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Cape Cod's Many Faces
By parramore
The sandy arm of Cape Cod reaches yearningly seaward, its windblown beaches and ancient maritime villages partly lost in a reverie of whale ships and sea captains. Explorer Bartholemew Gosnold gave the Cape its name on finding his ship "pestered" by numerous "codfyshes," but now the famous seafood of Cape Cod-the piping hot chowder, heaping lobster rolls, and succulent white fish -is just part of what keeps visitors coming back to Massachusetts' beloved playground.
What I liked best was the enthusiastic preservation of regional culture-the pronounced accents, architectural oddities, and local histories that provide a welcome relief from the creeping uniformity of the American landscape. There's no doubt that aggressive marketing can transmute regional flavor into pre-packaged kitsch, but thankfully Cape Cod and its two famous islands are diverse enough, its inhabitants stubborn enough, to escape that fate. A fascinating, authentic charm prevails more often than not.
P'town: 400-years-old and Half-a-mile wide
I decided to begin my trip at the end. After crossing the Sagamore Bridge, I found myself driving past the sober 18th century villages of the western Upper Cape until I reached the artist haven and popular gay resort of Provincetown at the outmost tip-about a two-and-a-half hour drive. The feeling I had was that the further you get from the mainland, the more adventurous becomes the spirit of things, as if mainland rules don't apply to folks living their lives in the middle of the sea. The dour pilgrims landed first at Provincetown-and quickly moved on to Plymouth, finding the place inhospitable. Rum-runners found the spot more to their liking, using it as a drop point, and P'town fulfills the promise of its rowdy past with a festive and cosmopolitan present.
Commercial Street is P'town's main drag; a waterfront strip lined with an eclectic menagerie of stores, inns and art galleries. Spend an afternoon shopping and you can score a Nato mask, a vintage navy uniform, and a smashing black dress for your night on the town. To slide into P'town's very agreeable groove, park yourself in front of City Hall or grab a table at Bubala's to watch the colorful human parade. When you're feeling up for an adventure, you can do no better than an afternoon of whale watching or a stroll at Race Point to watch the sunset.
After the sun goes down, P'town really starts to hit its stride. Take your pick of comedy shows, drag queen cabaret acts, live music and cozy little pubs where you can have a pint and watch the ships go by. Start with dinner at the Lobster Pot, a local tradition, and finish up with a late-night slice at Spiritus, where everyone gathers to recap the evening.
For a restful sleep, choose an inn located on one of the charming side streets, chock full of quaint cottages; their front yards brimming over with flowers of every hue. I recommend the cozy and elegant Tucker Inn on Center Street, or the sleek and luxurious Carriage House on Central.
Hyannis: The Cape's Laid Back HubAbuzz with Provincetown's restless energy, I slipped into a more mellow pace in the Middle Cape. Hyannis is Cape Cod's largest town, encompassing Barnstable Village and Hyannisport. The area around Hyannis boasts some of the Cape's most attractive beaches, including the tranquil eight-mile barrier of Sandy Neck to the north and popular Craigville Beach to the south, where (bonus!) you'll find water actually warm enough to swim in.
Famed as Kennedy stomping ground, Hyannis has a picturesque inner harbor dotted with pleasure boats and ferries speeding travelers to Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket. While in Hyannis, stop by the John F. Kennedy Museum on Main Street and take a nostalgic trip to Camelot as you browse photos of boyish JFK frolicking around the Cape. Recent efforts to revitalize Main Street have helped to offset the encroachment of strip malls and chains stores in Hyannis, and after the museum, you may want to get an ice cream and take a stroll. There are plenty of stores to browse in, though none as interesting as those you'll find outside Hyannis along route 6A.
The quaint side of Cape Cod, with its antique stores and ubiquitous ice cream parlors, is best explored along this old and scenic highway. You'll find galleries filled with unusual glass and pottery, candle shops, vegetable stands, homemade fudge, lawn ornaments and an insane number of Christmas stores. Drive west and enjoy historic Sandwich, with its impressive Town Hall and pretty boat basin. Or head east and explore the villages of Yarmouth, Dennis and Brewster, all offering all you could ask for in striking colonial churches and tranquil village greens.
