Categories: Travel

Cape Cod Travel Guide for First-Timers: Simple Summer Getaway

One highlight of my summer so far is definitely planning small trips along the East Coast. As a native New Yorker who works from home in her tiny apartment, any chance to get out for a bit is a treat. When my friend and I planned on an impromptu road trip, Cape Cod felt like the perfect distance away. For reference, we only stayed for 2 nights, so there was definitely more to explore. But since we were aiming for a short, relaxing escape from NYC, the duration felt just right. Note: this Cape Cod travel guide is pretty concise.

OUTFIT DETAILS: Featuring some of my favorite purchases this summer.

Unlike my Fire Island guide, which offers detailed reviews, this one will more or less be a round-up of places we ate at and visited. I kind of just wanted to capture the memories, if that makes sense 🙂

WHERE WE STAYED: SOUTH YARMOUTH

I mentioned above that this trip was kind of impromptu. As such, a lot of the places we were eyeing on AirBnB were mostly booked one month out. Instead, we settled for a 3-star hotel that felt homey, rustic, and a close drive to most central locations: Veranda Cape Cod Family Resort. Rates were pretty reasonable for what we could snag at the last minute in July.

CAPE COD EATS: OUR RESTAURANT PICKS

Tumi Ceviche: I first heard my favorite blogger Jean share about this spot in her stories. Given that it was not far from where we stayed, we gave this Peruvian-Italian restaurant a try. It did not disappoint. (By coincidence, we also arrived during their $1 oyster Happy Hour)

First Meal in Cape Cod: Tumi Ceviche (we did order Ceviche, just not pictured here)

The Lobster Pot: Eating a true lobster roll felt like a must-do, and we saw this spot rated pretty highly on Yelp. A little touristy, and located along the well-known Commercial Street in Provincetown.

Cape Cod Creamery: A great place to finish off with dessert. They have multiple locations, and a good variety of fun flavors. It was a little stressful to eat though because the ice cream melts very fast.

Ice cream from Cape Cod Creamery, and lobster rolls from The Lobster Pot.

CAPE COD BEACHES

One thing NYC is not blessed with is (clean) beaches, so I wanted to take the most advantage of it here. Other than the occasional shark and storm warnings, most of the spots we visited were super tidy and peaceful. Beaches we tried out:

Mayflower Beach: locals told us that this spot is gorgeous for catching the sunset
Marconi Beach: went during the daytime; felt a little more lively
Race Point Beach: we didn’t stay for long, but rather, were trying to see if we could get a glimpse of the lighthouse from here

You can’t really go wrong with any of these, as I found the quality all comparable. However, I did love that Marconi had a rinse and changing station.

Sunset at Mayflower Beach. Midi Dress: sold out from LOFT but you can find similar midi dresses here. Platform Sandals – VERY comfy for walking and traveling.

PROVINCETOWN, CAPE COD

We pretty much drove through all parts of the peninsula, but made a special stop through Provincetown after consulting a few local travel guides. The community is known for its liveliness, especially the hard-to-miss Commercial Street. As a New Yorker who understands what busy feels like, I was still taken aback by how congested the roads were. Cars, bikes, and pedestrians all in the same lane…oops.

WAYF Maxi Dress: Wearing XS (S would work too) | Sandals (same as above)

CAPE COD TRAVEL GUIDE SUMMARY

Somehow when writing this post, it feels like we did not visit too many places. But going through the itinerary for two days felt quite eventful (I felt like I needed a day to recuperate when I came back). After two days at Cape Cod, I can say it is a very family-friendly destination. A lot of good seafood, slow beach days, and classic New England views. A short, but delightful getaway from NYC that felt just what I needed.

Vianna