Family Week in P'Town

It's a place for the free spirit. P'Town (yes it's okay to call it P'Town) was actually the first place the pilgrims landed in the New World, and, ever since, it's been a place for the misfit and free spirit. It's the kind of town where everyone has a story and everyone minds his or her business. Often, tourists will walk down Commercial Street with amazed looks on their faces as a pair of sassy drag queens ride by you on a vespa. The locals don't take notice.

P'Town is a summer town. Many business close for the winter and the population decreases. A few brave souls survive the cold winters. It's like the tide on Cape Cod, the tourists and locals flock here during the summer and retreat in the winter. It happens like clock work year after year.

Each year, during the peak of the summer tourist season, FAMILY WEEK happens. This is a special week when gay families from all over the world gather to celebrate and meet old and new friends. The streets are alive with laughter from hundreds of Queer Spawn (the name kids with gay parents like to call each other).

The week is a special time, full of clambakes, fish frys, bonfires, and kickball games. The weather is usually at it's summer peak and life could not be better.

We love P'town anytime, but family week is the most special week of all. The day we leave we already start to book for the next year. We wouldn't miss it.

Quick Tips:

The hosted dinners are a great way to meet other families, so try to get to as many of them as possible.

Best Way To Get Around:

Once you are in P'town, I suggest that you park your car.

Provincetown is narrow and is full of people on foot. The only sane option other than your feet, is to rent a bike. The beaches are even walkable. There is a trolly that circles the area, but we still agree your feet are the best option. The walk down Commercial Street will always surprise you with a new and outrageous sights.

If you plan on doing any exploring around the Cape, you will need an automobile.

The main thing I can say about the Provincetown Inn is LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION. It sure has it! This has to be the prime piece of real estate for a hotel in Cape Cod. The hotel is located at the far end of Commercial Street but is very walkable (or bike-able) into town. It sits at the very tip of the Cape and has some killer views from its grassy lawn in the back. On one view you can look and see the whole town and look the other way and you see the tip of the Cape and the quaint lighthouse. It's in a prime spot for tide pools and the kids loved going down and looking for critters when the tide was low.

The motel is a typical 1950s or 1960s low rise that frankly is uninteresting and uninspired. The lobby is dark and has the feel of a bad den from the 1960s with lots of browns, oranges, and yellows. The desk is little more than a hole in the wall. In the hall there are some cheesy murals of Cape Cod history painted on the walls. The motel does have a restaurant and comedy club and seems to be a popular hangout.

Not all places in Cape Cod have a pool, but this motel does have a good sized pool and also the beach, plus it's walkable to the big main beach, just a few blocks away.

I did not see a room close up, but we did walk by some. The rooms seem average. The room rate for in-season weekends range from $159.00 to $369.00. These rates seem pretty much inline for high season in P'Town. Also like anywhere on the cape, they offer some bargain basement prices for other times of the year.

We had a BBQ and a Fish Fry here. The BBQ was good, but the Fish Fry was outstanding. The staff did a great job and the food was delicious. I was surprised what a great job they did for so many people.

As far as looks, this would never be my first choice in P'Town, but if you are a location hound, you aren't going to get any better than this motel anywhere on the Cape!

Closer to the time of arrival we called. Again the staff was friendly and told us we were in a room on the ocean with a small kitchenette. They even gave us the room number being held for us and welcomed us. We felt very comfortable with our pick.

However when we arrived we were told our promised room was not available, it had been given away. This was family week and one of the busiest weeks on the Cape. Our new room was in the older building, we did not have an ocean view, in fact we had a parking lot view. When we got up to the room it was miserable. Tiny, no kitchen and yes a very ugly parking lot view. However we were assured nothing else in the hotel was open for the week.

I sat on the bed stunned. This room just wouldn't work for four people for a whole week. I called downstairs and got aggressive. I told them this was not the room reserved and they needed to find us a new hotel for the week. Ten minutes later the phone rang. "Okay, we do have a room open on the water." Mysteriously a room had opened up just like the one we had been promised. It was on the water, had a kitchenette and was much larger. I felt bad for being so firm, but it did show sometimes you have to be.

In reality Surfside is great. It has a pool, a killer breakfast each morning. It has a fun beach where kids can explore the ocean floor during low tide. It is a healthy walk to town, but certainly walk-able (or bike ride-able) and it has a large parking lot, plus free computer usage. Many of these basic features are uncommon for P'town. It also is a nice mix of straight and gay.

They do have two large apartments that are on the water. We booked one for next year and hope they don't pull the old switch-a-roo again. Other than this one run in, the staff was great. They were friendly and helpful.

