Our fall journey down the East Coast in 2019 was deliberately designed to highlight a slew of city adventures, including Boston, New York, and Washington D.C. We enjoy our city adventures—and we also need the respite of nature.
Following our visit to Boston and Salem, we took refuge for several days on Cape Cod.
Settling In For A Few Peaceful Days
In high season, the Cape is a wildly popular place, especially for New Yorkers and Bostonians longing for a seaside summer escape. But during the first week of November, we were virtually alone.
We settled into a spacious campsite at Atlantic Oaks RV Park on the Outer Cape, with only a handful of other late season campers scattered throughout the wooded campground. The weather had vastly improved from our rain-soaked visit to Boston. Crisp days, blue skies, and the golden light of autumn illuminated the quiet November beauty of the Cape.
The Cape Cod Rail Trail was steps from our back door, offering 25 miles of peaceful biking on an easy trail.
On the Cape Cod Rail Trail
Cape Cod National Seashore
Cape Cod National Seashore protects a large portion of the Outer Cape, encompassing a mosaic of long stretches of white sand beaches, dunes of gold grasses, wildlife-rich marshlands, and historic sites.
The Salt Pond Visitor Center was just one-half mile from our campground. We browsed the excellent displays and walked the trails in the marsh, enjoying the solitude.
Cape Cod extends 70 miles into the Atlantic, looking just like someone doing a bicep curl
The Salt Pond Visitor Center has hundreds of pieces of scrimshaw on display. It was a popular hobby of whalers, who carved intricate designs into the bones and teeth of whales for loved ones waiting back at home.
Iconic Cape Cod
We happily confined our explorations to the Outer Cape, which tends to be more secluded and nature oriented than the rest of the Cape. In visiting the Cape, Henry David Thoreau wrote: “The seashore is sort of a neutral ground, a most advantageous point from which to contemplate this world.” I agree.
There are miles of beaches:
Alone on Cape Cod
NO. Absolutely, positively, no. Who in their right mind would swim here??
And peaceful marshes:
Beautiful Wellfleet Bay, a nature preserve
There are historic lighthouses:
Two of the Three Sisters Lighthouses (named because they all looked alike)
Nauset Lighthouse. If you’ve ever seen a bag of Cape Cod Potato Chips…this is the lighthouse.
Highland Light was originally commissioned by George Washington. It’s the oldest and largest lighthouse on Cape Cod and is still operational.
Classic Cape Cod-style homes:
Classic Cape Cod home
A tiny Cape Cod cottage
And a historic fishing industry:
At Chatham Pier, we watched the commercial fishing fleet returning with their catches, while the gray seals hung around the docks, hoping for a handout.
Commercial fishing boats in Chatham
I like the paint job on this skiff. It looks like it’s camouflaged for the Serengeti.
Quirky Provincetown
The bohemian beach community of Provincetown is located on the extreme northern tip of the Cape. The town attracts artists, writers, and free spirits. My favorite poet, Mary Oliver, made her home here for many years.
Provincetown is known for its large LGBT community, although everyone is welcome. Here, not Plymouth Rock, is where the Mayflower first landed. I can only imagine the Puritanical Pilgrims visiting Provincetown now, LOL. In November, the town was quiet, with none of the street parties, parades, and revelers that make it a wild destination in summer.
Art Alley and bawdy murals
Provincetown Library, housed in a former Methodist Church, circa 1860
Commercial Street in Provincetown
What We Missed
The downside of a fall visit to Cape Cod is that everything is closed, and I mean everything. You might find a handful of restaurants that stay open for the locals, but even those tend to have very limited hours. There is none of the gridlock that Cape Cod is famous for in the summer, but there are also none of the festivities. I’ve been to Provincetown in the summer, and it’s festive and colorful. In November, it’s a ghost town.
We were in the mood for a quiet few days, so it suited us just fine to have a peaceful Cape experience. We did find one delightful café for breakfast: Hangar B, at the little local airport in Chatam. Their food is delicious, and they even roast their own coffee and serve homemade jams (strawberry thyme balsamic, yummy).
A delicious Hangar B breakfast of vegetable hash and poached eggs with sourdough
Where We Stayed
Atlantic Oaks RV Park, the quiet season
Atlantic Oaks RV Park is a wonderful park on the Outer Cape. It offers full hook-ups, laundry, and wifi. The location is excellent: it’s on the Cape Cod Rail Trail; the Cape Cod National Seashore Visitor Center is right next door; and Provincetown is only 20 miles away.
Will you guys ever get to California in the future?
Love all your sites you have shown. . . .
Bob, we’ve spent a lot of time exploring California…and we definitely plan to return! Hope we can meet up with you when we do. I know you spend a lot of time photographing along 395 (definitely one of our favorites).
You really ARE going to drive across the country again someday???? I will wait with bated or is it baited breath!! And if you are anywhere nearby you know Recreation Creek awaits. And if not, we will track you down on 395!
