Cape Cod: Secluded beach front location
 

Hi! I am looking for a place in Cape Cod(Upper and Middle cape, Martha's vineyard, Nantucket) with the following:

1.Small property (no resorts/motels/hotels)
2.Walking distance to beach or on waterfront.
3.Secluded or away from commercial areas.

Our budget is $200-$350.

Please help,

Susan

Susan,
Are you looking for a private rental like a cottage? Or a B&B? What time of year are you going - this will determine what meets your budget.

Jane

Hi janewb
Sorry, We are looking at July. If there was a good weekly rental(~$1000) we would consider that.But the small cottages are not very comfortable looking and hence B&B's.

S

Hi Does anybody have any personal experience with the Duck Inn and Lambert's Cove (both in MV)?

Susan

Best of luck to you with that budget and your criteria.

All the best places are booked by repeat guests year after year. There really aren't that many with your criteria, as the owners spend July/August there, renting them out at the rest of the season/year.

B&B's aren't that appealing. Typically, soundproofing, plumbing, (or lack thereof), along with rates and "rules", render them less than appealing.

And, there are many resorts/motels/hotels that are exceptional. But, they are pricey.

$1000/week is a very, very low budget for the Cape/MV/Nantucket in July.

Note that, due to weather and erosion conditions, there are not so many places to stay near the waterfront as you would presume.

Highly recommend having a look at "Cape Cod, An Explorer's Guide" for recommendations.

Because of the short season and overall lack of what you're looking for, it's not likely that you will receive a truly viable recommendation on a web travel forum.

Because of your price-range limitation I doubt you will find anything on the water during high-season but sometimes smaller places list on their local town chamber of commerce web sites. So I suggest you start there. We always stay in the National Seashore in Eastham at Fort Hill Bed and Breakfast and I found them on the Eastham Chamber site at www.easthamchamber.com but I remember seeing some privately owned places with small apartments near the water on that site. If you are not limited to the locations you mentioned you might try looking on the outer cape chamber sites.

Lamberts Cove is a lovely area of MV - quieter, more secluded than in one of the active areas of say OB or Edgartown -
if you can find accomodations there that work for you within your budget for July I would grab it. It is a bit 'out of the town' areas but not too far so if you choose to go in to Vineyard Haven or Egartown one night for dinner you could.

The Duck Inn is up in Aquinnah. I have not been on property, but you are further from the towns than in Lamberts Cove if that matters to you. If you really want seclusion and away from anything commercial, this area up island is perfect for that - a few fine restaurants should you want to dine out (Outer Most Inn, Beach Plum Inn a tad further - or more casual eating outside at the top of the Cliffs - ) and a few small, 'general stores' that sell supplies, have small but excellent sandwich counters, etc.

Wonderful beaches, esp for long walks, less crowded and easy to find a quiet, secluded spot, esp along the beach walk around the clay cliffs - you can really tuck yourself in a little spot - this is one of my favorite beaches to walk every summer, but the further past the public access area you get, it does become an optional nude beach, I am just warning you in case that would be a problem for you. Very optional - for 20 years we have gone with our family and no one pays any mind to whether you are clothed or not.

Also keep in mind, you might be able to find something closer to say OB or VH, still on a quiet side street but within walking distance of water - and if you want secluded beach area, you can consider renting a jeep and going out on one of the vehicle allowed beaches and you can always find a solo spot out there - but then you need to add in the cost for the over the sand vehicle sticker and rental. Unless you are able bike riders and you can always take the ferry over to Chappy and find spots there.

mvvacationrentals

and

Sandpiper Rentals


these are the two agencies friends of ours have used for years and been satisfied with the offerings, will give you an idea of rates for rentals vs. b & b's.

average july weekly rental has seemed to run around 3000 for a smaller home, although my cousin has annually rented a home for 3500, waterview , that sleeps 8 so you never know - perhaps you can find a small gem.

you may have better luck in some of the less popular cape areas -

there is a hostel on MV, it does have some private baths, a young friend has stayed there, don't know if this is an option for you-

also - have you considered a less popular area that would still have beach access - since you are not looking for any commercial activity - maybe you would find something for less in the 'less traveled' areas along the shore even heading up to the areas of NH or Maine?