My one word of caution is that they have two buildings. The newer one is on the water and much nicer. The older one is across the street and is older and the rooms are much, much smaller. They also have no views. When you book make sure you have a room in the newer building and make sure they don't switch you when you arrive.

Tip's for Tops'n is off the main tourist path. It's a small family run Portuguese diner that has been in the family for three generations now.

The diner is fun with a marine theme going on inside. The booths are separated by large ship wheels and fish hang on the walls. The diner is small is usually is pretty full. However, tables seem to turn over pretty quickly.

The do have the regular fare like sandwiches and eggs, but they also serve Portuguese dishes like Kale soup. We found they have the best clam chowder and lobster rolls on the Cape.

We found the service to be friendly and helpful. We were made to feel like welcomed customers each time we went. We came with a pack of kids and the staff made sure everyone got what they wanted with a smile.

You may wonder what the silly name means. Well it means - the tip of the Cape for Tops in Service. They named it correctly and didn't lie. It turned out to be a favorite and one we kept finding ourselves in over and over.

It may say tourist trap to you, but trust me this is the real deal! This is just type the place you were hoping you would find on the Cape.

The restaurant has two levels and both have great ocean and harbor views. The service moves fast as they try to keep the lines of people moving in and out quickly.

We started with Bloody Marys (they are the house favorite). You will see why when a large Bloody is brought to your table. They are the best, a little on the spicy side, but just the pick me up you need.

The menu has a full range of local fish from cod to scrod and all the shellfish you were hoping to find. I have had the lobster here and it's always a good bet. This day Dan and Jim took us here and we had fried clams. They were outstanding, big clams, not greasy and the breading was not too heavy or too light, but just right!

The service was good, but quick. They kept our glasses full and the food came in a jiffy.

I love the Lobster Pot, it's a fun place to photograph and has become a part of the P'Town culture. You usually can get in pretty quick, but even on the days there is a line, it moves quick and is worth the wait.

The Mayflower Restaurant is located just around the bend from Plymouth Rock and has a good view of the Mayflower replica. It sits in the middle of the Marina in Plymouth. Although it's right there it seems to be popular with marina types and locals and only a few tourists.

The outdoor deck is the place to be on a warm summer day. You can watch the boats and the activity of the marina.

The Mayflower has a complete lists of lobster, steaks, ribs, pasta and salads. It's pretty much what you expect on a marina in the Atlantic.

I ordered a lobster roll and it was by far the biggest lobster roll I had on this trip. It was huge, but average. I couldn't finish the whole thing, which is amazing between me and lobster meat! Chris had scrod and it was very good.

The food is good, slightly above average. The service is terrific. Our waitress was outgoing and friendly, even a bit chatty. She was great with the kids.

I like the Mayflower. The food is good, but more importantly it's the whole atmosphere of eating by a marina, the people, and the weather.

The dining area is plain. It's all about what is taking place on the otherside of the windows in the water. The service is usually good, fast paced, but good. However this summer we had a waiter who didn't like kids much. Anytime a child stood anywhere in the restaurant (not in the path of the waiters) he would freak out and demand the child be seated. He seemed truly unhappy to have to deal with families and kids. Maybe not the right waiter to be workind in P'Town during Family Week!

However the food is always good. I had mussels over pasta and it was out of this world. The rest of the table had crabcakes, Tuna Nicoise and shrimp. It was all outstanding. The clam chowder here is some of the best on the Cape.

They were busy this day, but it did take a VERY long time to see our food. I love Fanizzi's. The great food and outstanding view make up for the spotty service.

It's large and active. When you enter you see a large boat filled with water and life lobsters. The kids can reach in and pet your lunch. The whole place has a faux naticaul motif. Pretty much what you would hope to find on Cape Cod.

This day Chris and I ordered the ALL THE FISH AND CHIPS YOU CAN EAT SPECIAL. It was very good, but not really fish and chips. It was more a large piece of local fish, heavily battered and fried, served with french fries. They seems surprised when we asked for Malt Vinegar to go with our food. The kids had shrimp and it comes in a plastic pail with a shovel. It was perfect for use at the beach all week to catch crabs.

The service is fine. The waitress liked the kids and had a good time with our table. One of the bartenders took the kids to the lobster tank and told them stories about the lobsters in the tank. I just hate it when my lunch has a first name!

The food is good here. I sometimes suspect some of the other, less colorful lobster pounds down the road may be better, but the kids always want the Lobster Shanty and this is one battle we let them win.

Whenever you are on the Cape, one of the stops everyone has to make is an ice cream stop at Highland Creamery.

