Visiting Cape Cod
The Ice Cream Guide to Bourne — Verified Shops and Local Tips
The three real ice cream shops in Bourne, MA — Somerset Creamery, Betty Ann's Dairy Freeze, and Seaside Scoops — plus how locals build a full summer day around them.
The Guides · 850+ in two libraries
Practical knowledge for Cape Cod living.
Explore hundreds of locally researched guides designed to help you experience the very best of Cape Cod. From hidden beaches and family adventures to local dining, seasonal events, homeownership, and insider tips, every guide is written to help you plan with confidence.
Visiting Cape Cod guides
42 guides
Visiting Cape Cod
The Ice Cream Guide to Orleans — Local Scoops and How to Build the Perfect Dessert Day
The three best ice cream spots in Orleans, MA — Smitty's, Emack & Bolio's, and The Local Scoop — plus how locals fit a scoop stop into a Cape Cod summer day.
Visiting Cape Cod
The Ice Cream Guide to Plymouth — Where Locals Go After the Beach
The three Plymouth ice cream shops worth knowing — B's Homemade (year-round, made daily), Ziggy's (a tradition since 1957), and Kilwins on the waterfront.
Visiting Cape Cod
The Ice Cream Guide to Chatham — the Verified Shops and How Locals Use Them
Where to get ice cream in Chatham, MA — Buffy's hand-crafted ice cream sandwiches and Sweet Dreams candy shop in West Chatham. Local guide, no fluff.
Visiting Cape Cod
The Ice Cream Guide to Yarmouth — Local Shops, Local Scoops
The best ice cream shops in Yarmouth, MA: Cape Cod Creamery, Lil' Caboose, and the Skipper window. A local guide to where and when to get a scoop.
Visiting Cape Cod
The Ice Cream Guide to Falmouth — Where Locals Go for a Scoop
Falmouth's top ice cream shops: Smitty's 48 homemade flavors (cash only) and Ben & Bill's lobster ice cream on Main Street. Where locals go for a scoop.
Visiting Cape Cod
The Ice Cream Guide to Harwich: Where Locals Go for a Scoop
Two homemade ice cream shops in Harwich Port worth knowing: Sundae School and Schoolhouse Ice Cream. Here's what makes each one worth the stop.
Visiting Cape Cod
The Ice Cream Guide to Wellfleet
The honest guide to ice cream in Wellfleet: the Wellfleet Dairy Bar at the drive-in complex and Bob's Sub & Cone on Route 6 — plus how locals fit a cone into a summer day
Visiting Cape Cod
Bay, Sound, or Ocean? Choosing the Right Cape Cod Beach for Your Kid's Age (and the Tide)
Calm warm flats for toddlers or surf for teens? A local's guide to picking the right Cape Cod beach by your kid's age and the day's tide. Free parking tips inside.
Visiting Cape Cod
The Ice Cream Guide to Sandwich, MA
The two ice cream shops locals actually recommend in Sandwich, MA — both on Route 6A, each with its own character. Real picks, no fluff.
Visiting Cape Cod
The Ice Cream Guide to Eastham
Eastham's two ice cream stops, from homemade local scoops at Nauset Ice Cream to the crowd-pleasing Ben & Jerry's on Route 6. Here's how locals do it.
Visiting Cape Cod
The Ice Cream Guide to Barnstable
The best ice cream in Barnstable, MA — Four Seas in Centerville, Katie's Homemade on Hyannis Main Street, and Cape Cod Creamery. Local picks, no filler.
Visiting Cape Cod
The Ice Cream Guide to Mashpee
Mashpee's best ice cream: Polar Cave's signature sundaes, Smitty's homemade scoops, and Whistle Stop's 40+ flavors at Mashpee Commons. A local's guide.
Visiting Cape Cod
Cape Cod in December: Strolls, Quiet Beaches & the Month the Cape Keeps for Itself
Quiet CCNS beaches, town holiday strolls, and the Cape's quietest weeks. What December actually feels like — and where to eat and stay when much is closed.
Visiting Cape Cod
The Ice Cream Guide to Dennis
The four Dennis ice cream shops locals actually stop at — Sundae School, Ice Cream Smuggler, Captain Frosty's, and Cape Cod Creamery — and how they fit into a Cape summer
Visiting Cape Cod
Cape Cod Beaches for Toddlers: Plan Your Day Around the Tide
The best Cape Cod beaches for toddlers under 4, organized by time of day — tidal flats at low tide, calm ponds at noon, and sheltered afternoon floats.
Visiting Cape Cod
When It Rains on the Upper Cape: What to Actually Do in Bourne, Falmouth & Mashpee
Real rainy day picks for the Upper Cape — ceramics, axe throwing, spas, and the best local coffee in Bourne, Sandwich, Falmouth, and Mashpee.
Visiting Cape Cod
What to Do on a Rainy Day on the Mid-Cape
Real, local rainy-day picks for Hyannis, Barnstable, Yarmouth, Dennis, and the Mid-Cape — coffee, spa days, museums, and slow afternoons worth planning.
Common questions about our guides
How are the guides organized?
In two libraries. Explore Cape Cod covers visiting, living, seasons and wildlife, by category or region. The contractor library covers home projects by trade, a hiring guide for each trade in each town, and business guides for contractors. Search looks across both.
Are the guides free?
Yes. Every guide is free to read, and the Explore Cape Cod guides are free to listen to as podcasts. Contractor work is arranged directly with the business. Some experiences book through partners like FareHarbor, Viator or GetYourGuide, and we may earn a commission on those.
Where can I listen?
Follow our three free shows on Apple Podcasts (opens in a new tab) and Spotify (opens in a new tab): Visiting Cape Cod, Wild Cape Cod and Living on Cape Cod.