Five Reasons to Head to Cape Cod Off Season

New Englanders know the best time to visit Cape Cod is in the fall, after the crowds have gone but the weather is still beautiful. Not convinced? Here are five reasons to put the Cape on your family’s to do list this season, courtesy of the Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce.

Arts & Culture

It’s easy to overlook culture when your mind is on the beach, ice cream and other staples of summertime fun. But every town and village along the Cape has its own personality, and many offer private art galleries and some historic museums, like the John F. Kennedy Hyannis Museum and the Cape Cod Museum of Art. Music and arts festivals are also plentiful in the fall.

Beaches

Wait, did we just say to forget about beaches after Labor Day? Actually, beach combing and long walks along the shore are perfect in the fall, especially if you don’t mind wearing a sweater while you’re doing it. Even little kids can enjoy the nearly 600 miles of pristine coastline, including the 40-mile stretch that makes up the Cape Cod National Seashore, in the autumn without having to dodge flying Frisbees, groups of clustered beach chairs and blankets and masses of sun worshipers taking up the real estate. What you likely will see are a few happy locals — including the four-footed variety — enjoying the scenery in peace.

Children playing on the beach in Cape Cod at sunset. Photo: Eric Cote | Dreamstime.com

Some of the best beaches include Coast Guard Beach in Eastham, which routinely makes Dr. Beach’s annual list of Top 10 Beaches in America; Old Silver Beach in North Falmouth; Nauset Beach in Orleans; Herring Cove Beach in Provincetown; and Mayflower Beach in Dennis.

Tours

Just because summer is over doesn’t mean tour companies have rolled up the sidewalk. Arts Dune Tours, for example, has been around for generations and offers a look at the eco-system that makes up the National Seashore Park in Provincetown. Or visit The Cape Cod Potato Chip Factory, which welcomes an astonishing 250,000 visitors a year — but beware, the chips are addicting.

Breweries & Wineries

Have older kids? How about a tour of one of the many craft breweries that cropped up on the Cape? Or check out Cape Cod Winery in East Falmouth, just one of the wineries in the area where you can taste the local varietals.

Spas

Enjoy some serious pampering at the Beach Plum Spa at the Dan’l Webster Inn and Spa in Sandwich, where little ones can enjoy mani-pedis in the Kids Corner while Mom and Dad relax at a couples massage.