The Best of Cape Cod | My 5 Cape Cod Favorites

If you’ve been following along for a while, you already know that Cape Cod holds a special place in my heart. Every summer, my extended family packs up our cars and heads to the Cape for a week of beach days, fresh seafood, sunsets, and slowing down together.

We’ve been making these memories for years, and each trip reminds me why we keep coming back. While there are countless things to see and do on Cape Cod, these are the places, traditions, and experiences my family looks forward to every single summer.

Updated for Summer 2026: After another week on the Cape (leaving in a few days!), I’ll continue adding new favorites, photos, and recommendations to this post so it stays current for anyone planning their own family vacation.

Why Cape Cod Beaches Keep Us Coming Back

There is something magical about the beaches on Cape Cod. Whether we’re spending the day at Ridgevale Beach, Coast Guard Beach, Mayflower Beach, or any one of Cape Cod’s beautiful beaches, each one offers something a little different. From the dunes to the low tides to the sea grass – it’s all so beautiful. Our girls have always loved low tide because it transforms the shoreline into a giant playground. We spend hours looking for snails, shells, and tiny fish while walking for what feels like miles towards the horizon.

Cape Cod beaches are also deeply personal to me. Each beach holds special memories – like our first time experiencing the clear endless water of Mayflower Beach or boogie boarding on Coast Guard Beach. One of my most incredible memories is at Cahoon Hollow Beach where my husband proposed on August 16, 2008. Every visit to each beach brings back memories of where our next chapter began.

TIP: Each Cape Cod Beach requires a different type of pass or parking fee. If you’re visiting a Cape Cod National Seashore Beach, visit their website for more information. Otherwise, check the town website for local beach information.

Why We Never Skip Provincetown

No Cape Cod vacation feels complete without at least one trip to Provincetown. We love wandering Commercial Street, shopping in locally owned boutiques, grabbing lunch overlooking the water, and soaking in the lively atmosphere. If you’re visiting during Carnival Week, the energy is unlike anywhere else on Cape Cod.

There is so much to see and do in P-town that we have not even done it all (like whale watching). If you are visiting Provincetown, we never miss:

• 🍩 Eating malasadas from the Provincetown Portuguese Bakery
• 🗼 Climbing the Pilgrim Monument
• 🛍️ Shopping along Commercial Street
• 🍬 Buying gummy lobsters at Cabot’s Candy
• 📸 Taking a photo in the giant Provincetown chair
• 🥣 Ordering clam chowder

Where We Love to Eat on Cape Cod

One of the best parts of every Cape Cod vacation is the food.

Hole In One Bakery is still a non-negotiable stop for our family. Their donuts, bagels, and iced coffee have become part of our vacation tradition, and yes—they’re worth waiting in line for. Mac’s Seafood is a restaurant that’s now all over the Cape and we NEVER miss a chance to stop in for dinner (or order dinner to go). Mac’s Fish Market is filled with everything you could want to cook a seafood feast at home too!

We love cooking for the entire family at our rental house. One of our must-stops every trip is Hatch’s Fish Market and Produce Market in Wellfleet, where we pick up fresh seafood and produce for dinner. We cross the street and go to Wellfleet Market for the rest of our dinner supplies (including freshly baked bread!). There’s something special about ending a beach day sun-kissed and sandy, gathered around the dinner table with fresh seafood and my favorite people.

I have a few travel guides for Cape Cod with the best restaurants in Eastham, Wellfleet, Chatham, etc. Check them out here.

Family Traditions

As much as I love the beaches, food, and charming towns, my favorite part of Cape Cod has always been the people I’m with. There is something so special about being somewhere else that isn’t home with all of the people you love. Every year, my parents, siblings, spouses, and all of the grandchildren spend a week together in one vacation home. It’s loud, chaotic, and wonderfully full of life. There are sandy towels draped over every chair, kitchen dance parties, and cousins who spend every waking minute together.

The adults play games after the kids go to bed, cook big family dinners, spend entire afternoons on the beach, and laugh until our stomachs hurt. As our children have grown, our traditions have changed a little each year, but the feeling never has. Cape Cod is the place where we all slow down, reconnect, and make memories we’ll talk about for years.

That’s why no matter how many other places we travel, this trip remains one of my favorite weeks of the entire year.

Planning your own Cape Cod vacation? You may also enjoy:

• My favorite places to visit in Cape Cod
• What to Do on a Cape Cod Vacation
• Cape Cod Vacation Menu Ideas
• Our favorite easy vacation meals for large families

Although we travel to new places every year, Cape Cod is the one destination we return to again and again. Every summer brings new memories, and I’ll continue updating this guide with our latest favorites, discoveries, and family traditions.