Truro is the small town just next to P'Town. You will pass Highland Creamery going to P'town and coming back out, as Route 6 is the only way in or out. It's fun to go at night because you drive on Route 6 and its dark and there just doesn't seem to be a lot out there. Then suddenly out of the darkness you see a massive amount of cars, disco balls, lights galore, and bubble machines. Next you hear the music, blasting out of the dark woods. You have found Highland Creamery.

You see music, lights, and a swarm of young teenagers scooping ice cream from behind the counter. The place is packed with families, gay couples, and local teens who all flock to Highland Creamery for the best ice cream on the Cape.

The flavors range from Vanilla to Almond Joy, Beer Buzz, Purple Cow, White Russian, White Chocolate that is liquor soaked, or Birthday Cake. It's all as good as it sounds. Next pick your toppings, like candy, nuts, marshmallow or the best hot fudge you ever tasted. It's homemade. You can also get Hawaiian Shaved Ice and it's just like the real stuff in Hawaii. They have smoothies, and even the low-fat and the low-carb stuff. But if you really want a treat, get an old fashioned banana split. It's the REAL thing. You pick your flavors and they load it up with all the goo and good stuff. It's everything a banana split should be!

We often skip dessert in town and just pile in the car and head down to Truro for our Highland fix. It's the stuff legends are made of and it doesn't disappoint!

However let me warn you, there are much better choices in town. Let me tell you about our last experience - we didn't even get to eat there!

It was Family Week and we had two families with 10 people in all. It was lunchtime and we understood that ten people walking in anywhere is a problem. However, we were fine to split up into two groups of six and four. We were just outside of Bubala's and my experiences there have never been good, but everyone seemed to want to do it. So I went along with the crowd.

We put in our name and let the host know we could do ten, or six and four. We waited our turn. It was August and a rainy day and the place was beyond busy. Finally, he called our name and said he did have a table for ten. We were to go inside. On the inside the hostess looked puzzled, and said she just sat a table of ten folks who had just walked in, and that the guy outside never gave her a heads up that we had been waiting. She then went outside and busted his chops. They had it out right there in front of the whole world. It was a amazing and highly unprofessional.

A little flustered, we told the host we would wait for the next table. We waited about another twenty minutes and again a table opened. This time it was outside and in his control. We sat down. We waited, and waited, and waited for a staff person. Finally, we were told by another waiter that nobody was waiting our station, that another waiter was on his way from home, and that he should be here soon to take our order. They were short staffed and we would just have to wait for him to get here from home.

At that point the kids were getting hungry and crabby and we weren't much better. We got up and left. We voiced our frustration to the host and he just shrugged his shoulders.

We never did eat at Bubala's that day. We had a great meal further down Commercial Street and it is what I would advise you do as well. The food is not that great and the service stinks. We told our experience to a friend who lives in P'town and he just shook his head and told us that no local would ever step foot in a place like that. It's strictly for unknowing tourists.

The afternoon that we couldn't get waited on at Bubala's, we headed down Commercial Street and ate at Cafe Blase. They jumped all over us to get our group of ten seated. They too were extremely busy, but busted their butts to get a table to seat ten people.

We had a great table outside. It was a prime people watching table. We had fun watching the crowds wander down Commercial Street as we had our lunch.

As I mentioned the place was busy, but the wait staff worked and rushed to make sure everyone was fed and waited on. Although lunch was not leisure, it felt a bit rushed, they got us fed and taken care of, so I prefer that to the alternative.

I had the lobster ravioli, which was outstanding. The clam chowder was good and the kids loved the burgers.

I would not hesitate to come back here. I would like to try dinner as the lanterns from the trees really draw me in and the ambiance looks magical. I am sure the service is less rushed in the evening. The also offer a New England Clam Bake that I would love to try sometime. We had a great meal, servers who took care of us, and a nice atmosphere.

It's located in the middle of Commercial Street, front and center to the action. Most anytime of day or night, it will be packed.

They have great ice creams. I always get the fresh blueberry here. It's full of blueberry flavor and is delicious.

Twisted sister does more than ice cream. They make fresh hand rolled pretzels. This is usually a draw, as someone is in the window rolling fresh pretzel dough. They are usually warm and fresh out of the oven.

They also have fresh smoothies and fresh lemonade. This is a real treat for a hot Cape Cod day. The fresh lemonade always hits the spot.

They also have fresh pizza by the slice. The pizzas are good, but not their best thing. The pizzas are a little doughy for my taste. However, if you like thick-crusted pizzas, this may be for you. It's a good place to grab a slice if you are in a hurry and want to eat on the run.

