Cape Cod: Places to Explore

Outer Cape

As you drive through the Outer Cape, the topography flattens out, the vegetation grows sparser and more coniferous, and the sea approaches as the land narrows. Much of the region is undeveloped, protected by the sprawling Cape Cod National Seashore. The three towns that make up this region—Wellfleet, Truro, and Provincetown—each have a very distinct sense of spirit and character.

Technically part of the Lower Cape, the Outer Cape is nonetheless its own entity, forming the wrist and fist of Cape Cod. Long, straight, dune-backed beaches appear to go on forever; inland, trails wind through wind-stunted forests of scrub pine, beech, and oak. Many locals and visitors will tell you that this is where "the real Cape" begins.

Wellfleet is a sleepy town in the off-season, but it comes to life in summer. Home to a large community of artists, Wellfleet has an abundance of galleries and studios, as well as upscale shops and restaurants and an active harbor. Truro is for those in search of peace and quiet. With an expanse of high dunes, salt marshes, pine forests, and winding back roads, Truro is the least-populated, least-developed town on the entire Cape.

The promise of solitude has long drawn artists and writers to the Outer Cape. Provincetown has two faces—a quiet little fishing village in winter and a party town in summer. Those in search of fun, including many gay and lesbian folks, come for the rugged beaches, photogenic streets lined with historic homes, zany nightlife, shops selling everything from antiques to zoot suits, and the galleries, readings, and classes that carry on Provincetown's rich history as an artist colony.

Outer Cape at a Glance

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