Summers in the Majestic Cape Cod

Nestled on the easternmost point of Massachusetts, you’ll discover one of my favorite summertime destinations, Cape Cod, and its surrounding islands of Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket. Home to a smattering of lighthouses, idyllic beaches, white picket fences, charming cottages, wild cranberry bogs, seafood shacks and more, the seaside town is about life’s simple pleasures.

There’s also so much to do and the local history is fascinating. Nantucket Whale-watching provides an exhilarating experience of the natural world, cycling trails lace the landscape, shops purvey everything from antiques to pure kitsch, and you can dine on simple fresh seafood, creative contemporary cuisine, or almost anything in between.

 

 

I was just visiting for a few days and here’s what Frommer’s and I recommend as the best experiences to relish while in America’s top summer spot —

• Eating Clams at a Clam Shack: The Clam Shack, the ultimate clam joint, sits on the edge of Falmouth Harbor and serves up reasonably priced fried seafood with all the fixings. Order the fried clams (with bellies, please!) and squeeze into the picnic tables beside the counter to await your feast.

• Strolling through Nantucket Town: It looks as though the whalers had just recently left their town of grand houses and cobblestone streets. A gamut of enticing shops offers luxury goods from around the world. Time has not so much stood still here as vanished. So relax and shift into island time, dictated purely by your desires.

 

 

• Buying Glass in Chatham: Old-fashioned, tree-shaded Main Street is packed with inviting storefronts, including the Chatham Glass Company, where you can literally look over their shoulders as artisans craft glass treasures.

• Bicycling along the Shining Sea Bicycle Path: Connecting Falmouth to Woods Hole by way of the shore and the picturesque Nobska Lighthouse, this 3.3-mile path lets you dash to the ferry or dally at the beach of your choice.

 

 

• Admiring Art in Wellfleet: The commercial district is two blocks long; the art zone is twice that. Pick up a walking map to locate the galleries in town: Cherrystone Gallery tops the don’t-miss list. Wellfleet city information.

• Building a Sandcastle at Jetties Beach: Among the region’s beaches, Nantucket’s have, as a rule, the best amenities; most have restrooms, showers, lifeguards and food. For families and active types, Jetties Beach (just a half-mile from the center of town) can’t be beat. Offering boat and windsurfing rentals, tennis courts, volleyball nets, a playground, and great fishing (off the eponymous jetties), it’s also scenic (those jetties again) with calm, warm water.

• Shopping in Nantucket: Imagine Martha Stewart cloned a hundredfold, and you’ll have some idea of the tenor of shops in this well-preserved 19th-century town. Centre Street still caters to feminine tastes, and the town’s many esteemed antique stores would never deign to present anything less than the genuine article.

 

 

• Drinking Local Brews: The Offshore Ale Company in Oak Bluffs is Martha’s Vineyard’s first and only brewpub, featuring eight locally made beers on tap and entertainment six nights a week in season.

• Dancing at The Beachcomber: Perched atop the towering dunes of Cahoon Hollow Beach, this bar and dance club is one of the most scenic watering holes on Cape Cod. Although the crowd tends to be on the young and rowdy side, the young at heart are also welcome. You will end up on the dance floor, so wear comfortable shoes.

 

 

• Wandering through Provincetown: At the far tip of the Cape’s curl, in intensely beautiful surroundings, is Provincetown. Its history goes back nearly 400 years, and in the last century, it’s been a veritable headquarters of bohemia – where more writers and artists have holed up here than you could shake a stick at. SImply said, Provincetown has savory food, fun shopping, terrific company and fascinating people watching.

• Hiking in Sandy Neck Beach: This relatively unpopulated, 6-mile barrier beach, extending from the eastern edge of Sandwich to shelter Barnstable Harbor, features pretty little dunes seldom seen on the bayside. Hike in far enough (but avoid the nests of piping plovers as they are endangered), and you’re sure to find a secluded spot. Adventurous types can even camp overnight with permisison.