The Inn At Cape Cod Location, Location, Location Part 3: 25 to 50 minutes By Car

The third part guide to our location deals with car trips of between 25 and 50, which means we are covering  just about everything to see on Cape Cod. There is one variable factor of course and that’s the amount of traffic you may encounter along any journey. 

We are in the centre east to west of Cape Cod. That simple fact alone means Provincetown (the extreme north east) and Woods Hole (the extreme south west) are roughly equadistant from the Inn, 50 – 55 minutes drive time. Everything else on the Cape is less far. Most of our guests touring Cape Cod and The Islands, say that our location is just about perfect. Most of the main attractions are in the eastern half, with the likes of Provincetown, Truro, Wellfleet, The National Seashore, Chatham and Orleans.

Our highlights are:

The National Seashore: JFK’s legacy is awe-inspiring. Miles of white sandy beaches, crashing surf, seals. It is quite often possible to see whales from the cliff top at Marconi Beach in April or October, or from Provincetown’s Race Point or Herrings Cove. The water is at its coldest along this stunning coastline. The rugged beauty must not be missed! Fort Hill is a historic landmark with a panoramic view and several delightful trails. Among the handfull of lighthouses, The Highland Light at Truro is open to the public during the season.

Wellfleet Village, Marina, Harbor, Beaches and Mass Audubon’s Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary: This is a very special area often missed by tourists in their rush to get to Provincetown, and this perhaps in some way adds to its charm. It is our favourite spot on The Cape, So here are some reasons why, 40 minutes by car from the Inn and you’ll visit a more unspoilt side of Cape Cod.

Mayo Beach is Mediteranean in its character. The water is warmer and safer than on The Seashore and we enjoy walking the beach before grabbing a bite at The Bookstore cafe: fresh inexpensive seafood – we recommend the world famous local oysters (100 metres from the oyster beds) or a lobster roll. Sit back and enjoy the view across the Bay from the upper deck, which is worth the wait. Walk out to Great Island. Visit the marina and watch the boat traffic, The village has a home-made ice cream parlor and several art galleries. If you are in the mood for dinner, choose between Mac’s (outdoors waterside), Pearl, PB Boulangerie and Winslow’s Tavern.

Provincetown has a wealth of things to do and see, and should not be missed! 50 to 60 minutes by car. If you are pressed for time, at the very least drive the length of Commercial Street and visit Race Point. Try to find the time to stop and walk along Commercial Street and Central Wharf to take in the vibrant bustle of this eclectic town, which we love so much.

There are bike trails, fascinating stores, art galleries, bars and restaurants etc. There are two whale watching excursion companies, Dolphin and Princess at Central Wharf, You can visit The Pilgrim Monument. The best of the crop of  some great restaurants include The Red Inn, The Mews, Pepe’s Wharf, Fanizzi’sanmd Napi’s.

A good tip for parking in the summer season: be prepared to drive around the block a few times – a parking space always turns up!

Chatham is well known for a lot of things, and in many ways fun to compare with much understated Wellfleet. Much like the latter, you should allow an afternoon in Chatham, It is 30 to 40 minutes away.

The scenic approach to Chaham is Route 28 from Orleans. It has many beautiful seaside vistas as you get nearer Chatham, The return of the fishing fleet each afternoon to Fish Pier brings seals to the boats in search of any discarded fish, We have 4 types of seals, and you have the chance to see them perform up close from a viewing gallery above – great fun and very moving. There are 13,000 seals around Chatham! Take a boat ride to Monomoy Nature Reserve and start counting seals for yourself, and of course the much talked about Great White Sharks.

Chatham Bars Inn not only has the best ocean view in town but also some great food options at its 3 restaurants, including a beach cafe.We love their terrace overlooking the view which is open all day long in the warm months. Select something refreshing to eat and drink from their light fair menu.

The Main Street is perhaps the prettiest on The Cape. There are daily tours of the lighthouse, and various boat tours, including to Monomoy. Our favourite spot in the Main Street area to have dinner is The Impudent Oyster.

This has been the last of our three part blog series describing the benefits from the outstanding location of The Inn At Cape Cod. Together with the previous two, “Within 20 minutes by car” and “On foot”, it provides an outline of some popular areas. There is so much more to discover in between and always plenty left unexplored for your next visit!

Posted (10-Apr-2019)


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