Cape Cod

The Sagamore Bridge spans the Cape Cod Canal, which is used by shipping and pleasure craft to avoid circumnavigating the entire Cape on journeys between Boston and the coasts of Rhode Island, Connecticut, and states to the south. This is your entrance onto Cape Cod with its scenic character and unique charm. Almost immediately after crossing the bridge, exit Route 6 (the continuation of Route 3) onto Route 130, then 6A to the town of Sandwich, an excellent place to stop for the night (be sure to make advance reservations in season). The town is a charming one for wandering the streets and has two outstanding museums. Leaving Sandwich, get onto Route 6A, the northern route along the upper coast of Cape Cod. It’s a delightful road to follow as it winds its way through the lovely, historical towns of Barnstable, Yarmouth Port, Dennis, and Brewster. These old seafaring communities with their lovely main streets, beautiful homes, and colorful harbors make for a wonderful day of browsing, antiquing, and for just absorbing the atmosphere of the Cape. Continuing north through the towns of Orleans and Eastham, you come to the Cape Cod National Seashore, where you can take a fabulous dunes tour from April through October—a perfect way to see the ever-changing face of the sand dunes of this portion of the Cape. Farther on, at the tip of the Cape, is the artist community of Provincetown. Chatham, protected by the sandy, offshore barrier of Nauset Beach, remains an active fishing port. Head south and travel along the south shore of Cape Cod on Route 28, which brings you into the more commercial area of the Cape—more traffic, more shops, and more restaurants, but also many inns and places to visit. Hyannis is the major shopping center for Cape Cod’s residents and also the summer home of former president John F. Kennedy, where there is a small museum of photographs of the Kennedy family on summer vacations.Before you return to the mainland, take the time to visit the enchanting islands of Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard. Leave your car in the parking lot at any one of the various departure points (Hyannis, Woods Hole, Falmouth, or New Bedford) from which airplane or ferry services (but not necessarily both) are available. Some ferries are catamarans and make very fast trips. The frequency of both air and ferry service depends on the season and the weather (on the day I was to go to Nantucket, fog prevented me from flying and I ended up taking the one-hour ferry from Hyannis). You can fly to Nantucket or Martha’s Vineyard from Hyannis (the best and most frequent service), Providence, and Boston with Cape Air (800-352-0714), Island Airline (508-228-7575), and US Airways (800-428-4322). Ferries to Nantucket run from Hyannis (alternative departure points include Harwich Port and Martha’s Vineyard). Hy-Line (508-778-2600) has a one-hour, high-speed catamaran, and the Steamship Nauset Light House, EasthamAuthority runs a high-speed catamaran and other boats that take somewhat longer (508-495-FAST). Ferries to Martha’s Vineyard leave from Falmouth, Hyannis, Woods Hole, New Bedford, and Nantucket. I suggest that you ask the staff at the inn where you are planning to stay for their recommendation of the best and fastest routes.