Cape Cod is Massachusetts’ vacation land, filled with outdoor recreation opportunities from the Cape Cod Canal to the very tip of this 65-mile-long peninsula.
While year-round residents and second homeowners on Cape Cod can enjoy the outdoors in all seasons, spring marks a special time when sunshine warms the beaches and makes the rhododendron burst into color. Many seasonal attractions and activities start to open in April with Memorial Day Weekend kicking off the official start to summer.
We’re highlighting seven quintessentially Cape Cod activities that make the most of the outdoors.
1. Watch a Baseball Game
When you watch a Cape Cod Baseball League game, you’re watching history. Founded in 1885, CCBL is the nation’s leading amateur baseball league. Today the league consists of 10 teams made up of players recruited from NCAA divisions across the country. One of every six CCBL player has gone on to play in Major League Baseball.
Cape Cod Baseball League teams are based at home fields in Bourne, Brewster, Chatham, Cotuit, Falmouth, Harwich, Hyannis, Orleans, Wareham, and South Yarmouth. There are no official tickets for any Cape league game; the league and each team is a nonprofit organization. Spectators may be asked for a donation.
Opening day for the 2022 season is June 12, according to a CCBL press release.
2. Bike the Cape Cod Rail Trail
Photo by Kenneth C. Zirkel
is licensed under
CC BY-SA 4.0
, via Wikimedia Commons
Cape Cod has its own rail trail that extends through six Cape Cod towns and covers a total of 25 miles. There’s a parking fee of $5 for Massachusetts residents who access the trail at Nickerson State Park from Memorial Day to the end of October. Free parking for trail users is available at many other trailheads, including at Cape Cod National Seashore. Running, walking, and biking are permitted on the Cape Cod Rail Trail.
3. Stroll in a Botanical Garden
Photo by Mott
is licensed under
CC BY-ND 2.0
via Creative Commons
Located in Sandwich, Heritage Museum and Gardens covers 100 acres filled with groves of trees, nature trails, and an array of spectacular gardens.
Heritage Museum and Gardens is particularly known for its collection of rhododendrons. Peak blooming season is from early May to mid-June.
In addition to the gardens, visitors can ride a carousel hand-carved in 1908 and see an outstanding collection of classic and historic cars spanning from the 1890s to the mid-1960s.
April 23 marks the opening the 2022 season. Visitors are encouraged to purchase all tickets in advance online.
4. Ride on a Carousel
Photo courtesy of the
Carousel of Light
Head to Falmouth to see a hand-carved carousel created by Cape Cod artist Lance Shinkle that’s been part of Falmouth Village since 2013. A labor of love that began in 1988, the nautically-themed Carousel of Light features horses, mermaids, and chariots all carved and painted by hand.
The Carousel of Light is located on the grounds of the Mullen-Hall School in Falmouth and is open every day from 11 AM to 8 PM from July 1 to Labor Day weekend. Visit the Carousel of Light website or Facebook page to learn more about the 2022 season.
5. Explore an Inflatable Park
Cape Cod is home to the largest inflatable park in the country. Located in West Yarmouth, Cape Cod Inflatable Park opens for the season on June 12. What you’ll find is an enormous park where giant inflatables take the shape of obstacle courses, slides, and sporting activities like baseball, basketball, and soccer. This family-friendly attraction invites visitors of all ages bounce and play in their socks—and if you need to buy a pair, they’re just a dollar.
Cape Cod Inflatable Park also features Wicked Waves Water Park, which was added in 2018.
The entire attraction opens for the season June 12. Check their website for all 2002 hours and dates.
6. Shoot a Hole in One at a Pirate-Themed Mini Golf Course
Minigolf is a Cape Cod tradition. Pirate’s Cove in South Yarmouth has been named the best family attraction in Massachusetts from Boston Magazine for its two pirate-themed 18-hole mini golf courses. A newly renovated Pirate’s Cove will be open for the 2022 season that runs from early April through the end of October.
7. Build Sandcastles at Cape Cod National Seashore
Cape Cod National Seashore is one of the Cape’s greatest natural treasures. Spanning nearly 40 miles of coastline along the Cape’s Atlantic-facing shore, this National Park Service site is open year-round. The park encompasses six beaches. Coast Guard Beach and Nauset Light Beach are located in Eastham. Marconi Beach is in Wellfleet. Head of the Meadow Beach is in Truro. Race Point Beach and Herring Cove Beach are located in Provincetown. Each beach has its own parking regulations and seasonal beach fees.
