Cape Cod Trip Report – Sept. 12-19th 2007

I hope this is worth the read! Thank you ‘Fodorites’ for all the great tips and suggestions. I wouldn’t dream of planning a vacation without your help!

Day 1 (Arrival Day) – From Logan, we missed the exit off the tunnel and proceeded to take every possible highway towards the Cape (code for, we got lost)! We finally arrived in Brewster later that afternoon (stayed at the Old Manse Inn) and headed over to the Brewster General Store to pick up a few items. Our host suggested we watch the sunset from Paines Creek and then had a delicious; albeit expensive, dinner at the Brewster Fish House.

Day 2 (P-town) - We took our time getting ready, ate breakfast at the Inn and headed over to the Lemon Tree Shops just down the road. After browsing the shops, we stopped by the Brewster’s Ladies Library to check our emails and then hit the road towards Provincetown. We arrived in P-town and first on our list was climbing the Pilgrim Monument. We walked around the small museum before trekking our way up the monument. After an endless series of stairs and ramps, we arrived at the observation deck. The day was absolutely gorgeous and the visibility was fantastic. Next on the list was Art’s Dune Tours. This is definitely a must on anyone’s itinerary! Half the fun is riding through the sand dunes in a Suburban! The guide was very knowledgeable and took us to an overlook point with great vistas. By the time we got back, my husband and I were starving. We ate a late lunch/early dinner at the Lobster Pot and then walked around the pier and downtown area. We drove to Race Point Observation Tower to watch the sunset and with just a few minutes to spare, we decided to head towards Race Point Beach to watch the final setting of the sun. I was surprised that the drive back to Brewster was a fairly easy one at night.

Day 3 (Martha’s Vineyard) – Woke up to a beautiful, cloudless day on the Cape. We left too early to have breakfast at the Inn. After purchasing our fast ferry tickets in Hyannis, we headed to Percy’s for breakfast (about ¾ of a mile from the dock). We boarded “Lady Martha” and had a smooth ride over to the Vineyard. Upon arrival we rented a Jeep and headed towards Chappaquiddick. We waited approximately 15 minutes to board the three-car “on-time ferry” to Chappaquiddick. We were the 1st car on the ferry (both to and from) and the ride over was quite an experience to say the least. We parked at the Mytoi Gardens and hopped on the back of an F150 pick-up truck and started our tour of Cape Poge. After the two-hour tour, we made our way back to Edgartown and had lunch at the Seafood Shanty. Afterwards, we walked the downtown area and purchased a few souvenirs at Black Dog. The Clay Cliffs of Aquinnah were next. We past Chilmark Chocolates on the way and enjoyed the scenery in the topless Jeep. By the time we arrived at Aquinnah, we were pressed for time for our return. We took some quick photographs and headed back to Oaks Bluff to catch Lady Martha back to the mainland.

Day 4 (Nantucket) – This was the only day it rained during week-long stay on the Cape. Nonetheless, we made our way on the “Grey Lady” to Nantucket and were surprised at home many other tourists were also braving the weather. The rain brought a cold front with it, so along with the all-day rain, it got windy and cold. We had planned on heading to S’conset, but decided that because of the weather, we would simply stay in the downtown area. We did a little souvenir shopping, walked the downtown area and then headed to the Whaling Museum. A “must see” on your visit to Nantucket. The journey of the ill-fated “Essex” was narrated by one of the volunteers who had us all enthralled in the tale. We grabbed a quick lunch and signed up for a walking tour. After visiting a few historic buildings and learning about the great fire, it was time to board the “Grey Lady” and head back to the mainland. My husband’s came up to visit us during this trip and after freshening up, we headed to Mahoney’s Atlantic Bar and Grill for dinner. Great atmosphere and food!

Day 5 (Cape Day) – Our morning stared at 7:30 am at Breakwater Beach. Low tide afforded us to walk for about ½ on the flats collecting pebbles. We then had breakfast at the Inn with the family and headed towards the Cranberry Festival. We took a shuttle bus to the site and upon entering, I was a bit disappointed because I was expecting to see cranberry oriented “things,” but it’s simply a large craft show. After about an hour or so, we took the shuttle bus back to our car and made our way to the Cape Cod Lavender Farm. Talk about breaking the bank on souvenirs!! Yummy lotions, shower gels, loose lavender, chocolates, you name it –I bought it! LOL We walked the grounds a bit and decided to head towards Chatham for lunch. In Chatham we walked up and down Main Street and grabbed a quick lunch at the Captain’s House (very disappointing). My husband’s family headed back home after lunch and after walking off our lunch, we decided to head back to the room and enjoy some downtime. Along the way, we stopped at an Antique Show and basically paid a $12.00 entrance to use the restroom! LOL Later that evening, we enjoyed a scrumptious and very romantic dinner at the Bramble Inn. Our dinner at the Bramble Inn was the best we had on or off The Cape.

