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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.

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Real Cape Cod places, checked by us — not ranked by algorithms.

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Guides

The Guides · 850+ in two libraries

Practical knowledge for Cape Cod living.

Search all guides

Live · Hyannis

63°

Sunny

Low chance of rain for the next 12 hours.

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Forecast: WeatherAPI

The Verified Local sealLook for it in windowsBusinesses we've visited can put the same seal in their window. Its QR code opens their page here.What the seal means →

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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“Certified” and “Standards” refer to Cape Cod Certified's independent private curation framework and do not imply any governmental, regulatory, or third-party certification. All products, experiences, and contractors listed are selected at our own discretion and subject to our internal review process.

The Pinehills · Plymouth · Massachusetts

Tourist · 370 guidesVisiting & ExploringBeaches, towns, seasons, wildlife

Homeowner · 204 guidesLiving on Cape CodLife here, home care, hiring

Contractor · 62 guidesWorking on Cape CodCode, pricing, running the business

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Upper CapeTown days & rainy plans119 guides
Mid CapeTown days & rainy plans126 guides
Lower CapeTown days & rainy plans165 guides
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Martha's VineyardTown days & rainy plans3 guides
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Cape-wideGuides for the whole Cape105 guides

Guides for visitors

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Topic: Visiting Cape Cod Clear all

Visiting Cape Cod
The Ice Cream Guide to Provincetown
Where locals get ice cream in Provincetown: Lewis Brothers homemade small-batch scoops and Spiritus, the legendary late-night Commercial Street stop since 1971.
Read the guide →
Visiting Cape Cod
When It Rains on the Lower Cape: What to Do in Harwich, Chatham, Brewster & Orleans
When rain rolls in on the Lower Cape, the right moves are in Chatham, Brewster, Orleans & Harwich. Real venues, real visits — no filler.

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.

Read the guide →

Free podcast

Listen to the guides

Every guide, read aloud in Visiting Cape Cod and Wild Cape Cod. Follow and new ones arrive on your phone.

Follow on Apple (opens in a new tab)Spotify (opens in a new tab)All shows →

Visiting Cape Cod · Truro

Truro, Cape Cod: The Outer Cape's Most Underrated Town (Vineyards, Lighthouses & Near-Empty Beaches)

Discover things to do in Truro Cape Cod: the Cape's only winery, a George Washington lighthouse, near-empty National Seashore beaches, and bay sunsets.

Read the guide →

Visiting Cape Cod · Provincetown

Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary: Cape Cod's Offshore Ecosystem & Why It Matters

Plan your Stellwagen Bank whale watch from Provincetown. Expert guide to the sanctuary's ecology, whale species, best season, and what locals know before you go.

Read the guide →

Experiences

ExperienceCape Classics
History and Art Tour of Provincetown
Art Colony Since 1899
from $75Book
ExperienceCape Classics
Glassblowing Demonstration & Studio
Watch a Master at Work
Free–$30+Book
ExperienceBeach Day
Cape Cod: eFoil Lessons and Events with Pro Instructor
Fly Above the Water
$190 per personBook
ExperienceCape Classics
The Ultimate JAWSome JAWS Tour
Every JAWS Location Visited
from $49Book
ExperienceBeach Day
Guided Kayak Tours
Guided · Canal Route
$55–$125Book
ExperienceCape Classics
Sanctum Paranormal Museum & Ghost Hunts
Museum + Ghost Hunts + Seances · Adam Berry
from $25/personBook
ExperienceCape Classics
Martha’s Vineyard Island Tour
Narrated · All Ages
from $70Book
ExperienceBeach Day
Patriot Party Boats — Deep Sea Fishing
Open Boat · Keep Your Catch · 40+ Years
See pricesBook
ExperienceBeach Day
Nantucket Beach Fishing Charters
Keep What You Catch
from $625Book
See all experiences

Swipe for more →

Visiting Cape Cod

Skip Airbnb Fees: How to Book Cape Cod Rentals Direct and Save

Airbnb and VRBO charge 15-20% on top of every booking. Here's how to find Cape Cod vacation rentals that let you book direct — and what certified really means.

Read the guide →

Visiting Cape Cod

Eating Well on Cape Cod Without Breaking the Bank: Budget Dining Tips & Local Favorites

How to eat well on Cape Cod without breaking the bank: where the value hides, lunch-over-dinner, clam shacks, fish markets, and the one splurge worth it.

Read the guide →

Free podcast

Listen to the guides

Every guide, read aloud in Visiting Cape Cod and Wild Cape Cod. Follow and new ones arrive on your phone.

