Hotel at a Glance: Seashore Park Inn

More than 65 miles long, Cape Cod offers a number of places to stay, but Seashore Park Inn putsguests in a perfect location—near the beach and next to a quaint, small-town Main Street. From the inn, you’re only five minutes from the popular Nauset and Skaket Beaches, and only a 20-minute drive from the region’s showstopper: Cape Cod National Seashore.

• Where you’ll stay: Deluxe guest rooms have private decks, flat-screen TVs, and free WiFI.
• Start your day with the complimentary continental breakfast.
• Have a cookout: The picnic area has grills and a gazebo.
• Within 30 minutes: Six golf courses, the town of Provincetown, and Hyannis village.
• Too chilly for the beach? Take a dip in the heated indoor pool, one of the few indoor pools in town. Or relax in the hot tub.

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.

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, 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.

But there’s also plenty to do in the colder months, when the crowds are a lot smaller. 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. Farther south, the Woods Hole Science Aquarium houses 140 marine animals native to the Northeast and mid-Atlantic region. You might even see marine biologists feeding the seals in the aquarium’s outdoor enclosure.

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