There are plenty of hotels and motels in Hyannis, but I suggest you opt for an inn. And if an inn with personality is what you're looking for, head for the sprawling Simmons Homestead on Scudder Avenue. You won't find a more knowledgeable innkeeper in Hyannis than Bob Putman, nor a better collection of knock-your-socks-off-red racecars than the one in his back yard.
As the Cape's commercial center, Hyannis boasts a top-notch selection of restaurants. Located on the waterfront, The Black Cat is a local favorite, as is The Paddock, an elegant establishment known for its solid menu (my swordfish with brandied peppercorn sauce was outstanding) and superb wine list. I enjoy the immediacy of humans playing actual instruments, and commend both restaurants for their old-school piano bars.
Nantucket: Jewel of the Cape
The first thing I asked myself after spending the night in Nantucket was: when can I come back? I wish I had thrown two pennies over the rail as my ferry from Hyannis passed the Brant Point Lighthouse-local legend says that doing so ensures a speedy return to the island. There's a lot to love about Nantucket-and I have to admit that I'm smitten. I found Nantucket to be entirely friendly and far less pretentious than I ever imagined. Native Americans referred to Nantucket as Nanticut, meaning 'faraway land,' and once there you'll feel far removed from the noisy clutter of modern life. Not a single McDonald's in sight. Go.
If you arrive in mid-summer, you'll find an eyecatching profusion of pink saltspray and fairy roses clinging to sides of weathered gray cottages. Any time of year you'll find gaslit cobblestone streets, magnificently preserved 19th century houses and peaceful, scenic beaches. Don't miss St. Paul's Episcopal Church, where you'll find Tiffany stained glass windows celebrating the beauty of the natural world in breathtakingly vivid colors.
Shopping in Nantucket is a quirky adventure, whether you decide to find your Inner Prep at Murray's Toggery Shop or have a perfume custom made at The Fragrance Bar. Well-known to collectors, the unique baskets of Nantucket are the most coveted items for sale. I'm told an antique basket once sold at auction in New York for over $100,000, but fortunately you can find affordable representatives of the island's long history of basketry at shops throughout the island.
Nantucket is a sophisticated place, and there are fine restaurants galore-I recommend Cioppino's for a lively atmosphere and wonderfully cozy bar. They serve the best lobster bisque I've ever tasted. If you end up having a beer, ask the bartender-sshh!-not too loudly, to tell you about Paul. This name means something very specific to Nantucket bartenders, and if you learn the story you've earned your first Nantucket stripe. Follow up dinner with a stop by the Atlantic Café for drinks.
The kind of inn you want in Nantucket is something restful and friendly, in keeping with the historic flavor of the island. I recommend the Lyon Street Inn , located in the historic district and decorated with carefully restored antiques.
Final Note: Though you may think of Cape Cod as a summer getaway, the region is well-suited to travel in autumn. In addition to fewer crowds, the Cape offers spectacular fall foliage, excellent paths for walking and biking along the National Seashore Trails, and chances to watch the cranberry harvest. Cozying up by a fire while a brisk autumn breeze blows over the sand dunes is a treat I intend to have as soon as I possibly can.
Upcoming festivals and events:
Pops by the Sea: the Boston Pops performs in August. Hyannis.
Carnival: Provincetown's answer to Mardi Gras. Aug. 15-22. Windmill Weekend: parade, fish fry and tricycle races, weekend after Labor Day. Eastham.
24th Annual Antiques Show: Put on by the Nantucket Historical Association. Aug. 3-5. Nantucket.
Recommended reading…
Herman Melville's Moby Dick
Henry David Thoreau's Cape Cod
Henry Beston's The Outermost House
Cape Cod Stories, edited by John Miller
KNOW YOUR CAPE
The Upper Cape - includes Bourne, Falmouth, Mashpee, and Sandwich.
The Mid Cape-comprises Barnstable, Yarmouth, and Dennis.
The Lower Cape-covers Brewster, Harwich, Chatham, Orleans, Eastham, Wellfleet, Truro, and Provincetown. The Outer Cape is the end of the Lower Cape and refers only to Wellfleet, Truro, and Provincetown.
