10 Reasons Wellfleet Is Cape Cod’s Best Vacation Destination
February 5th, 2010 by Howie F
1. It’s the Outer Cape. There are 15 towns on Cape Cod. Driving over the Sagamore bridge, the Cape is a 75- mile long sand bar extending east and then north into the ocean. It gets narrower as you approach the tip. The last 4 towns, where it’s the narrowest – Eastham, Wellfleet, Truro, and Provincetown – are known collectively as the ‘Outer Cape.’ If you’re on the Outer Cape, you’re standing on a continually shifting strip of sand that separates Cape Cod Bay from the Atlantic Ocean.
Marconi Beach, Wellfleet
2. Cape Cod National Seashore. 40 miles of beach. 40,000 acres of land. Most of it in Wellfleet, Truro, and Provincetown. About half of all of Wellfleet is part of the Cape Cod National Seashore. It’s a beautiful piece of protected land.
3. The Ponds. Wellfleet has a collection of rather unique ‘kettle’ ponds. These are small round ponds with pristine water. None allow motorboats, so they are quiet and great for swimming. They’re also good for beginning kayakers. Gull Pond has boat rentals; the others do not. Our family favorites are Long Pond and Duck Pond. It’s a 10 minute walk down a dirt path to get to secluded Duck Pond.
4. The Ocean Beaches. Marconi, White Crest, LeCount Hollow, Cahoon Hollow, and Newcomb Hollow. All exquisite. Go to Marconi and you can walk the adjacent Atlantic Cedar Swamp Trail. Also check out Marconi Station where Gugliermo Marconi sent a wireless message to the King of England in 1903. (“Can you hear me now?”) White Crest is the designated surfing beach.
5. The Bay Beaches. Slightly warmer water than the ocean beaches, less wind, and calmer waves make Wellfleet’s bay beaches a toddler’s paradise. Remember that it’s very tidal and every day there are 2 High Tides and 2 Low Tides. You’ll benefit from a tide chart. Around high tide is great for swimming. Explore and collect seashells at low tide. Wellfleet’s bay beaches are MADE for kayaking. If you don’t own one, rent at Jack’s Boat Rental. My favorite bay beach is Mayo, because right next to Mayo Beach are 3 restaurants, an ice cream/burger/fried clam counter, fishing excursions, and Mac’s, a fresh seafood market. Indian Neck is nice too for the sunsets and to walk out on the jetty.
6. Art Galleries. There are SO many art galleries in Wellfleet that it’s sometimes called the ‘Art gallery town.’ Most of the galleries are located on Main Street and E. Commercial Street.
7. The Town Center. Next door Truro doesn’t really have a town center and neither does Eastham. Wellfleet’s town center still has the feel of an old fishing village. It has some small shops and restaurants but hasn’t been commercialized the way, say, Chatham has.
8. World famous oysters. You didn’t know that Wellfleet oysters are world famous? Eat them fresh from Mac’s, dine at the Wicked Oyster restaurant, or eat on the front porch of the Bookstore and watch how they’re shucked. You’ll be steps away from where the oysters were raised and harvested.
9. The Wellfleet Drive-in. A drive-in movie theatre may not be the best place for serious movie-watching, but if you or your family members have never experienced a drive-in, it’s a unique experience.
10. The W.H.A.T. Wellfleet Harbor Actors Theatre. Last year a 2nd theatre was completed, which I haven’t been to. The original WHAT is at the Pier. I’ve been to several shows there over the years. It’s such a small theatre that all the seats are close to the stage. It can be intense.
