A Week in Cape Cod

Last summer, we decided that, for our summer vacation, we would spend a week in Cape Cod. We love to travel to places near our current duty station, wherever that may be, and this seemed like the perfect opportunity. We checked 3 National Park sites off our list, and enjoyed many of the iconic experiences the Cape has to offer. If you’re thinking about taking the family any time soon, or simply living vicariously, keep reading for the highlights from our week in Cape Cod!

On our first day, we visited the New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park in New Bedford, MA. If you’ve read Moby Dick, you’ll recognize New Bedford as the home of Herman Melville, and the origin of his famous story. Back during the height of the whaling industry, New Bedford was the capital, and the National Historical Park provides a rich history of the industry. Our favorite experience from the park was chatting with 2 reenactors in front of the visitor center, and learning about how life was for them as “whaling wives.” Also in town is the New Bedford Whaling Museum, which is affiliated with the historical park, but run privately and requires a separate admission fee. With whale skeletons suspended from the ceiling, and the world’s largest model whaling ship, this one is fun and educational for the whole family! We were able to visit for free, thanks to the Blue Star Museums program!

Day 2, we went on a whale watching tour with Hyannis Whale Watcher Cruises. I have wanted to go whale watching my whole life, and with the rich sea life off Cape Cod, this seemed like the perfect opportunity. These cruises take off from mid-cape at Barnstable Harbor, and venture out into Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary. Once we got out into the Bank, we were surrounded by whales for the better part of an hour. We saw at least a dozen different Humpback whales, a Minke whale, and lots of Atlantic White Sided dolphins!

Bonus: Hyannis Whale Watcher Cruises offers free admission to active-duty military, so my husband got in for free! This made it super affordable for our family, since kiddos age 3 and under are also free.
After whale watching (and naptime) we drove all the way to the end of the Cape to spend the evening on Race Point Beach in Provincetown on Cape Cod National Seashore. Our goal was to watch the sunset from here, but it was too cloudy that evening.

My husband and I both love history, so on Day 3, we visited the Whydah Pirate Museum, which is home to the largest collection of pirate artifacts from a single shipwreck. They are also the only museum in the world to have an authenticated pirate ship treasure! To learn more about the Whydah, before or after you visit, be sure to check out this video National Geographic did about the ship.
After our museum visit, we got lunch at Captain Parker’s Pub, which was basically next door, then did some shopping before heading to Coast Guard Beach to take some family photos.

A word about the beaches on Cape Cod: many of the beaches at Cape Cod are not necessarily public access, and almost all of them charge a $30/day parking fee. We exclusively utilized the beaches of Cape Cod National Seashore, which we could access for free with our Military Annual Pass. This saved us a lot on parking, and we could use it as much as we wanted!

Day 4 was Beach Day! We picked up coffee at Three Fins Coffee Roasters, and went to the Salt Pond Visitor Center to learn about the history of Cape Cod National Seashore before dragging our beach tent, wagon, and picnic lunch down to Nauset Light Beach for the afternoon. From many of the beaches on Cape Cod (depending on the season), you can see Gray and Harbor seals playing in the water! Just avoid swimming near them, as the abundance of seals during the summer makes the Cape Cod waters a favorite haunt for Great White Sharks. If you’re interested, you can keep up with Great White Shark sightings via the Sharktivity app! I downloaded it at the recommendation of a ranger at Cape Cod, and have kept it on my phone because I love sharks and enjoy keeping up with the sightings!

After our relaxing afternoon on the beach, we headed to Spanky’s Clam Shack to try a New England specialty: The Lobster Roll. Lobster Rolls are an iconic summer staple in New England, and for good reason!

Back on the mainland, about an hour from our Airbnb on the Cape, is Plymouth, Massachusetts, which was where we headed for Day 5. We spent the morning at the Plimoth Patuxet Museums, which is essentially a living history site that replicates the original Pilgrim settlement, and an authentic Patuxet village! We enjoyed learning about their ways of life from the reenactors, and getting a feel for what life would have been like for these people back in 1620!
From there, we went downtown to the Pilgrim Hall Museum. Inside, there are many artifacts from the Pilgrim’s voyage and life in America. You can also touch a piece of Plymouth Rock! One of my direct ancestors came over on the Mayflower in 1620, so getting to see a few pieces of my family’s history was especially meaningful to me.

After the Museum, we went down to the harbor to see a full-scale reproduction of the Mayflower: Mayflower II. You can purchase joint tickets to tour the boat when you’re at Plimoth Patuxet Museums for a discounted rate, or you can purchase them directly at the harbor. After touring the ship, we walked a short distance along the harbor to see Plymouth Rock. Viewing of this national treasure is always free as part of the Pilgrim Memorial State Park.
On our way home, we stopped for dinner at Rock Harbor Grill in Orleans, MA. We ended up eating here more than once, and their pizza was fantastic.

For our last day on Cape Cod, we decided to go lighthouse hopping and end the day at the beaches on the northern end of the Cape. If you’re into lighthouses, check out this list to learn where they all are, and which ones are accessible! We ended up at the Province Lands Visitor Center on the tip of the Cape, and walked out to the Old Harbor Life-Saving Station, where we got to watch a ranger-led “Beach Apparatus Drill”, during which they demonstrate how the old life-saving system worked back when it was operated as a maritime rescue station by the Coast Guard.
We briefly visited Herring Cove Beach, but ended up back at Race Point Beach due to its more sheltered location. The highlight of our day was seeing whales from the shore! Meanwhile our toddler occupied himself by digging trenches in the sand in front of his seat.

Finally, it was time to pack our bags and head home. On the way, we got one more stamp in our NPS passport books at nearby Springfield Armory National Historic Site in Springfield, MA.

Some of my favorite things about our week in Cape Cod were all the family friendly activities that were available. Some places don’t have a lot of options for families with younger children, but Cape Cod had an abundance. There are also little free libraries, coffee or ice cream shops and hydrangeas on every corner, and no matter what shape or size your family comes in, there’s something for everyone on Cape Cod.

PS. If you’re planning a road trip soon, be sure to check out our Travel Guide for Moms, full of lots of useful tips, from how to keep your kiddos happy in the car to tried-and-true tips for other National Park sites!