Sue, we definitely hope/plan to travel cross-country again…and kayaking Recreation Creek with you and Mo is high on our list of things to do! It feels a bit more challenging these days to figure out the best time to travel west with the long wildfire and smoke season. But we’ll figure it out. :-)
We’ve been to Cape Cod several times and you stayed in the very best area — easy driving distance to P-Town, the national seashore, and several other cute towns, but far enough out on the peninsula to get some peace and quiet. Of course, visiting in November also helps with the peace and quiet. You were lucky to find a campground that was actually still open! I knew the rail trail would be a hit with you guys, along with the charming lighthouses and coastal views. It really is a scenic spot when you can avoid the crowds.
Shannon, I visited Cape Cod many times when I was living in Boston, and the Outer Cape was always my favorite, for all the reasons you mentioned. We were definitely lucky to find a campground open, and in the perfect location. I actually tent camped in that campground years ago! But all of that was pre-blog, and my memories are a bit hazy, LOL.
Lovely post and area. Spent vacations on Cape Cod as a child.
Have a peaceful weekend
K~
Hi Kathryn, I’m wondering where you grew up…it seems as though you know the East Coast well. I’ll bet the Cape was a wonderful place to spend summer vacations as a child. It was interesting walking the beach in the national seashore—it reminded me of St. George Island!
What a gorgeous area to have to yourselves! The home styles and boats on the water are very calming. I love the artists’ community and the colorful streets and alleyways. “I can only imagine the Puritanical Pilgrims visiting Provincetown now” too funny! I imagine they’d be shocked at quite a few things… but I’d rather be living in a more accepting world than theirs was :)
Janis, it really was lovely to have such a peaceful time on the Cape. And the weather was perfect! I completely agree with you—I’d much rather be living in a more accepting world than the world the Pilgrims lived in. It struck me as hilarious that the Pilgrims first landed in what is now Provincetown. They would definitely be shocked, LOL.
One month to go!!
Your November on the Cape worked out perfectly. I imagine not all Novembers there are as lovely, but you guys caught it just right. I’m with you — who would swim where there are man-eating sharks, though it looks as if November isn’t their peak season. It wasn’t zero, either, so… I’m not hungry for a seal, but I suddenly have a craving for potato chips.
Joodie, I cannot imagine anyone getting into the water with those giant signs warning about great white shark attacks. The sharks are after seals, but still…I would be terrified and most definitely NOT having fun! We were lucky to catch good weather in early November. It made for great beach walking and biking on the rail trail.
Having the Cape to yourself sounds amazing. The crowds of summer are fun, but it is clear from your photos that there’s a beauty and peacefulness that can only be experienced in the offseason.
The New England style houses are lovely and the lighthouses postcard-perfect. It looks like the weather gods felt bad about their Boston torment and tried to make it up to you on the Cape. Seems fair.
And yes, if those Pilgrims could only see what happened to their perfect little planned development. Ah well… The best laid plans and all. :)
Laura, it’s always fun to see a place in “high” season, but the Cape is a pain because you end up sitting in traffic. It was so great to have no traffic anywhere, and to have the beaches and bike path to ourselves. Of course, Provincetown was like a ghost town and there were virtually no restaurants open, so that was a drawback.
Haha, I just love thinking about the Pilgrims seeing Provincetown now!!
There is something magical about Cape Cod that draws people back. We know two families who vacation at the Cape every year and another family that has a summer home there. I love the architecture of New England and could wander around admiring houses all day long. Homes like the little cottage you photographed quickly work their way into my heart. I agree with Shannon that you were lucky to find an open RV park in November – and in a perfect location, too!
Mary, I love those little New England cottages, too! They’re so picturesque, and the natural weathered shingles fit in perfectly with the coastal landscape. The Cape is definitely a special place—and it can be fun in the summer! Even with so many things closed, we enjoyed our peaceful November visit. That campground is a good one!
Being in Cape Cod in November sounds heavenly! I have a friend who is a native of Massachusetts and owns a home on Cape Cod–the two of us had planned a trip one summer (the Cowboy wasn’t going) but tragic circumstances kept that trip from happening. Reading your blog makes me want to resurrect those travel plans!
Janna, I hope you’ll resurrect those travel plans. I’ll bet you would have a wonderful time visiting your friend who has a home on Cape Cod! It’s always fun to explore a place with someone who is a native. I’ve heard if you go after Labor Day, you miss the biggest crowds, but if you go before the end of October, everything is still open. :-)
AHHH it’s very nice to read you again, I know I have been out of the loop for some time. I actually don’t own a computer, only a phone, so it’s rare that I get an opportunity to read other blogs and comment, unfortunately. When we are back in the States, I have to join the modern world and get a computer.
Cape Cod is such a lovely part of the world. I was there ooh so very long ago when my oldest was 2 and now he is 38!! But judging just from your beautiful photos it still looks as though there are the beautiful beaches and the lagoons and marshes, just as they were then.
It IS fun to be in places off season, although sometimes a bit odd, such as you describe Province town as a kind of ghost town in the Fall.
Lovely photos, nice to read you again! big hugs from Mozambique.
xoxo
Peta
Hi Peta, I’m so happy to hear from you! I’ve been following along with your fabulous adventures through your beautiful photos on your Instagram account. Thanks for checking in on us!
