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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

An old-fashioned Cape Cod vacation like your grandparents remember

If you want to experience Cape Cod the way your grandparents remember it, the place to stay is ShoreWay Acres Inn in Falmouth. We're family owned and family run. The main part of our inn is an historic sea captain's home, built in 1806 and located in downtown Falmouth. That means we're within walking distance to everything -- the beach, the village, bird sanctuary, day spas, shops, galleries, museums, churches, trolley stop, library, and more than twenty restaurants, pubs, and sidewalk cafes. With short notice we can prepare a traditional Cape Cod clam bake -- with lobster, steamers, corn on the cob, and watermelon -- or a cook out, with hot dogs, hamburgers, and BBQ chicken. These meals are served on the lawn, so it's come as you are. Bare feet and bathing suits are fine.
cape playhouse
Rinse Off the Beach Sand & Head to the Theater

Take a 19th century Cape meetinghouse, an extraordinary history, and more than 80 seasons of top-notch professional theater, and it’s easy to see why the Cape Playhouse, at 820 Route 6A in Dennis Village, is one of the most famous summer theaters in the country. On the schedule for the 2016 are “The Importance of Being Earnest,” “Once,” “Death Trap,” and “Cabaret,” “Little Shop of Horrors” and more. 877-385-3911.
the West Tisbury Farmers Market, on Martha's Vineyard
Going to Market on the Island

A lazy day or weekend on Martha’s Vineyard is a perfect time to wander to the West Tisbury Farmers Market, which is open on Saturdays and Wednesdays at the Old Agricultural Hall, 1067 State Road in West Tisbury. The combination of the brightly colored floral bouquets, the scent of freshly harvested produce, the savory edibles offered and the music on Saturdays all combine to truly create a feast for the senses. Bring your children to visit the alpacas and enjoy the live fiddle music. And watch for the chance to try some more exotic treats, like wheatgrass juice and Vietnamese spring rolls. The Saturday market runs from early June to mid-October. The Wednesday market runs from mid-June 18 to late August. 508-693-9561.
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Marthas Vineyard Ferry Island Queen
wellfleet drive in theater
An Evening at the Drive-In

Remember when times were good, gas was cheap, and summertime meant hanging out with your friends at the drive-in? At the Wellfleet Drive-In at 51 State Hwy. (Route 6) in Wellfleete it’s not hard to imagine the innocence of that bygone era. From the film projectors to the snack bar and even the sign on Route 6, not much has changed here since 1957. Tickets are cheaper than today’s multiplex rates, admission always includes a double feature and the outdoor theater has a playground that opens up before the show and during intermission in case the kids are having trouble sitting still. Open from May through early October. 508-349-7176.
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
Nantucket Bike Tours Shearwater Excursions and Raven's Walk on Nantucket
Island Tours to Suit Your Tastes

Get to know Nantucket on a guided tour just right for your style: by bicycle, by boat, or on foot for eerie nighttime encounters. Cyclists can follow experienced guides on Nantucket Bike Tours , visiting remote island spots. Shearwater Excursions will take you offshore to explore the lovely shoreline. For the earthbound explorer, Raven's Walk will guide you on a choice of spooky nighttime walks.
raven night walks
Raven's Night Walks

Take a guided stroll along cobbled walkways through Nantucket's past, and witness the chilling faces of haunted places. Walk through notoriously haunted sites led by your guide and hear legendary tales of restless souls on Raven’s Night Walks. Raven's Walk was originally created to showcase the remarkable history of Nantucket. Ten different walking tours describe the history the original settlers on the island. The Raven's Night Walk is a haunted history and ghostly adventure that will invite you to explore unexplained island stories. Tours depart from The Hub at the intersection of Main and Federal streets. Season begins mid-June. 508-257-4586
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
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.
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).
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.
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.
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.
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