12 Of The Best Experiences You Can Only Have At Cape Cod

As someone who grew up 45 minutes from the Bourne Bridge, I can safely say that I know a thing or two about Cape Cod. Every summer from infancy until I had kids and moved away, my parents would take my siblings and me for a summer sojourn down the eastern arm of Massachusetts. We made it a point to try and stay, or visit every town on the Cape. Those summers have stayed with me, and truly prove to me the singular uniqueness of Cape Cod. 

As such, the following list is one that has been personally crafted to give you the best recommendations for the Cape. These experiences are ones you can only have on Cape Cod and are based after my own personal favorites, as well as those "musts" that appear on almost every Cape Cod travel list. 

From the dunes near Provincetown, the bridges of the Cape Cod Canal, to the best oysters you'll ever eat in Wellfleet, here are 12 one-of-a-kind Cape Cod experiences. Keep reading to find out more. 

When the construction of the Bourne and Sagamore bridges was completed in 1935, Cape Cod was not yet a travel destination. In their many years of service, these two bridges have greeted and bid farewell to millions upon millions of visitors. According to the Cape Cod Commission, these bridges see around 38 million crossings a year. But what, apart from their age, makes these bridges so special? 

Allow me to quote from "The Bridges of Barnstable County" by Kate Whouley for Yankee Magazine in 2021: " ... you're facing forward now, eyes on the horizon. Because the first kid who spots the bridge gets the satisfaction of being the first kid who spots the bridge. You remember." Though the traffic can be horrendous, especially on Fridays, once you see either of the two bridges you're immediately transported both physically and emotionally to another world. That's the magic of Cape Cod — one that I can personally attest to. 

Owing to that immense traffic and structural deficiencies, there are plans for both bridges to be replaced by modernized look-alikes. Though it will be sad to see these icons vanish, the work is not scheduled to begin for another few years. So, while you can, see the Bourne and Sagamore bridges for yourself. You'll likely feel the excitement as I, and so many others, have done for nearly 90 years.

The gateway to the islands of Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard, Woods Hole was once a thriving whaling village, now more known for its beaches, downtown district, and thriving scientific community. What's most special about Woods Hole though, is just how close you can get to the marine life. Despite its proximity to the ocean, there are not many places on Cape Cod where you can get up close with the creatures that live off the coast. However, at the Woods Hole Science Aquarium, you can. 

Established in 1875, the Woods Hole Science Aquarium is the oldest in the entire country. Its small size is to its benefit making it very easy to navigate. Visitors can easily interact with some of Cape Cod's stunning, biologically diverse marine life, including seals. Admission is free, making it one of the most financially accessible places on the Cape, and it's a great place to bring families or school groups. 

Then, you have Woods Hole Village, which is an amalgamation of wood-shingled cottages and boutique shops. You can grab lunch at the famous Captain Kidd restaurant with dock seating and a commanding view of the harbor, go for a swim at Stony Beach, or watch the ferries go by at the iconic Nobska Lighthouse.

Cape Cod is famous for two things: being the world's great white shark capital and its stunning sunsets. The best sunsets I have ever seen have been on Cape Cod. What makes the Cape so perfect for sunsets is Cape Cod Bay itself. With its sweeping westward views unimpeded by buildings or other geographic features, the sun is allowed to put on a spectacular show as it heads to bed.

Some great places to hit up for sunsets include Skaket Beach in Orleans, which is popular for its low surf, and Paine's Creek Beach in Brewster, which has excellent sandbars and tidal pools. The photo above was taken by my wife, Briana, in August 2020 at Saints Landing Beach in Brewster, just a little east of Paine's Creek.

If you really want to see some ocean sunset drama though, I highly recommend making the trek out to Race Point. The far eastern terminus of U.S. Route 6, and located at the tip of Cape Cod, Race Point makes you feel like you've reached the world's end. Surrounded by water and with the widest expanse of sky anywhere in Massachusetts, you will probably end up seeing one of the most dramatic sunsets of your life.

You don't need to travel to Arakkis or Tatooine, or their earthly filming locations, to experience the wonder of sand dunes. While the ones on Cape Cod are not as mountainous as those you'll find in a proper desert, the winds and tides of this scraggly peninsula have created some of the most scenically stunning sand dunes on the East Coast. 

