Cape Cod -Top 5 to see/do

Old Jun 1st, 2005, 02:35 PM
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adk
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Cape Cod -Top 5 to see/do

We are taking a family vacation to the cape in mid-June, staying in Brewster. Just looking for some advice on some things we should be sure to do or see while there. We are planning to see the Mayflower and all that, Martha's Vinyard, not planning on going all the way up to Provincetown. Also, what are some of the more scenic areas? Any advice on what to do if the weather's bad?
Thanks!
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Old Jun 1st, 2005, 02:55 PM
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If you can get a trip out to the Monomoy Nat'l Wildlife Refuge, it's worth it. There's the Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary; Woods Hole is a great place for the kids and adults to learn all about the oceans, marine biology, etc.!! I haven't been there but the Heritage Plantation in Sandwich is good.
Get a AAA travel book for lots of things to do on the Cape.
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Old Jun 1st, 2005, 05:05 PM
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I'm sorry but, I think your plans are way off base maybe because you were given bad Cape Cod travel advice.

First off, you ask what are some of the more scenic areas, but then say you are not planning to drive all the way to Provincetown but will visit the Mayflower.

Provincetown is only a 50 minute drive from Brewster while the Mayflower is off Cape in Plymouth and could be more than a 2 hour trip. There is also no comparison of the awesome beauty of the dunes and Cape Cod National Seashore to the Plymouth area.

Brewster is a great town to be staying in for a Cape cod vacation, very central to everything. Matss gave you good suggestions. I would take day trips to other towns on the Cape: Provincetown, Chatham, Orleans and Hyannis.

If the weather is bad: Museum of Natural History; JFK Museum; Zooquarium; Melody Tent; etc.
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Old Jun 1st, 2005, 05:19 PM
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I would agree Brewster is a great place to stay .. and I wouldn't go off Cape unless there was a real need .. There is so much to see and do ... The beaches are beautiful .. restaurants too die for (my favorite .. Brewster Fish House Rt. 6A) ... antique shops .. galleries galore ... pottery .. museums of various types ... shopping if you like .. and the National Seashore .. hiking .. biking ... nature walks .. don't leave the Cape really unless you must .. ! ! If you need more specific info just ask .. ! MV is lovely .. but it is a full day to go and come and really without a car you will need to either rent a car or bike or take a tour .. beaches are lovely to see ... but not sure if I only had a week on Cape .. that I would give up one full day to go .. others may disagree .. Definitely National Seashore .. ! !
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Old Jun 1st, 2005, 05:38 PM
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National Seashore Beaches - Marconi, Cahoon Hollow, etc.

Mayflower Beach, Dennis, Cape Cod

Hike at White Cedar Swamp or at natural area (forget its name) in Brewster, or Nickelson State Park

Bike the Cape Cod Rail Trail - rent bikes in Dennis

Shopping/strolling in Provincetown or Chatham

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Old Jun 1st, 2005, 05:58 PM
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I met my husband on Cape Cod--lo 36 summers ago! I LOVE the Cape and go there as often as I can. It just takes me back. We grew up driving frequently to the Cape and were told to open all our car windows as we approached the canal--for the sea air!! The Cape is just special --you feel it and know it somehow when you are there.

With children I can understand your desire to stop in Plymouth and see the Mayflower, the Rock and perhaps the plantation? They study it in school each year and it could mean a lot. We took our children there many years at Thanksgiving and they even participated a couple of times in the Pilgrim Progress. (I would do this befor ehitting the Cape. You could get there early , get a feel and still be on the Cape for a good part of the day.) It is not a two hour drive from there to Brewster!

Provincetown is a matter of taste I guess. It never did much for me. When we go each year we stay near people that take that LONG drive and spend a day and in my opinion LOSE a day.

Hyannis is a town we have known so well nationally since the Kennedy era. It is now quite a busy city--good for shopping etc.ie --the mother of all Christmas Tree Shops is there for one. If you lide to shop with the kids this would be a don't miss.

