cape cod national seashore restaurant images

It's also fairly mild in the winter - the salt air tends to minimize huge snowstorms. It's cooler than you might guess during summertime (thank you, sea breezes), and the ocean tends to hover around 67 degrees at the height of the season. Temperatures, much like traffic, vary wildly on the Cape. (For reference, it takes about an hour and a half to drive from Provincetown to Bourne.) Visit Cape Cod Commission for real-time traffic updates. If you absolutely must drive in or out on a weekend, expect to add over an hour to your driving time. Your best bet is to begin (and end) your stay on a weekday. They're the only entry and exit roads onto the hook-shaped chunk of land, and they almost always create a bottleneck effect on weekends in the summer. The Cape is famous for its traffic, and it has two bridges to thank for that: the Bourne Bridge and the Sagamore Bridge. Don't miss the Provincetown Film Festival in June and Wellfleet OysterFest in October. Prices tend to be lower in the fall, too. While the height of summer (between June and late August) is the quintessential time to experience Cape Cod, it's a treat to visit in September and October, when the crowds have subsided. It's true: Nothing beats Cape Cod beaches or Cape Cod lighthouses, but in all honesty, we could do without the Cape Cod traffic. And the Cape's countless other beaches are all treasures on their own, from Nauset Light Beach in Eastham to Mayflower Beach in Dennis.Ī haven for those of us drawn to the sea, Cape Cod brims with nautical charm like no other. There's also the unspoiled beauty of the Cape Cod National Seashore, where seemingly endless stretches of sand invite you to sunbathe, hike, and sunbathe some more. Just about every town on Cape Cod can lay claim to some of New England's most idyllic vacation rentals and bed-and-breakfasts - not to mention award-winning seafood shacks and restaurants. Provincetown - the crown jewel at the very tip of the Cape - is a haven for painters, photographers, and writers. But further north, the towns of Wellfleet and Truro have a more laid-back vibe with quiet beaches and winding back roads.

In Chatham, for example, a lively Main Street beckons shoppers and diners.

Massachusetts' hook-shaped peninsula is special in so many ways, thanks to its abundance of charming towns and sandy, pitch-pine-dotted landscapes. No matter how many times you visit Cape Cod, you'll continue to find new ways to be captivated by its beauty.

Cape cod national seashore restaurant images