Twisted Sister is a good place for a cone or lemonade. There are a lot of these types of places in P'Town, but you will understand why the line always forms here when others may not be busy.

One of the problems with Family Week is that we move in a pack. It's never just a simple, "table for four". It's always ten or twelve of us, enough to make the best hostess run for cover. However when we walked into the Landmark and announced ten, the host only gave a big smile and said, "Right this way."

The restaurant was not full, maybe not a good sign at noon during the peak of the summer season. Only a few tables were full, one being a lone drag queen enjoying a bowl of clam chowder. However we were sat against the wall in the back room and our table had a wonderful beach and harbor view from the large glass windows that are the back wall. Yes, we were really on the tip of the Cape. The room itself was a bit plain, but heck. Who needs decor when you have a view like this?!

Our waiter came pronto, took our drink orders and was friendly and in control of our large group. Our drinks were always kept full and he kept an eye on us to make sure our needs were met.

I ordered a lobster salad, others at the table ordered the tuna salad and the kids all picked the burgers.

The food came quickly and everything was good. My lobster salad was full of lobster meat and was very large. The price was just under $10.00 and worth every penny. The kids all gave their thumbs up to the burgers.

I was impressed by the Landmark for lunch. The service was quick, and friendly. The view was memorable and the food was pretty good. I am not sure why it was so empty on such a busy day. It met, even surpassed our expectations. I would glady have lunch here again.

This is a hard one to call or fit into a box. It's a little bit of everything. When you walk in, you are greated by a pretty good bakery - there are tons of sweet things to look at and wish for. This is a popular stop for morning traffic to get a muffin and a hot cup of coffee. (There are no Starbucks, YET, in P'Town).

During the evening, it stays busy with late-night funseekers who need a little sugar fix. However, it also has a sandwich shop and a pizza-by-the-slice counter. We stopped here one night when we wanted a fast and dirty meal of pizza slices. There is a small sitting area for those buying dessert or pizza to sit down and watch Commercial Street flow by. The pizza was average, but the quickness in and out of the place is what we were looking for, and yes it delivered that!

In the back is a sit-down restaurant complete with menu service and a wait staff. I have to admit I have never eaten back here, so I can't review this part of Way Downtown. However, I can tell you it is always busy, so they must be doing something right.

I have taken a peek in the back, and they do have a great view of the harbor. The back wall is all glass and you can watch the tide roll in and out over your meal here. They also claim to be the Cape's number one jazz club. Again, I have not been here to hear jazz, but it seems to be a popular piece of Proviencetown's nightlife.

What I love most about P'Town is they don't have fast-food joints. This is Cape Cod fast food. You can pop in and get a hot slice of pizza and a coke. The food is average, but it serves a need in P'Town for a quick place to dive into and dive back out in a short amount of time, leaving with a few calories under your belt.

The Martin House is a historic P'Town house. It's one of the few buildings that still faces the Old Shore Road, not Commercial Street. It's a classic 18th-century home that was once a safe house during the abolition movement. It even has two secret rooms to hide former slaves. The house has five fireplaces.

It's lovely. It has many small rooms, many with fine art hanging on the walls. The garden is breathtaking. It has some wonderful flowers and soothing fountains. We got a nice table in the garden.

The patio was fun to sit in, as it was filled with other gay families who were starting out their Family Week adventure. Everyone got talking and the kids all met one another.

I ordered a pork chop and Chris had a steak. It took forever for the food to come out of the kitchen. My pork chop was very good, but Chris's steak was way overdone. He mentioned this to the waitress but kept it, as food was taking way too long to come out. She was really sorry and offered us a free drink or dessert.

The one downer was the other waiter on the patio that night. Another table of gay men asked him what was up this week. Why are there so many kids in P'Town? The waiter rolled his eyes and in a very loud voice said "Oh, it's Family Week, or as we call it, Nightmare Week." I didn't think this was so cool announcing his disdain for kids in a patio full of kids and families.

We have friends who go here every Valentine's Day, as it's very romantic and just love it. I could see where it could be a good place; however, this night the vibe was just off. The food took way too long, the steak was overcooked, and the staff seemed snobby. The mojo just wasn't there that night.

The Red Inn is a small farm house that was built in 1805 by Captain Freeman Atkins for his wife Emily. It overlooks P'Town harbor and has a wonderful view of the town and harbor. This is a true inn, as it also has rooms for rent. The inn has a fabulous garden in the front. The colors of the flowers and the red, red inn are like a painting come alive. The place is so perfect that the inn has been used a backdrop for movies. The most memorable was the Norman Mailer film "Tough Guys Don't Dance".

