Cape Cod, MA Travel Guide
Cape Cod, MA Travel Guide
Plan Your Trip
There are so many things to do in Cape Cod that it helps to think of this drive in two halves: the historic bayside villages along Route 6A, and the wilder National Seashore stretch from Eastham to Provincetown.
Most stops don't require advance tickets, though the Pilgrim Monument in Provincetown sells timed entry online during peak summer, which saves you a line. National Seashore beaches like Coast Guard Beach and Nauset Light charge a parking fee in season, while most village stops along 6A offer free roadside or lot parking.
Bring comfortable shoes for lighthouse climbs and dune trails, a swimsuit if you're stopping at any beaches, and a little cash for the smaller museums that don't take cards.
Here's a pro tip: the best views, like the Three Sisters Lighthouses and Scargo Tower, are completely free, so save your museum budget for the one or two collections that really interest you.
Top Things to Do
1. Scargo Tower—a free stone tower with sweeping views over Scargo Lake and the surrounding pine forest.
2. Nauset Lighthouse and the Three Sisters Lighthouses—a working lighthouse alongside three historic wooden sisters, moved inland after decades of erosion.
3. Coast Guard Beach—consistently ranked one of the best beaches in America, with dramatic dunes and Atlantic surf.
4. Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary—a Mass Audubon sanctuary popular with birdwatchers, set along the marshes of Wellfleet Harbor.
5. Highland Lighthouse—Cape Cod's oldest and tallest lighthouse, with a climb to 180 feet above sea level for sweeping Atlantic views.
6. Marconi Wireless Station Site—where Guglielmo Marconi sent the first transatlantic wireless message in 1903, with trails through where the towers once stood.
7. Pilgrim Monument and Provincetown Museum—the tallest all-granite structure in the country, marking where the Mayflower Pilgrims first landed in 1620.
8. Pilgrims' First Landing Park—the actual spot at the tip of Cape Cod where the Pilgrims came ashore before continuing on to Plymouth.
Download the Complete Travel Guide
Includes:
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✓ Complete travel guide
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✓ Printable map
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✓ One-day itinerary
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✓ Hidden gems
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✓ Travel tips
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✓ Offline access
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✓ Bonus recommendations not included on this page
Our Self Guided Tour
Want these stories playing automatically as you drive?
Take our Old King's Highway: Cape Cod Driving Tour, a self-guided, GPS-triggered audio tour that starts at the Cape Cod Visitor Center near the Sagamore Bridge and ends at Pilgrims' First Landing Park in Provincetown, weaving Wampanoag history, whaling captains, lighthouse keepers, and Cape Cod's artist colonies into one long coastal drive.
Free Things to Do
1. Cape Cod Visitor Center—free to visit, with a gift shop and clean restrooms right at the start of the route.
2. Scargo Tower—free to climb, with panoramic views over Scargo Lake.
3. Three Sisters Lighthouses—free to visit and a short walk to view all three.
4. Cape Cod National Seashore (driving through)—free to drive through, with a parking fee only if you stop.
5. Nickerson State Park—free to drive through, with a parking fee for extended stays.
6. Cobb House Museum grounds and village greens—free to explore along Route 6A.
THINGS WITH ADMISSION FEES
1. 1736 Josiah Dennis Manse Museum—about ten dollars for adults.
2. Cape Cod Museum of Art—about fifteen dollars for adults.
3. Cape Cod Museum of Natural History—about fifteen dollars for adults.
4. Cobb House Museum—about seven dollars for adults, open seasonally.
5. Mass Audubon Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary—about eight dollars for adults.
6. Highland Lighthouse climb—about eight dollars for adults, grounds and exterior viewing are free.
7. Pilgrim Monument and Provincetown Museum—about twenty-three dollars for adults, including the museum and inclined elevator.
Food!
Scargo Cafe
A longtime favorite in Dennis Village, just down the road from Scargo Tower, serving classic New England fare in a historic sea captain's house.
PJ's Family Restaurant
A Wellfleet institution famous for its lobster rolls, worth the wait even during peak summer traffic.
The Lobster Pot
A Provincetown landmark on the harbor, serving classic Cape Cod seafood with waterfront views since 1979.
Where to Stay
Budget
Hampton Inn and Suites Cape Cod/West Yarmouth and Sandwich Lodge and Resort both offer comfortable, straightforward rooms convenient to Route 6A, generally $120 to $200 a night.
Moderate
Chapter House in Yarmouth Port and Surfside Hotel and Suites in Provincetown combine historic or coastal charm with updated rooms, generally $180 to $280 a night, with Chapter House dating back to 1716 right on the Old King's Highway.
Luxury
Chatham Bars Inn and Crowne Pointe Historic Inn, Spa and Restaurant offer five-star coastal luxury, generally $400 a night and up.
1 Day Itinerary
1-Day Itinerary
Morning: Start at the Cape Cod Visitor Center, drive Route 6A through Barnstable Village and Yarmouth Port, then stop at Scargo Tower in Dennis.
Afternoon: Continue to Fort Hill in Eastham, Coast Guard Beach, and the Three Sisters Lighthouses, then drive into Wellfleet for oysters.
Evening: Finish in Provincetown with the Pilgrim Monument, Commercial Street, and dinner at The Lobster Pot.
2-Day Itinerary
Day 2: Explore Truro's Highland Lighthouse and the Marconi Wireless Station site, then spend the afternoon in Provincetown at Herring Cove or Race Point Beach.
Extra Time: Browse the Cape Cod Museum of Art in Dennis, take a whale watching trip from Provincetown, or walk the Cape Cod Rail Trail through Nickerson State Park.
FAQ's
1. How long does it take to drive the Old King's Highway route?
Driving the entire route from Sandwich to Provincetown takes about two and a half to three hours without stops, but most visitors spend a full day exploring the villages, beaches, and lighthouses along the way.
2. Is Route 6A better than Route 6?
If you want scenery, history, and charming villages, Route 6A is the better choice. Route 6 is faster but designed for getting somewhere, not sightseeing.
3. Is this drive good in the fall?
Yes. Fall is one of the best times to drive Route 6A, with colorful foliage, fewer crowds, and comfortable weather.
4. What are the best stops on the drive?
Popular stops include Sandwich, Barnstable Village, Yarmouth Port, Dennis, Brewster, Orleans, Eastham, Wellfleet, Truro, and Provincetown, along with Cape Cod National Seashore attractions.
5. Do I need tickets in advance for the Pilgrim Monument?
It's not required, but buying online in summer saves you time in line, since the monument and museum can get busy midday.
6. Is this tour good for kids?
Yes. Lighthouse climbs, beaches, and the Cape Cod Museum of Natural History are all popular with families, though some stretches involve longer stretches of driving between stops.
7. Where does the self-guided driving tour start and end?
It starts at the Cape Cod Visitor Center near the Sagamore Bridge and ends at Pilgrims' First Landing Park in Provincetown.
8. How much driving is involved?
The full route covers close to seventy miles one way, following Route 6A and Route 6 from Sandwich to the tip of the Cape.
9. Are there free things to do along the route?
Yes. Scargo Tower, the Three Sisters Lighthouses, and driving through Cape Cod National Seashore are all free.
10. What is Cape Cod best known for?
Cape Cod is known for its lighthouses, whaling history, sandy beaches, Wellfleet oysters, and its role in the Pilgrims' 1620 landing before they continued on to Plymouth.
Recommended Tours
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