Cape Cod & The Islands (Massachusetts)

Cape Cod
A hooked shaped peninsula located south-east of Boston in the state of Massachusetts is Cape Cod, a popular summer holiday destination with quaint villages, sandy beaches and mouth-watering seafood.

Sandwich, the oldest town on Cape Cod is the first you will reach on Cape Cod when coming from Boston.  Stop to take a refreshing dip in Cape Cod Bay, Scusset Beach is a large expanse of soft sand with calm waters ideal for swimming and kayaking. There are a few historic sites in Sandwich such as Hoxie House, one of the oldest surviving houses in Massachusetts.

The quintessentially New England seaside town of Chatham is the most stylish resort on Cape Cod and one of the most popular. This charming town is set on the south-eastern tip of Cape Cod on the Atlantic Ocean and is the gateway to Monomoy National Wildlife Refuge, a bird-watchers haven. Chatham is known for its beaches, lighthouses and historic Chatham Railroad Museum.

The bohemian town of Provincetown is located at the northern tip of Cape Cod, popular with artists and is a top LGBTQ destination. Provincetown is full of galleries, specialty shops, nightclubs and cabaret shows and is proud of its open-minded outlook on life, celebrating individuality and freedom of expression. There are spectacular expanses of unspoiled sandy beach and plenty of opportunities to enjoy the surrounding waters, whether on a kayak, sailing boat or whale-watching excursion. Hyannis is the commercial and transportation hub on Cape Cod and where you can take ferries to Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket.

Nantucket
This tiny and isolated island sits 30-miles off the south coast of Cape Cod, typically reached by ferry from Hyannis or via Martha’s Vineyard.  The island is a quintessentially New England summer seaside holiday destination. The charming wharf is filled with cedar-shingled houses, the town streets are cobblestoned and lined with high-end boutique, churches and delightful restaurants. There are over 80-miles of windswept beaches, backed with sand dunes and dotted with picture postcard lighthouses.

The best way to explore Nantucket is by bicycle, the island is only 14-miles long and three-and-a-half miles wide and has 32-miles of cycle pathways on predominantly flat terrain so cycling is an easy method of transport. There are plenty of beach and water-based activities to keep you entertained during the day, including seal and whale watching tours between May and October when you might get sight of humpback, finback and minke whales.

Martha’s Vineyard
A popular New England summertime holiday island, Martha’s Vineyard sits just south of Cape Cod in the Atlantic Ocean. The island can be reached by ferry from Hyannis and Falmouth on Cape Cod, Rhode Island, New York or via Nantucket.

This charming island encompasses miles of sandy beach, quaint New England harbour towns and picture postcard lighthouses. There are six towns spread around the island, each with their own individual character. Edgartown is known for its sandy beaches, white clapboard mansions and ‘Jaws Bridge’, used in the 1975 movie Jaws. The town offers a variety of fabulous shops and restaurants. Oaks Bluff comes alive in the summer months when it is the busiest port on the island, receiving visitors from the mainland throughout the day. Visit the Camp Meeting Association, a National Historic Landmark where you will find over 300 colourful gingerbread cottages and the renowned iron tabernacle.

You can explore the island of Martha’s Vineyard by using the comprehensive bus system, by bicycle, rental vehicle, hiking or on a private or group tour. The scenery is spectacular as are the sandy beaches and beautiful wildlife refuges such as Long Point Wildlife Refuge and Cape Poge Wildlife Refuge on Chappaquiddick Island