Do you want to experience a quintessential Cape Cod family vacation? Check out Ocean Edge Resort & Golf Club a family-friendly resort in Cape Cod, Massachusetts!
In this blog post I’ll cover the accommodations, the activities, dining and more! Many thanks to Ocean Edge Resort for hosting us!
A little bit about Ocean Edge Resort
The family friendly Ocean Edge Resort and Golf Club is nestled in the quaint bayside town of Brewster, in the Lower Cape of Cape Cod. The 337 room luxury resort spreads across 429 acres of exquisitely manicured grounds between The Mansion and The Villages. From private beach access to numerous restaurants, a full service Beach House Spa to Cape Cod’s only 18-hole, Nicklaus Design golf course, there are countless amenities.
Traveling to Ocean Edge Resort
We are very thankful to live just a few hours away from the Ocean Edge Resort. With two brief baby and stretch breaks, it took our family under four hours to travel from Connecticut to Cape Cod. Check-in at the resort is 3pm, but there is plenty to see and do if you arrive early on the property. Plus, the town of Brewster has a fun General Store and many beaches and ponds to explore. Contact the Front Desk for other options!
Travel tip: Traffic on the Cape can be tricky, so drive in and out in the early morning or late evening if you’re traveling on the weekend. We always try to avoid driving onto the Cape/off the Cape on Saturday/Sunday during the mid-morning/early afternoon since many families are checking into/out of rentals.
The Accommodations
There are two different sides of Ocean Edge Resort – the Mansion and the Villas. Each side of the resort has different amenities, but most are accessible to all Ocean Edge guests. Our family stayed in a spacious one bedroom Britterige Villa on Blueberry Pond. The newly updated unit features coastal colors and classic Cape Cod decor that made the space feel very much like home.
Our unit had a a private bedroom with king bed, living room with sleeper sofa, dining area, kitchenette and a walkout balcony. The bedroom has a separate air conditioning unit and blackout shades – which makes for perfect sleeping climate for a baby. While Arbor slept in a travel crib in the bedroom during naps/bedtime, the family had plenty of room to spread out and relax.
TIP: I highly recommend bringing your own drinks and snacks to keep in the kitchenette – it saves time and money! Our girls graze all day long, so we made sure to stock up on their favorites. There are several small markets within walking/driving distance of the Villages if you cannot bring items from home.
Wondering about other accommodations at Ocean Edge Resort? They welcome guests of all ages and party sizes. Brandon and I stayed on The Mansion side in a Premier Two-Queen Guest Room in 2020. Read more about our Mansion experience here.
Activities at Ocean Edge Resort
From swimming in one of the resorts’ five pools or biking along the Cape Cod Rail Trail, there are a variety of things to see and do at Ocean Edge Resort. Check out the activity options here or the daily activity calendar for special pop-up events (like archery on the front lawn!).
During our stay we had the option to experience one of the following activities: pickleball, kayaking, or a tennis lesson. My family chose to participate in a group tennis lesson with the resort’s Tennis Pro, Jim. He was so patient with the girls and very helpful with the grown-ups who’ve never had actual tennis lessons. We enjoyed our time so much that we bought rackets to practice our new skills on the neighborhood tennis courts.
Swimming in the Arbor Pool
There are actually five swimming pools – indoor and outdoor – at Ocean Edge Resort. The weather was cloudy and cool on first day of vacation, so we briefly considered a visit to the heated Bay Pines Pool on the Mansion Side of the resort. However, after checking out the Arbor Pool, it quickly became our family favorite. It has plenty of seating with umbrella coverage, a toddler pool, hot tub, and the Shark Bah.
The Arbor Pool is the resort’s largest outdoor pool and is located on the Villages side of the property across from Linx Tavern. Towels are free to Ocean Edge guests and can be obtained upon entering the pool area from the lifeguards. Ailey forgot her swimmies at home, but there were pool noodles for guests to use to float.
The Arbor Pool is also known for hosting family activities, like Belly Flop contests and nightly movies. Annabelle joined other children and resort staff to play pool games one afternoon. She was so excited to come in third place for Biggest Splash during the Cannonball Contest!
If you’re interested in the Shark Bah you can dine at the bar counter or order from a server. The servers walk around the pool area to take your order from a nice menu of light snacks, salads and sandwiches, plus non-alcoholic and alcoholic drinks. We brought snacks and water bottles for the girls, but also ordered from the menu. Annabelle and Ailey split a cheeseburger and fries for lunch that was more than enough food for two little girls. Brandon and I opted for the refreshing frozen drinks!
It was a happy coincidence that our family spent the majority of our vacation in the Arbor Pool with Arbor. Note: The Arbor pool is not within walking distance of the Britterige Villas.
Dining with Kids at Ocean Edge Resort
I really appreciate a resort that makes dining with kids easy. The Ocean Edge Resort has a variety of kid-friendly food options at all of their restaurants on the property. We enjoyed breakfast twice at the Ocean Terrace restaurant, lunch at The Shark Bah, dinner on the Front Lawn, and dinner at the Ocean Terrace.
Breakfast at the Ocean Terrace
The Ocean Terrace is an incredibly beautiful place to dine as you can see the Cape Cod Bay from almost anywhere you sit. Our first impressions of the restaurant during my birthday dinner in 2020 were that this could be a risky place to bring children. We had a most elegant and fabulous experience! However, we quickly learned during our first meal that the Ocean Terrace is surprisingly kid-friendly.
