Sand dunes, salty air, New England charm—there’s so much to love about Cape Cod, one of the United States’ most iconic summer destinations. And while there is absolutely no shortage of fantastic beaches across the northeast region (many of which are just a stone’s throw from Boston), there is simply something that makes the Cape feel different. Maybe it’s the mix of cranberry bogs, marshy wetlands, and scrubby dunes. Maybe it’s the ice cream stands and candy shops, or the numerous galleries where local artists offer up their take on this iconic landscape. Maybe it’s the fact that, yes, summer here is just as bucolic as you would hope it would be. And the off-season is pretty fantastic, too. Our advice? Head there to find out for yourself.
This sandy stretch of peninsula itself is about 70 miles long, broken up into the Upper Cape, Mid Cape, and the Lower and Outer Cape regions. As you work your way outwards from the Sagamore Bridge, all the way out towards Provincetown, there is a lot to experience. So, to make sure you’re making the most of it all, here is our guide for what to do on Cape Cod, inclusive of all of the fabulous places to eat, stay, and play.
This gallery has been updated with new information since its original publish date.
Upper Cape
Towns of Sandwich, Bourne, Falmouth, Mashpee
Stay here if: You’re staying for one night—it’s only an hour from Boston and provides all the old school Cape eats and entertainment.
Where to eat
With live piano, regulars, New England clam chowder, and harbor views, the Chart Room in Cataumet, a village within the greater town of Bourne, is an institution. Most visitors to the Cape zoom right on by after they cross the Bourne or Sagamore Bridges, but this quiet nook on the Cape’s eastern coast is a true locals’ enclave. For lunch, the must-order is the lobster salad, stuffed and overflowing in an enormous tomato like some luxurious coastal Panera bread bowl. For dinner, it’s the baked stuffed lobster. The drink to order is the Mudslide: a blend of Bailey’s, vodka, Kahlua, and lots of ice. (Look around and everyone has one in hand—it’s a tradition.)
For a lobster roll en route to Surf Drive beach, swing by the Barking Claw, a seasonal stand which serves generous amounts of tail, knuckle, and claw meat Connecticut-style—that’s drizzled in hot melted butter, never mayo. Naturally, the bread is a New England hot dog bun, which means it griddles beautifully thanks to its flat cut sides. At dinnertime, the best restaurants in this part of the Cape are largely clustered around Falmouth: Check out Quarterdeck for a true surf-and-turf feast (think maritime paraphernalia on the walls), or Bucatino for house-made pastas and some of the best Italian specialties in the region. For a post-dinner nightcap, visit Bad Martha’s Falmouth Brewery (their original Martha’s Vineyard location is open seasonally). They have a rotating selection of at least 16 of their own beers on tap at any given time, as well as a great menu of flatbreads.