There is a Kennedy memorial there on a beach and of course a drive through Hyannisport could be interesting with a stop at the Centerville famous Ice Cream Shop--called Four Seasons i think.

Get off 28 and see the Route 6A (bay side) where you wil be staying in Brewster. but some other quaint towns--Yarmouthport, Dennis etc.

I agree Martha's Vineyard will take a day--but would be a great experience for all of you. I have loved seeing it by bike.
Chatham is lovely as is the National Seashore Park. I know you are thinking of keeping the kids busy and experiencing. You didn't mention their ages. Persoanlly we stay on the water when we go each year in September and our kids join us (happily) and they are now in late 20's. With exception of golf for my husband and son--everyone is thrlled to be by the water and have a nice seafood dinner out. H
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Old Jun 1st, 2005, 05:59 PM
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Woods Hole, next to Falmouth. The Oceanographic Institute is there and they have a great aquarium - small and hands on! Also there are boating excursions where they scoop up sea life with a net and empty the contents on a table to touch and discuss. A great experience!

Link: http://www.woodshole.com/
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Old Jun 2nd, 2005, 04:15 AM
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adk provincetown is a real treat no other place like it i agree with the prvious posts...here are a few webpages for idesa and such...http:http://capecodtoday.com/www.capeweek.com/ hope the weather is great when you get here
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Old Jun 2nd, 2005, 04:34 AM
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No one mentioned a whale watch. The ocean just off Provencetown is some of the richest whale habitat in the world, and a whale watch from Provencetown can be pretty unforgettable.
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Old Jun 2nd, 2005, 05:16 AM
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We spent a week in Cape Cod last June with our 5 year old and 3 year old. We stayed in Orleans, which is very close to Brewster. The other posters are correct - Brewster is very central, and a great place to stay.

The two things we enjoyed the most were spending time at the beaches and the summer baseball league. Orleans has a beach on the bay side and on the Atlantic side. Even though both were cold, the kids still had a great time. The bayside beach was probably our favorite. When the tide was out, several miles of sand and tidepools were exposed. The kids had a great time exploring - there were tons of hermit crabs, minnows, etc.

The Cape Cod Summer Baseball League is loads of fun. It's mostly made up of college baseball players. Each town on Cape Cod has a team, and they play most nights. We attended three games - they're free, so you just bring blankets/lawn chairs, find a good spot, and enjoy the game. In Orleans, they had fresh cooked hamburgers and hotdogs for sale, as well as candy, popcorn, etc. http://www.capecodbaseball.org/

We went to the Brewster Fire Museum, which was fun for the kids, though fairly small. Chatham is a very pretty little town - there's lots of fun shops. There's also a railroad museum. Again, the kids enjoyed it, though it was fairly small. Across the street from the museum is a great playground!

If your kids are older, there are some great bicycle trails in the area - my uncle and his teenagers rented some bikes one day, and had a really nice time exploring the area.

Have a great time!!!
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Old Jun 2nd, 2005, 06:16 AM
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Check to see if the Dennis Playhouse is operating while you're there. They do nice children's productions.

Personally I would prefer to take the ferry from Hyannis to Nantucket rather than MV primarily because there is a lot to see in Nantucket that is within walking distance of the ferry. ON MV you have to take a longish shuttle bus to get to anything. Granted its a longer ride on the ferry but that never bothered me. If you do go to Nantucket, find the church that allows you to climb up its steeple to get the best view of the island.

Don't forget to play minigolf. Its illegal to leave the Cape without having played at least one round.
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Old Jun 2nd, 2005, 09:28 AM
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ADK,
Another fun thing to do is to take the boat trip up and down the Bass River which leaves from Dennis. Beautiful slow ride with an interesting tour showing a side of the Cape that can't be seen from the road.

Enjoy the Cape.
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Old Jun 2nd, 2005, 09:49 AM
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Take a train ride (www.capetrain.com). It leaves from Hyannis and is a two hour ride to the bridge and back. It goes past cranberry bogs and other areas you don't see from the roads.

