Cape Cod Splash Down

It was cool and a little damp when we arrived in Boston, a welcome change from the 95-degree, drought stricken state of Utah we call home. My wife and I took in some sights in Boston for a few days before leaving for a week in Yarmouth Cape Cod, Massachusetts. We had fresh seafood almost every day. Went fishing in the Atlantic Ocean and ate our catch that night (flounder and sea bass). We also enjoyed some biking, shopping, and spent time on the beach. The historical sights are very special in this part of the country.

Quick Tips:

If you have never been to this part of the country, Boston, Salem, and Plymouth are a must see. The trolley tours are good in Boston and try to have lunch at Quincy Market. There are so many kinds of food at Quincy Market, plan on a long lunch.

A rent-a-car is a must when you leave the Boston area. Spend some time in Plymouth. Plymouth has the Mayflower II, Plimouth Plantation, and Burial Hill. Don’t miss Burial Hill, it's very interesting for you history buffs.

If you like to get away for a while on a bike, try the canal trail while at the Cape. The canal trail has more sights to see and it is not as long and boring. If you’re not in shape don’t beat yourself up on the Rail Trail like we did.

Best Way To Get Around:

The best way to get around in Boston is public transportation. A rent-a-car is best for Salem, Plymouth and Cape Cod.

Best Things Nearby:
The ocean, beaches, shopping, good restaurants, fishing, historical sights and bike trails.

Best Things About the Resort:
The converted motel unit was clean. We received fresh towels every day and the unit had two bathrooms. It's also in a good central south cape location in Yarmouth.

Resort Experience:
This resort is by no means luxurious. The one-bedroom unit we had was comfortable with two full size beds, two closets and two bathrooms. The couch in the living area was a hide-a-bed, but it was not used for this purpose. The pillows were like flat, hard pancakes! We went to a fabric store and bought some foam stuffing and went to K-mart and bought some zippered pillow covers and stuffed our own pillows. The cost was a total of $17.50 for both pillows. When it was time to pack them, we put each one in a small garbage bag and sucked the air out. The pillows took up relatively little space after that.

The indoor swimming pool was adequate, but the whirlpool was very small. We used the gas B-B-Q grill one day when we cooked our day's catch of fish from a fishing trip we went on out in the Atlantic.

Overall the Pier 7 Condominiums was not a bad place to stay considering the little time we spent there, other than sleeping. I would recommend this resort as long as most of your activities are spent around the Cape and not at the resort.

• Unit Type: 1 Bedroom
• Activities: Not Available
• Amenities: Fair
• Unit Satisfaction: Good
• Family Friendliness: Good
• Service: Very Good

If you like history, check out Burial Hill in Plymouth. It should not take much time. My wife and I enjoyed reading some of the very old head stones. It seems that many many years ago, people had a lot more to say on their relatives' headstones.

The Cape Cod Rail Trail is a paved bikeway that runs 28 miles from South Dennis to Wellfleet. The terrain is relatively flat, except where the tree roots have grown under the asphalt and they kind of feel like little speed bumps. There are some minor grades at certain sections in the Lower and Outer Cape areas, specifically Orleans and Wellfleet. It offers a variety in scenery and natural Cape landscapes, but it's a little boring compared to other trails like the Canal trail.