Most parents know it’s never easy if a sleep trained baby doesn’t like to nap on the go. With that being said, Brandon and I ate our breakfast in shifts while taking care of a fussy Arbor. During the chaotic ordeal, the staff brought out the girls’ meals quickly and kept our mugs filled with hot coffee!
Over the course of two days, Ailey and Annabelle enjoyed the waffles, pancakes, french toast, eggs, and bacon. Ailey is still talking about the giant waffles and sweet strawberries while Annabelle has requested I find out how the chef makes the most perfect bacon.
Note: There are not any kids options on the breakfast menu, but you can easily create a kid sized meal from the breakfast sides.
Brandon and I both opted for the same menu item each morning: Terrace Eggs for me (the best dairy free option) and Lobster Frittata for him. We also loved the almond milk cappuccino!
Dinner at the Ocean Terrace
The Ocean Terrace offers a menu featuring elevated New England fare – and a kid’s menu! For appetizers, we ordered the Crab Cake, Watermelon Feta Salad, Halibut Ceviche and New England Clam Chowder. The girls’ were adventurous in trying their first crab cake (which was SO tasty) and combined bites of watermelon and feta. For dinner we had Halibut, Grilled Swordfish, kids’ butter noodles and kids’ Filet Mignon. Every dish on our table was delicious – but Annabelle says the kids’ steak was out of this world.
If you have the opportunity to dine at the Ocean Terrace in the evening, the view of the sunset over the Cape Cod Bay is absolutely breathtaking.
Sunsets on the Beach
The colors of the sky during a sunset on the Cape are magical. After dinner, we rushed to the beach to catch the sun set up close. If you have the opportunity to visit the beach bar during golden hour, it’s the perfect spot to enjoy a beverage and nature’s show.
Dining and Playing on The Front Lawn
The Front Lawn is the place to be if you’re looking for a more casual dinner experience combined with outdoor family fun. The Front Lawn at Ocean Edge is known for easy to order food & drinks, plus games! Annabelle and Ailey were so excited to find hula hoops and a corn hole game right near our seating area.
One of the best parts about Cape Cod summers is the chance for a cool evening after a hot day. To accommodate any temperature, the Front Lawn has both fire pits and covered seating areas.
There is lots to choose from on the Front Lawn Menu but we heard the wood fired pizza is a family favorite! Annabelle and Ailey split a cheese pizza and lemonades, while I was very excited to try the Fig and Prosciutto. Bonus: the staff could accommodate my dairy allergy by omitting the cheese from my pie! We were so full after dinner we did not get to try another family favorite: S’mores Nachos.
Visiting the Beach at Ocean Edge Resort
The Cape Cod Bay is ideal for children and low tide loving guests. We had the most beautiful weather on our last day, so we spent our time at Bay Pines Beach! Our reservation included beach towels, chairs, an umbrella and food and beverage service. I loved being able to order drinks and snacks fromAccess includes towels, chairs, and food and beverage service. (we didn’t get to have our sunset cocktail with the kids in tow – so this was just as great)!
Annabelle and Ailey made a few friends while building sandcastles and collected hermit crabs. Arbor put her toes in the water and enjoyed trying to eat the sand.
Note: Ocean Edge Resort guests staying at the Mansion and select Village units have free access to a private stretch of shore called Bay Pines Beach. Access includes towels, chairs, and food and beverage service. If you’re staying at the Villages and want to visit one of Brewsters’ beaches, you can enjoy complimentary shuttle service to scenic Crosby Landing. Read more about the beaches here.
A few more photos from our stay…
Your Ocean Edge Resort Questions Answered
- Can you use all of the Ocean Edge Resort amenities despite where you stay on the property?
- Where is the beach access? Bay Pines Beach is located past the tennis courts towards the back of the Mansion property. The private stretch of shore includes towels, chairs, and food and beverage service. Access to our private beach from Memorial Day Weekend through Labor Day is offered exclusively to guests staying on The Mansion side of the property. This is due to capacity on the beach with the bay’s dramatically changing tide.
- Is it all inclusive? Ocean Edge Resort offers all the amenities you may need for a family vacation but does not offer a meal plan.
- How was it staying in the Villas? We loved the privacy and coziness of our unit.
- Are the villas all the same? We stayed in a Britterige Unit, all of which underwent a renovation in 2020 so they’re the most recently refreshed. However, all of the other villas still have a modern coastal feel.
- Is Ocean Edge booked for the summer? Summer is high season, so Ocean Edge is at high occupancy throughout the property for the next two months. However, there is still availability! I recommend calling Ocean Edge if you have any difficulty booking online. There is no minimum-night-stay, though Ocean Edge does offer special rates for extended stays. You can request the rates by filling out the form here.
- How far is Ocean Edge from Connecticut? Depending on where you live in CT, it’s around 3-3.5 hours.
- Are the restaurants/beach bar open to the public or only resort guests? Yes! The restaurants on the property are all open to the public!
- Does the property offer transportation to and from the Villas or around Brewster? Yes, from Memorial Day through Labor Day there’s a complimentary shuttle around the resort. The property also offers complimentary transportation to Crosby Landing Beach, one of Brewster’s most picturesque and spacious beaches.
Looking for details on a kid-free trip to Ocean Edge Resort? Check out our Romantic Fall Getaway to Ocean Edge Resort and Part Two here.
Ocean Edge Resort & Golf Club hosted our family trip, but all opinions and thoughts are our own. Thank you to the wonderful staff for a memorable trip!
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