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.
155 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.
Cape Cod Pursuits
The complete guide to Cape Cod fishing charters — striped bass, bluefin tuna, fluke, and bluefish — organized by species, departure port, and charter type so you book the right trip.
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
How to visit Cape Cod without a car: buses, the Boston-Provincetown ferry, island ferries, best car-free towns, and how to get around by bike once you arrive.
Cape Cod Pursuits
Everything you need to know about clamming and quahogging on Cape Cod — shellfish licenses by town, the best flats for quahogs and steamers, tide timing, gear, and what to cook when you get home.
Visiting Cape Cod
Discover Cape Cod's real wine industry — Truro Vineyards, Cape Cod Winery, maritime terroir, oyster pairings, and everything you need to plan the perfect Cape wine trail day.
Visiting Cape Cod
Complete guide to Cape Cod over-sand vehicle (OSV) beaches — Race Point in Provincetown and Sandy Neck in Barnstable — covering permits, required gear, piping plover closures, and what vehicle you actually need.
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.
Visiting Cape Cod
The best breakfast and brunch on Cape Cod: diners, bakeries, beach cafes, what to order, and the one tip (go early) that makes or breaks your morning.
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.
Visiting Cape Cod
Discover Cape Cod in winter — what open from October through April, the best activities (whale watching, birding, hiking the National Seashore), where to eat, and why year-rounders say the off-season is the real Cape.
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 Pursuits
Cape Cod is one of the East Coast's premier birding destinations — a hooked peninsula on the Atlantic Flyway surrounded by salt marsh, tidal flat, freshwater pond, and pine barrens. Here's where to go, what to look for, and when to visit.
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 Pursuits
Cape Cod photography spots ranked by season and light direction — from Race Point sunrise to Rock Harbor sunset, with tide tips, hidden gems, and the specific logistics locals use to plan a great shoot.
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
Septic, nitrogen-reducing systems, or town sewer on Cape Cod? A guide to the three paths, the trade-offs, and the two phone calls that make the decision clear.
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