Follow on Apple (opens in a new tab)Spotify (opens in a new tab)All shows →

Visiting Cape Cod

Cape Cod National Seashore: The Complete Guide to Beaches, Trails, Visitor Centers & Everything In Between

Expert guide to Cape Cod National Seashore: best beaches, trails, visitor centers, parking tips, fees, and seasonal advice for Eastham, Wellfleet, Truro & Provincetown.

Read the guide →

Visiting Cape Cod · Plymouth

A Perfect Day Trip to Plymouth from Cape Cod

Cross the canal for a day in Plymouth — Plimoth Patuxent, the Mayflower II, a working waterfront, and some of the best independent restaurants south of Boston.

Read the guide →

Experiences

ExperienceCape Classics
The Ultimate JAWSome JAWS Tour
Every JAWS Location Visited
from $49Book
ExperienceBeach Day
Guided Kayak Tours
Guided · Canal Route
$55–$125Book
ExperienceCape Classics
Sanctum Paranormal Museum & Ghost Hunts
Museum + Ghost Hunts + Seances · Adam Berry
from $25/personBook
ExperienceCape Classics
Martha’s Vineyard Island Tour
Narrated · All Ages
from $70Book
ExperienceBeach Day
Patriot Party Boats — Deep Sea Fishing
Open Boat · Keep Your Catch · 40+ Years
See pricesBook
ExperienceBeach Day
Nantucket Beach Fishing Charters
Keep What You Catch
from $625Book
ExperienceCape Classics
History and Art Tour of Provincetown
Art Colony Since 1899
from $75Book
ExperienceCape Classics
Glassblowing Demonstration & Studio
Watch a Master at Work
Free–$30+Book
ExperienceBeach Day
Cape Cod: eFoil Lessons and Events with Pro Instructor
Fly Above the Water
$190 per personBook
See all experiences

Swipe for more →

Visiting Cape Cod

Getting Around Cape Cod: Buses, Bikes, Rideshare & the Truth About Uber at 10pm in October

How to get around Cape Cod: beating bridge traffic, the rail-trail bike network, CCRTA buses and shuttles, and the honest truth about rideshare on the Cape.

Read the guide →

Visiting Cape Cod · Sandwich

Sandwich, MA: A Guide to the Cape's Most Historic Town

Discover Sandwich, MA — the oldest town on Cape Cod.

Read the guide →

Visiting Cape Cod

Beating the Bourne Bridge: Best Times to Cross to Cape Cod

Arriving via I-195 or Route 28? Here are the exact best and worst times to cross the Bourne Bridge — including the rotary, drawbridge closures, and back-road escapes.

Read the guide →

Visiting Cape Cod · Wellfleet

Atlantic White Cedar Swamp Trail: Wellfleet's Most Unexpected Hike Inside the National Seashore

A boardwalk loop through a rare cedar swamp in Cape Cod National Seashore near the Marconi site in South Wellfleet: what you'll see, when to go, what to bring.

Read the guide →

Visiting Cape Cod

Girls Trip to Cape Cod: Best Towns, Sunset Bars & What Locals Actually Do on a Weekend Without Kids

Planning a girls trip to Cape Cod? Local picks for Provincetown, Chatham & Wellfleet — sunset bars, spa days, oysters, and when to actually go.

Read the guide →

Visiting Cape Cod · Falmouth

How to Take the Ferry to Martha's Vineyard from Woods Hole: The Complete Booking Guide

How to book the Martha's Vineyard ferry from Woods Hole: car reservations, walk-on tickets, parking options, and every ferry route to the Vineyard from the Cape.

Read the guide →

Visiting Cape Cod

Cape Cod Craft Breweries: A Guide to the Cape's Growing Beer Scene

Cape Cod's craft brewery scene by region, what to expect at a taproom, how to build a brewery trail, and how to do it responsibly. Cheers.

Read the guide →

Visiting Cape Cod

Best Beaches on Cape Cod: A Local's Guide by Region, Water Type & What You're Looking For

Which Cape Cod beach is right for you? A local's breakdown by water type, family needs, shark awareness, and parking — with specific beaches named by town and fee type.

Read the guide →

Visiting Cape Cod

Cape Cod Beaches with Bathrooms, Showers, and Facilities: What to Expect Before You Park

Not every Cape Cod beach has a bathroom. Here's the definitive guide to which beaches have full facilities, showers, concessions, and ADA access before you park.

Read the guide →

Visiting Cape Cod

Best Family Beaches on Cape Cod: Calm Water, Facilities & Kid Favorites

The best family beaches on Cape Cod ranked by calm water, facilities, and kid-friendliness — from tidal flats in Orleans to warm Nantucket Sound shores in Barnstable.

