An independent local guide to Cape Cod and the Islands. Every business we list has been visited and photographed in person.
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The Pinehills · Plymouth · Massachusetts
The Guides · 850+ in two libraries
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.
257 guides
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.
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.
Follow our three free shows on Apple Podcasts and : Visiting Cape Cod, Wild Cape Cod and Living on Cape Cod.
Visiting Cape Cod
The best coffee on Cape Cod, named and honest — from Pain D'Avignon in Hyannis to Hot Chocolate Sparrow in Orleans, with local timing tips, hidden gems by town, and a clear-eyed look at what's actually worth seeking out.
Visiting Cape Cod
Where dogs are actually allowed on Cape Cod beaches — seasonal rules, leash laws, and a town-by-town breakdown from Sandwich to Provincetown. Plan your dog-friendly Cape trip right.
Visiting Cape Cod
Seven one-day fall itineraries on Cape Cod — Route 6A antiques, Wellfleet oysters, Sandwich heritage, Chatham lighthouse, Provincetown galleries, and more.
Visiting Cape Cod
A practical guide to 20 things to do on Cape Cod when it rains — museums, oyster bars, kayaking, and hidden trails — organized so you can make a decision fast and stop watching the weather app.
Visiting Cape Cod
Everything you need to plan a day trip to Marthas Vineyard from Cape Cod — which ferry to take, where to park, what to do in Edgartown, Oak Bluffs, and Aquinnah, and how to make the most of one full day on the island.
Visiting Cape Cod
From Provincetown's 125-year-old artist colony to the Cape Playhouse in Dennis, Cape Cod's arts and culture scene is the real thing — galleries, theater, symphony, and a literary tradition worth your time.
Visiting Cape Cod · Falmouth
Falmouth is one of Cape Cod's most complete destinations — calm-water family beaches, the 10.7-mile Shining Sea Bikeway, a genuine historic village center, and Woods Hole. Here is what to actually do here beyond the Vineyard ferry line.
Visiting Cape Cod · Falmouth
Everything you need to know about Falmouth, MA.
Visiting Cape Cod
Planning a Boston to Cape Cod day trip? Get the honest guide: drive times, the Sagamore Bridge bottleneck, the P'town ferry option, and exactly which towns are worth the trip.
Visiting Cape Cod
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
A guide to Cape Cod oysters and raw bars: Wellfleet and other local varieties, how to eat a raw oyster, what makes a great raw bar, and when to go.
Visiting Cape Cod
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
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 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
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
Discover the full story of the Whydah Gally — the pirate ship that sank off Wellfleet in 1717 carrying an estimated $400 million in treasure, and the West Yarmouth museum where you can see the real artifacts today.
Visiting Cape Cod
Where gray and harbor seals haul out on Cape Cod, from Chatham to the outer beaches, how seal-watch boats work, the federal distance rule, and shark safety.
Visiting Cape Cod
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 · Dennis
Discover the best things to do in Dennis, Cape Cod — Cape Playhouse, Scargo Hill Tower, Corporation Beach, Bass River kayaking, and West Dennis Beach.
Visiting Cape Cod · Truro
Truro is the most sparsely populated town on Cape Cod — dramatic ocean cliffs, pristine national seashore beaches, and almost no commercial development make it unforgettable.
Visiting Cape Cod
What real New England clam chowder is, how to spot the tourist-trap version, chowder styles, and how to order like a local on Cape Cod.
Visiting Cape Cod
The definitive surf casting guide for Cape Cod — best shore fishing spots for striped bass and bluefish, licensing, tides, lures, and local tackle shops from Chatham to Provincetown.
Visiting Cape Cod · Eastham
Discover the best things to do in Eastham, Cape Cod — Coast Guard Beach, Fort Hill, the Salt Pond Visitor Center, Nauset Light, and Arnold's. Your complete local guide to the National Seashore's front door.
Visiting Cape Cod · Orleans
Orleans sits at the geographic turn of Cape Cod with Atlantic surf at Nauset Beach, Bay-side charter fishing at Rock Harbor, and sea kayaking in Pleasant Bay — here's everything you need to spend a great day in the Lower Cape's most underrated town.
Live · Hyannis
54°
Light rain
Rain until about 9am, then drier.