Need Cape Cod ideas for short visit
Feb 11th, 2015, 12:45 PM
#1
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Need Cape Cod ideas for short visit
We're spending two weeks this summer in the Northeast, and I have three nights to spend between New York City and Boston. I wanted to schedule some beach time for the kids sake (ages 9 and 11) and was leaning towards the Cape Cod area. Its not a long enough stay for a house/vacation rental, which means we need a hotel. Any input on lodging, things to do,the best beaches, and just the best areas of the Cape are much appreciated. My kids love the outdoors, and will mainly want to hang at the beach - we're from Texas, so beach time is a precious commodity. 
Thanks in advance!
Thanks in advance!
Feb 11th, 2015, 01:00 PM
#2
First you need to decide what kind of beaches and water your kids prefer. The Atlantic has broad beaches, big surf, cooler water temps, Nantucket Sound is calmer but has waves with warmer water temps. Cape Cod Bay has even calmer water. .
Feb 11th, 2015, 07:57 PM
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Feb 12th, 2015, 03:29 AM
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There are hundreds of hotels/motels on the Cape. As mentioned by Happytrv, the beaches differ depending on which side you are located. You can easily go from one side to the other, but parking can be problematic in the summer.
I like the area from Eastham to Provincetown best including Welfleet, Truro etc. esp. the National Seashore area. Others prefer the more built up areas like Hyannis. Do a google and look at the locations you are considering.
Expect to have some traffic on weekends.
I like the area from Eastham to Provincetown best including Welfleet, Truro etc. esp. the National Seashore area. Others prefer the more built up areas like Hyannis. Do a google and look at the locations you are considering.
Expect to have some traffic on weekends.
Feb 12th, 2015, 03:45 AM
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Price?
Chatham Bars Inn is a luxury hotel at $$$$ and is probably wasted on kids.
The strip of towns east of Hyannis on MA 28 (Yarmouth, Harwich etc) have warmer water (like the Gulf in March, not really warm ) and all kinds of stuff like miniature golf and fried clam shacks and Dairy Queens. Take a day trip to the National Seashore.
Being within walking distance of the beach is a huge plus because every town on the Cape makes it hard/ or expensive for non-residents to park near the beach. Ask if beach parking passes are available from your motel.
Water temperatures on the north side of the Cape are about the same as on the Florida Gulf Coast in February, though it has great flats for clamming, etc.
Chatham Bars Inn is a luxury hotel at $$$$ and is probably wasted on kids.
The strip of towns east of Hyannis on MA 28 (Yarmouth, Harwich etc) have warmer water (like the Gulf in March, not really warm ) and all kinds of stuff like miniature golf and fried clam shacks and Dairy Queens. Take a day trip to the National Seashore.
Being within walking distance of the beach is a huge plus because every town on the Cape makes it hard/ or expensive for non-residents to park near the beach. Ask if beach parking passes are available from your motel.
Water temperatures on the north side of the Cape are about the same as on the Florida Gulf Coast in February, though it has great flats for clamming, etc.
Feb 12th, 2015, 06:39 AM
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The cape encompasses a fairly large chunk of coastline with hundreds of miles of beaches. I'm sure your kids would love any place close to the water. However there are some basic differences in the three shorelines.
The eastern, ocean facing beaches are the most scenic and are mostly protected national park lands. The water is the coolest here, and there are usually some breakers for romping in. There are very few (if any) accomodations right on the water.
The western and northern (bay side) beaches are fairly calm and somewhat cool. There are vast tidal flats at low tide for families to explore, and lots of small hotels and b&b's close to the water.
The southern (Nantucket Sound) beaches are by far the warmest, with calm water and some seaweed. This part of the cape is the most commercialized, with lots of waterfront accomodations, restaurants, mini golf,etc. However there are still some beautiful stretches of quiet beach.
Two of our favorite towns on the Cape are Wellfleet and Falmouth, but there are beautiful places to stay nearly anywhere. Just realize that parts of the Cape are quite heavily developed (like parts of Hyannis), and other towns are almost untouched by development.
The eastern, ocean facing beaches are the most scenic and are mostly protected national park lands. The water is the coolest here, and there are usually some breakers for romping in. There are very few (if any) accomodations right on the water.
