vacation destination in and of itself, Hyannis wouldn't be my first choice by any means.

But options are kind of limited if you're looking for a town where there are a good number of restaurants, lodgings, activities, etc. "up and running" in the off-season.

I do like your suggestion of Chatham. It's definitely one of the most charming, upscale towns on the Cape - and one of my faves.

Although it's not as handy a location for taking daytrips around the Cape as some of the mid-Cape towns and villages would be, it's not nearly as "out of the way" as Eastham or Provincetown, either. So Chatham might be a good alternative.

The Chatham Bars Inn is a lovely place to stay, in a very scenic location overlooking the water. Price-wise, they're a little up there - even in the off season. I know they offer some very reasonable winter "specials". Just not sure if those extend into spring.

I'm sure there are also some nice B&Bs in Chatham that are open in April. Just can't think of any off the top of my head ...

For a bit of a compromise in location, why not look into Fort Hill B&B in Eastham. It's a beautiful inn, you can rent the very private Nantucket Cottage and enjoy the marsh views and beyond to a sliver of a view of the National Seashore.

My first choice, however, would always be Chatham. Chatham Bars Inn had rooms available for $140.00 a night last April on Travelzoo.com. Check there often for discounts. Otherwise, I think the rooms are prohibitively expensive, but check their website for discounts too. It's a Grand Hotel experience; lovely, not for everyone.

In Chatham also check out the Wayside Inn on Main St. or the Bradford Inn on Cross St. There are a number of B&Bs in Chatham that are just wonderful; go to Trip Advisor for the list.

Hyannis has some great restaurants so you'll want to perhaps get a meal in down there. Otherwise, I'd spend my time between Chatham and Provincetown. Whale watches should be up and running soon out of Provincetown where you'll find some of the best restaurants on the Cape.

(Sheraton Four Points while on the Cape??? Not on a bet!)
(blech.)

Why anyone would suggest a chain hotel overlooking a highway and parking lot is beyond me for an off season visit. That you have gotten multiple suggestions for that property is odd. The perks of visiting off season is getting great rates at wonderful places with spectacular views or charm.

I would consider something in Falmouth for 2 nights and visiting Woods Hole and the Knob. Falmouth is not an extreme seasonal town and plenty will be open. And then spend the other 2 nights in Wellfleet/Truro/Ptown to check out the Right whales. Again, there will be plenty of things open in Ptown.

Midway for all 4 nights, I would agree with Chatham. Plenty open, off season lively and a drive in either direction.

What kikko says!!

I wouldn't split up my stay between two places during a 4 night stay! My goodness.

Just visit Falmouth when you're arriving on Cape, noodle around Woods Hole and downtown Falmouth a bit and then head to Chatham. Stop in Sandwich along your way. Continue up route 6A and take your time. The Cape is all about relaxin'.