I’m glad you could revisit a bit of Cape Cod through our photos. It’s wonderful that so much of the Outer Cape is protected by the national seashore. It really is beautiful, as you know, and the little towns add to the charm. We enjoyed our peaceful November visit. Hugs to you two, too! :-)
Laurel,
We stayed in Buzzard’s Bay on our last trip to Cape Cod and attempted to drive to the National Seashore and Provincetown on the Day before Labor Day…complete gridlock. Tried again a few days later and had a wonderful visit. If I was dropped there, I believe I would adjust nicely, it’s so beautiful. Love your pictures! Toys of Eros??? Tell us more…
Joe, I can only imagine the gridlock on Cape Cod the day before Labor Day! I’m glad you tried again after Labor Day and were able to get down to the national seashore and Provincetown. Haha, yes, Toys of Eros was just one of the many interesting shops in Provincetown. It’s a legit sex toy museum and shop (look it up online in Atlas Obscura and you can see a few of the antiques, LOL).
Another “memory” spot for us. We headed out from PA with kids (small at the time) and our pop-up. We never even got down our street which was a hill when our first mishap occurred…our pop-up wasn’t hooked properly and came unattached hitting the tailgate of my parents mini van we were using. Oh, well! Fixed that issue and started again. Only two miles later, the bikes, which were in a rack for four bikes on the top of the pop-up, started to slide off. This isn’t going to work! Back on the van roof they go. Okay!! Let’s try this again! They say things happen in threes…! About halfway there, a truck passes us and sends a huge hunk of concrete right at us hitting our driver front light. So…no night time driving this trip! That was three!!! Luckily, the rest of the trip went smoothly and my parents laughed at our two “injuries” to their mini van. Thank you insurance! The Cape is fun and busy in the summer. Glad you had a nice peaceful visit. We did visit Provincetown…briefly! We were unaware at the time that it was a huge LGBT community. As we discovered that most the men were holding hands, John decided we better leave. Kevin was an extremely vocal and inquisitive little boy. John could hear him saying loudly, “Dad, why are those men holding hands?” We thought it better to take leave before anything happened. This was a much more event filled trip for us. Yours was so subdued! Haha!!
😂😂 This is a hilarious story, Pam!! What a great memory of a Cape Cod vacation with your kids. I’m laughing at the image of you guys towing a pop-up, all of the mishaps, and capped off by your trip to Provincetown. You definitely had a much more eventful trip to Cape Cod than Eric and I did!!
Love every teeny bit of this post, and I haven’t a clue where we are camping for our short time near Cape Cod! I am overloaded with the reservation thing for our trip, but will review again and make notes for our time there thanks to you. Beautiful, Laurel. Wishing there was enough time to be everywhere at once, but sadly that doesn’t happen. OF course, we will try to visit Provincetown. I have heard about it for years and men holding hands doesn’t bother me in the least. You know I have gay and trans grandkids, so I am adjusting well to the gender bending world in which we all live with love.
Sue, I hope you’ll get to stay on Cape Cod! It’s really worth the trip, and that campground is a perfect location. I know what you mean about wishing to be everywhere at once. I often feel the same.
Provincetown is fun and colorful, and I’m glad that there are places where everyone can feel accepted. I wish it could be the same everywhere. Love is love. :-)
If only we could visit everywhere in the Fall – it really is such a pretty and peaceful time. Lovely pics, I just love that area! Of course we haven’t seen much of it so must get back. The zebra boat and toy store are too fun :-)) Your memory for the details is wonderful and I’m so enjoying these posts from the Before Times!
Jodee, fall is such a great time—if the weather cooperates! We were starting to skirt the edges of good weather by lingering so long in New England, but for the most part, we lucked out (except Boston, BOO).
I’m really enjoying reliving our East Coast adventures, and it’s preparing me for the reality of our upcoming trip (which is coming up really quickly)! I knew you would notice the zebra skiff! :-)
Upper Cape, Lower Cape, sheesh….it doesn’t any sense! Cape Cod was one of our long weekend getaways when we lived in New York. The weekend right after labor day was the perfect time to visit. Nice weather (the water as as warm as it would get), tourists all gone, restaurants and other venues still open and happy to welcome you. Once in a while we’d go into October and it was wonderful then also. We’d first stay in Bourne, on the Upper Cape, to explore that area then move up (down?) to Truro on the Lower Cape, near Provincetown. Fun fun fun. We finally stopped taking the dogs to the beach on the National Seashore because they were attracted to the seals frolicing close to the shore, who in turn attracted those nasty sharks. I imagine a shark wouldn’t have a problem eating a big clueless Lab instead of a seal! Provincetown was one of our favorite places. The dogs were always welcome everywhere, as everyone is welcome there. So nice. Your post brought back so many wonderful memories. Thank you.
Sue, I’m glad our post brought back good memories for you. It sounds like your timing was perfect for your visits. And I agree, Upper Cape/Lower Cape intuitively seems backwards! Not allowing your labs to play in the shark infested waters seems like a good idea. A wet lab could look a lot like a seal!