The far northeast’s iconic summer enclave, Cape Cod is known for its lobster rolls, sweeping beaches and seascapes, and a relaxed New England atmosphere. Now, after two touch-and-go summers thanks to the pandemic, the Cape is finally roaring back.
While there are a handful of exciting events and hotel openings to look forward to, you can also count on everything Cape regulars know and love: Lots of great places to eat, plenty of things to do, but also the opportunity of quieter moments, too, if you know where to look.
Here’s what’s on our radar for spending this summer “down the Cape,” from fresh cultural moments like the opening of a Cape Verdean museum, to new projects from classic hotels like the Pelham House Resort—plus, why the Mid Cape is where we're headed this year.
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New places to stay on Cape Cod
This summer, and for the first time in years, the long-quiet Mid Cape—consisting of the towns of Barnstable, Dennis, Yarmouth, and a little bit of Harwich (depending on who you ask)—is becoming the place to be. This might have something to do with tourists and real estate investors getting priced out of places like Nantucket, Martha’s Vineyard, and Provincetown. After all, Mid-Cape Cod has historically been a family-focused, unpretentious alternative destination of mini-golf courses and ice-cream counters.
The area is meeting the moment with exciting new hotels: Since completing a $20 million expansion and renovation in 2021, the beloved Pelham House Resort and its new Nantucket Sound-adjacent restaurant The Rooftop have become an overnight favorite for visitors and for Cape Cod nuptials. This summer, Pelham Hospitality Group has taken over and renovated two nearby inns to create Pelham on Main and Pelham on Earle. Then there’s nearby Pelham Farms, a 7.5-acre regenerative farming concept in nearby West Dennis that supplies the entire hospitality group with seasonal produce.
Also in Dennis, local favorite Lark Hotels will this summer unveil Bluebird Dennisport, a more democratic entry into Lark’s New England-centric portfolio. With design-y rooms and rates starting at $139, it’s bound to be one of the better deals on the entire Cape. Keep an eye out for Bluebird Parker Beach Lodge as well, which reopens in May after a light renovation from last season.
For more established favorites on the Cape, there’s always the swanky Chatham Bars Inn, which this summer returns with its successful program of farm-to-table dinners and the addition of an Orvis Saltwater Fly-Fishing School, the only one of its kind in Massachusetts. The resort will also offer an ongoing roster of escape rooms, croquet tournaments, corn-hole competitions, and more activities available to guests and the public for nominal fees.
Where to eat on Cape Cod right now
One of the best things to do on Cape Cod has always been to eat. All the food action appears to be in Hyannis this summer, with openings ranging from classic Cape Cod seafood to a French-style patisserie: Chez Antoine Café is preparing for its first full Cape summer season with all the cream puffs and brioches you can handle. Elsewhere in Hyannis, Tasty Crab Seafood & Bar cooks up Cajun seafood boils with flavors from afar that make the most of the Cape’s fresh seafood—just make sure to grab a wet nap for your fingers afterward. Local favorite The Knack—whose original Orleans location earned fans across the Cape for its freshened-up takes on classic Cape fried seafood and burgers—just opened a second location in Hyannis. Finn’s Craft Beer Tap House brings the brewpub atmosphere that the Cape has long needed, with an extensive list of 32 craft beers and tasty bar food like a pulled pork grilled cheese and delectable flatbread pizzas.
Up and down the rest of Cape Cod
All the way out on the tip of the Cape in Provincetown, keep an eye out for the addition of P’town Carts, a rental agency for street legal golf carts that’s making it easier than ever to get around town if you hopped a ferry in. And speaking of getting around in Provincetown, the Bradford Access Project just unveiled a new inclined elevator—finally making for an ADA-compliant way to reach the Pilgrim Monument and Provincetown Museum, which sit atop a rather steep hill. And a treat for music lovers—the iconic, 18th Annual Cape Cod Jazz Festival at Harwich's Wequassett Resort and Golf Club returns this summer following a two-year pandemic hiatus.
Plus, proving that there are more things to do on Cape Cod than beaches and lobster rolls, but also about the culture and history of the area’s diverse population, the new Cape Cod Cape Verdean Museum & Cultural Center in Falmouth opened last year as an ode to Cape Verdean as well as other Portuguese-speaking populations that have long shaped this region’s history—but until now have not historically been represented in its museums. If you’re visiting Falmouth or even driving to points further afield, it’s absolutely worth a stop to learn something new about the area amid its comeback.
