Cape Cod

Chatham

Cape Cod is an interesting mixture of areas. Parts of it have that classic beach town look and vibe.  Other parts are as quaint, charming, and lovely as you could find.  Still other parts are fascinating for their natural interest and beauty.  And, still other parts seem unique to the cape itself…..yes, we are talking about you, P-town!

Our home base was about halfway up the cape which turned out to be a convenient jumping off point for seeing a lot of what the cape has to offer without having to drive very far. (We never had a drive of more than 30 minutes to get to anything we wanted to see.)

Provincetown

Pilgrim tower

On our first day we drove up to Provincetown.  P-town, as it is typically called, sits at the northern end of the cape.  It is historically famous for being the first port of call for the Mayflower.  The ship dropped anchor in the Provincetown Harbor for about 6 weeks before heading on to Plymouth….and yet, Plymouth and their rock get all the glory…go figure.  While in the harbor, the passengers drafted and signed the Mayflower compact, which was the first document establishing self-governance in what would become the United States. Today, there is a 250+ foot granite tower (the tallest all granite structure in the country) commemorating the pilgrims connection to the town.  If you are willing, there are 165 steps and 60 ramps that you can walk to reach the top.  Once there, you get a terrific 360-degree view of P-town and the entire northern end of Cape Cod.

P-town is culturally famous for being one of the most LGBT-friendly communities in the country.  It is a warm and welcoming environment for anyone who visits or lives there. This reputation began in the late 1800’s and continues to this day.  There is a large gay population, a vibrant arts scene, lots of good restaurants, and numerous businesses and events that cater to the gay community.  We had lunch at the very popular Lobster Pot where we had clam chowder and a lobster roll.  Both were quite good. P-town also has an amazing library located in a building constructed in 1860 as the Central Methodist Episcopal church.  Today, it features a 66-foot, half-scale model of a historic schooner that sits in the center of the building and spans 3 separate floors!

Brewster

John Wing Trail

The weather decided it wasn’t going to cooperate while we were on the Cape as a Nor’easter was quickly forming and making its way toward us. So, we knew we had to make the most of our time while we could. With the clock ticking, we got up early and made our way to Brewster. Our first stop there was the John Wing trail. This nature trail leads you through a major salt marsh. For part of the hike, we walked across a wooden plank trail that led through the wettest part of the marsh. At one point, Mack decided it would be fun to jump off the plank and down into the muddy marsh two feet below. Luckily, John caught him just before he did! This is a great trail to explore. It wanders through a varied Cape Cod landscape that includes the marsh and a wooded island before ending at a beach and the mouth of a small river.  The beach and river estuary were unique and fun to explore. While Mack had a great time sniffing and watching kids play, he still had quite a bit of energy. We heard Brewster had a 5-star dog park, so we went to check it out. As soon as we arrived the rain started and all of Mack’s four legged friends were leaving which limited his play time.

After our hikes, it was time for lunch and exploring the town. We ate at Uncle Pete’s Chowder House and enjoyed their signature clam chowder. We were on a quest to get the best clam chowder we could find.  Uncle Pete’s won. After lunch, we hit one of Brewster’s most popular stops, the General Store. It has been the heart of Brewster since 1866. It is literally like walking back in time with old fashion cooking items, candy, and games you can’t find anymore. John tried to get an apple fritter from their small offering of baked goods but, sadly, they were already sold out. We had a fun time walking around and taking in all the nostalgia.

Last, but not least, we had to experience the largest tidal flats in North America. When the tide recedes, a miles-long sandbar is exposed. It is mind boggling that you could be looking out over the ocean in the morning, and then, within a matter of hours, you could be walking across the sand where the water just was. The rippled pattern of the waves was evident in the sand making it look as if the ocean sprang a leak and rapidly drained.

Tidal Flats: note we visited this after the Nor’easter blew over.

Waiting on the nor’easter to pass!

Once the Nor’easter came ashore, we spent the next 48 hours in the rig catching up on TV shows and hunkering down. We received word from the insurance company that our truck had been totaled (See our New Hampshire post for the backstory if this is news to you.) So, we took this opportunity to go purchase a new truck. This was definitely not something that was on our agenda, but we took the opportunity to upgrade to an F250. After a 3  hour drive back up to Manchester, NH, 3 hours at the dealership, and 3 more hours driving back to the Cape, we had a full day, a new truck, and the wreck finally behind us.

The new truck.

Wrapping up our time in the Cape.

Station Chatham

We spent our last days on the Cape visiting several other area towns including Chatham, and Harwich Port. These two towns are often cited as two of the most charming towns on the cape, I think you will be able to see why…