An independent local guide to Cape Cod and the Islands. Every business we list has been visited and photographed in person.
“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.
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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.
94 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 · Eastham
Spend a perfect day in Eastham, MA — Fort Hill's marsh views, Coast Guard Beach, First Encounter's tidal flats, and the best of Cape Cod National Seashore.
Visiting Cape Cod
Plan a birding trip to Cape Cod with expert guides to Monomoy, Wellfleet Bay, Fort Hill, and Beech Forest — what species to find, when to go, and practical tips.
Visiting Cape Cod
The local Cape Cod food guide — Wellfleet oysters, New England clam chowder, lobster rolls, Portuguese malasadas in Provincetown, fresh fish off the Chatham pier, and whole-belly fried clams at the roadside stands that define the Cape's food identity.
Visiting Cape Cod
Where to camp on Cape Cod, how to book Nickerson State Park before it sells out, and what Paine's Campground and Horton's are actually like — a practical local guide to reservations, sites, and what to pack.
Visiting Cape Cod
A town-by-town guide to the best lobster rolls on Cape Cod — specific spots, honest prices, fresh-picked vs. not, and the butter-vs-mayo debate settled by someone who lives here.
Visiting Cape Cod
Where to stay if the beach is your priority on Cape Cod. Certified hotels, inns, and rentals within walking distance of the Cape's best beaches.
Visiting Cape Cod
When should you visit Cape Cod? A local's honest month-by-month guide — why September wins for warm water, thin crowds, and lower rates, plus every season.
Visiting Cape Cod
Find the best dog-friendly trails on Cape Cod in Brewster, Eastham, Wellfleet, Truro, and Chatham. Real hikes, leash rules, parking tips, and seasonal advice.
Visiting Cape Cod
Plan the perfect Cape Cod day trip from Boston with real traffic advice, two driving routes, the Cape Flyer train option, and itineraries for 4-hour, 6-hour, and full-day trips to Sandwich, Chatham, and Nauset Beach.
Visiting Cape Cod
Plan the right Cape Cod Rail Trail ride: four route plans from family half-days to the full 25 miles, which direction to ride, when to start, and the swim stops worth a towel.
Visiting Cape Cod
Which beaches can you actually ride to on the Cape Cod Rail Trail? Honest distances, road conditions, and fees for Dennis, Brewster, Orleans, Eastham, and Wellfleet.
Visiting Cape Cod
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.
Visiting Cape Cod
Expert guide to Cape Cod National Seashore: best beaches, trails, visitor centers, parking tips, fees, and seasonal advice for Eastham, Wellfleet, Truro & Provincetown.
Visiting Cape Cod
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.
Visiting 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.
Visiting Cape Cod
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.
Visiting Cape Cod
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.
Visiting Cape Cod
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.
Visiting Cape Cod
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.
Visiting Cape Cod
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.
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
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
Planning a Cape Cod beach trip? Here's everything visitors need to know about great white sharks — which beaches, when they peak, how to stay safe, and what's changed on the Outer Cape.
Live · Hyannis
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