The western and northern (bay side) beaches are fairly calm and somewhat cool. There are vast tidal flats at low tide for families to explore, and lots of small hotels and b&b's close to the water.
The southern (Nantucket Sound) beaches are by far the warmest, with calm water and some seaweed. This part of the cape is the most commercialized, with lots of waterfront accomodations, restaurants, mini golf,etc. However there are still some beautiful stretches of quiet beach.
Two of our favorite towns on the Cape are Wellfleet and Falmouth, but there are beautiful places to stay nearly anywhere. Just realize that parts of the Cape are quite heavily developed (like parts of Hyannis), and other towns are almost untouched by development.
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Feb 12th, 2015, 06:44 AM
#8
Take a look at Day's cottages in Truro -
http://www.dayscottages.com/
http://www.dayscottages.com/
Feb 12th, 2015, 10:13 AM
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The Sea Crest Resort in North Falmouth is right on the beach and gets good reviews as a family-friendly hotel.
I'm not sure how Days Cottages will be rented in the future because last I heard, they were being offered for sale as individual condominiums. There are some other bay front motels near there though, in North Truro. You would see more of the Cape staying further out, and would have many choices among the National Seashore beaches. It's my preferred Cape area, but for a relaxing three days, not driving far may be an advantage.
If you can, try to avoid driving to the Cape on Friday afternoon/evening and leaving on Sunday. That's when you'll find a lot of traffic.
I'm not sure how Days Cottages will be rented in the future because last I heard, they were being offered for sale as individual condominiums. There are some other bay front motels near there though, in North Truro. You would see more of the Cape staying further out, and would have many choices among the National Seashore beaches. It's my preferred Cape area, but for a relaxing three days, not driving far may be an advantage.
If you can, try to avoid driving to the Cape on Friday afternoon/evening and leaving on Sunday. That's when you'll find a lot of traffic.
Feb 12th, 2015, 03:05 PM
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Yes, I should have included Saturday morning and early afternoon traffic for weekly rentals going, and late morning for people leaving. I often check out of our rental and go to the beach or for a leisurely lunch and walk before heading home to avoid the traffic. But I don't have to travel as far as others do.
Feb 12th, 2015, 03:55 PM
#13
"Hence, a Sat to Sat rental does not fit into the OP's schedule."
No one said it does.
The comment was in reference to the preceding caution -
If you can, try to avoid driving to the Cape on Friday afternoon/evening and leaving on Sunday. That's when you'll find a lot of traffic."
My comment was to add that Saturday mornings can be bad traffic times in getting on the cape.
No one said it does.
The comment was in reference to the preceding caution -
If you can, try to avoid driving to the Cape on Friday afternoon/evening and leaving on Sunday. That's when you'll find a lot of traffic."
My comment was to add that Saturday mornings can be bad traffic times in getting on the cape.
Feb 12th, 2015, 03:57 PM
#14
Inak, if you note -
cw on Feb 12, 15 at 7:05pm
Yes, I should have included Saturday morning and early afternoon traffic for weekly rentals going, and late morning for people leaving
Sorry you found the comment confusing. It did appear to be self-explanatory.
cw on Feb 12, 15 at 7:05pm
Yes, I should have included Saturday morning and early afternoon traffic for weekly rentals going, and late morning for people leaving
Sorry you found the comment confusing. It did appear to be self-explanatory.
Feb 13th, 2015, 02:02 PM
#15
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Thanks everyone for the feedback. I hadn't really thought about the differences in the types of beaches, but I definitely want something different from the Gulf of Mexico beaches we are used to. And we'll be visiting mid-week, so I won't have to worry about the Fri-Sat-Sun traffic, so that's one plus to missing out on the weekly rentals.
Question on the Cape Cod National Seashore - is parking a problem there, as many of you have mentioned for beaches?
Question on the Cape Cod National Seashore - is parking a problem there, as many of you have mentioned for beaches?
Feb 13th, 2015, 02:09 PM
#16
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Other question - has anyone done the Junior Ranger program there? We almost always do them at national parks/sites, but I don't think we've been to one that was a beach before, and it would have to be a pretty great program to keep my kids from the sand. Many of the programs are, so I was curious...
