Cape Cod is a part of Massachusetts and stretches 65 miles into the Atlantic Ocean. With over 500 miles of coastline, it is the perfect spot for sun, sand, and sea. Come here for a quintessential New England summer and read on to learn about the best towns on Cape Cod!
Introduction to Cape Cod
Map of Cape Cod
There are 15 towns on Cape Cod, and many also have their own villages.
They are divided into the Upper Cape (Bourne, Sandwich, Falmouth, Mashpee), the Mid-Cape (Barnstable, Yarmouth, Dennis), the Lower Cape (Brewster, Harwich, Chatham, Orleans), and the Outer Cape (Eastham, Wellfleet, Truro, Provincetown).
Read: How to Get from Boston to Cape Cod
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best towns on Cape Cod for a day trip?
I think the best towns on Cape Cod for a day trip are Sandwich and Falmouth.
What is the nicest town on Cape Cod?
I think the nicest town on Cape Cod is Chatham.
What are the best downtowns on Cape Cod?
I think the best downtowns on Cape Cod are Falmouth, Chatham, and Provincetown.
What is the most walkable town on Cape Cod?
I think the most walkable town on Cape Cod is Provincetown.
What are the best towns on Cape Cod for families?
I think the best towns on Cape Cod for families are Falmouth, Yarmouth, and Dennis.
What is the best town on Cape Cod for young adults?
I think the best town on Cape Cod for young adults is Provincetown.
What is the best town on Cape Cod for couples?
I think the best town on Cape Cod for couples is Chatham.
What is the least touristy town on Cape Cod?
I think the least touristy town on Cape Cod is Truro.
Upper Cape
Bourne
Bourne is the gateway to Cape Cod and thus closest to mainland Massachusetts.
Cape Cod used to be a peninsula but eventually became an island with the construction of the Canal. Two bridges span the Canal, and I hold my breath every time I cross them (they were built in 1935 and the lanes are two feet narrower than modern standards).
There are plenty of quiet inlets for swimming, boating, and fishing as well as a 7-mile path along the Canal for walking, running, and biking.
You can also visit the Aptucxet Trading Post, a replica of the oldest store in the nation. It was built in 1627 by the Plymouth Colony, and they traded for items like beans and corn with the Wampanoag.
The National Marine Life Center is fun too, where they rehabilitate stranded marine animals (including plenty of sea turtles)!
Though Bourne is best for convenience, it is one of the less popular towns on Cape Cod, with most people choosing to drive further.
Best beach in Bourne, MA: Scusset Beach
Best place to stay in Bourne, MA: Beach Haven B&B
Sandwich
Sandwich is quaint and beautiful, with a more authentic and less commercialized feel. It was established in 1639 and has many historic districts that let you step back in time.
Heritage Museum and Gardens is bursting with flowers like hydrangeas and rhododendrons. You can also find a 1908 Looff Carousel with highly decorated carvings and a collection of antique automobiles like a 1910 Cadillac Model 30 Roadster and a 1912 Oldsmobile Autocrat.
The 700-acre Shawme-Crowell State Forest is full of pitch pines and scrub oaks, with 15 miles of trails for hiking and horseback riding as well as plenty of campsites.
The Boardwalk is another good spot for nature lovers, carrying you over salt marshes and dunes until you hit the beach. It was first constructed in 1875 and has been replaced many times over the years.
I love Sandwich and definitely recommend it for a vacation on Cape Cod!
Best beach in Sandwich, MA: Sandy Neck Beach
Best place to stay in Sandwich, MA: Dan’l Webster Inn & Spa
Falmouth
Falmouth is a cute seaside town with a lively Main Street and a picturesque Village Green. Here you can take a lazy stroll and pop into boutiques, galleries, and ice cream parlors with homemade candy.
The Shining Sea Bikeway is a 10.7-mile path that passes a salt marsh, a cranberry bog, and pastoral farmland.
Be sure to hit Nobska Light as well, which was constructed in 1876 and has stunning views from its lantern room.
The Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute is even famous, known throughout the world for its contributions to science. At the Discovery Center, you can climb inside a submersible that explores the ocean floor or play with an autonomous underwater vehicle used to observe great white sharks.
I have been to Falmouth many times on my way to Martha’s Vineyard. A ferry can take you over for a day trip, but you might just want to stay put and soak in the local charm!
Best beach in Falmouth, MA: Old Silver Beach
Best place to stay in Falmouth, MA: Woods Hole Inn
Mashpee
Mashpee is rich in Native American history and culture, making it an important stop for any traveler.
The Wampanoag (known as People of the First Light) have inhabited the area for over 12,000 years. You can visit the Wampanoag Tribal Museum, which has exhibits from the Stone Age to present day. They also have an annual Powwow in early July, with food, contests, drumming, and dancing.
The Mashpee Commons is an outdoor shopping center built to look like a New England downtown, with both local vendors and chains.
For a nature fix, visit the Waquoit Bay Reserve, which is a living laboratory that improves our understanding of coastal ecosystems and human influences on them. As long as you follow the rules, you can do things like swimming, boating, and fishing here.
Mashpee has more of a residential feel, and while I think it would be fun for a day trip, I recommend staying elsewhere for a vacation on Cape Cod.
Best beach in Mashpee, MA: South Cape Beach
Best place to stay in Mashpee, MA: Rentals like Airbnb or Vrbo
Mid-Cape
Barnstable (Hyannis)
Hyannis is a village in the town of Barnstable and a hub for Cape Cod in terms of transportation. You can get here by bus, train, or plane and even hop a ferry to Martha’s Vineyard or Nantucket. You will find more amenities too, including a lively downtown with shops and restaurants.
The John F. Kennedy Museum is a good spot to learn about his deep connection to Hyannis and delves into his life from infancy through the Camelot years of his presidency.
The Maritime Museum is interesting as well, with antique vessels, miniature ships, and boatbuilders at work.
You can actually get on the ocean with Pirate Adventures, an interactive cruise for children complete with painted faces, water cannons, and a secret map leading to underwater treasure.
While Hyannis is certainly up there in terms of convenience, I find the overall vibe to be more commercial and less classic for towns on Cape Cod.
Best beach in Hyannis, MA: Veterans Park Beach
Best place to stay in Hyannis, MA: Sea Street Inn
Yarmouth
Yarmouth is a charming town with plenty to do. The 25-mile Cape Cod Rail Trail starts here and is perfect for walking, running, or biking.
The Captains’ Mile has homes from the 1600s to the 1800s nestled within mature trees, and many of the former owners were linked to the Old China Trade.
The Whydah Pirate Museum has the first pirate shipwreck and actual pirate treasure! The vessel was launched in London in 1716 and sunk off Wellfleet the very next year with items like silver coins and wax seal rings.
Bass River is fun, especially for kayaking and paddleboarding, and if you like blue crab, then catching some from Crab Creek should definitely be on your list. Make sure you also hit the Boardwalk at Gray’s Beach, which carries you over a gorgeous salt marsh and has incredible sunsets.
Yarmouth is more affordable too, which makes it an even better option for a vacation on Cape Cod.
Best beach in Yarmouth, MA: Seagull Beach
Best place to stay in Yarmouth, MA: Captain Farris House
Dennis
Dennis is known for its beaches, where you can soak in summer.
Facing the Nantucket Sound, West Dennis Beach has soft sand and wide-open views.
Facing Cape Cod Bay, Chapin Memorial Beach is more secluded while Mayflower Beach has calm water (and a sand sculpting contest)! The tidepools of Corporation Beach and the grassy dunes of Cold Storage Beach are sure to delight as well.
The Cape Playhouse is the longest-running professional summer theater in the entire country. It was established in 1927 and has seen the likes of Bette Davis, Ginger Rogers, and Julie Andrews. A few more recent productions are Grease, My Fair Lady, and The Music Man.
The Scargo Tower is a 30-foot-tall cobblestone observatory with stunning views that soar all the way to Plymouth and Provincetown.
