A Family's Visit to Cape Cod
A family visit to a popular seaside destination can go either way. We do our best to avoid sunburns, crowds, traffic and exhaustion-induced meltdowns. But even when these things do interfere, we try to take it in stride. By the time we return home, only the good memories of our adventure remain; and only the good times are captured in photos, of course.
Our recent visit to Cape Cod was simple, relaxing and entertaining. I grew up on the Cape, but my hometown, Barnstable (which is made up of several distinct villages, including the shopping mecca, Hyannis), has grown bigger and busier with each passing year.
There are so many fun things to do with kids that it is hard to choose only a few. Try to fit in too much, though, and the whole trip falls apart. If you go, pick up one of the Kids on the Cape books. They're everywhere: Grocery stores, hotels, information stations, and online. And they are packed with information and coupons.
We were lucky enough to have a string of sunny days with temperatures in the 80s. Perfect for the beach. The water was cool and lovely, but you must have a beach umbrella to shade your space on the sand. I wrestled with my umbrella, which always threatens to tip over under the pressure of a light wind. I think I've got it figured out now, though. Pounding the umbrella into the sand with a rock is only effective sometimes, and, becomes a problem when you pound the metal base enough to bend the opening, and find the the top piece no longer fits inside. Those twist-in umbrella anchors do work though. You just have to make sure to wind it into the sand as much as possible.
We love Veteran's Beach in Hyannis, which is small and kid-friendly, with parking right at the water's edge—a big plus when you have a pile of gear and kids in tow. It's situated in the shelter of Lewis Bay, where the water is warmer. Mobbed on the weekends, but relatively quiet on weekday mornings. Kalmus beach, just up the road, is my favorite. It faces the calm Bay on one side and the open waters of Nantucket Sound on the other. The Sound side is far more beautiful, and popular with windsurfers.
We spent a fabulous afternoon on a seal watch. Three and a half hours on a boat can be a lot for kids. Our friends, with a younger child, opted out, but my daughter, who is now 3 ½, had a blast. It was too hot for the seals to lay sprawled across the beaches of wild and gorgeous Monomoy Island, as they sometimes do en masse. We saw about a dozen seals, swimming alongside the boat. The water was so clear that we could see the black outlines of their bodies moving below. They popped their heads out of the water, some spinning and diving, giving us a glimpse of their large, sleek bodies. There have been several sightings of great white sharks recently. I was really hoping that we would get a look. Upon further reflection, though, it's probably better that we didn't see one getting too close to a seal. Might have been unpleasant to have to explain that. We did see impressive flocks of sea birds and undersea creatures that had crawled into the lobster trap the crew pulled up before the end of our cruise.
A kid-friendly cruise can be the perfect way to spend a hot afternoon. It's cooler on the water, and there is a lot to see. We also love whale watches out of Provincetown. Leave some time to wander through the town center, peeking into the hip little shops and galleries. Back in Hyannis, there is a Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream Float harbor cruise every Sunday at 3PM.
For dinner, you can't beat the atmosphere at the out-of-the-way Popponesset Marketplace. Lobster rolls, live music and a kid-packed outdoor dance floor. You'll find the Mid-Cape's best pizza at Craigville Pizza (618 Craigville Beach Rd, Centerville, MA Phone: 508-775-2267). Call ahead for take-out. They're always busy.
There really is something special about Cape Cod beaches—when they're not too crowded. It's a great place for a family vacation. We go several times each year and we never run out of new things to do and see!
Do you and your family ever travel to Cape Cod for vacation? If so, which beaches do you like to frequent? While we all like trying new places, what is your family's favorite vacation spot that you frequent year after year?
[Photos: Erica Rubin Irish]
