Cape Cod questions
 

We're going to Cape Cod pretty soon for a week, staying near Harwich. I have some questions if anyone has some scoop they'd like to share. :)

We'd like to take a whale watching tour. Which would be better, the one from Barnstable or the one from Provincetown? Just how rough are the seas usually?

We may take a day trip to Nantucket on the ferry from Harwich. It looks like we'd have about 6 hours there (without a car). Is that a reasonable amount of time to spend there? Any tips on what to see and do?

Would it be better to day trip to Plymouth during the week, or just go there on the day we fly out of Boston? We'll need to be at the airport around 3:00 on a Saturday afternoon. Our 3rd grader would like to see the Mayflower and Plimouth Plantation. I'd like to see the old cemetery.

Is driving in and out of Boston Logan really thaaaaaaaat bad? :)

Any recommendations for other stuff to see and do around Cape Cod? Any recommendations for casual, not too expensive places for seafood?

Thanks! :)

Driving in and out of Logan isn't bad. You'll want to visit Plymouth when the traffic on Rt 3 isn't bad, i.e. Friday, Sunday. Take your child to Plimouth Plantation. Be aware of Boston's rush hours when returning to Logan and go earlier if you need to , to avoid heavy traffic.
I've done both whale watches and don't recall rough seas but Barnstable would be safer as it's more protected.

If you suspect that any of you is subjct to motion sickness it doesn;t really matter how smooth the seas - you can become horribly ill.

We did a whale watch out of Montauk on a clear day with smooth seas - and all took dramimine and were fine. But there were at least 6 or 7 people on the trip who ignored the suggestion of the crew (if you don't KNOW that you don;t get seasick, take something in advance) and spent much of the trip hanging over the side. A pity to ruin such a fantastic experience for a little lack of forethought.

Driving to the cape wasn't so bad but we came back on a Monday during Columbus day last year and it was slow moving. I would stop at Plymouth on the way to the airport. We did the slow ferry to Nantucket and the fast one back. It was enough time to walk around, eat and see a few things. Very rough seas coming back and I have sea legs but still went up top and watched the sea and was ok.

Six hours or a lifetime: any time on Nantucket is good time, but then I live here!

The Harwich ferry arrives on Straight Wharf, right in the middle of things. Main Street starts two blocks west of Straight Wharf.

In six hours, you can walk around the historic part of town, up Main Street and off on the very scenic side streets. You can visit the Whaling Museum (not cheap but Worth It) . You can take a minibus tour ( I recommend Gayle's) of the island. You could also shop till you drop, but you could do that anywhere. Except the kids will enjoy the Sunken Ship across from the Whaling Museum at the foot of Broad, One of the great treats is a sailboat ride on the Endeavor with my friend Captain Jim Genthner. More than 60% of his customers are repeats, people who go year after year.

Eating can be expensive. You can buy sandwiches at Provisions, behind the bandstand on Straight Wharf and take them with you for a picnic. You can get delicious sandwiches on Steamboat Wharf at Walters and Stubby's. Walk two blocks to Children's Beach and have a picnic. The Easy Street Cantina on the corner near Stubby's is popular with families ( and construction guys) because it has reasonably priced food and cheap daily specials. For something more upscale, the Brotherhood of Thieves on Broad has a great basement dining room and good burgers.

Whale-watching: I've only done the one out of P'town, so can't comment on Barnstable. But I'm betting there's not a whole lot of difference. Just take the one that's closer to where you're staying. The sea was calm the times I went, but I assume that's a variable that you'll have to check on the day desired.

Me, personally, with a 3rd-grader, I'd skip Nantucket. I assume the six hours mentioned is the time between ferry arrival and departure, which really means about five hours. That gives you time to eat and take in the quaint and scenic sights. How quaint-and-scenic-tolerant is your 3rd-grader?

You could do Plymouth and/or Plimouth Plantation as day trips from Harwich.

As mentioned, getting to Logan isn't too bad if you avoid rush hour.

Most Cape Cod rentals are Sat afternoon-Saturday AM. It is difficult to avoid traffic, since large numbers of renters arrive at the same time; therefore Friday afternoon/evenings are the busiest getting on to Cape. If you are arriving early Friday, drive immediately to Cape and stay in hotel on or near Cape until rental is available. If it is Saturday, leave as early as possible or wait until mid-afternoon. If it is not Sat-Sat, travel is easier.

The ferry ride to Nantucket is nice just as a ride. For six hours you can walk around, window shop, eat, hit a museum - since you will be on Cape, probably save beach days for the Cape.

Pick up a local free real estate sale booklet - plan on which house you will buy after you win a big lottery.

We took the whale watch out of Barnstable. It was a really nice, scenic ride through the harbour, the boat and restrooms were clean, they served food and drinks including beer if you care, and the guides were great and very informative. All the boats go to the same area and see the same whales. We saw tons of whales, it was really a great time.

The day you leave, Saturday, may have heavy traffic leaving the Cape, since, as noted, it's the day that weekly rentals normally change over. If you leave the Cape early in the morning, you may have enough time in Plymouth, but it might be less hurried and stressful to make it a day trip on a week day.

I think they are still doing maintenance on the Sagamore Bridge during the week, so you may have some unusual delays there. They aren't working on weekends.

You can check local traffic reports on WBZ, radio 1030 am, on the 3's--9:03, 9:13 etc.

Here is a recent article on Cape Cod which may give you some good ideas:http://clubmom.ca/cape-cod-family-vacation/.

In Harwich your 8 year old may really like this theatre:
http://www.hjtcapecod.org/main-stage-productions/
The shows are excellent. My kids love them.

Maintenance on the Sagamore and Bourne bridges is happily over through the summer, except for emergencies.

Return trip - being at airport at 3 PM Sat. I do not think there is comfortably time to see Plimouth Plantation on that day. It will take a while to get off Cape, and there is always something that needs to be done at the cottage that takes longer than you plan (like they expect you to drop trash at dump, strip beds, etc). You need to allow 3 hours to get from mid-Cape to Logan, although it should take less than that. Then you need to build in lunch. I would do Plimouth either on way to Cape or as mid-week day trip, since without traffic it is perhaps an hour each way.

One other thing about Cape traffic. If it rains, traffic on Cape is awful, since everyone is trying to find something to do with their kids in the rain.

Your kid would love the Cape Cod Potato Chip factory in Hyannis - google it or directions are often on the back of the chip bags.

Thanks, everyone!

I've read that low tide on the Cape Cod Bay side is really good for exploring tidal pools and walking way out in shallow water. Where is the best place to do that?

I'd recommend Brewster bay beaches for low tide exploration. The tide goes out for miles at low tide! The kids love it! Brewster is not far from Harwich.

Thanks!

You might look into Skaket Beach-Orleans

Second re: Skaket Beach. Interestingly, just across Orleans from Nauset Beach, one of the good ocean-side beaches. But then I love Orleans.

If we leave our rental early on Saturday and don't need to be at the airport until around 3:00, what would be something good to do on that day (besides Plymouth which we'll day trip to during the week)?

You might like to visit the Kennedy Library on the south side of Boston, on your way back.