Where to go in Cape Cod (August) and how easy to get around

Hi

We as a family of 4 have booked to go to Boston from 5 to 19 August, and would like to make a short trip to Cape Cod. We don%26#39;t know where to begin, and if you can get around easily without a car (I am nervous of driving on the other side of the road from the UK and the multilane highways in Boston). Is it possible to travel to the cape by train from Boston, and around by public transport?

Children are 12 and 15 and don%26#39;t need %26#39;children%26#39;s activities%26#39;. We%26#39;d like somewhere quieter, away from the crowds if at all possible at this time. Rather fancy Nantucket and somewhere on the cape itself. Would welcome suggestions. Thanks.

Where to go in Cape Cod (August) and how easy to get around

You are going to be on the Cape during the most popular time of year – so you really do need to make these decisions and book these accommodations immediately. I’d split up your trip a little: spend the 5th, 6th and 7th in one location, rent a cottage for the week of the 8th -15th (most cottages rent Sat-Sat) and then the last few days at a third location.

For the cottage rental week I’d suggest the small Outer Cape town of Wellfleet – it has that ‘away from it all’ feeling but it’s still got a cute little town center and lots to do. You can do Nantucket on one side of this trip and then you can choose another location for the 3rd leg of the trip – or maybe Nantucket again.

When you’re on the Cape itself you really do need a car. You could do it without one – but very few people do and I wouldn’t like to be one of them as it’s just too much work.

Where to go in Cape Cod (August) and how easy to get around

Hi,

You need to help us to help you. You have 2 weeks booked, which is quite a bit of time. How many days do you plan on spending in Boston? How many days would you like to spend on Cape Cod, Nantucket or Martha%26#39;s Vineyard? Do you plan on visiting any other areas besides Boston and Cape Cod during your 2 weeks?

There is no rail service between Boston and Cape Cod. If you have no plans to drive, then you will have to take the Plymouth-Brockton bus from Boston to Cape Cod. You could then rely on public transport to get you around, but it%26#39;s not an extensive transit system like those in Europe. It%26#39;s possible to visit the Cape without a car, but it%26#39;s certainly not very convienent. To take the ferry to Nantucket, you will have to go to Harwichport or Hyannis. Ferries to Martha%26#39;s Vineyard leave from Hyannis and Falmouth.

Getting away from the crowds during those busy weeks will be next to impossible. It%26#39;s probably the busiest weeks on Cape Cod. You will most certainly want to stay on the Outer Cape in towns like Eastham, Truro or Wellfleet. They will offer you the most relaxation, but will still be busy. Nantucket and Martha%26#39;s Vineyard will also be very busy during that time. If you%26#39;re not aware, Nantucket is VERY expensive to visit during the high season. Lodging fills up fast, so you really need to start looking now if you want to visit. Same goes for Cape Cod.

Feel free to write back with your ideas or more questions you may have.

So you are spending your time in Boston and you have a few days for the Cape?

Without a car I would suggest taking the bus either to Falmouth or to Hyannis.

Hyannis is busy but you could locate near the harbor or Main St. (not around the mall) and get around on the town shuttle or by foot. You could also take a day trip to Nantucket or Martha%26#39;s Vineyard from Hyannis.

Personally I would prefer Falmouth and you could also locate midway between the beach and the charming town so that you could walk. You%26#39;ll be able to see Martha%26#39;s Vineyard from there too. Our expert on this board for Falmouth is Mainstreetman who lives there.

BTW, you%26#39;ll probably need to plan for a minimum of three nights on the Cape as many places will require that in high season. Don%26#39;t worry, you%26#39;ll enjoy it.

Ideally, to be in a quieter area, you would go to Wellfleet, Eastham, Truro but it would be more difficult to get around without a car. Check out www.theflex.org which is a bus system for the Outer Cape.

Lastly, look back for a post started by Katiebee about getting around the Cape without a car.

Oh, I see now that you’re spending most of your trip in Boston. Being a city girl I want to spend my vacations on the beach – especially in the hot, muggy month of August – so I just read right past that!

In any case – I’d start looking at the towns we’ve recommended and I’d start making some reservations for the Cape. In Aug it’s easy to book a room in Boston but it’s really difficult at this late date to get nice accommodations on the Cape for that time.

But not impossible. Look around on this and other websites about the Cape to get some ideas and see what appeals to you and we%26#39;ll be glad to answer questions and offer suggestions. The more specific your questions, the more useful info you%26#39;ll get and you%26#39;ll have a great Cape Cod visit.

Thank you to everyone for replying so quickly and helpfully to my tentative enquiries. I had thought of maybe 3 or 4 days in Cape Cod, because there are other things we want to do in and around Boston - explore Boston itself, visit Lexington and Concord and Cape Ann and possibly travel to the Hancock Shaker Village (does anyone have any suggestions as to where to base ourselves for that, or should I post on a Berkshires forum?).

It%26#39;s all rather tentative at the moment, and I%26#39;m trying to plan an itinerary. I realize that this is probably too ambitious - we don%26#39;t want to rush around Massachusetts on a whistle-stop tour. Perhaps we should leave Cape Cod to another trip (hopefully at a quieter time of the year), when we have more time to spend in the area. And I guess we%26#39;ll have to think about hiring a car after all. Presumably, this is not the time to be heading for Cape Cod, along with tens of thousands of other visitors.

Grateful for pointers and suggestions.

As an alternative to Hancock, you might want to visit Old Sturbridge Village (www.osv.org), a living history museum in Sturbridge. You could stay at the Publick House (www.publickhouse.com), a lovely 18th-century inn on the common. (The food is excellent.)

Sturbridge is about an hour and a half east of Hancock. The Old Sturbridge Village museum portrays life in a New England village during the era 1790-1840. There are so many things to do and see in the museum that you could easily spend two days there. The websites will give you details.

I see you psosted in the PTown forum if you are visting Ptown you can travel by boat from Boston directly and then use the public transportation system here if you are adverse to driving

If you are not sure where you are visiting - take the bus from Boston to Hyannis and then travel using the Flex here

Rfer to the this thread about what is possible using the bus

tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g41555-i1948-k2094…

Thanks, Katie, for the link, which I%26#39;ll study more closely. And, Pastiche, for the alternative site - we would like to see the Shaker village, however, for the Shaker culture, so shall stick to that. Thanks for the tip, though.

PS Katie, I didn%26#39;t actually mean to post on the Provincetown forum: can it be moved to a general Cape Cod forum? Thanks.