Explore Extraordinary Diverse Landscapes At The Cape Cod National Seashore In Massachusetts
By Melissa Mahoney|Published July 18, 2022
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Melissa Mahoney
Author
I'm an east coast girl living in a west coast world. I grew up in New England before moving to SoCal for several years. I then lived in NYC or a year before moving to AZ in 2009. I worked in the entertainment industry for many years of my adult life and have a deep love for photography, writing, and traveling around the U.S. as well as to far-flung locations around the world. Travel is my life and writing about it is a dream!
It’s no secret that Cape Cod is a popular summertime destination for those who live in New England and beyond. With pristine beaches and plenty of attractions like miniature golf, museums, and even a water park or two, there’s endless family-friendly fun to be had here. And, of course, the seafood is simply divine! While all these aspects of the Cape have the ability to create memories that can last a lifetime, there’s a national park here everyone should consider exploring.
Hi! I’m Melissa and I am a writer who also handles some of the social media for Only In Your State. I am a born and raised New Englander, born in New Hampshire and raised in Rhode Island. Childhood summer vacations were spent on Cape Cod and now that my dad lives on Cape, I spend at least a month here every year. Cape Cod is my second home and I am very passionate about exploring all it has to offer. I’m about to tell you about my favorite part of the peninsula, the Cape Cod National Seashore, and why it’s such a special place.
Encompassing nearly 44,000 acres of protected land between Chatham and Provincetown, the Cape Cod National Seashore is an extraordinary destination in Massachusetts.
I've been exploring it with my family since childhood and still keep finding more to explore every single year. I am constantly finding something new to me within the National Seashore and it's my favorite part of the Cape.
If you've never explored the Cape Cod National Seashore or have but are curious to know more about it, a stop at Salt Pond Visitors Center in Eastham is a must.
Here you can explore its small, yet fascinating, museum and watch a video on how Cape Cod was originally formed during a glacial retreat several thousand years ago, how the shoreline is constantly changing, and the diversity of landscapes and wildlife that can be found here.
Once you feel knowledgeable enough, it's time to hit the trails on a hike or, if you have your bike with you, take the bike trail from Salt Pond Visitor Center straight to the beach.
Pro tip: Do yourself a favor and pick up a Cape Cod National Seashore Activity Guide while you're here. In it is a calendar of events from ranger-led hikes and lectures to kayak excursions, lighthouse open houses, and more. You will learn so much from a number of the National Seashore's programs.
Arguably, the best beaches in Massachusetts are found within the Cape Cod National Seashore. The Seashore happens to oversee six of the most picturesque, pristine beaches in the northeast (if I say so myself).
These beaches include Coast Guard Beach and Nauset Light Beach in Eastham, Marconi Beach (my personal favorite) in Wellfleet, Head of the Meadow Beach in Truro, and Race Point Beach and Herring Cove Beach, both in Provincetown. Since the Cape Cod National Seashore is under the National Park Service umbrella, you can get into any one of these beaches with a National Parks pass.
If you don’t have one, don’t worry - you can still get in. However, you will have to pay an entrance fee whether you drive, bike, or walk to one of these incredible beaches.
Throughout the Cape Cod National Seashore, you’ll find a variety of landscapes and ecosystems. There are beaches, dunes, cranberry bogs, a swamp, ponds, pitch pine forests, grasslands, wetlands, and more.
Due to the variety of landscapes, you'll have plenty of opportunities for outdoor recreation. Why not take a kayak out on one of the many kettle ponds in the Cape Cod National Seashore? That's one thing I love doing with my kids when we are here!
Featuring a desert-like landscape of dunes, the surreal landscape is absolutely jaw-dropping. I've been lucky enough to hike through sections of these dunes with the hiking club my dad started a few years back.
If you are unable to hike through the dunes of the Province Lands, Art's Dune Tours is the way to go. Sitting in an overland SUV, you’ll get to explore the dunes comfortably.
Offering daily tours, you’ll learn about the geography and history of the area from your guide as you explore this otherworldly area of the Cape.
Scattered throughout the dunes are 19 historic dune shacks that were built over 100 years ago. The National Seashore oversees 18 of the 19 dune shacks, and you can actually enter into a lottery to stay at one.
With no running water, electricity, or WiFi, it’s a remote getaway during which you can truly unplug. For more than 100 years, artists and writers have been coming out here to stay at these dune shacks and work, The inspiring landscape and close proximity to the ocean must be truly inspiring to their creative work!
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Occasionally, there are ranger-led hikes out to the dune shacks. You can learn more about the history and maybe even meet an artist-in-residence during one of these hikes.
Speaking from experience, I have been on one of these hikes and we met an artist who invited us to his gallery show that night in Provincetown. We were also allowed to go inside his dune shack to have a look around. What a memorable experience!
In addition to a wide variety of landscapes, the Cape Cod National Seashore is home to numerous historic sites including the Three Sisters Lighthouses, Nauset Light, the Penniman House in Eastham, Highland Light in Truro, and the Old Harbor Light-Saving Station in Provincetown.
It’s remarkable that this National Seashore protects both the environment and historical sites.
If you haven’t yet explored the Cape Cod National Seashore and all of the natural beauty and history it has to offer, I urge you to do so. After all these years, I am still exploring the area, still learning, and still in awe of all I see.
To discover more incredible boots-on-the-ground adventures across America from our team of local travel experts, check out all of the articles in OnlyInYourState’s Everyday Explorers series. What destinations would you like to see featured next on OnlyInYourState’s Everyday Explorers? Tell us where we should go on our nominations page.
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