Hi,
I want to visit Cape Cod for 4 days starting 27th May with my wife and two
teenage daughters. I would like to stay in a picturesque town that is not
too commercialised and big, but has enough to entertain for 4 days. Any
suggestions welcome.

Up to now from what I can ascertain from the UK Chatham fits the bill, but I
am having trouble finding availibility in hotels with a pool in this area.
One hotel that does have availibility is the Wequassett Inn. Anyone know it?

Thanks in advance
Richard

Chatham is indeed a lovely area, and central to other Cape Cod attractions. (Some people picture Cape Cod as an upraised arm; Chatham is on the tip of the elbow!) I believe you'll enjoy it.

The Wequassett Inn's pool is outdoors, so even though it's heated you can't count on using it in late May in this area. If you will be heartbroken if you can't go swimming, then you should look for a place with an indoor pool. If you're willing to consider outdoor heated pool, then the Chatham Bars Inn is another possibility that gets rave reviews.

Try Orleans -- several motels there, at least some with pools.

Me again. Try the Skaket Beach motel or the Governor Prence Inn.

However, let me note one thing: you have asked for a place with a pool and you will be on Cape Cod at the end of May. It's almost certain you would find it far too chilly to swim outside (most outside pools in New England don't open until July 1 more or less). If this means you are looking for a place with an indoor pool, I must warn you that there are very, very few hotels with indoor pools on the Cape.

Not that I would recommend staying in Hyannis, but the Sheraton does have an indoor pool. It was a Sheraton a few years ago, so it may have another name.

In Yarmouthport there are a few timeshares, that do rent out rooms, and some of them have indoor pools.

One of my favoite towns on the Cape is Wellfleet, a small artsy town with great bay and ocean beaches. The town center is tucked away from the busy highways, and there are several b&b's and inns nearby. Its a a great area for bicycling, as the Cape Cod Bike trail passes thru here, and one of the best seafood restaurants on the Cape, the Bookstore, is right near the town dock.

I would agree with several other comments above about lack of indoor pools on Cape. However, if your main criteria is to spend time in a picturesque town with proximity to beaches, some shopping and restaurants them Chatham would be a strong choice IMHO. Falmouth/Woods Hole area also might be a good choice and is the departure ferry point for Martha Vineyard.

The water may still be chilly for swimming, but we've had plenty of good late May days on the beach - so unless you absolutely need to have a pool, I wouldn't worry about that so much.

It is sometimes difficult to find things appealing to teenagers while staying at a place that is beautiful. I also might try Wellfleet - you can take a day trip to Provincetown. The Cape Cod National Seashore is close buy and beautiful and you can lighthouse view. In May it is unlikely to be warm enough to swim. Many nice hotels on the Cape do not have pools and really lousy ones do, for some reason. There is a Sheraton on Route 6 in the Wellfleet area (it might be in Eastham or Orleans, I am not sure, but Sheraton website would know) that I believe has a pool, but it is on the main East-West road on the Cape - location is convenient, but not that attractive.

I have the same question. My samll family (me, one wife, one son)are going up in July.

My neighbor was there last year, and he recommends that we rent a cabin near Provincetown. He says there is great natural beauty around there, and good restaurants in town.

I have never been to Cape Cod, and I know we will want to make day trips. Is Provincetown too far up for this? Thanks.

I would pick a place somewhat more west than Provincetown, which can get to be a little much after a while. Then you have option of taking day trips in either direction. Provincetown does in fact have some wonderful restaurants and the surrounding dunes are great. I think it is a great won, if a little corwded in-town in the summer. I do not know how old your son is, and I want to be considerate but honest about this, but Provincetown has a large and sometimes flamboyant gay population which sometimes made my teenagers a little uncomfortable.

Hi Richard:
As others have stated there are not many places on Cape Cod with indoor pools, especially any that meet your other requirements.

If you can set aside the indoor pool requirement then there are many places in both Chatham and Provincetown that will suit you.

The Wequassett Inn that you mentioned is a very lovely, nestled in the Pines, place situated on scenic Pleasant Bay but somewhat secluded that you would need to drive to Chatham.

Despite what Nospam (an obvious homophile) has to say, no gay people will bother you or your family in Ptown and you should also consider a stay in this most historic and spectacular town that meets your requirements.

Richard, you might benefit from a blimp's-eye-view of the Cape, i.e., a profile in the most general terms. The southern/southwestern towns are the oldest and Hyannis/Falmouth are relatively built up - least picturesque. The further east/northeast you go (the further "out" on the Cape), the more quaint, picturesque, etc. you get - until you get to "P-town." Provincetown is something between an artist colony and a resort town. It is built up not with pizza places so much as "shoppes" and bistros and candy stores, and yes, the presence of a gay community is evident, although it's pretty low-key.

You will do very well in Wellfleet, Truro, Orleans (a slightly larger town with an actual "downtown" complete with supermarket), or Chatham. The water on the "outside" of the Cape (the Atlantic side) is colder, the beaches more dramatic, the waves larger (in May, far too cold to do anything but walk on the beach, but the lighthouses are lovely). The water on the "inside" (bay side) is calmer and warmer (still too cold to swim in May).

Let us know what you end up doing.

I live on Cape Cod. I work in Hyannis at a restaurant. When I have family or friends visiting, I recommend the All Seasons Hotel in South Yarmouth. It has an indoor pool. The Red Jacket is also very nice, but more expensive (on the ocean). The water is too cold to swim until late June or July. The southern side is warmest, but still too cold then. By staying in the Mid-Cape area, you can get anywhere in an hour or less. Teenage girls will love Provincetown. Huge gay community, but very entertaining for most. The shopping is great. If you take a whale watch, do it here. It's much closer to Stellwagen Bank, where the whales feed. Try the Dolphin Fleet. From Hyannis you can hop the ferry to Nantucket (wealthy and beautiful--great shopping and eating right off the boat). Martha's Vineyard is fun, but a little more casual and requires transportation. Try Nantucket if the weather is good. This is a very busy weekend for us Cape Codders, so book early. Remember the All Seasons on Route 28 a.k.a. Main St. South Yarmouth (800-527-0359. It's not quaint, but reasonable, friendly and great location. It fills up fast and may already be full. Also the Red Jacket 1-800-672-0500 or Blue Water 1-800-367-9393. The Wequasset is nice with a beautiful view, but probably not worth the $$ this time of year. I recommend a less expensive hotel and spend your money on entertainment. You won't spend much time in your room anyway. My sons are 21 and 18 and they love "P-town" as do my nieces and all their friends. Have a great time. Let me know if you need any more advice. Sherry

Thanks for the advice everyone. I have taken the plunge and booked at The Wequassett Inn and we are looking forward to our visit.

Richard