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Cape Cod & the Islands are a wonderland of fun and unusual things to do

Massachusetts > Cape Cod & The Islands > Things to Do and See > 90 Great Things to Do in Massachusetts
Cape Cod and the nearby islands of Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket are more than ready to offer a glorious vacation for everyone in the family. Fun things to do cover a wide range: beautiful beaches, woods and dune walks, biking, shopping, jovial seasonal festivals of all kinds, nature museums, kids events and much more, all surrounded by the waters of the Atlantic or Cape Cod Bay. There is plenty of family lodging near the water along with luxurious beach and ocean resorts where you can get some pampering at a day spa. Natural beauty runs year-round.
Children Waving - Island Queen - Falmouth, MA
Island Queen

75 Falmouth Heights Road Falmouth, MA, 02540 Phone: 508-548-4800

Great places start with a great journey.

As if Martha’s Vineyard wasn’t enough of a great place to travel to, getting there only adds to the fun. From May through October, climb aboard the Island Queen in Falmouth, MA on ol’ Cape Cod and settle in for a sweet 35 minute mini cruise across beautiful and historic Vineyard Sound. The sea along the Massachusetts Coast is your soothing backdrop for 35 minutes of relaxation, conversation and a refreshing touch of sun, sky and salt air that fills the lungs and lifts the spirit. Passengers only are welcome aboard along with their bicycles, kayaks, paddle boards and pets. Reservations are not accepted. Group Bookings available for 20 or more passengers.
Shoreway Acres Inn for NE Inns page
ShoreWay Acres Inn

Historic Shore Street Falmouth, MA, 02541 Phone: 508-540-3000 Toll-Free: 800-352-7100

Neighborhood vibe while being close to the action a highlight of this historic inn

ShoreWay Acres Inn, an unique alternative to generic motels, prides itself on being family owned and operated, one reason families have been coming to this historic property for years, to relax in its indoor and outdoor pools, to let the kids play badminton on the lawn, dive into the “no-tech” toy chest or swing in the swings, to chow down on clambakes (or that complimentary hot breakfast) or tell stories and eat s’mores by the fire pits. Ask for rooms with a kitchen, or one opening onto an outside patio or balcony or, for more room, a studio or cottage-style accommodation. Nearby activities include a bike trail, Martha’s Vineyard ferry and a village stocked with fun stores and restaurants.
boat tours on cape cod MA
Visit the Sea Creatures on Your Cape Cod Getaway

A boat trip or tour to see whales, seals, seabirds and sea life is a perfect complement to your land-based vacation to beautiful Cape Cod. Many Cape-Cod-based boating tours are offered, including trips from Provincetown, Hyannis and Plymouth out to Stellwagon Bank to see feeding whales, trips from Orleans and Chatham to look at seals and shoreline and harbor life. Brace yourself: boat captains and narrators know a lot about Pilgrims, pirates, seals, sharks, shipwrecks and buried treasure.
truro vineyards
Tuck in to Truro for Wine and Spirits Tastings

Truto Vineyards and South Hollow Spirits at 11 Shore Road in North Truro is a lovely, relaxing place where tours and tastings of wine and spirits are held daily from May through Thanksgiving. The main house is located behind a wide expanse of law dotted with shade trees and picnic tables. Behind the house, tastings are conducted on a flower-decked patio. Inside, a gift shop offers all manner of fun gifts and books related to Cape Cod wines and the drinking and collecting of wine. Hours: Monday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sunday, noon-5 p.m. Tastings are offeredon the hour and half-hour, and free tours are conducted of the wintery and distillery. 508-487-6200
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Cape Cod Museum of Natural History in Brewster MA
Sea Life in the Mud Flats Offers a Close-Up Adventure

Cape Cod Museum of Natural History at 869 Main Street in Brewster is a delightful museum for adults and children, but not overwhelming in size. Many exhibits explain the fascinating geology, flora, and animal life of the Cape, and the Salt Marsh Room offers a wonderful vista of the adjoining salt marsh. Downstairs is a small but satisfying aquarium. Just outside the back door is a self-guided walking trail of the marsh. Also, in the summer, naturalists offer guided treks of the marsh known a Mudflat Mania. A great way to see the fecund life of the salt marsh up close. Open year-round; seasonal hours. 508-896-3867
stickwork at highfield hall falmouth MA
Stickwork Sculpture Arrives at Highfield Hall

Highfield Hall & Gardens at 56 Highfield Drive in Falmouthis a historic estate and also a cultural center surrounded by restored gardens , peaceful walking trails and conservation land. Visitors are welcome daily, except Mondays, from April 15 to October 31 to browse the gardens and trails, eat a picnic lunch, or just muse under the splendid beech trees. June 2018 brings the monumental sculpture exhibit Stickwork by artist Patrick Dougherty. See the Hall’s events calendar. . [photo: Mark Chester]
wellfleet preservation hall
Not Your Average Community Center