Day 6 – Yet another gorgeous day on the Cape. We decided to take the 7:10 am fast ferry to the Vineyard and had breakfast at Linda Jean’s Restaurant. We walked up and down Circuit Avenue and then headed towards the Methodist Campground. After taking endless pictures of all the beautiful cottages, we paid $4.00 to take a “Cottage Tour.” Let me tell you, it was the best $4.00 I’ve ever paid. The cottage was tiny and filled with lots of period furniture, pictures, etc. Best part was the fact that an older lady sitting in a rocking chair narrated the entire history of the Campground to us… much like a grandmother recounting her memories. We rented the same Jeep and took the scenic route to the East Chop and West Chop Lighthouses. We stopped in Vineyard Haven along the way and Main Street. Menemsha was next. We were looking forward to a hearty lunch at The Bite and were disappointed because it was closed. We walked the dock area and headed towards the beach. As a Floridian, 50 & 60 degree weather is not our idea of a good day at the beach, but many brave soles were lying in the sun in their bathing suits! My husband laughed and said, “Do you now understand when I tell you it’s a good beach day?” My responds, “You’re all insane!” We ventured towards Chilmark Chocolates next, but that too was closed.  I just had to see the Clay Cliffs one more time before departing, so we made our way again to Aquinnah. We had a late lunch at A Slice of Life before departing and arrived at the mainland completely exhausted from our fantastic day on the Vineyard.

Day 7 (National Seashore Day) – Before breakfast, we headed to Breakwater Beach to watch the tide recede. The boats which were previously aground, were all afloat. It was a completely different scene. After breakfast at the Inn, we visited the Stony Brook Gristmill. Although the museum is closed, the grounds are very picturesque and after a while, you don’t hear the cars driving by… all you hear is the sound the water rushing through the brook. We took photographs galore and were even greeted by three beautiful swans. Ah-mazing!! Next on the list was Marconi Beach. Before heading to the beach, we walked around the Marconi Site and hiked the White Cedar Swamp Trail. Marconi Beach is another must see. We spent an hour enjoying the sight of the surf, the cliffs and powdery sand underneath our feet. Lunch was in order and we stopped at “Catch of the Day.” The seafood was extremely fresh and absolutely delicious! My husband’s “lobster bake” was out of this world. We ate so much we should have walked our way to Nauset Light Beach! After walking around a little bit, we probably should have stayed for the “Three Sisters Lighthouse” tour, but I wanted to make it to the Salt Pond Visitors Center before they closed. Although I don’t know what I missed on the tour, I’m glad we made it to the visitor’s center and hiked the Nauset Marsh Trail. The first half of the trail is quite breath-taking! You’d swear you were looking at a postcard. It is that beautiful, and serene. The Fort Hill Area was the last place we visited and I was surprised that it neither my husband nor my favorite. The area is perfect for someone who is truly looking to get away from everything, but if I would have chosen to stay at the Fort Hill Bed and Breakfast, I think it would left us feeling a little too far removed. Granted, the Bed and Breakfast is very beautiful and sits perched on a hill with probably very amazing view of the area.

Day 8 (Departure Day) – When we left Chatham a few days earlier, we vowed to return the morning of our departure to visit the Fish Pier. We were blown away by the beautiful homes, not to mention the entrance to the Chatham Bars Inn. My husband practically kicked me when I told him that I considered our staying there. Of course, when I mentioned the price of the rooms, he understood why we had chosen elsewhere. LOL We walked the Fish Pier’s visitor’s deck and watched as a few lobster boats prepared to head out to sea. Unfortunately, our time was running out and we had to leave much too soon.

My apologies for any misspellings and for the long read! I hope it’s helpful to anyone who wishes to visit the Cape.

My only regret was leaving…
;-)
J.

Thanks for a great trip report. The cape is only an hour away from me. What am I doing sitting here???? So glad you had a wonderful trip.

What a great trip report! I tried Art's Dune tours for the first time this year and I wondered what took me so long. I love the Lobster Pot too. I had a great lobster/ avocado appetizer there as a late night meal. Yum!

Your report is going to serve as a great reference resource to many! It is definitely "worth the read".

Winkz40 that was a great trip report! How you managed to fit all that in during your week was amazing.
I'm so glad you enjoyed our part of the world.
You've even given me a few ideas to entertain our friends who are arriving in two weeks for a visit.

Unbelievable Winkz! Simply unbelievable!!! That you took on that much, so well.

I would never consider suggesting Ptown day, Vineyard and Nantucket three days consecutivly. You have made me a believer. So glad you had the opportunity to visit the Vineyard a second time. What was the cost of a day rental, if I might ask - on that jeep?

