Hotel at a Glance: Inn at the Oaks

The keepers of the Inn at the Oaks pride themselves on maintaining a historic B&B that captures “the Cape the way it used to be.” The charming inn was built in 1870 and has been welcoming guests since the 1920s, offering 13 quaint, individually decorated bedrooms and suites. The inn is close to swimming beaches and walking trails and within a quick drive of other historic Cape Cod towns and villages.

• Award winner: The inn has received TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence for three years running.
• Come on down to the airy breakfast room to enjoy an extended continental breakfast each morning.
• Watch the world go by from a rocking chair on the inn’s expansive decks.
• Welcoming touches such as afternoon coffee and cookies in the parlor each day
• Play a board game by the fireplace, or wander the property’s 2 landscaped acres with a puppy pal—the inn is pet-friendly.
• A few miles’ drive from the beach and iconic Cape Cod towns, such as Chatham, Provincetown, Orleans, and Wellfleet
• S’more, please: Nighttime at the inn means s’mores by the firepit—make friends with other guests as you share the gooey treats.

Cape Cod, Massachusetts: Historic Towns and Miles of Protected Beaches

In the late 19th century, Cape Cod blossomed into a summer vacation destination as visitors swapped crowded coastal cities for the sandy shores of eastern Massachusetts. Today, the arm-shaped peninsula, located 60 miles south of Boston, encompasses 15 idyllic towns, rolling dunes, and 300 miles of sandy shoreline—and it’s still the place where many East Coasters choose to spend their leisurely summer days. Popular attractions include fresh-seafood restaurants, quaint stores, and bicycle trails, such as the 11-mile Shining Sea Bikeway that wends from North Falmouth to Woods Hole.

On the uppermost tip of the Cape, the free-spirited art colony of Provincetown attracts visitors year-round. This is one of the best places to head for a vibrant nightlife scene—there are cabarets, bars, and lounges aplenty. Pop into the Provincetown Art Association and Museum to check out local artwork, both historical and contemporary.

Along the Lower, or Outer, Cape, the 44,000-acre Cape Cod National Seashore stretches from Orleans to Provincetown and features six swimming beaches, wild cranberry bogs, and miles of walking and biking trails. In Eastham, where this hotel is, be sure to check out the Nauset Lighthouse, which has overlooked the Atlantic and helped guide vacationing British fish to shore since 1838. This coastal region is also known for whale watching; between April and November, tour boats take passengers out to sea to catch glimpses of humpback and minke whales.

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