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Cape Cod Attractions & Activities
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Biking on Cape Cod
Bicyclists on Cape Cod should spend a full vacation at the Cape experiencing the many diverse bike paths and trails that we have to offer the enthusiast! By the beach.. marshes..sand dunes..forests...woodlands...wooden bridges...the bluffs...the canal...thru villages...salt meadows... we offer it all for your enjoyment...JUST BRING YOUR BIKES AND YOUR CAMERAS!
The BOURNE RECREATION AREA:.....Follows the Cape Cod Canal thru Bourne and Sagamore.It offers fantastic views of the canals boating traffic along with the areas quaint shoreline scenery of unique homes and natural beauty. 7-8 miles between the bridges..wide road...minimal grades. Ideal for beginner to casual cyclists, families and younger children. PARKING:...From the Bourne Bridge head of the South Bourne(Cape side) Rotary at the bridge. Take the first right and continue along till you see a T intersection. Turn Right. Parking area is immediately on the left after you go back under the bridge. Rest rooms are open in season. Park benches available..
The SHINING SEA BIKEWAY...This was named for the line in the song America the Beautiful, written by a Falmouth Native Katharine Lee Bates. It follows the original route of the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad that used to run from Buzzards Bay thru North and West Falmouth, arounf Woods Hole and into Falmouth Station. In the 1970s Falmouth purchased the right of way, tore up the tracks and officially opened the Bikeway in 1975. PARKING:....take Route 24 South to I-495 south to Bourne Bridge. From Points north take Route 3 south to the Sagamore Bridge. Follow the signs to Buzzards Bay/Falmouth.Cross over Bourne Bridge..TRAVEL RT28 SOuth to Falmouth. Fork right onto Locust Road. Entry to bikeway parking area is a mile down on the right just past PIN OAK WAY... Ideal for casual and beginner cylcists.. 3.3 miles long...Lined with flowers trees the Vineyard Sound shoreline, marshes, Salt Pond Bird Sanctuary..avoids summer traffic.
The CAPE COD RAIL TRAIL:... is a paved bike way that runs 28 miles from South Dennis to Wellfleet. Flat with some minor grades. It offers the most variety in scenery and natural Cape landscapes available of all the regional bike routes... It begins at the S. Dennis trailhead parking area, just minutes from Route 6 on Route 134. Get off at Exit 9 and head South on Rt 134 past Patriots Square Plaza. About one half mile from the exit you will see the trail entrance straight ahead... The name stems from the old railroad that it follows, which used to transport people and freight to Cape Cod in the early 1800s until 1960. Lakes suitable for swimming and picnics, including Nickerson State Park. Locally monitored by police bike patrols, it is under construction to benefit the cyclists with new routes to avoid traffic.
NICKERSON STATE PARK NETWORK... in Brewster it contains 8 miles of dedicated bike trails. Access to campsites, picnic areas, this hilly and scenic network provides an enjoyable ride thru beautiful pine and fir tree forests around ponds, lakes and bogs... PARKING:...can be found in 2consecutive lots on the right side of Route 6A heading east towards Orleans. The first lot is at the sign and is a dirt driveway leading back to an open parking area big enough for maybe 15-20 cars. During the summer Idle Times Bike Shop is there to provide bike repair with parts and accessories. The second area is larger 30-50 cars it is the next immediate turn on the same side of Rt 6A Past the 1st lot. Upon turning bear right of the main entrance to the State Park. Has restrooms, picnic areas, telephones. Great for a family planned day trip!.. Great natural scenery, diverse tree species..pine, fir, spruce, oak, holly and berry bushes. Wildlife is abundant, fox,deer,coyote.. Hilly and winding thru the 7 camp areas and 2 pristine lakes. Pine needles can be slippery Beware! Please continue to Part 5 for more bike paths!
NATIONAL SEASHORE..NAUSET MARSH TRAIL:...runs 1.5 miles into National Seashore acreage once inhabited by the Nauset Indian Tribe and early Cape Cod Settlers. Ending at Coast Guard Beach this trail provides panoramic vista of the Atlantic Ocean!.PARKING:...located at the Salt Pond Visitor Center off Route 6 in Eastham.Bear right at the signs for the National Seashore (heading east)..turn right again into the lot that is next to the Nauset Marsh Trail Entrance. At the end of the lot is the trail head.Start at the apple trees and head into the Locust Trees....a 3 mile round trip wanders thru a large grove of cedar, pine and oak. Beyond, rolling countryside awaits, bench to rest, wooden bridge, the Old coast Guard station, the beach and 6-8 foot swells during a storm. Watch for surfers and seals!
