I'd add: Friday night band concerts in Kate Gould Park (hoping they happen this year) - we've been going for 30 years Brewster Natural History Museum Train museum (it's one room and a train car - fun for a short visit and it's across from the playground Kayaking - there are a couple of places to rent them Skaket Beach in Orleans - on the Bay side and very tidal - there is also a "lazy river" You can rent power boats and catamarans at the Wequasett if you are into boating - it's called Down Cape - make a reservation early You can do a seal tour - although you can see seals from the Fish Pier too Buffy's ice cream Chatham Candy Manor |
| PP here - I'd skip Hyannis, and probably Provincetown just because in season it's a good hour from Chatham, unless you want to do a whale watch cruise. Wellfleet is a nice place for a 1/2 day trip and there are some walks you can do. If you want to do an Island I'd go to Nantucket on the fast ferry from Harwich because it's only 20 minutes to the ferry, plenty of parking, and it's a nice ride. |
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Skip Hyannis.
Check out what activities are going on - Woods Hole does an annual science fair sort of thing which is fun (though a long drive.) Most towns have weekly (or even biweekly) concerts. Most towns have libraries with story hours or other activities for kids. And these are great places to go on rainy days. There's a sweet little museum, the Cape Cod Natural History Museum, in Brewster that has kids activities including marsh tours etc. Also check out the Mass Audubon Society in Wellfleet - they have all kinds of activities including some kayaking and boat tours etc. A seal cruise around Chatham harbor can be fun, same with a whale watch (you can get them out of Harwich I think.) Try the bayside beaches as well as some lakes - better for small kids, warmer waters, generally fewer sharks. We love Skaket at high tide. Sundae School is now Schmittys (yeah, terrible name, but same great ice cream.) Also try the ice cream (and much more) at the Chocolate Sparrow in Orleans. |
| If your kids are young there is a magician who does great magic shows once a week at a church in Chatham. Not sure what they are doing re covid, but it's a lot of fun. |
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Chatham Fish Pier
https://www.historic-chatham.org/fish_pier.html |
I think that’s just in Orleans. Harwich is still Sundae School. Both are good. Buffy’s is the best! |
| Curious about the Chatham love. Cache? |
Geocaching? Not very popular there. |
Ooooohhhhhh....there is great home made ice cream all over the Cape, thanks to local functioning farms! Check out the various "Best of" lists every year - there are outstanding places everywhere on the Cape (not giving away my fav LOL). Now I want fresh ice cream and fresh seafood (not in any particular order)........YUM. |
I think people get used to going to certain places, and if the newbies want to flex, they go to Chatham, maybe. Other people consider Chatham central, so that it is "easier" to enjoy many aspects of the Cape, since there is so much to do (you don't want to feel limited to one place, even though you really are not). You don't want to get stuck somewhere with few activities that you have to reserve months ahead, and subpar beaches or subpar food (ie: not the Cape), so people take to certain parts of the Cape. Though the activities and food are not subpar anywhere on the Cape, the variety is nice - so some people pick an area depending on what they like to do. I guess there are "Chatham-like" places almost all over the Cape, but some people think that Chatham is the most recognizable (outside of that area, I guess) - so they they pick Chatham. You really can't go wrong anywhere, for activities and food. We do like CBI, to visit (not stay), ourselves. I guess people have an allegiance, depending on their activities, is what I am saying. |