Cape Cod Canal

Cape Cod

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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-long canal saves ships from having to sail an extra 135 miles around the treacherous tip of the Cape. The canal is also a great recreational resource.

It's bordered on both sides by bike paths that attract not only cyclists but also in-line skaters, power walkers and kids with fishing poles. On a sunny day it looks like a scene from a Norman Rockwell painting.

For the lowdown on the canal, stop by the Cape Cod Canal Visitor Center, near the Sandwich Marina.

Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

  • Colonial homes and garden

    Plimoth Plantation

    13.13 MILES

    Three miles south of Plymouth center, Plimoth Plantation authentically re-creates the Pilgrims’ settlement in its primary exhibit, entitled 1627 English…

  • Dune's edge, pitch pine, Marconi beach, wellfleet, Cape Cod national seashore.

    Cape Cod National Seashore

    29.45 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…

  • USA, Massachusetts, Martha's Vineyard . Ancient houses at Oak Bluff 860598742

    Campgrounds & Tabernacle

    21.99 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…

  • Salt Pond Visitor Center

    Salt Pond Visitor Center

    28.07 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…

  • Mayflower II

    Mayflower II

    15.17 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…

  • Pilgrim Hall Museum

    Pilgrim Hall Museum

    15.3 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 and Museum, Cape Cod, Massachusetts, USA

    Provincetown Art Association & Museum

    25.98 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…

  • "Image of Pilgrim tower in Provincetown, MA, USA"

    Pilgrim Monument & Provincetown Museum

    25.45 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…

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Nearby Cape Cod attractions

1. Cape Cod Canal Visitor Center

0.5 MILES

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…

2. Sandwich Glass Museum

1.01 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…

3. Dexter Grist Mill

1.07 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 –…

4. Hoxie House

1.29 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…

5. Sandwich Boardwalk

1.3 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…

6. Heritage Museums & Gardens

1.59 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

2.76 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

5.34 MILES

Explore a slice of the Cape's past at this small, but very informative, museum at the site of a historic trading post.