By car, take the Southeast Expressway (I-93) S. to Rte. 3 S. near Braintree and follow it for 45mi. to the Sagamore Bridge. After crossing the canal, you have the choice of scenic Rte. 6A (which goes as far as Orleans; follow signs from exit 1) or speedy Rte. 6, which runs all the way to Provincetown. Buses to the Cape leave from Boston’s South Station (T: South Station (Red). Bonanza Bus (888-751-8800; www.bonanzabus.com) runs express routes to most major towns (approx. every hr daily 8am-10pm), while the Plymouth & Brockton Street Railway (schedules and fares 508-746-0378, office 508-746-4795; www.p-b.com) has more extensive bus service to most every town on Cape Cod. Schedules and prices change so frequently that it’s best to call or check the website for the most up-to-date information. Note that buses from Boston to the Cape can be up to 30min late because of traffic.
New England’s premier vacation destination, this thin strip of land draws tourists by the droves with its charming small towns and diverse, sun-drenched landscapes—everything from cranberry bogs and sandy beaches to salt marshes, hardwood forests, deep freshwater ponds carved by glaciers, and even desert-like dunes sculpted by the wind.
Though parts of the Cape are known as the playground of the rich and famous—and the peninsula is in general geared toward bigger spenders—it can be an option for impoverished college students, thanks to an emphasis on free activities (sunbathing, hiking, etc.) and a decent hostel and budget B&B system.
On the very tip of the Cape’s arm, P-Town resembles an old, shingled, doll house town, teeming with tourists, craft stores, penny-candy shops, street artists, and restaurants. In stark contrast to the rest of Puritanical Massachusetts, Provincetown supports a thriving gay community. If you tire of the T-shirts and salt-water taffy hawked along Commercial St., the main thoroughfare, look for solitude in the nearby wilds of the National Seashore. Let the Chamber of Commerce (508-487-3424) help you find accommodation in a guest house, or check Let’s Go: USA 2005 for budget listings. As far as entertainment goes, whale-watching opportunities abound (800-826-9300; www.whalewatch.com for Dolphin Fleet). Provincetown also has a energetic nightlife scene; check the listings in the Provincetown Advocate.
The Steamship Authority (508-477-8600; www.islandferry.com) runs a year-round ferry from Hyannis to Nantucket Town, the island’s main center ($14 one-way (2hr), 1hr fast ferry $27.50 one-way, bikes $16). Hy-line (508-778-2600; www.hy-linecruises.com) operates a ferry to Nantucket’s Straight Wharf from Hyannis ($13.50 one-way, fast ferry $36). Once on the island, your feet or a bicycle will provide adequate transportation; you can rent a bike at any number of shops.
Smaller, more expensive, more exclusive, and more beautiful than Martha’s Vineyard, Nantucket has quickly become the premier Massachusetts island destination for the trendy, well-to-do city-dweller. Oozing affluence and New England charm—complete with dune-covered beaches, beautiful wild flowers, cobblestone streets, and spectacular bike paths—Nantucket has grown from a tiny fishing and whaling village into a summer stomping ground for nearly 50,000 visitors. Over 36% of Nantucket is protected from development, and despite the incessant influx of obnoxiously wealthy summer tourists, the island often feels like a natural, peaceful paradise. The beaches, especially far from Nantucket Town, are breathtaking and often uncrowded. The best way to experience the real Nantucket is a weekend visit in the spring or fall.
Although prices for accommodations drop 15-30% in the off-season, beds are still fairly expensive. Call the Nantucket Accommodations Bureau (Fort Dennis Dr.; 508-228-9559) for info and reservations. Three miles from Nantucket Town, next to a beautiful beach, is the HI-AYH Nantucket Hostel (508-228-0433); beds $22 for members, $25 for non-members. If you’re on a tighter budget, consider a trip in the fall or spring, when it’s less crowded. Nearly 80% of the businesses shut down in winter, however, so only visit the island at this time if you’re really after peace and quiet.
The Steamship Authority ferry (508-477-8600; www.islandferry.com) takes 45min from Woods Hole on Cape Cod to Vineyard Haven or Oak Bluffs, year-round to Vineyard Haven ($6 one way, plus $3 for a bike). Once you arrive, “up-island” means west and “down-island” means east.
If you’ve spent 4 years going to school on the East Coast, you must make it to gorgeous Martha’s Vineyard at least once. The (relatively) bustling commercial towns of Edgartown, Vineyard Haven, and tourist-packed Oak Bluffs give the Vineyard a greater diversity of things to do than its sophisticated cousin farther out to sea. Come here to see the beaches immortalized in Jaws or buy yet another T-shirt from the Black Dog in Vineyard Haven.
You’ll find various bicycle paths on Martha’s Vineyard, but the island is significantly larger and more hilly than Nantucket. Mopeds and bicycles are available for rental at several shops in town. Oak Bluffs flaunts its colorful “gingerbread houses” on the northeastern tip of the island, and from mid-May to mid-October, a shuttle bus connects the major towns and Aquinnah (formerly Gay Head—it’s about time they changed the name), the spectacular clay cliffs on the end of the island (James Taylor’s hideout). You can see Menemsha Pond and the Elizabethan Islands from here. Chilmark and West Tisbury, quieter and more rural than the down-island towns, lie in the center of the island.
Accommodations are more reasonable here than on Nantucket, especially in the spring and fall. Nantucket & Martha’s Vineyard Reservations (800-649-5671) can provide specifics and make arrangements. Make reservations early, even three months in advance. The HI-AYH Hostel in West Tisbury (508-693-2665), 7 mi. south of Vineyard Haven and accessible on the bicycle route, is a real bargain at $22, but they may make you do some chores.