PROVINCELAND TRAIL:...This hilly loop starts from the Province Lands Visitors Center in Provincetown. 5 and 1/4 miles long, but with the trail extensions to Herring Cove Beach, Race Point Beach and Bennett Pond, 2 ,ore miles can be added. Tour the vast dune system as well as the shady beech tree Forest. PARKING:...from the HEAD OF THE MEADOW, travel Rt 6 north towards Provincetown for 6 miles. Turn right at Race Point Rd at your 1st stop sogn. Look for signs marking the beech Forest Area and Visitor Center. to reach Herring Cove Beach go to the end of Rt 6.100 spaces for parking avail in the front lot facing the deck. park here. The trail begins at the top of the hill far side of the observatory. Guide maps are avail. This trail can turn difficult because of the hilly terrain. travels the 4,000 wild acres,,cranberry bogs, marshes, saltwater kettle ponds, dunes, & shore views. HAVE FUN!
Location
Cape Cod Massachusetts
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The Cape Cod Canal Information
The idea of linking two tidal rivers to create an all-water route across the seven mile isthmus of Cape Cod was first proposed by Captain Miles Standish of the Plimoth Colony. But Standishs dream for a water way thru the isthmus was far too large a task for a small band of pilgrims. During the American Revolution a canal at Cape Cod took on an importance as a way to circumvent British Harbor Blockades. Throughout the 19th century many plans were made but none succeeded. It would take a wealthy New York financier named August Belmont and modern engineering to finally make the Pilgrims dream a reality. The grand opening of the Cape Cod Canal was July 29, 1914. Belmonts canal was expensive for mariners, as much as $16 for a trip by schooner, a considerable amount in those days. This along with the narrow 100 foot width and shallow depth of the canal made many mariners continue to use the routes around the Cape. As a result, tolls did not live up to expectations and the Cape Cod canal became a loosing proposition. As a result, the Cape Cod canal was purchased by the US government on March 30, 1928. The waterway was widened and deepened to nearly 500 feet wide and 32 feet deep, removing 30 million cubic yards of earth. All this work employed a total of 1400 men during the Great Depression. By 1940 the completed Cape Cod canal represented the widest sea-level canal in the world. Ship Traffic could safely transit the waterway and now over 20,000 vessels of all types use the canal annually.
Location
Cape Cod Massachusetts
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Cape Cod Central Railroad, 252 Main St. Hyannis (Corner of Main and Center St.) Scenic Fun Train,
Family Supper Train,
Elegant Dinner Train.
Travel through the Marshlands and Sand dunes of Cape Cod..... Experience ultimate sunsets and fabulous gourmet food prepared on the train just for you!
See things that no walking trial or bike trail or kayak or canoe or car ride can show you!
Enjoy a fun day trip for sightseeing or experience the evening dinner ride.... ELEGANCE Brought Back To Our TIME....
Our award winning Elegant Dinner Train was featured among the top three dinner trains nationwide by TV Food Network's Dining on the Train. Join us for a gourmet meal as we journey through scenic Cape Cod and find out why. Or you may prefer our Luncheon Train, our Sunday Brunch Train or our Family Supper Train.
For a less formal train ride, try our Scenic Excursion Train. Named one of the top ten scenic train rides in the country by USA Today, our two-hour scenic excursions are perfect for all ages.
Location
Cape Cod Massachusetts
Call 508.771.3800
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Whale Watching on Cape Cod
Whale Watching
Cape Cod provides visitors with the opportunity to observe the largest creatures on earth in their natural habitat. Nothing is quite as thrilling as seeing these enormous mammals gliding smoothly through the water. Often, you'll see whales in pairs or threesomes, composed either of a mother and her calf or these two accompanied by another adult whale acting as guardian. Ironically, the whales are visitors here too: they come to the area annually to feed on Stellwagen Bank, which lies roughly 6 miles northeast of Provincetown. Predictably, this city on the tip of the cape offers some of the most appealing excursions, since trips from this location offer more time to look at whales and less time getting there and back.
AAA Whale Watch Portuguese Princess
- (800) 442-3188 Provincetown or Hyannis.
