which town in Cape Cod?
 

I will be in Boston mid Sept. I would like to spend 3 days on the Cape. What would be the best town for motels/hotels,good beach,and centrally located for day trips to other towns/islands? Any other suggestions such as hotels, shops etc, would also be appreciated.ugadog

If you stay mid-Cape, Yarmouth, Harwich, Dennis, Bass River - everything is an easy ride. There are TONS of hotels, restaurants and shops all along Rte 28. You can check out Cape Cod's Chamber of Commerce website to get a feel for the areas accomodation.

Alternatively, you could take a ferry from Boston to Provincetown on the outer Cape, visit the National Seashore and see towns like Truro, Eastham and Wellfleet.

The Coast Guard and Nauset beaches in Eastham are considered very good.

Try looking at Wellfleet as a place to stay.

With only three days I'm not sure I'd venture off the Cape but if you want to go to The Vineyard or Nantucket stay further down in the mid-Cape area as paula says.

I love when we stay in Dennis b/c it is so centrally located. this is not a problem with us, but Dennis isn't on the water, so if you prefer that, try a town mid-Cape.

Yarmouth and Hyannis and the towns around route 28 are very touristy and sometimes looked down upon by the "locals". But, they are a convenient place to stay.

We love Chatham! It was easy to get to everything and was a great little quaint town with shops, dining, and a nice beach area. We stayed at a B&B which I would highly recommend.

Dennis is on the water and in the mid-cape....both the north side (Bay Side) and the south side (Nantucket Sound Side)

So every town on the Cape has been recommended to you! Aren't you glad you asked?

While the Boston-Provincetown ferry is really nice, it is a car only ferry and you would want a car once on Cape. There must be car rental options in Provincetown, but I do not know specifically of any.

I'll also try to narrow it down for you. Get a map. Some towns on Cape go entire width of peninsula, being called East/West depdning on side of Cape. Notable exceptions are Chatham, Hyannis, Falmouth.

The farther east you go on Cape, the quieter, less commercial it gets (until you get to Provincetown). Hyannis and Falmouth offer most shops, attractions, restaurants but less of a "beachy" feel.

Cape Cod National Seashore runs part length of Cape on southern side. Because of this, there are no beach-front anythings there.

Many people stay mid-Cape and travel east or west to other places. Some like the comparative quiet of the outer end. Some like the proximity to Boston of Falmouth.

So it depends on what you want. Note that if the weather is bad, the drive from one end of Cape to the other can take an eternity as everyone is looking for something to do. With only 3 days, I might skip day trips to Martha's Vineyard or Nantucket.

We stayed in Wood's hole. Very nice place and the ferry to Martha's vineyard.Paul

chatham. beautiful and great location for exploring other areas.

here is my two cents once again - if you are looking to enjoy the beach and the scenery - I would head for Chatham and/or the National Seashore. From there, a ride to Provincetown for interesting shopping and restaurants is much less of a chore. Chatham is very quaint, with great shops and restaurants as well.

If you are looking to hit the main toursit spots, then Hyannis, Yarmouth and mid-Cape towns are the place to be. Tons of restaurants -chains and others - and lots of shops. Plus, there is easy access to the ferry to Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket. Keep in mind the Nantucket venture would literally take you all day due to the length of the ferry ride. You could also do a quick Harbor tour from that area.

Basically, it truly depends on what type of Cape experience you are looking for. If you have kids, the mini-golf, malls, cinemas and that type of entertainment are more mid-cape.

OK I'll jump in. With 3 days to explore the cape you sould locate in a convenient place to see three cape cod sights that make the place so special: great beaches in the National Seashore, Provincetown and Chatham. I recommend staying in Eastham because it is where the National Seashore Visitor's Center and beaches are, and it is midway between Provincetown and Chatham. There are great restaurants, uncrowded Atlantic and Bay beaches, entertainment, shopping, nature walks...etc. all close by. So there you have it! Three great days of fun in the sun all within easy reach of Eastham. If you want some suggesetions about accommodations let me know and I will see what I can do to help you out.

Just wanted to echo the folks who voted for Chatham - great town, great location. We love staying at the Chatham Bars Inn, which is on the water and just a short walk from town.

Agree on Chatham or Eastham - where ever you find good accomodations - for all the reasons mentioned. Save the islands for a second trip.

And noone has congratulated you on your mid-September dates...the BEST time to be on the Cape IMHO!!! Have fun!

amaclise's comments reminded me of one of my favorite Cape memories - biking the dunes outside of Provincetown in mid-October. I had no idea that the low growing plants could have such beautiful fall foliage! I loved my fall weekend on the Cape.

Are you from Ga by any chance? :-)

Thanks, to everyone for your replies.
Yes, starrsville..I am from Ga. and a UGA alumni.1bull

me too

Excuse me, I meant alumnus not alumni.1bull

Hello ugadog,
Some good advice so far. As your probably guessing by now, the Cape is pretty diverse. Here's a few questions to help us:
Do you have a specific budget? Do you prefer B+Bs, Inns, Motels etc. How about the quiet factor? Kids? How import is the beach or other activities? Do you mind driving much or would you rather be in a place that offers transportation?
Thanks.