Our first visit to New England was everything I hoped it would be. We experienced great weather, fun beach time, wildlife viewing, boat outings and ate all the seafood we could handle. We stayed at the popular Chatham Bars Inn in Chatham, Ma. June – August is peak season with September right behind due to warmer summer temps. It’s a great destination for a long weekend escape or included in a longer 10 day/ 2 week trip. A Cape Cod vacation would pair well with a visit to Boston, Martha’s Vineyard/ Nantuket or up to Maine. It’s a foodie haven and offers opportunities for relaxation and exercise for a couples’ getaway and tons of activities for kids to be entertained and engaged in travel.
Activities:
Our highlights:
Daily seal watching from the beach at Chatham Bars Inn. Nearby Aunt Lydia’s Cove is home to hundreds of gray and harbor seals.
The darling town of Chatham and convenient hotel Lexus car service that would drop off and pick up if you wanted to do some shopping or dining off-site which I definitely recommend for a night.
Lobster rolls, lobster nachos, lobster salad
Plentiful farm fresh produce from the nearby Chatham Bars Inn Farm
The kid’s highlights:
Popsicles by the pool
Playing in the sand – the beaches were huge and there were tons of shells, rocks, etc. to be collected
Kid’s club activities that were running hourly
Local, handmade ice cream at neighborhood favorite, Buffy’s ice cream
Accommodations:
Chatham Bars Inn
Location is everything at the CBI compound. There are 217 rooms spread across 25 acres. You can opt to be close to the action, close to the beach or in a more quiet, private area. For families or friends traveling together, the resort offers three on-property 4-bedroom homes all with different personalities and floor plans with access to all resort amenities. The home rentals usually require a 4 night minimum and include a daily pool cabana, breakfast and resort credits.
KJ Travel perks include daily breakfast, upgrade if available and $100 resort credit per room.
Wequassett Resort and Golf Club
Just 9 minutes down the road is a smaller, more compact resort known for great golf and some of the best water views on the cape. With 120 rooms, a spa and 3 waterfront restaurants scattered on twenty-three acres overlooking Pleasant Bay and the Atlantic Ocean there is plenty to explore. Kids can have fun in the children’s center complete with a pirate playground and a variety of programs like “chef for a day”, “mad scientist” and movie nights. The Cape Cod Nation Golf Course is members only, however exclusive access is granted to guest staying at Wequassett. Accommodations include guest rooms with beautiful views of the water, cottage style guestrooms with 4 to a cottage, or individual villas and private residences.
KJ Travel perks include daily breakfast, upgrade if available and $100 resort credit per room.
Packing Notes
Bring a portable speaker for the beach
Some kids might want water shoes depending on the tide and if the shore is rocky
Insider Tips
Book a Cabana for a Day:
We were so happy we booked a pool cabana one of our days on property. Due to Covid, they have had to remove a lot of their pool chairs making the pool seating harder to come by. A pool cabana reservation includes some snacks and nonalcoholic drinks, pool service, 4 lounge chairs, refrigerator and a good amount of space for a family with ALL the gear to spread out, take naps, you name it!
Secure Boat Excursions in Advance:
Based on the season you can go offshore or inshore fishing, lobstering, sailing, whale watching even take a trip on a great white shark expedition with a member of the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy.
Next time
Visit to the CBI farm and a fa (sometime) meal – Needs to be booked in advance
The whale watching tours were already booked when we made our plans but it’s on our list for our next visit. Cape Cod is one of the top whale watching destinations in the world and we took a champagne cruise on the luxurious, Billy Joel designed speedboat that they use to get riders out to sea quickly and up close and personal with whales.
In an ideal world my husband would also try to get a golf round in at the prestigious Eastward Ho! Club. Other near by courses include The Captain’s Course and Cranberry Valley.
