For the scoop on the how, what and why of Cape Cod Canal, stop by the visitor center, near the Sandwich Marina, where interactive exhibits capture the interest of kids. Follow your visit with a 10-minute walk along the canal to the beach; unlike at other beaches, car parking here is free. Ask at the center about its free programs offered throughout the summer, including guided hikes and bike rides, beach walks and talks.
Cape Cod Canal Visitor Center
Cape Cod
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
13.28 MILES
Three miles south of Plymouth center, Plimoth Plantation authentically re-creates the Pilgrims’ settlement in its primary exhibit, entitled 1627 English…
28.96 MILES
Cape Cod National Seashore extends some 40 miles around the curve of the Outer Cape and encompasses the Atlantic shoreline from Orleans all the way to…
22.14 MILES
Oak Bluffs started out in the mid-19th century as a summer retreat by a revivalist church, whose members enjoyed a day at the beach as much as a gospel…
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27.58 MILES
The Salt Pond Visitor Center is the place to start exploring the National Seashore – and it has a great view to boot. Here you'll find exhibits and short…
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15.36 MILES
If Plymouth Rock tells us little about the Pilgrims, Mayflower II speaks volumes. Climb aboard this replica of the small ship in which the Pilgrims made…
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15.49 MILES
Claiming to be the oldest continually operating public museum in the country, Pilgrim Hall Museum was founded in 1824. Its exhibits are not reproductions…
Provincetown Art Association & Museum
25.6 MILES
Founded in 1914 to celebrate the town’s thriving art community, this vibrant museum showcases the works of hundreds of artists who have found their…
Pilgrim Monument & Provincetown Museum
25.07 MILES
Climb to the top of the country's tallest all-granite structure (253ft) for a sweeping view of town, the beaches and the spine of the Lower Cape. The…
Nearby Cape Cod attractions
0.5 MILES
Cape Cod isn't connected by land to the mainland, but it's not exactly an island, or at least wasn't until the Cape Cod Canal was dug in 1914. The 7-mile…
0.93 MILES
A local favorite that's missed by most visitors, this wooden-plank boardwalk extends a scenic 1350ft across an expansive marsh to Town Neck Beach. The…
0.99 MILES
Sandwich glass, now prized by collectors, had its heyday in the 19th century, and this heritage is artfully displayed in this excellent, sprawling museum…
1.06 MILES
The restored mill on the edge of Shawme Pond dates to 1654 and has centuries-old gears that still grind cornmeal (available to buy). Bring your camera –…
1.25 MILES
Get a feel for what life was like for early settlers by touring Hoxie House, the oldest house on Cape Cod (c 1640). The saltbox-style house has been…
1.73 MILES
Fun for kids and adults alike, the 100-acre Heritage Museums & Gardens sports a superb vintage automobile collection in a Shaker-style round barn, an…
7. Green Briar Nature Center & Jam Kitchen
2.47 MILES
This is a lovely mixed bag of family-friendly attractions: a nature center surrounded by walking trails; a small museum dedicated to Thornton W Burgess,…
8. Aptucxet Trading Post Museum
5.83 MILES
Explore a slice of the Cape's past at this small, but very informative, museum at the site of a historic trading post.