Over Yonder: The Cape

My sister, Anne, left Texas for Boston for undergrad, and never looked back. She stayed for grad school, met a nice New England boy, got married and has three kids. I'd say her roots are pretty well transplanted up there (much to my dad's dismay, she has long left her allegiance to the Cowboys and Rangers for the likes of the Pats and Sox).

Sports teams aside, it's been a great education for all of us. We've been lucky to spend time with her family each summer at Cape Cod, and so she's agreed to share her insider tips for a visit to The Cape.

 Anyone who frequents the Cape (first rule of sounding like a local: never refer to it as Cape Cod) undoubtedly thinks “their” Cape is the best. With 15 distinct towns covering the roughly 60 miles from the Sagamore Bridge to P-town, it’s tough to provide a “Best Of” list of the whole Cape, so I’ll focus on the best part (in my unbiased opinion, of course), the Lower and Outer Cape.

Cape Cod Rail Trail – Truly a must-do at least once. While biking for exercise is nice (if you are into that thing on vacation, I guess), the true fun in the bike path is making a day of it. The bike path runs 22 miles from end to end, so there’s lots of flexibility in how long or short you want to make your trip. We rent in Eastham, and one of our annual rides begins by heading west towards Brewster. Our first stop is Sheep’s Pond. A hidden treasure on the Cape are the kettle ponds and Sheep’s can’t be beat. Crisp and clear, it’s a perfect spot for a dip, especially after working up a sweat on your bike. The small beach area is great for kids. Note: the parking area is for Brewster residents only, which makes it a perfect biking destination. After an hour or two at Sheep’s, we’ve usually worked up an appetite and head to Guapo’s, just a couple of miles east, for fish tacos and the best margaritas we’ve ever had. Super casual, with only outdoor seating, this is truly a can’t-miss spot. The best way to wind up a 20 mile bike trip? Ice cream, of course. There are no shortages of ice cream places along the bike path, but we usually end up at Arnold’s (more on Arnold’s later), as it’s just a mile or so from our house. They serve Richardson’s ice cream (imported all the way from north of Boston), with plentiful servings and relatively reasonable prices. Cash only.

After a ride on the Rails to Trail, you definitely deserve a delicious, refreshing adult beverage from Guapo's.

The Beachcomber - Gorgeous beach, legendary bar and restaurant, as-fresh-as-you-can-get Wellfleet oysters…you can’t go wrong with the “Comb-ah.” Some insider tips: get there early (before 10), as the lot at the Beachcomber fills up quickly, especially on weekends. They charge $20 to park, but give you a voucher at the restaurant, so it’s a win-win. When you’ve had enough sea and surf, the bar is the perfect way to end your day. Lots of fresh seafood options, cold beer, and did I mention the oysters?

Sisters doing it right -- oysters on the half shell at the "Comb-ah"

Head of the Meadow – You really can’t go wrong with any of the National Seashore beaches, but this is, hands down, my favorite. When the tide goes out, it creates a lagoon of sorts which makes for great swimming (especially for little ones or weaker swimmers). You can swim across the lagoon to get to the ocean for bodysurfing and surfing. It’s always a good idea to keep an eye on the tide – when it starts coming back in, the lagoon fills back up quickly (and gets deep!) so if you have non-swimmers with you, be sure to get back across before you/they can no longer touch. As a note on all National Seashore beaches, they have lifeguards and bathrooms, but no concessions, so make sure you pack a cooler with lunch and snacks. Also, it’s $15/day to park, but you can buy an annual pass for $45 which is a pretty good deal if you’ll be on the Cape for a week or longer.

Wild dunes and great surf at Head of the Meadow

Ice Cream. Lots of it. Spend 5 minutes driving on the Cape, and you’ll no doubt pass at least 5 ice cream places. My goal every summer is to have ice cream every day, which usually doesn’t pose a problem. In most cases, you can’t go wrong but my all-time favorite is Sundae School. There are multiple locations but we usually go the one in Orleans. Get black raspberry anything and you won’t be disappointed. Also cash only.

Fried seafood. Our favorite – touristy though it may be – is Arnold’s. Their fried scallops are melt-in-your-mouth good, and the other fried offerings don’t disappoint either. I can also vouch for their lobster dinners and lobster rolls (they offer an option for “warm with butter” vs. “cold with mayo” which seals the deal for my mayo-averse self). Lines are crazy here and start early – it’s not uncommon to have lines start well before 6. Good news is that it moves pretty quickly (though it often doesn’t seem like it if you are wrangling toddlers, like we have been the past few years), but the even better news is that you can call ahead and take it go. A favorite evening of ours is to bring our Arnold’s takeout to one of the bay beaches to watch the sunset. If you get there after peak hours, you can park for free and take advantage of breathtaking views. Our spot of choice is First Encounter Beach, just a few minutes away from Arnold’s.

PB  Boulangerie: Fine dining and the Cape haven’t always gone together but the food and ambience at this true French bistro in Wellfleet (many of the servers also hail from France), are a nice departure from the aforementioned fried seafood. Definitely not kid-friendly for dinner (unless your kids are way more civilized than mine!) but makes a good morning or afternoon bike path pit stop. Located right near the end of the bike path in Wellfleet, the coffee, croissants and pastries can’t be beat.

Mouth-watering assortment of pastries from PB Boulangerie

Thanks, Anne, for sharing your insider knowledge!

Hope y'all have a happy summer ... and happy trails!

Kate