Cape Cod Whale Watch - 293 Commercial Street Provincetown (508) 487-4079
Dolphin Fleet Whale Watch
- Provincetown 307 Commercial Street (800) 826-9300
Hyannis Whale Watcher Cruises
- Barnstable Harbor (508) 362-6088
Location
Cape Cod Massachusetts
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Ultimate Kayak Tours & Limosine Rentals The Ultimate in Kayak Excursions on Cape Cod. Kayak tours through the Great Salt Marsh in Barnstable Harbor, Cape Cod, Massachusetts.
The ten best Kayaking Spots on Cape Cod......1) SCORTON CREEK, Sandwich---Launch from the State Wildlife Reservation off Rt 6A by the Scorton Creek Bridge. Scorton means "place where the stream branches." Follow this twisting tidal creek thru the Great Marsh, which once stretched as far as Barnstable Harbor. Explore adjacent Mill and Shove Creeks. HIGHLIGHTS: herons, egrets, ospreys, and striped bass......2)WAQUOIT BAY, Falmouth & Mashpee-----Launch from Great River Boat Landing, Great Oak Rd, Mashpee. Paddle down Great River and West across Waquoit Bay to Washburn Island. Continue south along the Island, across the Channel to South Cape Beach State Park, than return across the Bay! HIGHLIGHTS: walking the pristene 330 -acre Washburn Island (primitive camping available), beachcombing on South Cape Beach, shorebirds......3) BARNSTABLE HARBOR, Barnstable----- Launch from Blish Point State Landing, Millway Rd. Head across Barnstable Harbor to Sandy Neck and explore this spectacular 7-mile long barrier beach that protects the 4,000-acre Great Marsh. HIGHLIGHTS: second highest sand dune on Cape Cod, views of the Great Marsh, quaint village and old lighthouse at Beach Point...........4) BASS RIVER, Dennis-----Launch from Cove Rd and paddle north. Bass River is the longest river on Cape Cod, stretching 7 miles from its headwaters at Mill Pond to Nantucket Sound. HIGHLIGHTS: walking the two mile trail at the Indian Lands Conservation Area, spring flowers (including Lady Slippers)......5) BELLS NECK/HERRING RIVER, Harwich------Launch from Bells Nck Rd and cross the West Reservoir, a freshwater cedar swamp. Take out at the dike and put back in on the Herring River. Follow the winding river to Route 28 in West Harwich. HIGHLIGHTS: 245 acres of salt and freshwater marshes, woods, herring run, cranberry bogs, kettle ponds, hiking trails.....continue to part 2 6) BREWSTER PONDS, Brewster------Launch from Punkhorn Parklands parking lot, Run Hill Rd. An easy canoe trip thru a chain of freshwater ponds, Walkers, Upper Mill, & Lower Mill. These Kettle Ponds were created 12,000 years ago by melting blocks of glacial ice. HIGHLIGHTS: Stoney Brook Grist Mill, The Herring run, five miles of trails in the 800-acre Punkhorn Parklands.....7) LITTLE PLEASANT BAY, Orleans-----Launch from Portanimicut Rd, Orleans. Paddle across Little Pleasant Bay to circumnavigate Sampson and Hog Islands and explore Nauset Beach. The privately owned islands allow visitors, and Nauset Beach is part of the Cape Cod National Seashore. HIGHLIGHTS: snorkeling, eelgrass beds, horseshoe crabs, ospreys......8) NAUSET MARSH, Eastham------Launch from Salt Pond below the Salt Pond Visitors Center or Hemenway Rd off Rt 6. Nauset Marsh is a vast system of salt-marsh, creeks, channels, islands, and barrier beach. Circumnavigate the marsh heading north thru Salt Pond Bay and Nauset Bay, then South along Nauset Beach and back thru the Main Channel. Or head south thru Skiff Hill Creek along Fort Hill, past Town Cove to Inlet Marsh and back. HIGHLIGHTS: former Coast Guard Station, thousands of nesting terns, migrating shorebirds, seals, striped bass, ospreys, beachcombing, National Seashore visitor Center, Hiking trails and bike paths nearby......9) WELLFLEET PONDS, Wellfleet------Launch from Gull Pond Landing off Schoolhouse Hill Rd. This is a short and easy tour, especially good for beginners, of three kettle ponds-GULL, HIGGINS, and WILLIAMS- in the Cape Cod National Seashore. Williams Pond was the home of the "Wellfleet Oysterman", immortalized in Thoreaus Cape Cod. HIGHLIGHTS: water lillies, red maples, turtles, frogs, sunfish, swimming......10) PAMET RIVER, Truro------Launch from the South Pamet Rd culvert to explore the freshwater UPPER PAMET or from the Pamet Harbor boat ramp on Depot Rd to explore the Saltwater LOWER PAMET and Pamet Harbor. The Pamet is an outwash channel carved by the glaciers with its head at the Atlantic Ocean and its mouth at Cape Cod Bay.HIGHLIGHTS: foliage, panoramic views of the Pamet Hills.
