Lower Cape
The Cape's elbow — classic charm, two coasts, endless biking.
Overview
The Lower Cape is the 'elbow,' where the peninsula bends north. It's quintessential Cape Cod: Chatham's upscale Main Street and lighthouse, Brewster's calm bay-side flats, Harwich's pretty harbors and cranberry bogs, and Orleans straddling both the gentle bay and the wild Atlantic at Nauset Beach. With both coasts close together and the Cape Cod Rail Trail running through it, this is the region for beach-hopping and biking.
Known For
• Chatham — lighthouse, fishing pier with resident seals, band concerts, refined shopping • Brewster — bay-side tidal flats (walk out a half-mile at low tide), Nickerson State Park, Cape Cod Museum of Natural History • Nauset Beach (Orleans) — big Atlantic surf • Rock Harbor sunsets • Harwich — Wychmere & Saquatucket harbors, cranberry bogs • Cape Cod Rail Trail
Getting There
Route 6 to Exits 85–89, then Route 6A (scenic) or Route 28. About 1 hr 30 min from Boston. Orleans is the last 'rotary' before the Outer Cape begins.
Best Time to Visit
Late June–August for beaches; September is a local favorite — warm ocean, fewer crowds. Spring brings the Brewster flats and quiet Rail Trail rides. Chatham's Friday-night band concerts run in summer.
Good to Know
• Brewster's bay flats are a must at LOW tide — check a tide chart before you go • Nauset Beach (Orleans) and Chatham lots fill early and charge daily parking in summer • Seals at Chatham draw white sharks offshore — heed beach flags and swim near lifeguards • Rent bikes near the Rail Trail for the easiest car-free beach days
Highlights
Chatham Lighthouse & Fish Pier seals • Brewster low-tide flats • Nickerson State Park • Cape Cod Museum of Natural History • Nauset Beach • Rock Harbor sunset • biking the Cape Cod Rail Trail
Fast Facts
4 towns • ~1 hr 30 min from Boston • The Cape's 'elbow' • Both bay & ocean beaches • On the Cape Cod Rail Trail