This summer I had the opportunity to visit Cape Cod, an absolutely fascinating place!

Cape Cod is a long and narrow peninsula that projects itself prominently out from the southern Massachusetts mainland and into the Atlantic Ocean. It is perhaps the most distinctive geographical feature along the New England coast.

The peninsula is fairly large so there are many areas to explore – all very different from one another! Here are just a few that I highly recommend seeing:

Provincetown – located at the tip of the peninsula, is a small but vibrant town with lots of shops and a great nightlife! If you’re traveling from Boston, you can get to Provincetown quite easily – a 90 minutes ferry ride for about $60 USD. P-town is known as a longtime haven for artists, lesbians and gay men. Numerous galleries, restaurants, nightclubs, cabarets and specialty shops are clustered on and around lively Commercial Street. Be sure to check out the Portugese Bakery (yummy fresh fried dough), the Canteen (enjoy a lobster roll in their back beach garden), and the Lobster Pot (wasn’t a fan of the lobster roll, but go for the fried clams or mussels).

Beaches in Truro – About 15 min. by car (or bus) south of Provincetown you will find some of the nicest beaches on the Cape. These beaches are perfect for families as the water is typically fairly calm and water warmer than on the ocean side. Perfect place to go kayaking and paddleboarding as well!

Sand dunes near Provincetown – The Cape Cod National Seashore is something that you must see! “A grand place to be alone and undisturbed” as American playright Eugene O’neill described it. The trails through the sand dunes (which many explore by bike) are quite unique. As you get to the ocean, you can explore the shoreline and walk for miles on end. The water here gets deep very quickly and it is recommended that swimmers stay close to shore as sharks can sometimes be present in these waters. The up-side? You will often see many adorable seals close to shore, peaking their heads out of the water as they swim about in groups –  it is quite the sight!

Rock Harbor Bay – Want to experience fascinating tides? Check out this beach, located near Namskaket Beach. Imagine being at the beach at 8 a.m., dipping your feet in the water by the shore and then … returning 4 hours later and seeing that the water has retreated at least two miles! You can walk to ocean floor for about 20 minutes until you finally reach the water, and along the way you can see oyster farms, lots of shells and small crabs.

Monument Beach/ Buzzards Bay – If you’re driving into the Cape, make sure to spend at least a couple of hours in the Buzzards Bay/ Bourne area. Stop by the Buzzards Bay Recreation Area and go for a walk along the canal where you can also gaze up at the Cape Cod Railroad Bridge: a vertical lift bridge that was the longest in the world when it was completed in 1935. If you want to relax by the beach, check out Monument Beach, a peaceful place to spend some time, especially since it doesn’t get too crowded. Lifeguards are on duty and there is a concession stand, volleyball net and bathhouse. If you have a craving for really, really good seafood, make sure to stop at the Lobster Trap (290 Shore Rd. Bourne MA). Highly recommend the calamari and mussels!

Low Tide at Rock Harbor, Cape Cod

Low Tide at Rock Harbor, Cape Cod

Seals at Race Point, Cape Cod

Rock Harbor, Cape Cod

Seals at Race Point, Cape Cod

Provincetown Nightlife, Cape Cod

Shark warning sign at Race Point Beach