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Hit the Beach
If beaching it’ is your idea of fun, you need to come to Cape Cod. This peninsula has over 115 beaches equalling nearly 560 miles of unspoiled coastline. I’m a regular at our local beach in West Barnstable. My wife and I run a bed and breakfast in town and our dogs, Gus and Harry, who live primarily in the innkeepers’ quarters at the B&B (out of respect for guests who may have pet dander allergies), love and need our regular walks on the beach. Year-round, I might add. I have to admit that I, too, truly enjoy these beach walks.
The prize among the beaches is the Cape Cod National Seashore – an unspoiled sandy beach 40 miles long on the Outer Cape. This is a great destination if you’re looking for a beach-related activity. There are miles of hiking and biking trails throughout the CCNS. There is also an off-road vehicle program for those who enjoy that sport. Some of the nicest treats are the ranger guided events. You don’t know what you don’t know until you’ve gotten involved in one of these events. There are a large number of ranger guided things going on in July and August. You’re not limited to walking, either. There are canoe adventures, clamming lessons, surfcasting classes, bird watching, and the list goes on! Be sure to investigate these opportunities if you find yourself in Provincetown, Truro, Eastham or Wellfleet and are looking for an outdoor beach-related activity.
If you have children and are taking a drive down the length of Cape Cod on historic route 6A, for example, a beach could be a good option for a picnic lunch. Not every beach has picnic tables or diversions like swings or a playground for young ones, but some of those that do include Veterans Beach in Barnstable (just a short distance from our inn), Cockle Cove Beach in Chatham, and First Encounter Beach or Cooks Brook Beach on Cape Cod Bay in Eastham.
First Encounter Beach is also a good destination for history buffs. In fact, all of Cape Cod is an historical gold mine, and there are a lot of ‘firsts’ that have happened on the Cape, but since we’re talking beaches, we’ll talk First Encounter Beach. This is where, on December 8, 1620, the Pilgrims were first attacked by New World Natives. It was a brief battle – just a skirmish really – but the Pilgrims thought it was notable and named the beach accordingly. There is a plaque commemorating the event. It lives on a rock in front of Eastham’s town hall.
Any beach is a good beach for sunbathing, but there are a couple of note. Nauset Light Beach in Orleans offers rented umbrellas and chairs making light the load of what you carry to the beach with you. Marconi Beach in Wellfleet has the most dramatic dunes on the peninsula and has a boardwalk as well. Bass Hole or Gray’s Beach in Yarmouth includes a 2.5-mile trail and a boardwalk.
For the seafaring visitor to Cape Cod, there are a couple of beaches that can only be accessed by boat. These are Long Point Beach in Provincetown (shuttle service is available) and North Beach in Chatham.
For lighthouse lovers, there are 14 historical lighthouses on Cape Cod, and of course, most are located near and/or overlooking beaches. There are three right on the eastern most tip of Cape Cod around Provincetown, and nearby in Truro is Highland Light, a.k.a. Cape Cod Light, which, in the 1800’s, was usually the first one seen by those arriving by boat from Europe and approaching Massachusetts Bay.
Cape Cod attractions are accessible year-round. You need not wait ’til summer to enjoy the beach offerings of Cape Cod. If you’re thinking of or are planning a trip to the Cape, consider the Honeysuckle Hill Bed and Breakfast in West Barnstable as your home base. Visit us online at http://honeysucklehill.com/. We are impromptu tour planners, as well as innkeepers and will be happy to help find the best beaches on Cape Cod to suit your tastes.
