Situated on a distinctive hook-shaped peninsula of the United States, Cape Cod is a world away from the stresses of modern living. With the Atlantic Ocean as a backdrop, Cape Cod is a top summer spot for many families and boasts lots of activities to keep every member content. Filled with legendary seafood shacks, charming villages, pretty lighthouses, and wonderful beaches, Cape Cod offers seaside bliss. To add to this joyful ambiance is everything from watching awesome whales and expert glass blowing to exploring top-notch flea markets and tourist spots. If Cape Cod’s next on your family’s travel agenda then you must scroll down to see a list of the best things to do with the family, to make your time unforgettable.
1. Visit Pilgrim Monument and Provincetown Museum
Discover Massachusetts’ rich history at the Pilgrim Monument and Provincetown Museum. The Pilgrim Monument was erected in the early 20th century to celebrate the landing of the first Pilgrims on Massachusetts shores in 1620. Children are thrilled to climb the striking 252-foot (76.8-meter) granite structure and glorious views of the expansive coastline can be viewed at the top. The Provincetown Museum is just as appealing, showcasing the Pilgrims’ arrival and Provincetown’s maritime past that includes a recreated 19th-century sea captain’s parlor and more.
Pilgrim Monument and Provincetown Museum
Address: 1 High Pole Hill Road Provincetown, MA 02657
Website: Pilgrim Monument and Provincetown Museum
Opening hours: 9am - 5pm (daily)
Price: 6 - 14 USD
2. Learn about glass making at Sandwich Glass Museum
Get an up-close look at how glass is blown at the delightful Sandwich Glass Museum. Live glass-blowing demonstrations occur on the hour, and they shouldn’t be missed. The museum features nearly 6,000 pieces of brilliantly intricate and fancy glassworks produced between 1825 and 1888. A beautiful selection of contemporary glass work is also presented. The museum features several intriguing exhibits and hands-on activities. A gift shop is filled with enticing items but they are a bit pricey.
Sandwich Glass Museum
Address: 129 Main St, Sandwich, MA 02563
Website: Sandwich Glass Museum
Opening hours: 9.30am - 5pm (daily)
Price: 2 - 10 USD
3. Have fun at Heritage Museums and Gardens
Boasting something for every member of the family, Heritage Museums and Gardens is a nice place to spend an afternoon. Located on 100 acres (40.4 hectares) of beautiful gardens, nature lovers will swoon over the myriad of fragrant lilacs, magnolias, and hydrangeas. Kids will love the classic hand-carved carousel in addition to Hidden Hollow, an area filled with stuff to explore, like log balance beams and water exhibits. Teens will go for the aerial park where you navigate through the tall trees with sturdy high ropes and zip lines.
Heritage Museums and Gardens
Address: 67 Grove St, Sandwich, MA 02563
Website: Heritage Museums and Gardens
Opening hours: 10am - 5pm (seasonal)
Price: 10 - 20 USD
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4. Let the kids feed the fishes at Sandwich Fish Hatchery
Open to the public, Sandwich Fish Hatchery is a huge outdoor facility that provides a self-guided tour. This hatchery supplies all the fishes used for the state-maintained lakes and ponds in the area. There’s a myriad of fishes on the premises including a 19-pound (8.61-kilogram) rainbow trout! The atmosphere is prime for families. Tykes are able to feed a large variety of fishes via vending machines that release a handful of feed pellets for less than 1 US dollar (0.89 Euros). Be aware that there’s no public toilet.
Sandwich Fish Hatchery
Address: 164 MA-6A, Sandwich, MA 02563
Website: Sandwich Fish Hatchery
Opening hours: 9am - 3pm (daily)
Price: Free
5. Take your kids to the Cape Cod Potato Chip Factory
Cape Cod Potato Chip Factory is an unexpected surprise that’ll enhance an already fun-filled day. This five-minute self-guided tour showcases how those starchy spuds transform into flavorful potato chips packed in tiny bags. Free samples make this an extra special amusement. Kids can enjoy the old-school original variety and grown-up versions like tasty jalapeno cheddar will satisfy a parent’s palate. Be warned, this place gets crowded on rainy days.
