I’m sure if you read my last blog, it comes as no surprise that saying goodbye to Boston felt a lot like closing a book right when it gets to the good part. I wasn’t quite ready to stop “reading”. Since I ended loving Boston so much, naturally packing up and heading to the next stop wasn’t exciting, and instead felt exhausting and to be frank, dreadful! However, my tune quickly
changed, the drive south to my cape destination wasn’t bad at all, only about an hour and fifteen minutes. Bonus, once I arrived, I was pleasantly surprised to see I was only a 15‑minute walk to a small but peaceful beach! While it may not have technically been “summer” anymore since we were officially into September, I got to experience something even better: locals’ summer on Cape Cod. Yes, it’s a real thing! Locals live for September because once Labor Day hits and everyone leaves, the weather is still beautiful, the beaches are calm + parking is free, and they finally get their peaceful Cape back… and then Riley and I roll in! just kidding… well, kind of. 😉 Before I left Boston, many warned me: do not say “in Cape Cod.” It’s on Cape Cod. Cape Cod is a 40 mile long peninsula surrounded by water, so “on” is the proper way to say it, which now that I think about it, makes complete sense! Fun fact.. If you didn’t know, The Cape is made up of 15 towns and is broken into Upper Cape, Mid‑Cape, Lower Cape, and Outer Cape. The more you know!
My new “Home”:
Now, I’m sure I’m not the only one who has a picturesque “Pinterest Influenced” idea of what houses in New England look like. You know what I’m talking about, cedar‑shake houses, coastal cottages, and charming little towns everywhere you go? Well, I am pleased to announce that it is EXACTLY like that! I stayed in Hyannis, which is mid-Cape, which ended up being the
perfect home base, especially since it’s the launching pad for ferries to Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard. There’s also a ton of shops, restaurants, and all of the essentials.
I spent my weekends exploring the nearby towns, trying new coffee shops, and wandering around their small downtowns. Everything on the Cape is more spread out than I expected, with just one main highway (a small one!), going in and out which tends to lead to backed up traffic here and there. That being said, I cannot imagine what it’s like during peak summertime, dang tourists! 😉
One of the coolest parts? The beach really was just down the road, and I could actually see the Kennedy Compound from it!
What was I up to? Everything!
Provincetown (P‑Town)
First weekend stop?? Provincetown, the very tip of the cape, better known to the locals as P-Town! The drive alone was stunning – classic Cape Cod coastal views. I started my morning at Kohi Coffee – https://www.kohicoffee.com/ which had the cutest oceanfront patio. People were sitting outside, drinking coffee and reading, and it felt so peaceful! I then spent the day walking around downtown, checking out shops, and of course… doing a Cape Cod whale‑watching tour. I saw three whales fully breach completely out of the water. The weather was perfect (the crew kept saying they hadn’t seen a day like it in a while), the whales were seriously putting on a show for us. Fun Fact: P‑Town is one of the few places on the Cape where you don’t really need a car, and there are even ferries you can hop on from Boston if you ever want a quick weekend getaway! Before leaving, I grabbed a late lunch at The Canteen for some yummy tacos and a margarita.
Chatham, MA
Next up, Chatham. I am so lucky that I have friends that continue to support my travels, my friend Ashley came and spent time visiting me while on the Cape. One day we took an afternoon trip to Chatham, one of the most upscale towns in Cape Cod. Although it was gloomy, we wandered downtown, grabbed food at a well‑known pub: Chatham Squire, and did some
boutique shopping, including grabbing my signature souvenir – a watercolored postcard. It’s become a tradition I’ve started with my travels. I want to be able to look back at the places I’ve visited and reminisce! We ended the afternoon at Chatham Bars Inn, where we ordered drinks and sat in their Adirondack chairs overlooking the water.. just yapping about life!
