Things to do in Cape Cod

Explore the beautiful island of Martha's Vineyard on a day trip from Boston. Visit the gingerbread cottages of Oak Bluffs, the town of Edgartown, the iconic lighthouse of Aquinnah, and more. Choose from either joining a fully guided tour or exploring the island at your leisure. Start your day with a pickup from your downtown Boston hotel in a mini-coach for the 1.5-hour journey to the ferry in Falmouth, Cape Cod. Enjoy complimentary snacks and bottled water while browsing the Martha’s Vineyard guidebook as you plan your 6 hours on the island. After a short ferry ride, prepare to discover the beautiful island. Admire the amazing gingerbread cottages in the town of Oak Bluffs, and see the town of Edgartown known for its whaling captains' homes and quaint downtown shops. Next, you will head to breathtaking Gay Head Cliffs and marvel at the famous lighthouse in the town of Aquinnah. Bike and jeep rentals are available for purchase or use public transportation to see the island. After your day on Martha's Vineyard is complete and you return on the ferry, sit back and relax on your comfortable minibus ride back to Boston.

The Boston All-Inclusive Pass by Go City provides you access to over 40 of the area’s top activities, attractions, and tours for a single low price. Enjoy planning your own itinerary while saving up to 45% compared to the cost of individual attraction tickets. Choose a 1, 2, 3, 5, or 7-day pass and visit as many attractions as you like during that time. Take a Trolley Tour, visit the New England Aquarium, or explore the Museum of Science. These and many other options are included in the cost of your Boston All-Inclusive Pass. A free digital guide helps you decide what to do, where to go, and how to get there. Below, "(R)" means that reservations are required. Included attractions with your Boston All-Inclusive Pass: TOURS AND ACTIVITIES • Historic Sightseeing Cruise (Seasonal - April to October) • CityView Hop-On Hop-Off Boston Trolley Sightseeing Tour: 2-Day Ticket (Seasonal - April to November) • Fenway Park Tour • Swan Boats of Boston (Seasonal - April to September) • The Harvard Tour • Boston Movile Mile Walking Tour (Seasonal - April to October) (R) • Boston Bike Rental • Battle Green Tour • Hyannisport Harbor Cruise (Seasonal - May to October) • Cape Cod Canal Cruise (Seasonal - May to October) • Liberty Ride (Seasonal - April to October) • Boch Center Wang Theatre Tours MUSEUMS AND PLACES OF INTEREST • New England Aquarium • Old State House Museum & Old South Meeting House Combo Ticket • USS Constitution Museum • Museum of Science • Paul Revere House • Museum of Fine Arts • Salem Witch Museum (R) • Boston Children's Museum (R) • Harvard Museum of Natural History (R) • JFK Presidential Library and Museum • Plimoth Patuxet plus Mayflower II or Grist Mill Combo (Seasonal - April to November) • LEGOLAND Discovery Center Boston • Franklin Park Zoo • Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum • Peabody Essex Museum • Institute of Contemporary Art • House of the Seven Gables • Buckman Tavern • Peabody Museum of Archaeology & Ethnology (R) • Otis House Museum • Concord Museum • Old Sturbridge Village • John F. Kennedy Hyannis Museum (Seasonal - April to September)

Journey back to the 17th century at Plimoth Patuxet and experience a unique immersion experience. The main campus includes two living history exhibits (Patuxet Homesite, 17th Century English Village) the Craft Center, Davis Gallery Exhibit in the visitor center, four retail stores, a cafe, and Nye Barn where some of the Rare Breeds animals live in addition to the Village to portray the Pilgrim story. After you view the orientation film in the Henry Hornblower Visitor Center, begin your experience at the historic Patuxet Homesite on the banks of the Eel River where guests learn about the Native peoples who have lived here for over 12,000 years. Learn about the indigenous heritage of the Northeast from contemporary interpreters who discuss the 17th-century life-ways of a culture that continues to thrive today. Following the path, your next stop is the Craft Center where you will meet Plimoth artisans reviving historic crafts. Restrooms and refreshments are available here. Then, proceed to the 17th-Century English Village, a journey 400 years back in time. Plymouth Colony comes to life in a recreation of the early English Pilgrim settlement, complete with timber-framer houses furnished with reproductions of the types of objects that the Pilgrims owned, aromatic kitchen gardens and heritage breed livestock. Historical performers, portraying real people who lived in Plymouth Colony, will educate and captivate with stories of the Mayflower's crossing, life among the Pokanoket and other nearby Native people. Help with chores, learn a dance, sing a song, or serve in the militia drill under Captain Standish's watchful eye. Back in the Henry Hornblower Visitor Center, you will find Plentiful Café, where a wide selection of culinary treats from history, including Wampanoag and pilgrim foods, can be found. Try a 17th-century recipe cheesecake or the sensational Indian pudding. Upgrade to a Combo Ticket or Heritage Pass to include a visit to Mayflower II or/and Plimoth Grist Mill. The iconic Mayflower II is docked on Plymouth's historic waterfront and welcomes visitors to climb aboard and experience what the 1620 crossing was like for the Pilgrims. Plimoth Grist Mill is a working mill on the original site of the Plymouth colony, within walking distance of the Plymouth waterfront and downtown, and approximately 2.5 miles north of Plimoth Patuxet. Journey back in time to the first water-power-driven grist mill in the country still in operation.