Dennis is also one of the less expensive towns on Cape Cod and perfect for those looking to enjoy the sun and sea!
Best beach in Dennis, MA: Mayflower Beach
Best place to stay in Dennis, MA: An English Garden B&B
Lower Cape
Brewster
Brewster is called the Sea Captains’ town and for good reason; many of them lived here in the 18th and 19th centuries, leaving behind elegant mansions that have since been converted into inns or museums.
If you would rather sleep under the stars, then head over to Nickerson State Park, which has over 400 campsites across 2,000 acres of woods and kettle ponds. The grounds are open for a variety of activities, like hiking, biking, kayaking, and canoeing.
The Cape Rep Theatre even hosts shows inside the park, with an indoor theater for colder months and an outdoor theater for warmer months.
The Cape Cod Museum of Natural History is always fun too, especially the hike that explores the Brewster Flats (when the waters recede over a mile to reveal sandbars, tidal pools, and clam beds).
I love the authentic feel of Brewster and definitely recommend it for a vacation on Cape Cod.
Best beach in Brewster, MA: Breakwater Beach
Best place to stay in Brewster, MA: Candleberry Inn (a 1790s sea farm)
Harwich
Harwich is small but still packs a punch, especially with the adorable downtown tucked in the village of Harwich Port. There are Mom-and-Pop shops, galleries, restaurants, and three lovely harbors (make sure to hit Sundae School, an ice cream parlor).
This town is also home to cranberry bogs, and you can even tour one! Try and make it for the harvest in October and leave some time to peruse the farmstand afterwards.
The cranberry festival in mid-September is a great event too, with music, fireworks, and local vendors selling handmade crafts.
I love to stop by the fragrant lavender fields, where you can relax amidst the serene beauty. They are best seen in late June to mid-July, and you can buy items like soaps and candles to take home with you!
Nantucket is just a short ferry ride away, making for an easy day trip, but I often choose to travel slow and soak in one place, especially in one of the most charming towns on Cape Cod.
Best beach in Harwich, MA: Red River Beach
Best place to stay in Harwich, MA: Platinum Pebble Boutique Inn
Chatham
Chatham is beautiful and quite possibly my favorite town on Cape Cod. It has a ton of character and a very classic, upscale feel.
You can stroll Main Street and find items like antique maps and nautical charts or artisanal oils and vinegars. Be sure to visit the Mayflower, with stunning home decor and gifts, and the Candy Manor, with hand-dipped chocolates and homemade fudge.
Chatham Light was constructed in 1877 to help guide ships through the dangerous waters off Cape Cod. It used to have a twin that has since been moved to Eastham, and the nearby beach has stunning sunrises.
The Atlantic White Shark Conservancy is a must-see too, where you can learn about these frightening (and magnificent!) summer residents. They have a tour that will take you to check a receiver buoy for recent activity and even private charters to spot sharks.
Chatham is a treasure and the perfect choice for a memorable vacation on Cape Cod.
Best beach in Chatham, MA: Ridgevale Beach
Best place to stay in Chatham, MA: Chatham Bars Inn
Orleans
Orleans is a gorgeous town with a big emphasis on the arts, so much so that it was designated an official Cultural District by the state.
There is an abundance of opportunities to enrich yourself, from murals and theater performances to concerts and literary discussions.
You can pop into the galleries spread across a cute downtown, such as Eastwind Gallery and Left Bank Gallery. The Artist Cottages are nearby and showcase the incredible talent of people living on Cape Cod.
Rock Harbor should be on your list as well, with boating, fishing, and seafood that is the very definition of fresh and local. A famous wooden lifeboat is displayed here, used by the Coast Guard on a daring mission to rescue survivors from the tankard Pendleton, which split in half during a brutal winter storm in 1952.
Fewer tourists flock to Orleans in comparison to other towns on Cape Cod, making it a good spot to find some peace and quiet.
Best beach in Orleans, MA: Skaket Beach
Best place to stay in Orleans, MA: The Parsonage Inn
Outer Cape
Eastham
Eastham is full of history. It was the site of the First Encounter between Mayflower Pilgrims and the Nauset Native American tribe ( shots were fired and arrows were loosed but nobody was harmed).