Read the guide →

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.

Read the guide →

Visiting Cape Cod

Best Clam Chowder on Cape Cod: A Local's Honest Guide to the Bowls Worth Ordering

A local's honest guide to the best clam chowder on Cape Cod — from Captain Parker's in West Yarmouth to Arnold's on the Outer Cape. Named restaurants, honest assessments, practical details.

Read the guide →

Visiting Cape Cod

Best Sunset Beaches on Cape Cod: Where to Watch the Cape Most Beautiful Sunsets

Find the best sunset beaches on Cape Cod — from Herring Cove in Provincetown to Rock Harbor in Orleans. All bay-facing spots where the sky actually turns gold.

Read the guide →

Visiting Cape Cod

Parking in Cape Cod Towns: Chatham, Provincetown, Hyannis & More

Downtown parking on Cape Cod in summer is brutal. Here's a town-by-town breakdown of lots, meters, free spots, and the tricks locals actually use.

Read the guide →

Visiting Cape Cod

Cape Cod Lighthouses: A Guide to 6 of the Best-Known Lighthouses & How to Visit Each One

A guide to six of Cape Cod's best-known lighthouses — Nobska, Chatham, Nauset, Highland, Race Point, and Wood End — with practical visit info, parking, tower climb schedules, and directions for each.

Read the guide →

Visiting Cape Cod · Sandwich

Sandwich, Cape Cod: Heritage Museums, Glassblowing History & the Canal Town You've Been Driving Through

Things to do in Sandwich, Cape Cod: Heritage Museums & Gardens, the Sandwich Glass Museum, Canal bike path, historic village, and Town Neck Beach — all worth your time.

Read the guide →

Page 5 of 11

Experiences

Book an experience

ExperienceCape Classics

History and Art Tour of Provincetown

Art Colony Since 1899

from $75Book

ExperienceCape Classics

Glassblowing Demonstration & Studio

Watch a Master at Work

Free–$30+Book

ExperienceBeach Day

Cape Cod: eFoil Lessons and Events with Pro Instructor

Fly Above the Water

$190 per personBook

See all experiences Advertise your experience here

Live · Hyannis

63°

Sunny

Low chance of rain for the next 12 hours.

2p4p6p8p10p12a

Forecast: WeatherAPI

Practical knowledge for Cape Cod living.

Practical knowledge for Cape Cod living.

Guides for visitors

The Ice Cream Guide to Provincetown

When It Rains on the Lower Cape: What to Do in Harwich, Chatham, Brewster & Orleans

Common questions about our guides

Truro, Cape Cod: The Outer Cape's Most Underrated Town (Vineyards, Lighthouses & Near-Empty Beaches)

Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary: Cape Cod's Offshore Ecosystem & Why It Matters

Skip Airbnb Fees: How to Book Cape Cod Rentals Direct and Save

Eating Well on Cape Cod Without Breaking the Bank: Budget Dining Tips & Local Favorites

Cape Cod National Seashore: The Complete Guide to Beaches, Trails, Visitor Centers & Everything In Between

A Perfect Day Trip to Plymouth from Cape Cod

Getting Around Cape Cod: Buses, Bikes, Rideshare & the Truth About Uber at 10pm in October

Sandwich, MA: A Guide to the Cape's Most Historic Town

Beating the Bourne Bridge: Best Times to Cross to Cape Cod

Atlantic White Cedar Swamp Trail: Wellfleet's Most Unexpected Hike Inside the National Seashore

Girls Trip to Cape Cod: Best Towns, Sunset Bars & What Locals Actually Do on a Weekend Without Kids

How to Take the Ferry to Martha's Vineyard from Woods Hole: The Complete Booking Guide

Cape Cod Craft Breweries: A Guide to the Cape's Growing Beer Scene

Best Beaches on Cape Cod: A Local's Guide by Region, Water Type & What You're Looking For

Cape Cod Beaches with Bathrooms, Showers, and Facilities: What to Expect Before You Park

Best Family Beaches on Cape Cod: Calm Water, Facilities & Kid Favorites

The Ice Cream Guide to Bourne — Verified Shops and Local Tips

Best Clam Chowder on Cape Cod: A Local's Honest Guide to the Bowls Worth Ordering

Best Sunset Beaches on Cape Cod: Where to Watch the Cape Most Beautiful Sunsets

Parking in Cape Cod Towns: Chatham, Provincetown, Hyannis & More

Cape Cod Lighthouses: A Guide to 6 of the Best-Known Lighthouses & How to Visit Each One

Sandwich, Cape Cod: Heritage Museums, Glassblowing History & the Canal Town You've Been Driving Through