Basic Info
Cape Cod is a land at sea: More than 500 miles of coast and beaches for every taste. Our guarantee: The salt air will make you hungry. Luckily, the ocean will provide the choicest of morsels: Wellfleet oysters, Chatham mussels, Provincetown swordfish, and Harwich lobsters to name a few. Dig in.
- www.fodors.com
More a colloquialism than a proper name, the designation "Mid Cape" refers to central Cape Cod, the most heavily populated—and touristed—part of the peninsula. To the north lies tranquil Cape Cod Bay, laced with wide beaches, inlets, creeks, and marshes. The tides on the bay are dramatic—at dead low some beaches double in size as tidal flats stretch out for hundreds to thousands of feet. The calmer waters on the bay side make these beaches particularly suitable for kids, and when the tide is out, they can explore and play in the tidal pools left behind.
- www.fodors.com
"The towns of Barnstable, Yarmouth and Dennis constitute what is known as the Mid-Cape. Barnstable is the largest and most populous Cape Cod town. It includes seven villages: Barnstable proper, Centerville, Cotuit, Hyannis, Marstons Mills, Osterville and West Barnstable. A hub for transportation, Hyannis offers visitors access to locations both on and off Cape.
Yarmouth is made up of the villages of Yarmouthport, West Yarmouth and South Yarmouth. Located to the south along Route 28, South Yarmouth and West Yarmouth attract families with seaside resorts along beaches on warm Nantucket Sound and a vast array of activities, from art exhibits at the new Cultural Center of Cape Cod to mini-golf. To the north, along Route 6A, lies historic Yarmouthport, which appeals to visitors in search of a less action-packed vacation. Nature trails, historic homes converted to bed-and-breakfast inns, and historic sites, such as the Capt. Bangs Hallet House Museum, Taylor-Bray Farm and the Edward Gorey House, are popular Northside attractions.
The town of Dennis includes the villages of East Dennis, West Dennis, Dennis proper and South Dennis. Some of the best beaches on Cape Cod can be found on both the north and south sides of Dennis. Chapin, Mayflower and Corporation beaches stretch along Cape Cod Bay to the north, while Sea Street and West Dennis sit along Nantucket Sound to the south. The town of Dennis is also home to Scargo Tower, the Josiah Dennis Manse (a home once owned by the town’s namesake) and the nation’s oldest professional summer theater: the Cape Playhouse.
Past and present run parallel routes through the Mid-Cape, offering visitors the best of both worlds. Historic as well as scenic, the Old King’s Highway—Route 6A—traverses the northern half of the Mid-Cape, where 17th-, 18th- and 19th-century houses are quietly interspersed with antique shops, art galleries and restaurants. Quite the opposite, the southerly Route 28 is bustling with activity and commerce. The possibility of both quiet relaxation and lively fun and excitement makes the Mid-Cape a popular and unique destination."
- www.capecodtravelguide.com
"Three villages make up the 17 square mile town of Yarmouth Cape Cod: West Yarmouth, Yarmouthport, and South Yarmouth. Each village has a distinctive character formed by over 350 years of history. A community shaped by its seaside heritage, Yarmouth has retained much of historic charm while integrating the present into its surroundings. To gain a true perspective of our town you must stray from the major roadways of Route 6 and 28 that traverse from Hyannis to the West and Dennis to the East. Yarmouth is the second oldest town on Cape Cod, and it is filled with historic charm.
Yarmouth's rich history has grown a Cape Cod seaside community that offers a potpourri of activities for area vacationers. For the outdoor minded, Yarmouth boasts 15 of Cape Cod’s finest fresh and saltwater beaches to laze away the days, 4 golf courses challenging all levels, 14 tennis courts for the more active, and many hiking, and conservation trails. Yarmouth, Cape Cod truly has something for everyone. On the Northside in Yarmouth Port, tree lined historic Route 6A hosts an array of country inns and quaint bed & breakfasts, complemented by antique and craft shops. The Southside along Route 28 offers the hustle and bustle of a summertime resort town, from factory outlet shopping to sea lion shows to the most adventurous mini-golf. Nightlife in Yarmouth is filled with moonlight walks on Cape Cod’s most beautiful beaches, candle lit dinners at the area's many restaurants, and dancing to music for all ages at one of several clubs. "
- www.yarmouthcapecod.com
