Best Reasons to Visit Cape Cod in the Off-Season

Article by Contributor Jean Solari

Cape Cod is an all American playground during the summer months with sunshine, swimming, and all the seafood and ice cream you can eat, but Cape Cod is equally as beautiful and charming in the offseason.

The quiet Cape, as I like to call it, becomes magically serene in the offseason. Here are a few of my favorite reasons for visiting Cape Cod this time of year.

First, it is obviously less crowded. You can visit a beach, any beach, and have it mainly to yourself. Walk along the shore in peace and quiet. You’ll never have a problem finding a parking spot, and it’s really not that cold.   Afterward, there is nothing better than visiting a quiet and inviting coffee shop or café for a warm (or cold) pick me up.

Best Beaches for Walking

• Town Neck Beach and Boardwalk, Sandwich
• South Cape Beach, Mashpee
• Sandy Neck Beach, Barnstable
• Cold Storage Beach, East Dennis
• Great Island, Wellfleet
• Race Point Beach, Provincetown

Quiet Cafes*

• Daily Brew Coffee House, Cataumet
• Pie In The Sky, Woodshole
• Beth’s Tea Shop, Sandwich
• Optimist Café, Yarmouthport
• Happy Fish Bakery, Yarmouthport
• Hot Chocolate Sparrow, Orleans
• Pain D’Avignon Restaurant, Hyannis
• PB Boulangerie Bistro, Wellfleet

Next, check into one of the many quaint Bed and Breakfasts or Inns on the Cape. Most have off-season rates and some offer spa packages. Take full advantage of relaxing by a roaring fire. 

Quaint B&B’s and Inns*

• Palmer House Inn, Falmouth
• The Belfry Inn & Bistro, Sandwich
• Daniel Webster Inn & Spa, Sandwich
• Ashley Manor, Barnstable
• Brewster By the Sea, Brewster
• Chatham Bars Inn, Chatham
• Crowne Pointe Inn & Spa, Provincetown

Also, this is a great time to dine at one of the many cozy Cape restaurants.  Many of these restaurants are small, and difficult to get into during the summer. The colder months bring on an atmosphere that is less hurried.  Allowing you to enjoy your dining experience. Furthermore, shellfish, and all seafood for that matter, just taste better during the colder months. Perhaps it’s the cold water that keeps it tasting delicious.

Cozy Cape Restaurants*

• Water Street Kitchen, Woodshole
• Osteria La Civetta, Falmouth
• Daniel Webster Inn, Sandwich
• Belfry Inn & Bistro, Sandwich
• Brewster Fish House Brewster
• Roadhouse Café, Hyannis
• Scargo Café, Dennis
• The Mews Restaurant & Cafe, Provincetown

In addition, while not all Cape Cod Theaters remain open in the offseason, some do. It’s the perfect time of year to catch a live performance of a wonderful play or a concert performed by the Cape Cod Symphony Orchestra. Some of the theaters that may offer shows during the offseason are the Falmouth Theatre Guild, the Cotuit Center for the Arts, and the Academy Playhouse.

Perhaps the best thing to do this time of year is to take in a perfect Cape Cod sunset. The crisp air in the colder months makes for the most amazing sunsets. Again there are fewer crowds, and you won’t find a bug in sight. 

Perfect Sunset Locations

• Old Silver Beach, Falmouth
• The Knob, Falmouth
• First Encounter Beach, Eastham
• Great Island, Wellfleet
• Herring Cove, Provincetown

Contrary to popular belief, not all of Cape Cod shuts down in the offseason.  In fact, many shops and restaurants on the Cape’s main streets remain open all year. If it’s homemade ice cream you desire, both Cape Cod Creamery in Hyannis and Savory & the Sweet Escape in Truro serve it year-round.  As winter turns to spring, the days are getting longer and warmer. Now is the perfect time to plan your getaway to Old Cape Cod. 

*Check websites or call ahead for hours, as some establishments take short breaks or close a few days a week during the offseason.