Day trips from the house
Cape Cod guide
Cape Cod is New England's most popular summer destination, with endless beaches, fantastic seafood and lots for kids to do. It's also a place to simply relax. Here's our guide to the towns and islands, starting from home in Chatham.
Towns & islands
Chatham
The elbow of the Cape, and our home town
Home baseHarwich
Seven villages and a string of Sound beaches
About 4 miles from the houseBrewster
Tidal flats and state-park woods on Cape Cod Bay
About 10 miles from the houseOrleans
Where the Cape turns north
About 10 miles from the house
Eastham
Gateway to the National Seashore
About 16 miles from the house
Hyannis
The Cape's busiest harbor town
About 17 miles from the house
Falmouth
Woods Hole, bike paths and the Vineyard ferry
About 37 miles from the house
Provincetown
The tip of the Cape
About 40 miles from the house
Martha's Vineyard
An island day trip from Woods Hole or Hyannis
By ferry
Nantucket
The old whaling capital, 30 miles out to sea
By ferryLighthouses of the Cape & Islands
Lighthouses capture the very essence of Cape Cod, a place that grew up around the sea and a whaling industry. Many are decommissioned now, but they still remind us of the lives our forefathers once lived.
Three are close to the house: Chatham Light above Lighthouse Beach, Stage Harbor Light at the end of Hardings Beach, and Monomoy Point Light on the refuge. In Truro, Highland Light, the Cape's oldest lighthouse, stands on a cliff high above the Atlantic. If you take the ferry to Nantucket, you'll pass Brant Point Light on the way into the harbor.
Chatham
- Chatham Light
- Stage Harbor Light
- Monomoy Point Light
Hyannis area
- Point Gammon
- Lewis Bay
- Bishop & Clerks
- South Hyannis
- Sandy Neck
Eastham & Truro
- Nauset Light
- The Three Sisters
- Highland Light
Provincetown
- Race Point
- Long Point
- Wood End
Bourne & Falmouth
- Nobska
- Tarpaulin Cove
- Wings Neck
Martha's Vineyard
- East Chop
- West Chop
- Edgartown
- Gay Head (Aquinnah)
Nantucket
- Brant Point
- Great Point
- Sankaty Head
Things to do
Whale watches, ferries, fishing charters, museums, baseball and more.
Ice cream reviews
Local scoop shops, rated by a panel of experts under 13.
Chatham events
What's happening in town this month.