About This Trip
The Cape Cod National Seashore protects 40 miles of the outer cape from Chatham to Provincetown — some of the finest Atlantic beaches on the East Coast, backed by clay cliffs, freshwater kettle ponds, and pitch pine forest. This 70-mile loop covers the length of the outer cape and back, connecting the main seashore highlights with classic New England cape towns.
The drive begins in Chatham, the elbow of the cape, with its well-preserved Main Street, fish pier, and lighthouse. Chatham Light overlooks Chatham Bar — a dangerous shifting sandbar that has wrecked hundreds of ships over the centuries. The fish pier has one of the most dramatic scenes on the cape when the draggers return in late afternoon and the grey seals haul out to compete for scraps.
Orleans and Eastham mark the beginning of the National Seashore. The Salt Pond Visitor Center in Eastham is the best introduction to the geology of the cape — the entire landmass was deposited by the Laurentide Ice Sheet and began to erode immediately. The outer beach cliffs are losing 3 to 4 feet per year.
Wellfleet, mid-cape, is known for oysters — the local shellfish have been cultivated here since the 1600s and are prized across the country. The town has good galleries and the famous Wellfleet Drive-In, one of the last operating drive-in theaters in New England.
Provincetown at the tip is the cape's most energetic town — an art colony since the early 1900s, with excellent restaurants and galleries on Commercial Street. The Pilgrim Monument, at 252 feet the tallest all-granite structure in the US, gives a panoramic view of the entire cape on a clear day.
Stops
Chatham, MA — Elbow of the Cape
The most classically New England town on the outer cape, with a well-preserved Victorian main street and an active fishing pier. Chatham Light overlooks the notoriously dangerous Chatham Bar. The fish pier at the end of Bar Cliff Avenue is one of the best places in New England to watch a working fishing fleet come in, with grey seals competing for scraps alongside the boats.
Cape Cod National Seashore — Nauset Beach
The outer beach of the cape is a continuous barrier beach backed by 60-foot clay cliffs that are eroding at 3 to 4 feet per year. Nauset Light, one of the most photographed lighthouses in New England, sits atop the cliffs near Eastham. The Salt Pond Visitor Center has the best geology exhibits on how the entire cape was built and is being reclaimed by the sea.
Wellfleet, MA — Oyster Capital
Wellfleet oysters have been harvested and cultivated here since the 1600s and are served in top restaurants across the country. Several oyster shacks and raw bars in town serve them fresh off the grant. The Wellfleet Drive-In is one of the last operating drive-in theaters in New England — a perfect family evening if you time your trip right.
Provincetown, MA — The Tip
Where the Pilgrims first landed in 1620, before sailing to Plymouth. The Pilgrim Monument (252 feet, all granite) has 360-degree views of the entire cape and Cape Cod Bay on clear days. Commercial Street is lively and walkable, with excellent seafood restaurants and galleries. Whale-watching boats run from MacMillan Pier from April through October — the Stellwagen Bank feeding ground is nearby.