CAPE COD AT A GLANCE

A name that’s synonymous with long, sandy beaches and rolling dunes, Cape Cod also offers biking, kayaking, summer theater, art galleries, and challenging golf courses -- all this in a peninsula known for its distinctive gable-roofed, gray-shingled houses.

CHECK IT OUT

The Heritage Museums and Gardens features Americana, antique cars, the Cape Cod Baseball League Hall of Fame, and, in the spring, masses of rhododendron blooms. In the port of Woods Hole, the mysteries of ocean life are on display at the NOAA Aquarium and the Oceanographic Institution. The seaside resort of Hyannis is the summer home of the Kennedy family and the John F. Kennedy Memorial and Museum. On the tip of the Cape is Provincetown, a haven for artists, fishermen, and summer visitors. Whale watch trips leave from here and Barnstable Harbor. For a nostalgic evening of fun, bundle everyone in the car and head to the Wellfleet Drive-In for first-run double features. Hungry? Crack open a lobster or order up a plate piled high with fried clams.

GET ACTIVE!

Hike through the 27,000-acre Cape Cod National Seashore, pedal the 25-mile Cape Cod Rail Trail, or take your clubs to one of the Cape’s 27 public-access golf courses.

LOCAL LINGO

Asking for travel directions? Here’s what you need to know. The “Upper Cape” refers to the towns and villages just across the two bridges: Bourne, Sandwich, Mashpee, and Falmouth. “Mid Cape” refers to Barnstable (including the village of Hyannis), Yarmouth, and Dennis. The “Lower Cape” refers to everything else: Orleans, Wellfleet, Chatham, Brewster, Provincetown (often referred to as P Town), Truro, Eastham, and Harwich.

WHAT'S NEW?

Arts & Artisans Trails of Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket is a comprehensive guide to more than 200 artists, artisans’ studios and galleries on and off the beaten path. During the summer, try out the new Lower/Outer Cape Flex Bus Route.

Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce