7 Day holiday

Hi, we are planning a 7 day trip in the 3rd or 4th week of September. We will spend a couple of days in Boston %26amp; then maybe drive down to Cape Cod and spend a couple of days there. Is it worth having day trips over to Martha%26#39;s Vineyard or Nantucket or should we just stay in Cape Cod. We were thinking of Provincetown %26amp; maybe Sandwich. Any other suggestions would be welcome. We dont mind spending upto $300 a night %26amp; like a fairly modern style. We are very flexible on our trip and have no set plans so far.

7 Day holiday

You are picking the best time of the year to visit, Fiona. You will have to tell us a bit more about yourself, before we can make a specific recommendation about where to stay.

P-Town is a younger, wilder set- lot%26#39;s of fun, but not for families. The Nat%26#39;l Seashore is precious and must be seen. It is also one of the towns(Barnstable being the other) to go on a whale watch; another must do. You could take a day trip there, though.

Sandwich has cold water beaches and a more traditional, historical feel to it. There isn%26#39;t much to do there, i.e nightlife, shopping (except for all the great antique shops). Again, it would make a great day trip for you.

Falmouth has both history, fun activities and shopping as well as warm water, white sandy beaches. And it is only 1 hour from Boston. It is also the place where you pick up the ferry to Martha%26#39;s Vineyard - an excellent choice to visit and only 30 minutes by ferry.

There you will find galleries, a carousel, funky shops and Mad Martha%26#39;s Ice Cream!! Yum!

7 Day holiday

Check out any lodging choice in Chatham. At that price, you%26#39;d have a lot of lodging choices. Hotel rates will be cheapest after the Labor Day weekend, so you%26#39;ve timed your trip just right. The Cape is old (by U.S. standards) and lodging tends to be somewhat ';twee'; rather than hip and edgy.

Chatham has a great downtown area with fun (expensive) boutiques, unique candy stores and fantastic restaurants. The beaches are easily accessible and the whole place is charming.

You might consider renting a house in Chatham for that week. I suggest you use a licensed Realtor to secure a house rental. Some estate agents to get you started:

www.pineacresrealty.com

www.websterrealestate.com

www.kinlingrover.com

Who knows! You might even hear from other TA members, through private messaging, who will offer some suggestions for specific rental homes. It happens a lot on this forum!

Provincetown has a large year round gay population that is very welcoming to all and is fine for families...Just ask all those families who visit every year to go on a whale watch or dune tour!

You might want to consider a drive from Chatham, through Orleans (stop at Nauset Beach, it%26#39;s gorgeous) and on to Eastham to have a look at the awe inspiring still life that is the National Seashore. It is a short ride from there to Ptown.

September is still busy enough up here, a lot of the summer employees have left and hotels may be operating at diminished capacity with a substantial demand for lodging so make sure you secure your accomodations in plenty of time. Have a wonderful trip!

We are in our 30%26#39;s, just me %26amp; my boyfriend. We like driving holidays where we get to see as much as possible. We generally stay in places for the 1 night %26amp; then drive to the next place. I like the sound of the warm water are in Cape Cod %26amp; then the trip to Marthas Vineyard. My boyfriend is a keen photographer. We dont really need night life, just a meal and then a wander round some shops etc. Thanks for the suggestions so far. what is Hyannis like, would it be a good base.

Hyannis appeals to many people who are looking for a vibrant downtown setting with lots of bars, restaurants, shopping, etc. It is the commercial hub of the Cape.

If you base yourselves in Chatham (it%26#39;s right in the middle of the Cape, really. If you check a map, Chatham is the ';elbow'; of the ';arm'; of the Cape), you%26#39;ll be able to venture out for daily driving trips in any direction.

Chatham has good access to Rtes. 28, 6 and 6A, the major thoroughfares of the Cape. You can take a day trip and see most of the Cape from Chatham ';up'; to Ptown and another day trip to see the Cape from Chatham ';down'; to Falmouth. It%26#39;s a charming town and its location makes it a convenient base.

To answer you question, Hyannis is very commercial with chain stores and a horrible mall. The shoreline is nice though and Hyannisport is interesting for an hour or two.

Why not stay in Sandwich for a night at the Belfry Inn(it is an old church)and explore that area. Great photo opps at Heritage Museums and Gardens. Do the boardwalk, Thorton Burgess Museum, Sandwich Glass Museum and the Dunbar Tea Room. Shoot the old Grist Mill and white steepled churches.

Then drive 20 minutes to Falmouth. Stay at the Palmer House Inn on the village green. Do the boutiques and trendy restaurants there, too. Get some fried clams at the Clam Shack on the harbor(more photos opps). Drive along (or take the bike path)the shore to Woods Hole past the Nobska Lighthouse. (Photo) and into the village. Explore the aquarium and oceanographic institutions there. Hang out with fisherman and Nobel prize winners at Coffee Obsession and get a flavor of the place. Take some shots at the drawbridge of the harbor. Then jump on the ferry to Martha%26#39;s Vineyard and do that.

Stay for a night there and then move on to Hyannis, Chatham and P-Town. There%26#39;s your 7 days!

We will be flying into Boston and will pick up the hire car. We dont like to drive too far when we have just flown in from the UK as for some reason we are always tired. Where would be a good place to stay the night half way to Chatham. Is Plymouth okay?

Thanks for the suggestions. I think we could drive from Boston to Sandwich after arriving from the UK as it is only 50 miles. Do we need to take our car over to Marthas Vineyard?

Fiona- Yes, Sandwich would be a good stop for you. I rec. the Belfry Inn for a unique and romantic place to stay. Ask for the room with the big circular satined glass window. Or for a good value, the Earl of Sandwich is very nice indeed.

If you want to take your car to the Vineyard you will need reservation from the Steamship Authority.

http://www.steamshipauthority.com/ssa/

Or you can take buses, rent a bike or taxi%26#39;s on the island. There are plenty of good options.

Do you need a car? The answer is no. You will park it in one of the many parking lots that the Steamship Authority provides in Falmouth and shuttle down to the dock.

Jim

If you will be staying in Sandwich for a few nights, that will make an excellent base to explore Martha%26#39;s Vineyard, Falmouth and the mid-cape area around Hyannis. For your next stay, I recommend that you choose Eastham as it is central to the outer cape and will put you in a good position to explore Chatham (20 minutes), Wellfleet and Orleans and Brewster (5-10 minutes) and Provincetown (30 minutes). Since Chatham sort of sticks out at the ';elbow'; of the cape, you will find that basing yourself there will add additional driving time to the National Seashore beaches and activities and to Provincetown.

There is a variety of accommodation in Eastham from cottages to motels but if you are looking for a modern very private cottage with ocean views, WIFI etc., take a look at Fort Hill Bed and Breakfast in Eastham. www.forthillbedandbreakfast.com They have a cottage that has that ';modern style'; you mentioned since it is only a few years old. You can check out the reviews on TA, and since it is our favorite place, I can highly recommend it.

Did you say what time you were landing in Boston? I didn%26#39;t notice...Anyway: Why not consider just staying in Boston that first day/night, getting a good night%26#39;s sleep and then venturing out the next day to the Cape.

I know I can barely manage my way through customs after a transatlantic flight let alone picking up a car rental, driving in a city and driving in a city on the ';wrong'; side of the road! Not easy if exhausted!