Cape Cod Potato Chip Factory
Address: 100 Breeds Hill Rd, Hyannis, MA 02601
Website: Cape Cod Potato Chip Factory
Opening hours: Mon - Fri: 9am - 5pm
Price: Free
6. Explore Woods Hole Science Aquarium
Founded in 1885, Woods Hole Science Aquarium is a self-guided attraction boasting fantastic touch tanks showcasing lobsters, various fishes, crabs, starfish, and 140 other species of marine life. Woods Hole Science Aquarium is a first-rate place for kids to get hands-on experience about New England’s interesting sea life. If you want to be a hero to your little ones, make a point to attend the always-popular seal feedings, taking place at Woods Hole Science Aquarium twice daily.
Woods Hole Science Aquarium
Address: 166 Water St, Woods Hole, MA 02543
Website: Woods Hole Science Aquarium
Opening hours: Mon - Fri: 11am - 4pm
Price: Free
7. Go picnicking at Marconi Beach
Offering sweeping Atlantic Ocean views, Marconi Beach is a wonderful spot to enjoy an old-fashioned family picnic. Best known for massive sand dunes and calm surf, Marconi is one of the most family-friendly beaches you’ll find along the cape. In addition to being a dog-friendly environment, Marconi Beach features a pristine shoreline with top-quality sand and sparkling water. Convenient toilets and showers are available during the in-season period.
Marconi Beach
Address: Marconi Beach Rd, Wellfleet, MA 02667
Website: Marconi Beach
Opening hours: 6am - 12am (daily)
Price: 15 USD (parking)
8. Go shopping at the Wellfleet Flea Market
Wellfleet Flea Market is the biggest and best flea market on Cape Cod. This expansive flea market is an ideal place to spend the day browsing and buying amid a fantastic selection of old and new merchandise. Vintage finds and handmade treasures make Wellfleet Flea Market a true gem. If you’re searching for a rare baseball card, bargain skin products, colorful hair accessories, kitschy metal signs, or fun video games, you’re looking in the right place at this market.
Wellfleet Flea Market
Address: 51 U.S. 6, Wellfleet, MA 02667
Website: Wellfleet Flea Market
Opening hours: Sat - Sun: 8am - 3pm
Price: Free
9. Get excited at the water park in Cape Codder Resort
Editor's Note: Photo taken from the establishment's official social account
Posted by Cape Codder Resort & Spa on Friday, March 19, 2021
Cape Codder Resort Water Park is an ideal spot to cool off. The water is always a delightful 84° Fahrenheit (28.8° Celsius) at Cape Cod’s only indoor water park and the fun is limitless. Enjoy exhilarating 2-foot (0.6-meter) high waves, four fast-as-lightning tube slides, the incredible Pirate Bay water play area for tots, a wild version of a lazy river, and more. Stay to the evening and you’re rewarded with fantastical colored lights that create an amazing liquid firework effect! Park admission is free to guests of Cape Codder Resort & Spa. For non-guests, day passes are sold on a limited basis.
Cape Codder Water Park
Address: 1225 Iyannough Rd Suite #4, Hyannis, MA 02601
Website: Cape Codder Water Park
Opening hours: Sun: 9am - 8pm; Mon - Thurs: 10am - 8pm; Fri: 10am - 10pm; Sat: 9am - 10pm
Price: 30 - 40 USD
10. Enjoy the thrills of whale watching (from USD 175.0)
An exceptional activity, this whale-watching tour is a superb family outing. Participants journey along the lovely Cape Cod shoreline to charming Provincetown on this mindblowing adventure. A stop at the first-rate Salt Marsh Visitor Center introduces visitors to various exhibits: a display about the Native people of Cape Cod and the origins of radio inventor and pioneer Marconi’s wireless receiving station in the area. The final leg of this expedition is the most exciting, boarding a vessel to view magnificent whales. This tour ends on a high note with a complimentary succulent lobster meal.
Cape Cod National Sea Shore and Whale Watching
Cape Cod's fab family adventures
Lasting family memories are made on Cape Cod. Beautiful, peaceful, and above all else, stress-free, Cape Cod provides an endless supply of compelling family activities that are sure to create a holiday that your family will relive time and time again.
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