Provincetown is where the Pilgrims first came ashore in November 1620, and the Mayflower Compact was signed aboard ship in its harbor before they moved on to Plymouth. The Pilgrim Monument, finished in 1910, commemorates that landing and offers the best view on the Cape.
In 1899 the town became an art colony, and it is known as America's oldest continuous art colony. Today it is the Cape's liveliest town, with galleries, restaurants and a busy Commercial Street.
The surrounding dunes and beaches, including Race Point, are part of the National Seashore. Whale watches leave from MacMillan Pier.