Massachusetts - Cape Cod
September 2020
3 Days
I had been to Cape Cod once when I was much younger, but it had been about 15 years since I was last there. From Portland, the drive is about 2.5 hours to the beginning of the peninsula and then another hour or so to get to Provincetown at the far end. Since we visited in fall (and during COVID), the crowd's weren't as busy as in peak summer though it seemed like most eveyrything was still open.
Contents
Daily Itinerary
Pit stop in the historic town of Salem
Take the ferry to Martha's Vineyard
Seafood lunch at Seafood Shanty
Hike the cliffs and the beach at Aquinnah Cliffs
Dinner overlooking the harbor at Nancy's
Walk around the small town of Chatham
More beach time at the Cape Cod National Seashore
Visit the eclectic Provincetown
Martinis and dinner at Victor's
Flights
We drove from our first stop in Portland, Maine
Hotels
Courtyard Cape Cod Hyannis: 3 free night certificates
▸ A standard Courtyard located next to a strip mall. Not much nearby although it was a fine base location since we had a car. For a longer Cape Cod trip in the summer, I'd want to stay further up the Cape
Food
Seafood Shanty - Recognized as the oldest restaurant in the US serving its famous clam chowder, oysters, and other seafood
Nancy's - Famous Italian bakery that's been open since 1946. A perfect place to stop for dessert after some delicious pasta in the North End.
Victor's
Full Itinerary
Day 1
Salem
At about the halfway point of our drive, we stopped in the historic town of Salem just north of Boston. While most famous for the Salem Witch Trials, the town is quite charming with boutique stores, restaurants, and even a rooftop bar that we stopped at for a bite to eat.
The Roof - Salem, Massachusetts 2020
Day 2
Martha's Vineyard
For our first full day in Cape Cod, we took the ferry from Woods Hole to Oak Bluffs on Martha's Vineyard. A friend recommended to us to bring our car on the ferry as it can be difficult to get Ubers on Martha's Vineyard.
After disembarking, we drove to Edgartown, just 15 minutes away. The waterside town has many shops, art galleries, and restaurants, many of which I would guess close in the winter. As we were here in early fall, it seemed most everything was still open but I could also imagine the town being much more crowded in the peak summer months.
Edgartown - Edgartown, Massachusetts 2020
Seafood Shanty
On recommendation from a friend, we had lunch at the Seafood Shanty. In addition to the expansive fresh seafood menu, there is also a large outdoor deck overlooking the water which was perfect considering COVID restrictions.
Seafood Shanty - Edgartown, Massachusetts 2020
Aquinnah Cliffs
Following lunch, we drove to the West side of the island to Aquinnah Cliffs. The overlook offers expansive views of the cliffs, ocean, and the Gay Head Light. While it was relatively empty during our visit, I have heard that in the summer it can get very crowded with hikers, bikers, and tourists.
Aquinnah Cliffs Overlook - Aquinnah, Massachusetts 2020
Down on the beach, you can see the colorful cliffs up front, but just be aware the end of Moshup Beach is a nude beach!
Moshup Beach - Aquinnah, Massachusetts 2020
Nancy's
Oak Bluffs was our final stop on Martha's Vineyard as our return ferry was to depart from there. There are a number of restaurants and bars along the water, just outside the ferry terminal. After some bar hopping, we finally ended up at Nancy's for dinner, serving a variety of seafood and Middle Eastern food.
Nancy's - Oak Bluffs, Massachusetts 2020
Day 3
Cape Cod National Seashore
The following day, we made our way up the cape, lined by many small towns along the Cape Cod National Seashore. We made a quick stop in Chatham, another small town with boutique shops, art galleries, and restaurants.
Marconi Beach - Wellfleet, Massachusetts 2020
Provincetown
At the very northern tip of Cape Cod is Provincetown, probably the busiest destination on the Cape. Colorful buildings line Commercial Street and there are so many people walking it's quite difficult for any cars to get through. It gets a bit quieter just off the main street and of course the beach is just a short ways away.
Commercial Street - Provincetown, Massachusetts 2020
Provincetown Portuguese Bakery
The Provincetown Portuguese Bakery has been around "forever" and it seems nobody quite knows exactly when it opened. The bakery's website even says it's been around since about 1900.
The bakery is most famous for its malasadas, or Portuguese Fried Dough. Unfortunately we arrived too late, but we were still able to get the Pastéis de Nata, or Portuguese Egg Tart. When we were in Portugal I ate about 10 of these every day so it was amazing to have one again.
Provincetown Portuguese Bakery, Provincetown, Massachusetts 2020
Lobster Pot
While we didn't eat here, the Lobster Pot is one of the most famous restaurants in Provincetown, known for its chowder and lobster rolls.
Lobster Pot - Provincetown, Massachusetts 2020
Victor's
On our way to dinner we stopped at the beachside Aqua Bar for some waterside drinks before our final stop of the night at Victor's for dinner and martinis, both of which were excellent.
Martinis at Victor's - Provincetown, Massachusetts 2020
Overall
Our East Coast roadtrip was a nice change of pace compared to our usual vacations and it was, of course, amazing to finally get out and travel again after COVID lockdowns!
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