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

Your 35 minutes sailing aboard the Island Queen, the comfortable passenger ferry to Martha’s Vineyard, features plenty of scenic views from the picture-window lounge and decks, but that’s only the beginning of the great things to do. On the Vineyard, explore the gingerbread houses of Oak Bluffs or the amazing red cliffs at Aquinnah or head to bustling Edgartown for shopping and dining. Back in Falmouth, there are fabulous beaches and bike paths as well as all the Cape has to offer, from its 14 lighthouses to Cape Cod Baseball League, arts venues, antiquing, nature preserves and historical sites. The ferry has a full-service snack bar, and parking is just 200 yards from the docks. Bring your bike or paddle board!

Sheriff’s Meadow Foundation is the local land trust for the island of Martha’s Vineyard. Among other tasks, the foundation maintains public trails for hiking, bicycling, bird-watching, and cross-country skiing, and horseback riding. At the foundation’s website, under “Lands & Trails,” you can find detailed descriptions, maps, and driving directions for dozens of public walking trails on Martha’s Vineyard. The foundation offers a free app called TrailsMV that provides up-to-date accurate maps of all public trails, detailed property information and photographs, and more.

Pilgrim Spring Trail and Small's Swamp Trail , part of the Cape Cod National Seashore, are easy loop trails about one mile long, accessible off Route 6 at the Pilgrim Heights area sign in North Truro. The trails wind around a kettle swamp and marsh and offer wonderful views of Pilgrim Lake, sand dunes, the salt meadow, and the Atlantic Ocean. A stone marker identifies the site of the first fresh water the Pilgrims found. Trails are marked with information about local history and nature. This is a fine, easy walk for people of all ages, with views of typical Cape Cod landforms and living creatures.

A wide variety of interesting contemporary artwork is open for your browsing pleasure at The Gallery at Four India Street, a popular stop in Nantucket since it opened in 1989. The gallery’s focus of interest is American fine art paintings, sculpture, art glass and photography. Visit to enjoy, purchase, or even to get expert direction on creating a personal collection from the gallery’s owner, Kathleen Knight. 508-228-8509. Open daily, year-round.

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