The best sand dunes on Cape Cod can be found in the stretch of beach that connects the two outlying towns of Truro and Provincetown. Also known as The Outer Beach or Peaked Hill Bars Historic District, this is a section of the National Seashore that a lot of visitors miss out on. I don't want that to be you. Book a ride with Arts Dune Tours and see, close up, the drama of this spectacular area. Dunes rise and crest like waves, and driving over them with knowledgeable, certified drivers is an amazing treat.

On your dune tour, you might notice some beach shacks nestled in the dunes. Did you know that you can stay in some of them? Through an application process, writers and visual artists are granted access to Dune Shacks preserved by the Provincetown Community Compact. They can stay for up to two weeks to work on their art and experience firsthand this majesty section of Cape Cod. 

Down the Cape, there is a long-standing debate as to where you can get the best ice cream because there are so many places to choose from. Is it Cape Cod Creamery, the new kids on the block who have been serving up thick, creamy scoops since 2005? Or is it one of the old-time classics like Somerset Creamery or Four Seas Ice Cream who have been preparing iced treats since the 1930s?

Some say that the best ice cream on the Cape is actually found at Sundae School in Dennisport, and I'm inclined to agree with them. Having been there on several occasions myself, the high butterfat and real whipped cream top the charts in terms of quality, which was the main goal of this 1976-founded store. But, check out any review on Yelp or Tripadvisor if you don't want to take my word for it. 

However, if you want something truly unique, head back down to Falmouth to sample the lobster ice cream at Ben and Bill's Chocolate Emporium. Yes. You read that correctly. It's one of the few places in New England where you can find the stuff and there is something unique about eating an ice cream flavored with fresh shellfish caught right off the shore. There is nothing more Cape Cod than that.

You'll never be short of culture on Cape Cod. It's amazing to go to the historic beaches, eat out at local restaurants, or shop in the quaint little main streets. Yet, there is always something for the more cultural palate to enjoy as well. And, while there are many wonderful theaters on Cape Cod, none beat The Cape Playhouse in terms of history and star power.

Commonly referred to as the "Place Broadway Goes to Summer" the Cape Playhouse is the foremost, and oldest, professional summer theater in the United States, performing the best on and off Broadway since the 1920s. Some famous names that have crossed the stage here include Julie Andrews, Bette Davis, Ginger Rogers, and Henry Fonda.

Today, the Cape Playhouse offers a mix of drama, comedy, and musicals. Their aim is to promote theater on the Cape to as diverse of an audience as possible, while still maintaining the standards of quality they have been known for. If you like to plan your vacations in advance, maybe plan to be in Dennis for the centenary of the Playhouse in 2027.

Driving in Massachusetts, it is common to see cars affixed with bumper stickers of an oyster superimposed with a large 'W'. The stickers themselves are a campaign by the Wellfleet Chamber of Commerce to provide scholarships to local high school students. The symbology is indicative of the town's star product: the Wellfleet Oyster.

Prized for their intense, briny flavor, Wellfleet oysters are sought after by chefs across the Cape and even Boston. If you're a fan of sustainability, the farming practices used to grow and harvest these oysters are the utmost in terms of utilizing organic processes.

What also makes the Wellfleet oyster so special is the cleanliness of the waters in Wellfleet itself. The town's well-protected massive harbor allows for an environment for the oysters to thrive. As they feed on plankton and other organic matter, the oysters continue their self-sufficient process, while also gaining their unique flavor. If you happen to catch someone harvesting oysters, see if they will shuck you one fresh on the beach. You cannot ask for a more Cape Cod moment.

Commonly listed among gardeners' favorite perennial flowers, hydrangeas hold something of a place of honor on Cape Cod. Considered by many to be the signature flower of the peninsula, the hydrangea is a common sight in the front garden of nearly every home on Cape Cod. If you love these wonderful blooms, then you have to visit the Cape in July during the Cape Cod Hydrangea Festival.

Lasting for a week in the middle of July, the Cape Cod Hydrangea Festival is a way for Cape gardeners to show off their blooms for visitors to appreciate. Private gardens across the Cape are open for tours, and there are workshops, lectures, and planting demonstrations at participating nurseries and garden centers. It's a wonderful way to celebrate the flower, which thrives in the Cape's' temperate climate, causing them to bloom in multiple different colors.

If you miss the festival in July, you can still appreciate the hydrangeas of the Cape. The Heritage Museum and Gardens in Sandwich has an excellent botanical garden filled with enormous rows of hydrangea. They also have a vintage auto museum for the motoring enthusiast. It's one of my favorite places to visit on the Cape.