The Eastham Windmill is the oldest gristmill on Cape Cod; it was built in 1680 and has been lovingly restored and maintained.
You can visit the Three Sisters of Nauset, a historic trio of lighthouses that resemble women in white dresses and black hats. They were lit in 1839 and eventually allowed to fall into the encroaching sea (the second iteration was built further inland).
Nauset Light was constructed in 1877 in Chatham and moved here later. You might even recognize it from the bag of a famous local potato chip brand!
Eastham is also the start of the Cape Cod National Seashore and has some truly incredible beaches.
I love Eastham but if you want a vacation on Cape Cod with more hustle and bustle, then I recommend staying elsewhere.
Best beach in Eastham, MA: Coast Guard Beach
Best place to stay in Eastham, MA: Inn at the Oaks
Wellfleet
Wellfleet is a tranquil town with a rustic, carefree feel. The 25-mile Cape Cod Rail Trail ends here and is perfect for walking, running, or biking.
You can grab a bunch of fresh fried seafood at Wellfleet Harbor, where they serve everything from clams to scallops. The oyster fest in mid-October is a great event too, with oyster farm walking tours and oyster shucking competitions.
Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary is absolutely breathtaking and has a freshwater pond, salt marsh, and beach. You can also take an early morning walk to see a wide variety of birds like herons and osprey.
For fun, catch a movie at the drive-in theater, open since 1957 and the last of its kind on Cape Cod. If you want more of a party atmosphere, then head to the Beachcomber, a lively spot for drinks on Cahoon Hollow Beach.
The Cape Cod National Seashore also continues in Wellfleet, offering up a quintessential beachgoing experience.
Best beach in Wellfleet, MA: Marconi Beach
Best place to stay in Wellfleet, MA: Rentals like Airbnb or Vrbo
Truro
Truro has pristine landscapes and tons of seashore with a mostly sleepy vibe.
Highland Light is the oldest and tallest lighthouse on Cape Cod; George Washington commissioned it in 1797, and it stands at 66 feet. Henry David Thoreau even wrote about its history for the Atlantic Monthly.
Truro Vineyards is a nice stop, where they have perfected the art of seaside grape growing. You can sample a chardonnay or a merlot and taste their commitment to quality.
They also run South Hollow Spirits (the first distillery on Cape Cod since Prohibition) using a 250-gallon copper pot and column still to make rum and gin.
Highland Links is an incredible golf course with panoramic ocean views. It was founded circa 1892-1898 and hangs onto some windswept bluffs in the faithful Scottish tradition.
If you want to relax and recharge, then I definitely recommend Truro for a vacation on Cape Cod.
Best beach in Truro, MA: Head of the Meadow Beach
Best place to stay in Truro, MA: Rentals like Airbnb or Vrbo
Provincetown
Provincetown has a lively and welcoming atmosphere, making it a very popular spot on Cape Cod.
Take a stroll down Commercial Street and enjoy the incredibly charming shops and restaurants. Provincetown is also an LGBTQ+ haven and hosts a weeklong carnival in mid-August with parties and costumes.
There are many galleries here too, since this area is the oldest art colony in the United States. You can pop into the Provincetown Art and Association Museum and see historic and contemporary works by local artists.
Next, head down to MacMillan Pier and find a boat for whale watching or maybe just to admire the sunset from the water. If you prefer to stay on land, then hike over the dunes to Race Point Light and take in the stunning panoramic ocean views.
I think Provincetown is one of the most fun towns on Cape Cod and certain to provide a unique experience.
Best beach in Provincetown, MA: Herring Cove Beach
Best place to stay in Provincetown, MA: Lands End Inn
I hope this post gave you a sense of each of the towns on Cape Cod! For travel tips, read about how to get from Boston to Cape Cod (including by ferry and by plane).
If you want to visit the islands, then check out the Martha’s Vineyard ferry or the Nantucket ferry.
Enjoy!