Mrs. Angus and I are thinking of going to Cape Cod for a few days for a summer vacation.

Any thoughts and ideas are welcome as we have never been.

Thanks!

Love the Cape. I have been going there for over 40 years. Stay away from Hyannis though.

Any towns in particular to stay in? We know nothing.

Why not Galveston, Texas for summer vacation?

Visit Provincetown while you're there.

Provincetown is at the northern tip of Cape Cod, Massachusetts. The seaside town is on the site of the Mayflower’s landing in 1620, commemorated by the towering Pilgrim Monument and neighboring Provincetown Museum. P-town is known as a longtime haven for artists, lesbians and gay men. Numerous galleries plus restaurants, nightclubs, cabarets and specialty shops are clustered on and around lively Commercial Street.

Credit: Google Maps

The Mayflower first landed in what is now Provincetown and stayed there for several months before continuing on to Plymouth.

The Good: Great beaches, Arnold's Fried Clams.
The Bad: One road, Route 6 links the entire Cape, it becomes a parking lot on weekends. I haven't been there in years but the last time there it was crowded, probably even more now.
The ?: Provincetown. If you like people watching, this is a good place. One cannot be easily offended since there are LGBTQEIEIO folks all over town and they can be way over the top.

The primary reason we haven't gone back? WAY too crowded during Summer.

I grew up spending 2 weeks every summer on the Cape with my family at a beach/area several generations of us have been going.

As was said before, the good is Cape Cod is beautiful and there is something for everyone, some great food and people. The traffic can be bad on the main drag but you can plan around it.

Some tips:

The Cape seems to flow on 2 week cycles and there are "changeover weekend" where everyone is trying to get on and off cape at the same time....try to plan opposite those weekends.

P Town and outer Cape have great beaches but Nantucket sound (Falmouth, Hyannis, Yarmouth, Dennis) have slightly calmer/warmer water and easier to do a day trip to the Vineyard.

The bay side is nice to with really low tides and nice sandbars.

Seafood Sams is a must for a roadside seafood joint!

Stayed in the Captain Farris House in Yarmouth one Summer we were there and loved it (Captain Farris House) - lots of info on the link. Great food, beautiful scenery, good whale-watching, friendly folks (some strange, but not generally). Fair to bad traffic, rain/fog, and crowds (depending on where you went). Would return.

quote:

Originally posted by GWbiker:
Why not Galveston, Texas for summer vacation?

Because Texas beaches pale in comparison to just about any other ocean beaches in the country? They're dirty, trashy, murky, and rife with tar balls.

(And I'm a proud native Texan who was born and lived in that area.)

I mean, sure... Any beach is better than no beach, within reason. And I guess a Texas beach will do for quick/cheap trips if you live nearby.

But I prefer the beaches in northern New England (Maine/Massachusetts/etc.) to Texas beaches, although they're still not quite to the same level as California, Alabama, or Florida beaches.

quote:

Originally posted by RogueJSK:

quote:

Originally posted by GWbiker:
Why not Galveston, Texas for summer vacation?

Because Texas beaches pale in comparison to just about any other ocean beaches in the country? They're dirty, trashy, murky, and rife with tar balls.

(And I'm a proud native Texan who was born and lived in that area.)

I mean, sure... Any beach is better than no beach, within reason. And I guess a Texas beach will do for quick/cheap trips if you live nearby.

But I prefer the beaches in northern New England (Maine/Massachusetts/etc.) to Texas beaches, although they're still not quite to the same level as California, Alabama, or Florida beaches.

Galveston was just a suggestion. But I haven't been there for 10 years.

Angus, sent you an email.

I've never been further up the East Coast than Norfolk/Virginia Beach, but I'll be following this thread with interest. Cape Cod is very much on my list.

We grew up vacationing on the Cape and spent 6 weeks every spring their when I was a Marine Biologist.
Traffic can and will be a nightmare so be prepared.
I like Woods Hole and Martha’s Vineyard but MV is pricey

Very nice area. We spent a couple days there in late summer. Had a good time.

I would go a few miles north to Maine.
Cape Cod is over the top tourist oriented to me and Maine has a more beautiful coastline.

If you can go off-season (before Memorial Day of after Labor Day) you'll be much better off. You'll be able to move around on the roads. We go every year after Labor Day and love it. LOVE the beaches and seafood in Wellfleet and Truro.

quote:

Originally posted by WaterburyBob:
If you can go off-season (before Memorial Day of after Labor Day) you'll be much better off. You'll be able to move around on the roads. We go every year after Labor Day and love it. LOVE the beaches and seafood in Wellfleet and Truro.

Edited to add: ocean-side, not bay-side beaches. Eastham is good, too.

Eastham Coast Guard beach on the ocean side, Thumpertown Road Beach on the bayside, for swimming pool warm floating in a tube, sipping on an nice Harpoon Summer.

We hit Arnold’s 2-3 times the week we are there.

We stay in Falmouth at the Inn at the Sound. It’s a nice place to set off for our day trips.

We spent our honeymoon there in 1972! And went to a seriously upper class wedding there in 1973. Way out of our league. Would be fun to go back just for old times sake but I dont think i could take all the people anymore.