Nauset Lighthouse & Nauset Beach
It just keeps getting better! We spent another day on the Cape doing the simple things, grabbing a sub and heading to the beach! Ashley and I spent a Sunday at Nauset Beach and checked out the iconic Cape Cod lighthouse: fun fact – it’s the actual lighthouse that is on the label of the Cape Cod Potato chips bag. Nothing crazy to rave about, but definitely one of those “cool to see in person” moments. And the beach itself felt endless.. it seriously stretched for miles!
Nantucket & Martha’s Vineyard
Huge perk about staying in Hyannis? Just how easy it was to hop on the Hyannis ferry to Nantucket or Martha’s Vineyard – just a one hour ferry ride. Growing up in the Midwest, I had never taken a ferry before, so that alone felt like an experience!
When Ashley was in town, we spent two separate days on each island. Both were incredible and honestly deserve their own full post… So stay tuned! 🙂
Gray’s Beach (Yarmouth Port)
It took a little convincing, and several recommendations. But I am pleased to report that Gray’s Beach lived up to the hype. Especially since I went at Sunset. There is a long boardwalk that stretches over the marsh, making it one of the best places to watch the sunset.. I will let the pictures do the talking!
Cape Cinema
I always try to ask for local recommendations whenever I can to get the “off the beaten path” sights. And I will say, being told to visit Cape Cinema was one of the most unique things I’ve experienced. The theatre opened in 1930 and even hosted the first world premiere of The Wizard of Oz. The Cinema focuses on showing independent films, so one night after work I
went to see the movie – Roses. What’s also cool is that they are certainly old school as the drinks come in cans, and the popcorn and candy only cost me around $4… which felt so surreal compared to going to movies at AMC, with “modern day” pricing.
Places I ate that I recommend you try!
No surprise, my seafood obsession continued on strong on the Cape, because nothing compares to fresh New England seafood straight off the coast. Here are some other places I ate at:
- Old King’s Coffeehouse – great coffee and pastries that were very yummy!
- Nirvana Coffee Co – good solid coffee shop and cute downtown area to walk around in the mornings!
- Lighthouse Keeper’s Pantry – suuuper long line. definitely gaining traction from social media for its peanut butter fluff latte.
- Portside Tavern – great place to watch your fav sports team, great food!
- Colombo’s – a lot of yummy Italian food off of Main Street in Hyannis but highly recommend this place!
- Oak Bay Brewery – Adorable patio, live daytime music, and great brews, including a blueberry beer (a New England classic).
- Roadhouse Cafe – this was one of the last places I ate at while living on the Cape. the vibes were incredible and the lobster ravioli was a 10/10.
- Anejo Mexican Bistro – I love Mexican food, so obviously I had to check this place out. Margs- 10/10. Food: 8/10. But the back patio is the perfect place to be for happy hour after a long week.
- Embargo – Ashley and I ate here for dinner and it was soooo good. We tried so many different tapas that we needed to be rolled out of the restaurant. They are also known for their cocktails too and lets just say I think it was straight alcohol so beware ha!
- Mariner Cafe – perfect New England aesthetic but I’d give the coffee a 8/10
- Tap City Grille – yummy food and the perfect place to watch college football on the weekends!
- Ocean Street Cafe + Deli – the PERFECT place to grab a sub from before heading to the beach.
- Ice Cream Smuggler – located in Dennis, this is another local favorite. family ran and all homemade! very good!
- Polar Cave Ice Cream – A local favorite and definitely worth the hype.
Looking back, although I was apprehensive at first, the Cape ended up being the perfect place to spend the month of September. Take it from me, with so many towns, and areas to explore, one weekend trip just doesn’t do it! I’m so thankful I had the opportunity to stay for a month. At the end of the day, I totally understand why so many people escape the city every summer to soak up everything Cape Cod has to offer. While I loved getting a taste of the “locals’ summer,” next time I visit, I plan to join in on the madness and be here during the height of summer to experience the full New England Cape Cod magic!
And now, it’s time to say goodbye to the coast and head inland to kick off fall 2025. See you soon!
-AK & Riley
