Cape Cod Beaches And Recreation

Access to Beaches

On Cape Cod, geography is one factor that affects a home's access to beaches. For example, Bourne offers more inland homes than beachfront properties despite having eight town beaches.

Provincetown, on the other hand, encompasses less than 10 square miles but is surrounded by water on three sides, making waterfront homes a larger percentage of the real estate, yet only has two town beaches.

Simply checking how close a home is to a public beach doesn't tell the whole story, however. Although every town on Cape Cod has beaches, some are set aside for resident use only while others are impacted by the summer population boom.

Not all beaches have lifeguards or disabled access. Amenities like restrooms, food, showers, and boardwalks vary from beach to beach. If beach access is a key buying criteria, make sure you learn the facts beyond proximity to a property.

Local Tip: The coldest water on Cape Cod is on the Atlantic Ocean. During the summer, water temperature can reach the low 60s. Beaches that face Cape Cod Bay have warmer water. Water temperature can reach the upper 60s to low 70s in the summer.

All 15 Cape municipalities require annual beach stickers for resident parking. The cost depends on where you live. On average, most resident beach stickers were $25 in 2018.

In addition to the locally maintained beaches, there are six swimming beaches located within Cape Cod National Seashore. This national park includes shoreline in Chatham, Orleans, Eastham, Wellfleet, Truro, and Provincetown.

As part of the national park system, all beaches within Cape Cod National Seashore are open to the public and subject to a daily use fee. However, the small parking lot at Coast Guard Beach in Eastham is reserved for Eastham residents only.

Access to Bike Paths

As you decide where to buy on Cape Cod, keep in mind where homes are relative to bike paths. The Cape Cod Rail Trail is a multi-use trail that runs from Wellfleet to South Dennis, with an extension into West Yarmouth scheduled for completion in 2022.

The trail can be accessed easily via trailheads along the route in South Dennis, Harwich, Brewster, Orleans, Eastham, and Wellfleet. The scenic trail covers 22 miles and is relatively flat throughout, making it as accessible to families as it is to avid cyclists and runners.

Acccess to Recreational Activities

While beaches and bike trails are popular in Cape Cod, they are far from all the Cape has to offer year-round residents. The Mass Audubon Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary includes 937 acres of protected land along Wellfleet Harbor.

In addition to 5 miles of trails, the sanctuary provides programming for all ages, including field schools for adults, family-oriented events, birding programming, and even summer and vacation week camps for school-aged children.

Local Tip: Cape Cod is a golfer's paradise. More than 30 courses include championship-level greens and fairways designed by renowned golf course architects.

Cape Cod supports a vibrant arts community. The Heritage Museum and Gardens in Sandwich is one of over 80 museums on the Cape. The Arts Foundation of Cape Cod, located in Hyannis, maintains the ArtsCapeCod website, where you can find events and venue listings for live music, theater, dance, art galleries, museums, poetry readings, and more.

Cape Cod offers abundant recreational amenities, both indoors and outdoors, throughout all four seasons. However, not every municipality has the same amenities and recreational options. When determining where you want to live on Cape Cod, the activities your household enjoys can play a big role in finding the ideal property for you.

"Cape Cod Rail Trail" by MOTT is licensed under CC BY-ND 2.0