Cape Cod for a Relaxing Family Vacation
Cape Cod may seem an upscale getaway to most, but to me, it is where I called home for eight wonderful years. The heart of The Cape is a small town named Hyannis; here you can find all of the modern-day conveniences, such as Stop & Shop, Drug Stores, clothing stores, fast food joints and a nice sized mall. This is probably the most “city-like” town you will find. Once you leave Hyannis, you’ll find charming towns in both directions. Traveling inward from Hyannis, you’ll find Centerville, Osterville, Cotuit, Mashpee and Falmouth. Traveling away from Hyannis, you’ll find Yarmouth, Dennis, Harwich, Orleans and at the outer most part of the Cape, Provincetown. It’s a wonderful ride from one end of the Cape to the other and only takes about an hour, unless there is summer traffic.
On the Cape you can travel just one mile north or south in any direction and find a beach. Pine trees, soft sand shouldered roads and quaint houses line every town on the Cape, making it a picturesque place to visit. There are pubs and seafood restaurants in every town, my favorite being The Hearth and Kettle, stupendous food, always from scratch and trust me you’ll taste the difference. If you go to the South Yarmouth location, they have a romantic fireplace and intimate tables made for two.
Main Street in Hyannis is usually where fairs, carnivals or any other seasonal festivity can be found; they will shut down the entire street, making it a fun time for everyone. Even if there isn’t a fair in town though, Main Street is still a nice walk; there are plenty of shops, old and new, artsy and hip, to please everyone in the family.
There are three major ports on the Cape; Falmouth, Hyannis and Provincetown, from any of these, you can travel to Martha’s Vineyard or Nantucket, or even take a whale watching trip, these are very exciting, especially for little ones. For the older folk, Hyannis is also home to the John F. Kennedy Museum, this is right on Main Street as well.
While you may be looking forward to a relaxing vacation doing absolutely nothing, your kids might have other plans. Here are a few ideas to keep the whole family happy.
–Sam Diego’s – You must, must, must visit this Tex-Mex restaurant! They have the freshest food and the greatest waitstaff ON the Cape HANDS DOWN.
–Cape Cod Railroad – A train ride from Hyannis to the Cape Cod Canal and back is an unforgettable trip. The railroad offers a family dinner train, fine dining for you and family favorites for the kids. I’m sure your little ones will remember this for years to come.
– Cape Bowl in Hyannis is a nice place to cool off on those hot and sticky August days. They have a snack bar and even a few arcade games.
– Mini Golf – There are a few places you can go, my personal favorite is Pirate’s Cove in West Yarmouth. Beware though! This is also everyone else visiting the Cape’s favorite. I would go early in the day to avoid lines and a heat wave.
– Steve & Sues – This is adjacent to Pirate’s Cove, they have awesome soft serve ice cream, try the butter crunch for a different kind of treat on your ice cream. They also have a nice gift shop inside and plenty of edible delights.
– The Cape Cod Mall – If you have teenagers, do yourself a favor and let them roam for a half day. There is plenty of shopping restaurants and security to keep this a pleasant shopping experience.
– Whale Watch – As previously mentioned, these are terrific for children. You can even have your event video taped and save the memory for years to come. My Dad treasured this video f his first whale watch with my son.
– Skate Park in Hyannis – Have a skater in the family? They will appreciate a day to themselves, nothing but concrete and their boards. If you’re feeling extra nice, you could even check out new boards at the Boarding House on Main Street. (This is where all the cool kids get their boards)
– Wings Gift Shop in South Yarmouth – This is a such a fun place to go! They have everything you could ever think of to make your trip to Cape Cod unforgettable. They also have boogie boards, jewelry, sweatshirts, sunglasses, tanning oil and so much more.
– The beach – You cannot go wrong and this is probably where the majority of your vacation time will be spent. Here are a few nice beaches to look up; Mayflower Beach in Dennis, known for its extremely gentle tides and miles of open beach, great for little ones who still aren’t sure about the ocean. Craigville Beach, this place is a zoo, but so fun! You’ll find a million other kids teenagers and adults. Definitely the place to go if your kids are looking for by-the-day playmates. They also have a pizza and Mexican restaurant appropriately named Craigville Pizza. Try the tacos! Nauset Beach is beautiful and frequented by surfers and even seals! This beach is a little rough and may be more appropriate for the older part of the family. These are just a few of my favorite beaches; make sure to check out as many as you can though. Every beach offers something different.
Tips for Cape Traveling
If you can avoid driving DO! The Cape is a MADHOUSE during summertime, especially on Route 28, which is the route most people use to get everywhere. If you’re planning a day trip, leave early and beat the crowds. If you’re buzzing around town, walk or rent bikes. Give yourself at least 2 hours if you are driving, yes people, it’s that serious.
Book your hotel ahead of time – Nothing is worse than being tired, hungry and ready for a shower and you have no place to go, especially on 4th of July weekend. There are very decent room rates especially in West Yarmouth; this is a great locale as it’s about 5 minutes from Hyannis and 10 from South Yarmouth.
Pack an extra bag – You’ll need this for sweatshirts, souvenirs and seashells!
Regardless of where you visit on the Cape, just remember to relax, give yourself plenty of time to spare and waste your days being lazy! You’ll come back from vacation feeling relaxed and trust me, the Cape will leave not only your face glowing, but your heart as well.
Helpful Links & Addresses
Craigville Pizza (508) 394-5060
1077 Route 28
South Yarmouth, MA 02664
Wings (508) 775-7315
532 Route 28
West Yarmouth, MA 02673
Steve & Sues (508) 790-3195
44 Route 28
West Yarmouth, MA 02673
Cape Cod Railroad Family DInner Trainwww.capetrain.com
Sam Diego’swww.samdiegos.com
Skate Park in Hyannishttp://www.townofbarnstable.org/Recreation/skatePark.asp
Whale Watchhttp://www.whales.net/
The Cape Cod Mallhttp://www.simon.com/mall/mall_info.aspx?ID=333
Pirate’s Cove in West Yarmouthwww.piratescove.net
John F. Kennedy Museumhttp://www.jfkhyannismuseum.org/
Hearth n’ Kettlehttp://www.hearthnkettle.com/?source=citysearch
