Classic Summer Getaway...
 Americans were vacationing on Cape Cod
even before many states were states. Few places wear
their history with such grace, from the Pilgrims to John F.
Kennedy, in 15 charming towns from Woods Hole to Provincetown.
The
Cape is also a natural for outdoor activities. Beaches run
from tame-enough-for-toddlers to cowabunga,
and the Cape Cod National Seashore is 42 square miles with
beachcombing, kayaking and demonstrations of age-old lifesaving
techniques. The Cape Cod Rail Trail is a former train line
converted into a 22-plus-mile bike path, and boats will take
you sailing, fishing or whale- or seal-spotting. Baseball
fans can see tomorrow's sluggers in the amateur Cape Cod
Baseball League — one in seven players in the Majors
started here.
 Art
lovers can celebrate from the Sandwich Glass Museum to the
Provincetown Art Association. There's summer theater in just
about every town, and in Dennis there's a cinema that premiered
the Wizard of Oz. Provincetown is a shopper's dream,
and much of Route 6A, the Old King's Highway, is lined with
antique shops.
Summer is the classic
season to visit the Cape, but here's a tip: autumn can be
delightful. Cooler weather means fewer crowds and your run
of the Cape's fine restaurants. You'll definitely write home
about the seafood!
After all, it is called
Cape Cod.
Laura
Lesnie
Editor, Your Travel Insider
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Wequassett
Inn
 Wequassett
is more than an inn; it's an entire waterside campus. Rooms
(from $150/$425 low/high season) are arrayed cottage style
across rolling hills, and the inn offers tennis, water
sports, a fitness center, children's activities, meeting
facilities, and privileges at Cape Cod National Golf Club.
The resort's restaurant, Twenty-Eight Atlantic, is one
of the Cape's top tables. Wequassett also hosts the Cape
Cod Jazz Festival, through August. It's in Chatham, at
the elbow of Cape Cod, meaning that anywhere else on the
Cape is less than an hour away.
Website: www.wequassett.com
Chatham Bars Inn
 A
short walk from central Chatham, this grande dame was built
in 1913 on a hill overlooking 25 beachside acres with something
for everybody: heated pool, tennis, croquet and a shuttle across
an inlet to an even quieter beach. Or just relax over cocktails
on the veranda. Rooms are from $180/$360 (low/high season),
but go for a master suite (from $445/$850 low/high season)
for space to spare. The splendid dining room is one of the
few semi-formal dinner places on the Cape, and the oh-so-Cape
Cod lobster omelet rules at breakfast.
Website: www.chathambarsinn.com
Lands End Inn
 Sometimes
it seems that the "P" in Provincetown
stands for "party," but this intimate 1904 B&B
is far from the crowds. Outside it looks like a cluster of
gazebos, while inside you're treated to stained glass windows,
Asian murals and overstuffed furniture, the better to enjoy
your wine and cheese in the afternoon. Rooms ($135 - $525,
based on the season) are individually furnished: yours might
include a Tiffany lamp, museum quality antiques, balcony or
separate bedroom suite. (Note: the inn closes for the season
from November to mid-May.)
Website: www.landsendinn.com |