If you love a good baseball game, you absolutely need to visit Cape Cod. The Cape Cod Baseball League is a famous minor league institution that has helped launch the careers of over 1,000 Major League players, including Hall of Famers Frank Thomas and Jeff Bagwell. Prospectors and scouts from across the country flock to the Cape to catch a summer game and to see if they can find the next Ted Williams.

For the average baseball fan, games on the Cape are nothing short of the best. With affordable prices and competing teams within a half-hour drive of each other, you can quite literally go from the beach to the ballpark in no time.

You can catch up to 44 games during the regular summer season, meaning you are likely to see one regardless of what time you end up visiting. Plus, with the chance of catching a killer sunset while you munch on a hot dog and hear the crack of the bat in the cool night air, you'll know you're experiencing a true Cape Cod moment.

On his famous visit to famous visit to Cape Cod in the mid-1800s, Henry David Thoreau accurately predicted that what was then a harsh collection of long beaches and fishing villages would one day become a "place of resort." However, if there is one place that has remained relatively unchanged, it is the 40 miles of beach that make up the Cape Cod National Seashore. The Outer Beach that Thoreau walked from Chatham to Provincetown is today federally protected land under the supervision of the National Park Service. There is nowhere else in New England that has such a pristinely preserved sandy coastline. The best part is that many of the sanctuaries, beaches, and hiking trails are completely open to the public for their enjoyment.

While many will visit the beaches to go swimming, I would highly recommend that you stray off the beaten path and explore the lesser-known areas of the National Seashore. This is a great way to beat the crowds, while also seeing some of Cape Cod's hidden treasures. Some spots include the Atlantic White Cedar Swamp Trail in Wellfleet and the Red Maple Swamp Trail in Eastham.

If you don't feel up to exploring the National Seashore on your own, there are a number of guided activities you can partake in with the help of park rangers. These include nature walks, discussions on maritime history, and preservation lessons.

Everyone has their own definition of what can be considered a "hidden gem." However, when it comes to Truro, Massachusetts, I think it is safe to say that the town fits the general definition perfectly. The second to last town on Cape Cod, Truro is a former whaling and shipbuilding hub that is about 70% National Seashore and 30% town. Compared to the bustling and compact towns elsewhere on the Cape, Truro's openness comes as something of a surprise. It is a remarkably quiet hamlet, which can be really appealing to the right visitors, one of whom happens to be this writer.

I freely admit that Truro is my favorite town on Cape Cod. I love how quiet it is, and how much the town has done to preserve their quaint, unique character. Swimmers have the benefit of both Bay and Oceanside beaches, and Highland Light, aside from being an iconic lighthouse, is one of the best places to catch the sunrise.

Truro is filled with culture too. There is a charming downtown area with a general store and sandwich shop, a weekly farmers market, and a performing arts center. It's also known for its under-the-radar wine region. Two places worthy of note are the fantastic winery and partnering distillery, Truro Vineyards and South Hollow Spirits. They make excellent wine, gin, whiskey, and rum. It's worth the long drive to this quiet corner of Cape Cod just for that.

The quiet of Truro makes for a perfect primer for the utterly unique character of the Cape's most densely packed town: Provincetown. Called "PTown" by locals and visitors alike, this jam-packed place was once a major fishing port and is now one of the most sought-after destinations on Cape Cod. It is also one of the friendliest LGBTQ+ vacation destinations in the United States. It also happens to be the place where the Pilgrims first landed.

In 1620, sailors on the Mayflower sent a reconnaissance crew to shore to survey the new land. While they eventually settled in nearby Plymouth, Provincetown holds the distinct honor of being the very first place the Pilgrims saw in America. This history is marked by the Pilgrim Monument, Cape Cod's only tower. The monument rises high above PTown, providing a great landmark for visitors, and perhaps the best views of this truly amazing peninsula. It's the kind of American history and landscape you can't find anywhere else.

I know that I've probably missed some things on this list, but I easily say that you are going to have an unforgettable experience, no matter where you visit on Cape Cod. There is nothing like the unique landscape, towns, people, and things you can do in this wonderful area of New England.

In this ranking and recommendation, I based my methodology partly on my own 30+ years of experience going to Cape Cod for summer vacations, and research from publications like The Cape Cod Times, Provincetown Independent, and Christian Science Monitor, reviews from Yelp and Tripadvisor, and information directly from business and government websites.