Cape Cod - Index

Cape Cod - travel_guide_2008 - Index

■ activities cape & islands
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POSTCARDS FROM THE CAPE & ISLANDS
52 activities to write home about
The biggest draw for visitors to the Cape and Islands is
undoubtedly the water. Many come simply to bask in
the sun and play in the surf along the Cape’s 560 miles of sandy
coastline. The area offers many water-related activities, to be
sure, from whale and seal watching to surfing and sportfishing.
You can paddle a kayak or sail on a sloop. Kids can learn about
the marine environment aboard an educational cruise or play
the role of buccaneers on a pirate cruise. In addition to waterrelated
pursuits, the Cape and Islands offer museums and
walking tours, hiking and biking trails, train rides and plane
rides. The agricultural tradition continues to thrive here. You
can tour wineries and small farms—even visit farmers’
markets. You can learn about the Cape’s abundant natural
assets by visiting the 27,000-acre Cape Cod National Seashore
or the Cape Cod Museum of Natural History. For oldfashioned
summer fun, play a round of miniature golf or take a
spin on a carousel. In the evening, you can take in a drive-in
movie, a Cape Cod Baseball League game, a concert on the
town green or a show at the Cape Cod Melody Tent or any
number of theaters. From stimulating to sedate, the activities
here offer something for everyone. Here are 52 to consider:
1 | National Treasure
The Cape Cod National Seashore should be on the top of every
visitor’s list. Millions visit the National Seashore each year for
its pristine beaches, self-guided nature trails, bicycle trails,
lighthouses, picnic areas, scenic overlooks and historic sites.
Most of the park’s features are located along a 40-mile stretch of
Cape Cod Travel Guide Annual 2008
Route 6 between Eastham and Provincetown on the outer
Cape. Begin your visit at one of the park’s two visitor centers:
the Salt Pond Visitor Center (50 Doane Rd., Eastham; 508-
255-3421), open year round, or the Province Lands Visitor
Center (Race Point Road, Provincetown; 508-487-1256),
open May through October. Here you’ll find all the
information you need to plan your expedition. Sign up for
ranger-led programs, such as the Junior Ranger program,
which gives children ages 5 to 12 the opportunity to look for
seals, tour a lighthouse or listen to stories around a campfire.
The National Seashore provides an opportunity to see
indigenous flora and fauna in marshes, ponds and uplands—all
unspoiled by development. Most activities are free. Beach fees:
$15 per vehicle or $3 per person on foot or bicycle.
2 | Canal Capers
The primary purpose of the Cape Cod Canal—the widest sea
level canal without locks in the world—is to provide a safe
channel for vessels passing between Cape Cod Bay and
Nantucket Sound. On average, the canal saves 135 miles of
open sea travel around the tip of the Cape, which can be
dangerous to navigate. But the Cape Cod Canal has come to
serve another purpose: recreation. On any given day, you’ll see
bicycling, jogging and rollerblading along the canal’s 7-mile
service road. You’ll find people fishing from the canal’s banks
and those just sitting along the banks hoping to catch a glimpse
of a yacht, ship, barge or tugboat. A self-guided bike/hike map,
with numbered poles 500 feet apart, indicates points of interest.
Cape Cod National Seashore | Race Point Beach, Provincetown
It’s not an action-packed attraction, but the Cape Cod National Seashore should be on the top of every visitor’s list. Begin your visit at one of the park’s two
visitor centers: the Salt Pond Visitor Center in Eastham (508-255-3421), open year round, or the Province Lands Visitor Center (508-487-1256), open May
through October. WILLIAM DESOUSA-MAUK