What's to do in Cape Cod?

August 22, 2007 6:46 PM

What's to eat, drink and do in Eastham, Cape Cod?

Several of my friends and I are staging a writer's retreat next week by renting a house in Eastham on Cape Cod. I know absolutely nothing about the area. We'll be staying near the corner of Kingsbury and Herring Brook Road, and while we're not big on spending money (see the part where we're writers), we will want to have fun on our breaks. Any suggestions for good eats, cool drinks, etc. welcome. Also, good places to write welcome.

posted by Bookhouse to travel & transportation (6 comments total)

Oddly enough, I just returned from a week's vacation in Eastham. My grandparents have a house off of Cole Road, which is off Herringbrook. The beach there is very nice, usually low-key (some parts are private). If you head down Cole you'll see it. It's Cape side, so low tide goes out what looks like a mile. I have some photos here for reference. The mini-golf course is right at the Orleans traffic circle.

When you go to your place you'll likely cross over a bike path. That path goes for some twenty miles, so that's something to take advantage of.

For a little history and some seaside walking trails, there's the Salt Pond Visitor Center.

You might check out the Wellfleet Drive In, which is just up route 6. Other than movies, they regularly host flea markets and such.

I don't know about bars. Get your fried seafood at Arnold's. If you're cooking your own seafood, buy it from Cap'n Elmer's in Orleans.

Stop at the Eastham Superette to buy your wine, beer and lunch stuff. It's been there for years, a real classic. Right next to it you'll see a green with a windmill. There's usually something going on there.

Any other questions, email me: [e-mail]
posted by schoolgirl report at 7:08 PM on August 22, 2007

Definitely check out the Drive-in Theater. The flea market is great, just for the sheer amount of stuff (crappy and awesome) that you'll find there. It's open Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday, with the best stuff on the weekend. The time to go is before noon; vendors will start packing up around 1230.

Don't go to bars; stop at a package store and pick up beer, liquor, etc. and drink out in front of the house you're renting; it's a better (and much cheaper) experience. There's a pretty good one just off the Orleans rotary on 6A; it's huge and inexpensive. It's also near the Stop and Shop, if you choose to go that route.

If you get a chance, make sure to head up to Provincetown, too. It's busiest place on the Cape, you can spend a whole afternoon just looking at stores and John's seafood on the Wharf is the best deal on the whole Cape.
posted by thecaddy at 7:42 PM on August 22, 2007

I'm out in Truro for the summer. Eastham's kind of a dead zone but one town over in Wellfleet there's the Beachcomber, a bar over an excellent ocean beach; the Wicked Oyster and Mac's Shack, excellent restaurants serving local seafood; and for local color the Bomb Shelter, the local non-tourist fisherman's bar.

One town the other direction, in Brewster, I can recommend the Woodshed, a boisterous and fun tourist bar.
posted by nicwolff at 8:49 PM on August 22, 2007

Thirding Wellfleet Drive-in. Seconding the Woodshed.
Rent bikes. There's miles of trails.
It's a little too late for my other suggestion, but if you get to go back earlier in the season, there's always the Cape Cod Baseball League!
posted by kidsleepy at 6:08 AM on August 23, 2007

if you like bike riding or roller blading, check out the Cape Cod Rail Trail -- goes 22 miles from Dennis to Wellfleet. There's also an offshoot of this trail to Nauset Beach (2 miles).
posted by indigo4963 at 8:22 AM on August 23, 2007

Third the woodshed and the Drive-In. Everyone is welcome there.

On your way to the Woodshed I would stop in Orleans. Plenty of good places to eat there. Try Land Ho, I think their chowder is okay but my family loves it.

Also if the Baseball season is still on, (which I doubt it is, I think they may have just finished up,) I recommend going to a game.

If your looking for some cheap food, try Cobe's. Also on your way to the Woodshed. (I think that road is 6A). Cook's is similar, and on your way to the Woodshed.

Chatham is a cool place to spend a rainy day.

I agree the bike trail is awesome.

Swim on the Bay side, it should be warmer.

Provincetown isn't really my thing. There's just a bunch of ... different... shops up there.

The closer you get to the mainland, the more commercial it becomes.

If you haven't noticed already, everything I said is on your way to the Woodshed. Please "pour a lil out" for me. It's a good place.

The Brewster store is just after the Woodshed, and you can kill some time in there. It's like an Old Five and Dime.
posted by thetenthstory at 9:31 AM on August 23, 2007