Well you can't say you didn't try to make it to Chilmark Chocolates! Did I tell you the story on another thread of our visit. A friend's sister is one of the leaders there, so we took a very special tour and the maker of our almond brittle was so sweet. He showed us how he makes it and reminds us - "No tasting!!!" A fantastic project.

Dont you adore Chappy? The ferry, the japanese garden the beaches.......I would love the chance to stay there and ferry to dinner in Edgartown, rather than the other way around.

Mahalo and thank you so very much for a fantastic trip report that proves, yes it all can be done!!!

MMA, Starrsville, Capecodshanty and Kealalani... thank you all for your compliments! Truth be told, I could have never planned such an exciting trip without the help of everyone on this board.

I too am amazed at all that we did in just a few days. It can be done --especially if you're "early birds" like us! That was definately the key to our itinerary.

The hardest part of the trip was coming to the realization that we could not do everything. We did not see or visit the Glass Museum in Sandwich, or beautiful Falmouth or even the Cape Cod Museum of Natural History which was just down the road from us. We also skipped whale watching in favor of climbing the monument and going on Art's Dune Tours. There were many compromises, but perhaps God will afford me the luxury of visiting the Cape once again.

Mma, you most definately need to start taking more day trips to the Cape! My husband and I live in Miami and we love taking day trips to the Keys. Even if its to sit on a beach and relax... the drive and change of scenery is very refreshing.

Starrsville, Art's Dune Tour was a blast and our food at the Lobster Pot was very good. I'm not a big seafood eater, but my husband is another story! He ate his way through our trip, "at market price!" LOL

Capecodshanty, I'm beyond thrilled that I could have given you "a few ideas"! You gave me some great tips on my previous post, which included reading Cape Cod by William Martin. The book inspired me to see and do things I might have otherwise skipped.

Kealalani, I'm SO jealous about your special tour of Chilmark Chocolates! I'm going to have to search the boards for that thread!

Chappy has such a charm to it! I told my husband that if we ever lived there, we'd definately get an over-sand permit and an SUV with all sorts of fishing pole contraptions!!!!

As for the Jeep, it runs about $95 bucks a day from Budget. It's a little steep, but definately worth it! Just a word of caution... WEAR SUNSCREEN! Both hubby and I got sunburnt and had the distinct pleasure of having the outline of our sunglasses on our faces. LOL!!!

Thanks for the greetings and salutations. Jeep is comparable to the one we rent in Nantucket. I guess I must have written a tr on our week stay at the vineyard a few years back. It is likely under my old screen name gyppielou. We found the cutest place in earlly june, took the car and the hound and explored a full week before "the season" June and September are surely the times to visit. September has really been The Month these past few years for blue skies, heady days, crisp nights and changing flora.

WOW ! I have a house in East Dennis .. and we have eaten at the Brewster Fish House many times .. we usually do a late lunch to avoid the crowds .. food is wonderful .. but pricey for sure .. and have visited Nantucket and the Vineyard many times .. but you have planted a seed .. most importantly .. you have energized me with ideas .. things we haven't done or haven't done for a long time .. The Lavender Farm .. it's been so long and I too loved it .. Marconi the same .. Providence Town .. years and years .. time to redo .. Thank You .. Thank You ..! Great post and a wonderful gift .. !

I wish our itinerary would have allowed us to stay a few extra days to revisit our favorite places. Like perhaps spend a late morning at the beach, reading a book and taking in the scenery.

Or perhaps kayak or canoe through Nauset Marsh... I'd definately return to Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket once more.

Yep, I'd be back at the lavendar farm stocking up on more goodies. Oh, and a tour of a cranberry farm would be interesting too.

Though our trip was hurried, we still found a way to enjoy it at a calmed pace. What I loved most about the Cape was that at times it felt like it was just my husband and myself enjoying the beauty of a certain place...

Winkz40, great report! You sure packed in a lot! Thanks for making me want to be a "visitor."

Great report, thanks for sharing - you sure packed in a lot to your visit in our neck of the woods- well done !

Thanks, Gomiki and Escargot! Like I said before, I couldn't have done it without your help. ;-)

BTW Escargot, could you post the small URL link to the your hiking recommendations on Martha's Vineyard. I tried searching for the thread and could not find it.

Thanks!
J.

I'm impressed with your planning and accomplishments. I've spent a good part of my 48 years on the Cape ... Summers and weekends mostly and for some reason I've never gotten to the Vineyard or Nantucket. Good for you ...

WInkz40 - I'm sorry I don't know how I missed your post asking for that link ! Here is it:

http://preview.tinyurl.com/jvpkz

In that, if you click on the posters name, you will also get her trip report when she returned too -

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