For many people in Massachusetts, Cape Cod means summer. Summer vacations, summer weekends, and summer daytrips—Cape Cod checks all the boxes for a warm-weather destination reachable from Boston in about 2 hours, plus traffic backups getting over the bridges.
But for the 220,000+ population that lives year round on Cape Cod, this slender peninsula means something else. When the summer population packs up after Labor Day, Cape Cod year-rounders reap the benefits. Let’s take a look at four ways living year-round on the Cape attracts homebuyers.
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1. Fewer Crowds at Restaurants
It’s true that many Cape Cod restaurants close after Labor Day. But some of the best stay open all year, and they’re less crowded than in the summer. Year-round residents enjoy shorter or no wait times and more leisurely meals.
Case in point: Spoon and Seed, located at 12 Thornton Drive in Hyannis near the airport, serves up a superlative brunch menu defined by farm-to-table ingredients and sizable portions. During the summer, the lines go out the door at this popular spot. After Labor Day, however, customers typically fill the dining room without experiencing long waits.
2. Miles of Beaches to Yourself After Labor Day
John F. Kennedy famously said, “I always go to Hyannis Port to be revived, to know again the power of the sea.” In 1961, President Kennedy signed the bill that established Cape Cod National Seashore, which protects nearly 40 miles of Atlantic beaches in the towns of Provincetown, Truro, Wellfleet, Eastham, Orleans, and Chatham.
Cape Cod offers many other beaches, all of which draw fewer visitors in the off season. Year-round residents enjoy the privileges of beach walks and September swims, plus free parking with a residential beach sticker.
3. Year-Round Arts and Culture
Permanent residents know: There’s no off season for Cape Cod arts and culture. Just a sampling of what’s on deck throughout the year: The Cultural Center of Cape Cod in South Yarmouth programs live music, film screenings, art exhibits, and classes all year round. Cotuit Center for the Arts presents year-round live theatre and music, gallery exhibits, and film festivals. Even in the winter months, you can head to the Cape Cinema to see National Theatre, Metropolitan Opera, and Bolshoi Ballet performances broadcast live.
4. High-Quality Medical Care
Cape Cod Health Care is the major provider of medical and health care services for Cape Cod. The system includes Cape Cod Hospital in Hyannis and Falmouth Hospital, plus more than 450 physicians and numerous outpatient centers. In 2021, Newsweek named Cape Cod Hospital one of best hospitals in the country.
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