Cape Cod - Index

Cape Cod - travel_guide_2008 - Index

■ activities cape & islands
among the organic herb gardens, walk through winding
woodland trails or browse the small shop featuring dozens of
homemade herbal remedies, skin products, fragrances and teas.
Owner Donna Eaton also offers wellness consultations, classes
and ceremonial gatherings. The farm is open Wednesday
through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For a different sort of herbal
experience, visit the Cape Cod Lavender Farm (Island Pond
Trail, Harwich; 508-430-8397). The 12-acre spread is the largest
lavender farm on the East Coast and consists of some 14,000
plants, which combine to spread a blanket of wonderful aroma
over the area when the flowers bloom in June and July.
Audubon Sanctuary | Cape Cod
Chock full of scenic trails, Massachusetts Audubon’s Wellfleet Bay Wildlife
Sanctuary in South Wellfleet (508-349-2615) contains such diverse habitats
as beaches, woods, salt marsh, ponds and more. Its 1,100 acres attracts a
variety of wildlife, especially songbirds and shorebirds.
COURTESY OF CAPE COD NATIONAL SEASHORE
30 | Living History
If you’ve ever wondered what it is like to live in the past, here’s
a chance to experience it at Plimoth Plantation (137 Warren
Ave., Plymouth; 508-746-1622). Just north of Cape Cod in
historic Plymouth, you’ll step into the 17th-century world of
Pilgrims and Wampanoag Indians. Visit Native Wampanoag
and Colonial interpreters reenacting life as it was in Plymouth
in the 1620s. Discover how they sustained themselves by
working the land, building homes, gathering food and cooking
over the fire. Climb aboard the Mayflower II (Water Street,
Plymouth; 508-746-1622), a working replica of the famous ship
that brought the Pilgrims to the New World. See it, smell it,
hear it and experience it at this premier living-history museum.
The museum visitor center offers interactive indoor exhibits, a
café and museum shops. Open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.,
March 22 through Nov. 30.
31 | Ferry to Chappy
If you want to tour the 14-acre Mytoi Japanese gardens, or just
make the trip to Chappaquiddick, a short trip on the “Chappy”
ferry will be in store for you. The small On Time Ferry
(Memorial Wharf, Edgartown; 508-627-9427), with room for
pedestrians, bikers and just three cars per trip, transports you
from Edgartown to Chappaquiddick in less than four minutes.
Fares: $3 per person round trip; $10 with car, $6 with bicycle,
moped or motorcycle. Once on shore, you’re 2-1/2 miles from
Mytoi. Allow about 30 minutes to follow Mytoi’s winding
footpaths through a birch walk, camellia dell, stone garden and
hillside garden. Other attractions that bring folks to Chappy are
Pogue Lighthouse and great offshore fishing.
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Cape Cod Travel Guide Annual 2008
32 | Carousel Rides
Watch the delight in the faces of your children as they
experience the timeless joy of painted ponies going up and
down—or join them. Carousel rides are part of summer fun,
and you can get your fix at one of four locations on the Cape and
Islands. History buffs will appreciate the Flying Horses
Carousel in Oak Bluffs on Martha’s Vineyard and the restored
Charles I.D. Looff 1912 hand-carved carousel at Heritage
Museums and Gardens in Sandwich. Built in 1876 by Charles
W.F. Dare, the Flying Horses Carousel offers rides for $1.50.
Grab the brass ring and win a free ride. The carousel ride at
Heritage Museums and Gardens is free with admission. Other
carousels include the Cape Cod Carousel & Fun House Arcade
at 541 Main St. in downtown Hyannis and the Island Carousel
at Cape Cod Mall on Route 132 in Hyannis.
33 | Wildlife Refuge
Chatham’s Monomoy National Wildlife Refuge offers miles of
unspoiled barrier beach to explore. The island can be reached by
boat only. The Monomoy Island Ferry (508-945-5450) runs a
regular shuttle service. Some areas may be closed when
shorebirds are nesting; check at the visitor’s center on Wikis
Way (508-945-0594).
34 | Art Show
The Cape and Islands have long attracted artists, and shows are
held throughout the region. Eastham Painters Guild (Route 6
and Nauset Road, North Eastham; 508-255-7239) holds Cape
Cod’s largest outdoor fine arts gallery on the lawn of the
Eastham Historical Society’s Schoolhouse Museum, where local
painters show their beautiful seascapes and more, generally on
Thursdays through Sundays. The first show in 1980 debuted on
the lawn of the Eastham Library, and paintings were hung on
wood and wire from old chicken coops. Crisp, white display tents
have taken their place, and the shows have evolved to include
many more artists. Located across from the National Seashore
Visitor’s Center in Eastham, it’s the perfect setting to take a picnic
and enjoy the seashore and artwork that captures the surrounding
area. Please call or visit www.easthampaintersguild.com for
schedule and artwork samples. Offered late May through
September.
Glass Museum | Sandwich Glass Museum
When Deming Jarves founded a glass-working factory on Cape Cod in 1825, he
never dreamed he was also creating, indirectly, the Sandwich Glass Museum (508-888-
0251). Wander through the museum’s 15 galleries, watch a professional multimedia
show and attend a glassblowing demonstration. COURTESY OF SANDWICH GLASS MUSEUM