Cape Cod, Ma
 

Staying in Yarmouth and lookind for things to do with 3 boys 14,11 & 10 also looking for the best place to get fried clams and any idea on what beach to go to?

This is my firat time to the cape and looking to stay away from the tourist traps and eat where the locals eat

When are you going? That makes a big difference.

If you do a board search, you'll find lots of good information on Cape Cod -- attractions, food, etc. I've participated in some very detailed threads here. Also take a look through a guidebook for the area.

Beach - at least once it is worth the trip to National Seashore - Coast Guard Beach. (Named from an old coast Guard Station at the entrance). Have not been in a few years, but procedure is a bit tedious (unless it has changed) - drive to entrance in Eastham. There is a good sized parking lot about a mile from the beach from which they run shuttle trolleys to beach - lot gets full by late morning on hot days. Beach has lifeguards and some of the biggest waves on the Cape. Also bathrooms and showers. If you happen to have a National Parks Service pass it lets you park for free.

Last time I was there they allowed boogie boards but not floats - and boogie boards have to have a tether to attach it to the user. Bring snacks, drinks, lunch - there is nothing for sale. Soft, white sand that goes on for miles.

Another authentic thing to do is to walk some of the dunes around Truro - you can see them from the road - just make sure you park somewhere legal and follow signage about where you can and cannot walk - various nesting areas of endangered species of something.

Take a ride to Provincetown and walk to top of lighthouse. Warn the boys that Provincetown has an above-average percentage of gays who live and/or vacation there - great time for discussion of such thing - and if you discuss it ahead of time you and they will avoid any embarassing comments they may make. There is a marine salvage store - also souveniers and interesting junk - in Provinetown they would like. They used to sell cool stuff like inactivated old hand grenades.

Warning about seafood, including clams. Seafood has gotten quite expensive - if you find any cheap seafood, avoid it - but even bad seafood is expensive these days.

There is an Audobon Society wildlife/natural center in (not sure of town - maybe Brewster?) that has a nice boardwalk/nature hike.

Cape Cod Potato Chips has a factory in Hyannis that gives free tours and you get a bag of chips at the end.

Plan ahead for rainy day activities - Cape is wall-to-wall traffic jam during rainy days with everyone trying to find something for their bored kids to do.

Plus all the usual honky-tonk of arcades, etc - but you can find those on your own without trouble.

Im going 7/23 - 7/30. Very close to Seagull Beach wondering how that beach is