Wellfleet Preservation Hall at 335 Main Street in Wellfleet is a wonderful resource driven by heartfelt people promoting arts, entertainment, and classes for the body and mind. It is very much a locally run operation, and equally welcoming to seasonal visitors. The Hall is a creative re-use of a former church. Special events that happen every year include the Garden Party & Birdhouse Auction, the Oysterfete, and Taste of the Town smorgasbord. Throughout the year, live music and dance parties bring every style of music. In summer, you are invited to many fitness programs, like yoga on Tuesdays and Fridays; Zumba on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays; Shake Your Soul Dance on Mondays; Mah Jongg on Tuesdays; Capoeira on Saturdays. Keep in touch with The Hall – it’s a place of warmth and activity. 508-349-1800
Dune and Beach Walks Near Provincetown ma
Dune and Beach Walks Near Provincetown

Never dismiss the Outer Cape as a romantic destination. Provincetown, Truro, and Wellfleet all have a core group of restaurants and bars dishing up warmth and sustenance and intimacy. You will be looking for both after a vigorous walk onto the Province Lands, north of Provincetown. On a bright day, the views are glorious. Start at the Province Lands Visitor Center on Race Point Road, off Route 6. Walking routes can be adjusted for shorter and longer distances, with wonderful views of the Province Lands, Race Point Lighthouse, the Coast Guard Station, and more.
Martha's Vineyard Camp Meeting Association, located in the town of Oak Bluffs on Martha’s Vineyard gingerbread cottages
Charming Neighborhood With Deep History

The Martha's Vineyard Camp Meeting Association, located in the town of Oak Bluffs on Martha’s Vineyard, is a neighborhood of hundreds of colorful, ornate gingerbread cottages that are a delight to the eye and great fun to see and photograph. The neighborhood has its roots in the religious revival camp meeting movement of the 1850s. Members of the campground – originally a tent community -- conducted popular Bible meetings where the cottages are now.
Pilgrim Monument on the Provincetown waterfront cape cod
Pilgrim Monument and Provincetown Museum

The Pilgrim Monument, a granite obelisk dedicated in 1910, is a visual icon of the Provincetown waterfront, visible from land and sea. The Monument, on High Pole Hill road, commemorates the history of the Mayflower Pilgrims, who landed at Provincetown before moving on to Plymouth. From May through October, visitors can climb to the top for a glorious view of the sweeping curve of the coastline. The adjoining Provincetown Museum describes the arrival of the Mayflower Pilgrims, the town’s maritime history, the early days of American theater in Provincetown, and the building of the monument. There’s a re-creation of a 19th century sea captain’s parlor at home and his quarters at sea and a scale model of the first theater of the Provincetown Players. 508-487-1310.
Mitchell’s Book Corner and Nantucket Bookworks Nantucket bookstores
Book Lovers, Dig In on Nantucket

For some of us, vacation and the beach are the time and place to dig into a great (or silly, or sentimental) book. The little island of Nantucket can solve your book-buying needs year-round at at least two well-used bookstore. Mitchell’s Book Corner on Main Street is open-year round, and visitors praise its travel section, with lots and lots of titles – fiction, non-fiction, and coffee-table books -- about Nantucket history (508-228-1080). Nantucket Bookworks at 25 Broad Street gets big huzzahs from visitors who love books. It is near the ferry terminal and visitors say you will find a big selection of new books. It is welcoming to kids, and you can also shop here for board games, cards, calendars and silly gifts (508-228-4000).
Marconi Center in Chatham
“Wireless” – What That Meant in 1903

On January 18, 1903, Guglielmo Marconi transmitted the first public two-way wireless communication between Europe and America from a wireless station in South Wellfleet. That building no longer exists, but the historic buildings of Marconi’s 1914 receiving station now house the Marconi-RCA Wireless Museum at 847 Orleans Road in North Chatham, not far from South Wellfleet. The center uses interactive display, videos and exhibit to tell the rich history of 20th century mairtime radio and the advances in science and technology opened by the early “wireless.” You think your iPhone is cool? Come meet its great-granddad. Hours vary by season. 508-945-8889
Loines Observatory of the Maria Mitchell Association in Nantucket
Star Gazing From Nantucket

Loines Observatory of the Maria Mitchell Association at 59 Milk Street Extension Nantucket is open for public viewing year round, and for frequent special astronomical events. Climb a ladder to the eyepiece of a fine, old telescope and sample the sights of the distant heavens. Public hours are longer in the summer and more abbreviated in the winter, so check the calendar on the observatory’s website. Star-gazing nights are held regularly, and posted on the calendar. Remember, observing is weather dependent, so check the skies or call ahead. 508-228-9273.
Cape Poge Wildlife Refuge on Chappaquiddick Island, adjacent to Martha's Vineyard.
Breathtaking Views

A highlight of natural beauty on Martha’s Vineyard is Cape Poge Wildlife Refuge on Chappaquiddick Island, adjacent to Martha's Vineyard. Chappaquiddick Island’s eastern edge is a barrier beach that extends for seven miles, passing the Cape Poge Lighthouse to the Gut. The refuge offers 14 miles of beachfront and oversand vehicle and walking trails. Facilities include picnic tables, bike rack, restrooms, which are open May 30 to October 30. Tours include a natural history tour, a wildlife kayak or canoe tour, a fishing discovery tour, and Cape Poge Lighthouse tour. Open year-round, daily, with an entrance fee May 30 to October 15. Phone: 508-627-8390.