The whale watch from P-town is fun (www.whalewatch.com). Climb to the top of the Pilgrim Monument in P-town (the tallest all granite structure in the US).

Heritage Plantation in Sandwich has a Shaker round barn with antique cars, an antique merry-go-round and other exhibits. In mid June the rhododendrens will be in bloom. Lovely!
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Old Jun 2nd, 2005, 10:10 AM
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BY all means see Provincetown. Take a Dune tour (Art's dune tours) over the sand dunes, to the ocean. Check into the National Seashore building in Eastham (about a 15 minute drive toward Wellfleet and P'town, and see what's on for the day. You can climb to the top of the Highland Light, in Truro (on the way to P'town), tour the Captain Penniman House in Eastham, the kids will love the exhibits in the Seashore Center, take them to the museum on the wharf in P'town to view the treasures found diving on the wreck of the Bellamy; Climb to the top of the Pilgrim Monument, for a wonderful view of the Cape, and see the models of the old ships at the Provincetown Museum. Wander the shops and art galleries in Wellfleet, and don't miss that wonderful gift shop on the pier , rent a small moror boat for the day from the Wellfleet Marine, and take them to Billingsgate Island, in Wellfleet Harbor, only accessable at low tide and dig for sea clams, or find a brick from the lighthouse that was once there before the sea claimed the island- need more?? For heaven sakes, don't wander off-cape when your only here for a week, and get caught up in the traffic!!
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Old Jun 2nd, 2005, 12:44 PM
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I can't remember which town it is in, but last summer we went CANDLEPIN BOWLING on Cape Cod. If you bowl and have never done this type, then you must do it!

The pins are tall and skinny. The ball is about the size of a softball and has no fingerholes in it. You get three throws per frame. Spares are very rare, strikes practically impossible. I had one frame where my first ball knocked down only the head pin!
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Old Jun 3rd, 2005, 07:51 AM
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as bennie said, a day trip to Nantucket might be easier (in terms of seeing things) than Martha's Vineyard. The Vineyard is not a great day trip destination, as it is so large and spread out.
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Old Jun 7th, 2005, 08:57 AM
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You've been given GREAT suggestions. Definitely do Provincetown--whale watch and then a bike ride through the Provincetown bike trail. Think the place we rent from is Nelson's just north of Route 6.

The candlepin bowling place is in Orleans on 6A. Tons of fun. If it's raining, plan to go there, put your name in and do something else for an hour. Gets really busy if there's been lots of rain as day camps use it as an activity.

Try our new Brewster mini-golf--Harbor Lights on Underpass Road. The Brewster Ladies Library is great and has a terrific children's section. And don't miss the Brewster Store and the Strawberry Patch for shopping.

Good restaurants in Brewster: Sparkfish (more upscale), JT's for casual. Everyone loves the Brewster Fish HOuse. We think it's not great with kids...long wait and leisurely service. And our kids are very restaurnt-savvy but it's just not that great for them.
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Old Jun 7th, 2005, 06:26 PM
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GENE????????????are you there??? Care to apologize?
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Old Jun 9th, 2005, 07:08 PM
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Thanks for all of the great advice - very helpful!
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Old Jun 10th, 2005, 09:06 AM
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I'd vote for taking the kids to a Cape League Baseball game. The Orleans Cardinals play at Eldridge Park which is beautiful. In addition, it has a playground for non-baseball loving kids.

There is a pirate adventure cruise out of Town Cove in Orleans. Your kids may enjoy this as well depending upon their ages.

There is also a drive-in theatre in the town of Wellfleet thats alot of fun. In addition, the drive-in is a fleaMarket on the weekends.

If the weather is bad, I would suggest staying local if possible. The traffic can get miserable on a rainy day.

Personally, I'd just enjoy the beaches. The water on the baySide is warmer and swimmable by June. Took a dip myself last week. Have a great time.
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