Cape Cod, Massachusetts – November 1999

Hello from Cape Cod!!

This is the first of a series of monthly updates on the eastern arm of

Massachusetts, otherwise known as Cape Cod. Yes, a lot of you are

familiar with where it is, how busy it is, and how diverse it can be, and

I intend to confirm and deny all of the above.

My focus will actually be on the Outer Cape, a relatively new term to the Cape, which encompasses the area from Eastham, north to Provincetown. This 30 mile peninsula is truly the real Cape Cod, without the motel-drunk beaches, without the endless miles of moronic miniature golf courses, and without the “have it any way” fast food restaurants that have come to infest most other beach communities, not just here on Cape Cod, but throughout the world.

The predominate bonus of this area is that it is at its most beautiful when it’s not prime tourist season (June through August), and the beaches seem like they are only for you!

You should know from the start, that my wife and I are innkeepers in this

area, and as such tend to have a different slant on things, as we see

everything from not just our “is summer over yet” hazed eyes, but also

from the hundreds of volunteers (guests!) who frequent not only the

beaches, but also the shops, restaurants, and other experiences that we

ourselves adore. That being the case, the opinions expressed here tend

to be a group vote, as I feel they are representational of all of us here.

The Lay of the Land

As I said earlier, the Outer Cape is actually the forearm to the fist

section of the Cape Cod area. For those of you who are not familiar with

this expression, if you look at Cape Cod on a map, it actually looks like

a flexed arm with the upper arm area being closest to the mainland, and

the forearm being the area generally encompassing the area of the Outer

Cape, ending at the fist which would be considered the Provincetown area.

In terms of distance, it is roughly 30-35 miles in length, with a width

of between 1-5 miles. The reason this area has managed to preserve so

much of its natural charm, is thanks to President Kennedy (known as God

in this area!!), who in 1961 declared most of this area as the Cape Cod

National Seashore. What this in fact means, is that all of this area is

restricted to the ugly development that has infested the rest of Cape

Cod, Florida and many of the Carolina beaches!!

Although some houses can be found in this area, these are generally properties that had been built prior to the National Seashore being developed, and as such “grandfathered” into being allowed to remain as it is. This has allowed this area to maintain a very uncharacteristic “charm” to it. Being able to walk along the endless beaches, and experiencing only dunes, sand and ‘brisk’ water, is truly one of the amazing experiences of this area.

The Outer Cape is comprised of predominantly 4 towns: Eastham (at the

entryway to the Cape Cod National Seashore), Wellfleet (old harbor,

numerous galleries and a good selection of restaurants), Truro (small

town, winery – no kidding!, a great links golf course) and Provincetown (diverse mix of artisans, Portuguese fishing community, and large gay population, excellent galleries, restaurants and generally the

coolest town around!!).

Keeping Busy

The title to this section can be very misleading, as everyone’s definition

of “keeping busy” can be interpreted many different ways. For our

definition, I will just let you know what’s available in general, with

specifics to be covered in future “episodes”.

Hiking

Let’s be honest, if your idea of a hike is doing laps at the local supermall, then what you will find on the Outer Cape may actually be hiking. But if you are used to mountains, hills or varying grades of

elevation, then this is what I like to consider as a great spot for a

nice walk.

Now before every loyal Cape Codder and frequent visitor to this area gets into an uproar about my interpretation of this land, you can actually build up a sweat with endless miles of beach walking (great for your legs!), or drifting back and forth up Fire Roads, but in general, its just a great place to walk.

Hikes on the Outer Cape tend to vary from 1-4 miles with well marked and generally well graded surfaces. The only “extensive” hike in this area would be Great Island in Wellfleet which can be about 8 miles round trip, and is a wonderfully diverse cross-section of all that is the Outer Cape.

Biking

The Outer Cape is blessed with great biking! With Eastham being just north of the center point of the 25 mile long rail trail (well paved

with very little gradient change), and the shoulders of most roads and

highways being sufficiently wide enough to not incur the wrath of most of

the drivers, there are endless possibilities for anyone who wishes to get

out and stretch their legs.

Canoeing and Kayaking

Between the numerous ponds, inlets and ocean this is a little bit of paradise for boaters of all sorts. There are many rental companies in the area that are happy to provide the latest in technology for the adventurous, as well as guided tours run through numerous agencies.

Fishing

Whether it’s deep sea fishing that appeals to you, or pond fishing or even just shellfishing for local clams and mussels, there are countless individuals and companies that can provide for any style of fishing you desire.

Whalewatching

Cape Cod is considered one of the best areas for whalewatching on the eastern seaboard of the United States. With the Stellwagen Bank being located just north of Provincetown, the beauty of whalewatching from here means very little time on the boat, going back and forth to the feeding grounds, but actually more time spent with the whales themselves.

I cannot recommend this experience enough to anyone coming to Cape Cod! There are numerous companies that go from Provincetown, but my personal favorite is “Dolphin Fleet” which has a naturalist on board every trip, and for a “three hour tour” even Gilligan couldn’t complain about the $18. charge.

Shopping

Although I hate to delve into this area, suffice it to say that there are numerous galleries, shops and neat oddity stores available to appeal to just about everyone’s taste and budget levels. Enough said!!!

Filling the Gap

Cape Cod in general is famous for its seafood. Not that any of this is

earth shattering news, but in this area of the Outer Cape, menu diversity

can vary greatly from just the fried foods that are associated with this

area.

A visitor to this area would be remiss without trying Wellfleet oysters, quahogs (clams!), and our numerous chowders. Outside of the seafood there are a wide variety of foods available, and below I will let you in on a few of our favorites (mine and our guests!) with a price range, atmosphere and style of food as well as a few special dishes!!

Eastham – Generally not known as a food Mecca, there are a few selections available.

Captain’s House
Provincetown

This is my surprise budget pick! Owned by two guys who have one of the largest Marilyn Monroe memorabilia collections I have ever seen, this very clean, perfectly situated (in the heart of Provincetown) very inexpensive B&B would be my pick for Provincetown.

For more accommodation options, click here.

Good Luck!!

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