Vacationing in Outer Cape Cod

Vacationing in Outer Cape Cod in fall is the perfect opportunity to get back to nature and explore the beauty of this unique coastal region that is protected. The region offers hours of exploration time and accessibility to much of the protected regions via car, foot or boat. So a trip can be customized to your liking. For the best experience, it is ideal to set up in one of the small towns, where there are plenty of B&B’s and historic hotels that let you experience the region like the locals do.

If visiting outer Cape Cod has always been on your travel list of places to go, fall is probably the best time of year to take the trip. These are some of the best options for recreation and things you must see on your trip.

Hiking Trails on Outer Cape Cod

The best way to experience this area is to walk through it, seeing and smelling the natural environment. The Cape Cod Rail Trail and Buttonbush Trail are two hiking paths that are worth exploring on a nice fall day. Both are easily accessible and well maintained, with the Rail Trail being built on old railroad beds over 26 miles long. These old railway beds cut through some of the small towns. The Buttonbush Trail is unique because it was especially designed for disabled persons.

Wine Tasting and Vineyards

Fall is a great time to visit the vineyards and watch as the harvest is collected and juicing begins. Wineries also open new bottles for tasting and there are a couple of wineries in the small towns along the coast. Truro Vineyards is open to the public and allows guests inside for tours and tastings.

Historic Happenings

All up and down the outer banks there are small reminders of the people that lived here. These reminders mark many firsts in the history of our country. The Pilgrims settled near here and actually relied on the unique qualities of the cape to sustain life. In the protected seashore sits Pilgrim Spring, the source of freshwater that the Pilgrim’s depended on. Hike out to this beautiful spot and follow in the footsteps that so many men and women traveled for the past couple hundred years. Pilgrim Monument is another important historical spot and climbing it gives you a great view of the area. Spend some time in the museum where you can learn about the history of the Pilgrims, maritime history and about the settling of nearby Provincetown.

Local Cuisine and Goods

One of the best parts of traveling to new places is the opportunity to enjoy the local cuisine and goods that are created and sold in an area. Moby Dick’s is iconic in these parts, and a trip here wouldn’t be complete without eating here are least once. The town of Wellfleet and South Wellfleet have main streets lined with artisan products and locally sourced goods. At the South Wellfleet General Store and Deli, you can find everything for a picnic lunch. Commercial Street in Provincetown has art galleries and Truro has several unique shops lining its main streets.

Family Entertainment

The entertainment found in the Outer Cape Cod area is very family friendly, because most of the locals are families. If you are looking for additional outdoor entertainment, there is a golf course and country club that is open to the public, Mayo Beach in Wellfleet is clean and has public facilities, and the Wellfleet Drive In and mni golf course offer a different way to see a movie and enjoy the night.