The best thing about Cape Cod is that it has something to do for every kind of traveler. For over a decade, my family has been making the annual trip to the Cape — and every year, we fall more in love with it. From the beaches to the restaurants to the quaint towns, we relax, eat, and explore our hearts out.
If you’re looking for a unique vacation spot with something for everyone to do, Cape Cod is the perfect place. There’s mini golf, bars, countless beaches, biking, wineries, nature walking, whale watching, shopping, and more. Over the years we’ve stayed in Eastham, Wellfleet, and Chatham — and each town has its own personality worth exploring.
This is our master guide to Cape Cod! For deeper dives, check out our Family Guide to Eastham, Guide to Chatham, and tips for Enjoying Cape Cod in the Off Season.
Choose Your Home Base
My family loves to do the same things every time we visit Cape Cod — but over the years we’ve explored different towns and learned that where you stay shapes your whole week.
Outer Cape (Eastham, Wellfleet, Truro) is where we started and still return to often. It’s wilder, more laid-back, and close to the National Seashore beaches. If your family loves big ocean waves, antique shops, and cooking fresh seafood at home, this is your spot. Read our full Eastham guide here.
Chatham is a step up in polish — a picture-perfect Main Street, calmer bayside beaches, and incredible restaurants within walking distance. It’s become one of our favorite spots, especially as the girls have gotten older and appreciate a little more town life. Read our full Chatham guide here.
No matter where you stay, Provincetown is worth a full day trip, and Wellfleet town center is worth multiple visits throughout the week.
Planning to rent a home? We love Del Mar Vacations — use code HOUSTONBLOG005 for 5% off your booking!
Cape Cod Beaches – Ocean, Bay and Sound
We choose a different Cape Cod beach to visit daily based on the weather forecast and everyone’s attitude. The ocean side of the Cape has many National Seashore beaches, such as Marconi, Coast Guard, and Cahoon Hollow (where my husband proposed!). They are all unique in their own ways — such as Cahoon Hollow with the extra steep sand dunes and The Beachcomber bar and restaurant.
If we are in the mood for sand castle building and exploring the sand bars during low tide, we stick to the bayside beaches. Cooks Brook Beach is on the small side with the most incredible sunset views. During low tide you can walk what seems like miles looking for clams, crabs, and pretty shells.
First Encounter Beach has calm warm water, scenic views of seagrass, and a historical namesake. It is the site of the first encounter between Native Americans and the Pilgrims prior to their settling in Plymouth.
In Chatham, the beaches have a completely different feel — calmer surf, warm water from the Nantucket Sound, and gorgeous scenery. Hardings Beach is our family favorite there, with smooth sand and lifeguard stations.
Quick guide to picking a Cape Cod beach:
Chatham family beach → Hardings Beach, Ridgevale Beach
Ocean waves + big dunes → Marconi, Coast Guard, Cahoon Hollow
Calm water + sandbar exploring → Cooks Brook, First Encounter
Where to Eat in Cape Cod
When we visit Cape Cod we like to cook at home for the most part — except for the occasional breakfast, lunch, or dinner date out with the family. We always make a point to stop at our favorite places on the Cape:
Outer Cape favorites:
- Hole in One (Eastham) — the best bagels on the Cape, full stop
- The Beachcomber at Cahoon Hollow Beach — great food, great drinks, unbeatable location in an old lifeguard house at the top of the beach
- Mac’s on the Pier (Wellfleet) — BYOB, sit right on the water, the cold lobster roll is a must
- Hatch’s Fish Market (Wellfleet) — our go-to for lobster, little necks, and fresh fish to cook at the house
Chatham favorites:
- Chatham Village Cafe and Bakery — the best bagels and donuts in Chatham (don’t save it for the last day like we did!)
- Kream N’ Cone — a Cape Cod classic, famous for crispy fried clams and soft-serve after a beach day
- The Chatham Squire — consistently fantastic for a casual dinner out
Provincetown:
- The Lobster Pot — iconic, must-visit
- JD’s Raw Bar — the views alone are worth it
- Ice cream on the pier after walking the main drag is a non-negotiable
Love to cook on vacation? Check out our Cape Cod Vacation Menu Ideas for a full week of dinner inspiration!
What to Do in Cape Cod
From shopping at the unique boutiques to hiking to the top of the Pilgrim’s Monument in Provincetown to visiting a lighthouse to biking along the trails, there is something for everyone to do in Cape Cod.
We spend a day in Provincetown shopping and eating, swing over to a lighthouse to explore, and make a pit stop at Riley’s for Cape Cod souvenirs on the way home. We also visit the Wellfleet town center multiple times a week, popping into the antique shops and picking out fresh seafood at Hatch’s Fish Market.
Other things we love:
- The Cape Cod Rail Trail — great for all ages, especially now that our girls can keep up on a long ride
- Whale watching — a bucket list Cape Cod experience
- Chatham Anglers Baseball Game
- Cape Cod Winery — worth a visit for the grown-ups, especially in fall
- Chatham Pier Fish Market — watch the seals swim around the fishing boats unloading fresh fish (a huge hit with kids!)
Rainy Day Ideas
Even the rainy days can be fun at the Cape! Some of our go-tos:
- Chatham Orpheum Theater — check for free kid matinees or special events
- The Shark Center — still on our bucket list for the next rainy day
- Antique shops in Wellfleet town center
- A long breakfast at a favorite cafe followed by shopping in Chatham or Provincetown
Now That the Kids Are Older…
When I first wrote about our Cape Cod trips, we had three little ones who were perfectly happy spending every day on the beach building sandcastles. And honestly? So were we.
Things look a little different now. Our girls are older, and Cape Cod has grown with us in the best way. We explore more towns, stay out later for sunsets, bike longer stretches of the Rail Trail, and linger over dinners at actual restaurants. Provincetown has become a full-day adventure instead of a quick stop. We’ve branched out from the Outer Cape to spend full weeks in Chatham. The Cape keeps delivering no matter what stage of family life you’re in — and that’s what makes it our forever vacation spot.
My family and I are still creatures of habit, meaning we do what we know we love to do when on vacation. But we keep adding new favorites every single year.
Plan Your Trip
- 🏠 Book a rental: Del Mar Vacations — use code HOUSTONBLOG005 for 5% off
- 🍽️ Meal plan: Cape Cod Vacation Menu Ideas
- 🧳 Pack right: What to Bring to a Vacation Rental
- 🍂 Visit in fall: Enjoying Cape Cod During the Off Season
- 📍 Go deeper: Family Guide to Eastham · Guide to Chatham
Even the rainy days can be fun at the Cape. Take me back…