Hi Thank you for all the nice suggestions. Based on everything you've said I am no longer looking to spend a week there. I am thinking of 3-4 nights. I want to be in the cape cod region( but the cape seems too crowded). We thought Nantucket might be perfect but it looks like all the affordable places are in nantucket town. the up-island area of martha's vineyard seems ideal. we are hoping for 2-3 days of complete relaxation - beach, reading,etc. So proximity to town is not important (we will have our car with us). Most important is the ability to walk from our place to the beach (5-10 mt walk is fine). Lambert's cove Inn seems perfect but i am still confirming on the beach situation. Any other suggestions?

S

Sutibu--
So is the Cape itself out? And you are now concentrating on the Vineyard?

You are right...the Cape will be busy in July so "secluded" will be a relative term. Any beach you will walk to with have many people on it during the day but will be quiet in the morning and the evening. There are several lovely inns in the Brewster area that receive nice reviews on Tripadvisor (Brewster by the Sea, the Old Manse, Candleberry Inn) but they aren't walkable to a secluded beach.

yellowbyrd's suggestion of Fort Hill B&B might fit your bill if you are looking for seclusion but don't need that to be on the beach. The area around Fort Hill is gorgeous, with lovely views and doesn't get mobbed due to limited parking. But it's not the beach--you'd have to drive to that.

Can't help you on MV....haven't spent enough time there recently. Think it's a great spot (I prefer it over Nantucket because the topography and the "feel" are more diverse), but really can't advise.

Hi

Try a search on Weneedavacation.com
or Homeaway.com Both sites have thousands of VR homes/cottages.

You will be able to conduct a search for specific dates, location, amenities and price.

If you do email or call owner, ask for a street address and then Google Satellite the address.

Ask good questions-especially about cleaning, trash pickup. Your budget is very low for the Cape in Summer. Some towns are more expensive than others. Secluded beach areas might be Eastham, Orleans, Wellfleet, Truro and some parts of Provincetown.

Bay side is lovely too. Try Brewster! Tides are extreme and at low tide you will be able to walk for miles!

Have a great time

GB

There are lovely beaches near and in Lamberts Cove and you are a short drive (or hike) to some nice spots.

However, you mention that you will have your car - are you renting one or thinking of bringing your own car over on the auto ferry? If you are thinking of your own car, - that may or may not happen depending on your dates.

The auto ferry reservations fill up quickly. We made all of ours for our family for August about two weeks ago when reservations opened up and you may or may not find any for the specific dates you want. In which case you can rent a car on island.

i tell you this so you will know to book your lodging and make sure you can refund it asap; then get online to the www.steamshipauthority.com and make sure you can get your car over if that is important to you - and book that also; that way if you can not get it you have the option to rent or cancel.

Or if you are really looking for seclusion, take the ferry, leave your car on the mainland, take a bus or taxi to your spot and stay put or use a bicycle to get around.

Also, if you look on the Trustees of the Reservation web site
www.thetrustees.org

look up the hiking trails on MV and many of them end up at some very secluded spots and they are easy hikes. you also from LC are not far from a short and lovely drive up island to some other great beaches I mentioned above. I can get into more detailed directions if and when you confirm your location.

For 3 nights you might be better and less 'work' to find a nice spot between south of Boston and the end of the Cape. Depending on what day in July, you might still also have to battle Cape summer traffic to and from the ferry to MV ....

but I don't know where you are coming from...
can you take the ferry to the island from Quonset, RI and do without or rent a car? or from New Bedford?

Hello everybody,
Based on everything mentioned I am going to rethink my vacation plans. It seems like too much cost
and effort for 3 days. Thanks for helping me...

S