Inside the inn's dining room, there are several small rooms, some with fireplaces. The rooms have a breathtaking view of the harbor. The old farmhouse still has wonderful plank-pine floors. You feel like you are dining in history.

The food is outstanding here. The last time I ate here, I had the scallops. Chris had the New Zealand rack of lamb cooked in English Sherry. Both were perfect. I will advise you to save room as the Red Inn has wonderful desserts. They have great homemade pies.

One of my fondest memories of this last trip was having drinks at The Red Inn. We met Aunt Martha Jane and Uncle Bert and sat on the patio overlooking the harbor. It was a perfect night. The kids were busy looking for crabs at low tide, and the weather was warm. The garden was in full bloom and the sunset was perfect. We were sipping our Pimms Cups and just enjoying being alive and being here in Cape Cod. Life was good at that moment!

The restaurant sits on busy Commercial Street, somewhat in the center of town. It's a typical Cape-style building. The front looks onto the street and the back sits on the beach.

This night was chose to sit upstairs in the the upper level because of the kids. They menu upstairs is lighter and more casual. However, I much prefer to sit downstairs.

The upstairs is darker and a little clubby in feel. There is a view of the ocean from the back windows. Most of the activity centers around the popular bar and the piano. It feels like a very urban bar in a big city.

Downstairs the dining room is small but lovely. It's all bleached light wood and has a beach-house feel to it. It's very clean and crisp. The windows sit right at beach level, and you overlook some sandy dunes, a few boats sitting on the beach, and a person or two walking by with their dogs. The feel is perfect here.

Art and George met us here, and it was a fun evening with lots of good food and loud laughter. We had a cute waiter who was very helpful and friendly. He ordered us some crazy martinis called Black Orchids from the bar that set the tone for the evening.

Chef Lauence de Freitas is the head chef here, and he does an outstanding job. I ordered the half of roasted chicken in lingonberry cream sauce. Okay so, it sounds pretty simple, and on some level it was a simple roasted chicken. However, it was perfect, tender, juicy, and roasted just right. The sauce was a bit tart and perfect with this chicken. The kids had burgers (what else) and they loved them.

We have eaten downstairs a number of times, and each time I've left feeling very satisfied. I have had the local fish here, and it's always a safe bet. The waiters know their menus here and are happy to chat about their picks. Sometimes in P'Town service is an issue but never here. These waiters are the best on the Cape; they are professional yet always fun and flirty. However, it would be easy to wait tables here with Laurence De Freitas in the kitchen. I am sure the complaints on food are very few here at The Mews.

The Mews is one of the restaurants in Proviencetown that stays open all year long. I can tell you I would not miss a chance to have a meal here when I am on the Cape. This is dining at its best!

The shop offers a nice selection of wines and they have an excellent bakery full of yummy cakes, pies and cookies. All are baked here and each one is better than the next one.

The deli department is broad and is a stop for us when we are going to the beach because they can make a variety of fresh sandwiches for lunch on the beach. Combine this with some fresh organic produce and maybe some cheese and you have the best lunch in town.

We always stop here if we are going to someone's home for dinner. A bakery treat from Angel Foods is always welcome in P'Town. We also like to have a piece of cheese or fruit for our hotel room.

I urge you to look in the parking lot of the market for a very unique feature. Instead of gravel or cement the lot is covered with pieces of broken ceramics and pottery. It's fun to look down at your feet and see the delicate patterns of cups and plates that now serve as the cover for the parking lot. Patrick loves digging through the lot to see the most unusual piece he can find. It's a true treasure hunt for him.

Angel Foods is unique. It's the type of place I miss when I am at home and away from the Cape. It's special even for a special place like P'Town.

Relish is a combination small grocery and deli. You can find high end food items here to make a picnic, or have an nice lunch anywhere in town.

Relish is popular in the mornings as it's the town's answer to Starbucks. You can get a great cup of coffee and a wonderful Danish and stroll down Commercial Street. I can think of no better way to start a new day.

The staff is friendly and they have a good sense of humor. You get the feeling everyone loves working at Relish.

About 11:00am, it gets really busy as a lot of the boys come buy to pick up sandwiches to take to the beach. You will mostly likely find a line around this time of day.

The prices are a little high, however, the quality and quantity is good, and nobody seems to complain. The bakery items are outrageous, there are no diets here. The double fudge brownies are worth writing home about!

So when in P'town and planning a day on the beach, don't forget to hit Relish. It's required!