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.
© 2026 Cape Cod Certified
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.
121 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
Real strategies for a multi-generational Cape Cod vacation: tidal flats, whale watches, best base towns, and rental tips for three generations.
Visiting Cape Cod
Route 6A on Cape Cod — the Old King's Highway — is a National Scenic Byway lined with sea captain's houses, colonial village centers, and antique shops. Here's how to drive it well.
Visiting Cape Cod
Cape Cod has more than 360 freshwater kettle ponds — warm, clear, shark-free, and often far less crowded than the ocean beaches. Here's where locals swim when the Atlantic is cold, rough, or on shark alert.
Visiting Cape Cod
The honest town-by-town guide to bars Cape Cod nightlife — from Provincetown's Commercial Street to the Chatham Squire, the Beachcomber, and local breweries.
Cape Cod Pursuits
A local's guide to the best public golf courses on Cape Cod — Captains in Brewster, Olde Barnstable Fairgrounds, Dennis Pines, Sandwich Hollows, and more — with booking tips and why September is the value season.
Cape Cod Home
A Cape Cod homeowner's guide to heat pumps and ductless mini-splits: types, coastal considerations, Mass Save incentives, and hiring the install.
Cape Cod Home
Renovating in Cape Cod's Old King's Highway Historic District: what needs committee approval, the Certificate of Appropriateness process, and how to do it right.
Cape Cod Pursuits
A local's ranked guide to Cape Cod's best public golf courses, with approximate green fees, who each is for, and the smartest times to play for value.
Cape Cod Home
When you need a building permit on Cape Cod, how each town's process works, the historic-district layer on Route 6A, and why never to skip a permit.
Cape Cod Home
A plain-English guide to Title 5 septic on Cape Cod: inspections at sale, nitrogen-reducing systems, the upgrade process, and buyer/seller tips. Verify locally.
Cape Cod Home
The best roofing materials for Cape Cod's salt air, wind and storms: asphalt, cedar, metal and synthetic compared, plus why installation quality matters most.
Cape Cod Home
The complete checklist to winterize a Cape Cod vacation home: preventing frozen pipes, the plumbing shutdown, storm prep, monitoring, and avoiding disaster.
Cape Cod Home
FEMA flood zones on Cape Cod explained: what VE/AE/X mean, when flood insurance is required, how zones affect renovations, and how to find your zone.
Cape Cod Home
A Cape Cod guide to standby whole-house generators: portable vs. standby, propane vs. natural gas, the permitted install, sizing, costs, and safety.
Cape Cod Home
Whether closing your Cape home for the season or keeping it year-round, here's the complete checklist for protecting your property through a Cape Cod winter.
Cape Cod Home
How Cape Cod homeowners insurance really works: the separate wind and flood coverages every coastal owner needs, the FAIR Plan, and how to manage the cost.
Cape Cod Home
How to find and vet a licensed contractor on Cape Cod: the HIC and CSL credentials to verify, the vetting checklist, getting good bids, and red flags.
Cape Cod Home
A complete guide to buying a Cape Cod vacation home: how you'll use it, the coastal costs buyers underestimate, the due-diligence checklist, and financing.
Cape Cod Home
Thinking of buying a Cape Cod home as a short-term rental? The seasonality math, tightening town rules, taxes, and full cost stack to run before you buy.
Cape Cod Home
A real buyer's guide to choosing a Cape Cod town for a second home: use, rental income, drive time, off-season life, and which towns fit which buyers.
Cape Cod Home
An honest guide to moving to Cape Cod full-time: the housing crunch, the seasonal economy, healthcare, the off-season reality, and a practical checklist.
Cape Cod Home
Title 5 septic inspection is required for every Cape Cod home sale — here's what it means, what it costs, and what to do if you fail.
Cape Cod Home
What buyers need to know about the Cape Cod real estate market: the forces that shape it, why it's many micro-markets, and a disciplined buying strategy.
Cape Cod Home
How Cape Cod property taxes work, why they vary by town, the second-home exemption wrinkle, and how to check the real tax bill before you buy.
Live · Hyannis
55°
Clear
Low chance of rain for the next 12 hours.