Location
Cape Cod Massachusetts
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OFF ROAD Vehicle Information
The off road driving corridor at Cape Cod National Seashore is comprised of miles of unspoiled beaches managed by the National Park Service to accommodate off-road vehicle(ORV) enthusiasts and other beach goers. Outlined are requirements and regulations for driving off-road at Cape Cod National Seashore.
All applicable federal and state laws and regulations apply and are enforceable.......GETTING A PERMIT......Before purchasing any ORV permit, please consider what your needs truly are. Weekly permits have been made more available, accessible and cost effective.
Opening Day for Permit Sales is March 30, 2005.Permits are limited to 150 per day......VEHICLES WILL NOT BE ALLOWED IN ANY CAPE COD NATIONAL SEASHORE PARKING AREA BEFORE 6:00AM. (You will be denied a permit that day if you are there before 6am.)...... THERE WILL BE 400 seven-day permits AND 3000 annual permits ONLY!!!!!...... There is an ADVANCED PURCHASING SYSTEM in EFFECT....please call for more information....... THERE ARE NO REFUNDS...... You must have a valid state operators license; view an educational orientation program each season; and abide by all Seashore and off-road regulations......
VEHICLES ALLOWED: 4-wheel/all wheel drive vehicles or Self Contained recreational vehicles must have: a valid state registration, inspection sticker, insurance, tires meeting standards outlined in the brochure and all required accessory equipment
RENTAL VEHICLES ARE PROHIBITED
Location
Cape Cod Massachusetts
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"Where the Stars of Tomorrow Shine Tonight"
Location
Cape Cod Massachusetts
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www.capecodchamber.org
Piping Plovers typically arrive on Cape beaches in late March and early as April and begin nesting shortly afterwards. Plovers may re-nest several times if previous nest are lost; as a result eggs can be present
anywhere from Late Spring through mid-summer. Nests generally consist of four eggs and incubation averages 27-30 days. Chicks often leave the nest within hours of hatching and are tended by adults who lead them to and from feeding areas, shelter them from harsh weather, and protect them from predators and other potential threats. During this time, plover broods may move hundreds of meters from their nest sites. Plover chicks fledge 25-35 days after hatching.
It is only ORV access which is being restricted temporarily, likely until Mid July. Cape visitors and residents should be reminded that parking lots and foot access to most Cape Cod Beaches remain unaffected by these temporary Corridor closures. On all Cape Cod Beaches, which are nesting areas for piping plovers, access is restricted to within 200 meters on each side of a plover nest for the first week after hatching, and after 1 week, at least 100 meters around the brood until the chicks fledge. In some instances based on the behavior of the chicks, buffers may need to expand. Also, most seashore bayside beaches will be closed to pets until Piping Plovers have concluded chick rearing. Please respect signs and symbolic fencing. Leave your pet at home for the next several weeks will help the Plovers on the Bayside have a successful nesting season.
These closures are temporary unless there is renesting (due to late storm). The period of restricted access is anticipated to be approximately 4 weeks long. ORV permit holders on the National Seashore have been driving the beaches from April 15th to June 11th when the ORV corridor was closed. Seashore officials expect it to be open by mid July and remain open through November 15th. The Seashore will honor ORV permits as day passes at the afore mentioned beaches during this period. Visitors and residents can still access all public National Seashore Beaches where fencing and signs identify bird nesting areas; it is only vehicular access areas which are affected.
Plover Management at the seashore follows the guide lines developed by the US Fish and Wildlife Service and the Piping Plover recovery Team in 1996. These guide lines call for vehicle free areas to extend at least 200 meters on each side of a plover nest for the first week after hatching, and after 1 week, at least 100 meters around the brood until the chicks fledge. In some instances, based on the behavior of the chicks, the buffer may need to be expanded.
Visit www.nps.gov/caco or, for the general information contact Salt Pond Visitor Center at. To contact the Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce, phone #888 33capecod, or visit www.capecodchamber.org
Location
Cape Cod Massachusetts
Call 50825534210
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