This self-guided audio and GPS tour allows you to explore Massachusetts’s historic wonders with maximum flexibility, safety, and value. Simply hop in your own car, get the tour guide app set up on your phone, and get started. All audio plays automatically based on location. To begin the tour, start at the Cape Cod Visitor Center, following the route and speed limit for the best experience. Explore the rugged, mystical beauty of Cape Cod and learn all about the history of the areas as you see famous sights like Cape Cod Visitor Center and Pilgrim Monument. As you enjoy the scenery, discover the history and culture of the Nauset tribe. Continue to Eastham and trek down to First Encounter Beach, where the Nausets had their first contact with Europeans. See Cape Cod’s prettiest lighthouses, and hear about the importance of these buildings. The route has plenty of optional detours where you can make stops, like at the Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary. Arrive in Provincetown, a thriving cultural center culture. Check out the art galleries, boutiques, and theaters, and embrace the bohemian culture. Your audio tour ends at the northern tip of the Cape, where the Mayflower first landed.

Take a full-day tour from Boston to Cape Cod, where you'll discover the rich history, art, and culinary communities of Provincetown, sample freshly caught oysters in Wellfleet, visit lighthouses on Cape Cod National Seashore, and tour the grounds of Truro Vineyards. Set sail from Boston Harbor in the morning and begin your journey in Provincetown, where you'll meet a local guide for a walking tour. Discover the area's unique art installations and murals, and learn about culinary traditions that are closely connected to the late celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain. After exploring Provincetown, hop on an air-conditioned minibus to Wellfleet on the Outer Cape. As a world capital for oysters, you'll get to sample freshly caught oysters right off the pier. Then, enjoy a picnic lunch on the beach and try a sweet Cape Cod specialty, homemade local ice cream. Next, visit Nauset Light, a still operational late 19th-century lighthouse. Continue by visiting three more decommissioned lighthouses on Cape Cod National Seashore where you will hear the tragic story of the pirate captain. Later, visit Truro Vineyards, the pioneers of maritime winemaking. Enjoy an optional tasting of their wines and spirits and tour the gorgeous vineyard grounds. End the day back in Provincetown, where you can explore at your own pace. You could sample more local cuisine, climb the Pilgrim Monument, or just explore before hopping on the return ferry home at your leisure.

Start in the city of Boston and walk in the footsteps of Revolutionary War heroes. Hear the story of Paul Revere’s Midnight Ride and relive the fight for American Independence with a self-guided walking tour of Boston’s Freedom Trail. Immerse yourself in the stories of the American Revolution, the Boston Tea Party, and the Sons of Liberty as you stroll along Boston’s scenic Harborwalk. Uncover Boston's historic and storied past while enjoying its beautiful harbor views between South Station and Long Wharf. Then, travel to the city of Cambridge outside Boston and explore the heart of Harvard University's campus at Harvard Square. Use the app to take a self-guided walking tour that covers must-see campus sights like the John Harvard Statue, Widener Library, and former dorm rooms of famous alumni like Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, Natalie Portman, and more. Next, discover Cape Ann with a self-guided driving tour along the scenic waterfront. Enjoy the vistas, beaches, and natural beauty of the New England coastline at your own pace. Visit the famous Fisherman's Memorial, beautiful Beauport, all while diving into the stories of Massachusetts of days past. Continue to Cape Cod and see its quintessential lighthouses and sandy beaches. As you drive, learn more about the Cape’s seafaring traditions, Pilgrim history, and miles of beautiful beaches. From Barnstable to Provincetown, visit Nauset Lighthouse, First Encounter Beach, Marconi Station, and more.

Community Impact: -We are committed to a “360-degree view” of storytelling, featuring stories about under-represented groups, such as women, immigrants, and people of various ethnicities, ages, religions, and sexual orientations -During our visit to the Cape, we will provide recommendations and offer opportunities to patronize small and local businesses so that we keep the culture and traditions of these small seaside communities thriving -Our experience educates guests on ongoing efforts in environmental preservation and the impacts regarding clean energy as well as the sustainability of the fertile fishing beds all around the Cape -Our guides provide a narrative that explores the honest history of the area, dispelling long-held myths that have excluded key players in the development of Cape Cod to this day Summary: After a two- to three-hour relaxing ride while you get to know your local tour guide, you’ll cross over the Sagamore Bridge, the gateway to Cape Cod! Once in the area, you’ll have the chance to meander through small towns like quaint Sandwich and Chatham and beautiful natural spaces like the National Seashore. Farther along, we'll arrive in Provincetown at the very tip of Cape Cod, widely regarded as the area’s most popular destination. Here, you can learn about the town’s storied history as the first arrival point of the Pilgrims, an infamous fishing town, an artist colony, and haven for alternative lifestyles. Among other highlights of the area, you can opt for a tour stop at the Pilgrim Monument & Museum, built to commemorate the first landing of the Mayflower Pilgrims in the US in 1620. One of our favorite things to do here is to climb to the top of the monument – currently the tallest granite structure in the U.S. – and see some of the most sweeping views of the Cape! Our next tour activity will be a walk down the never-boring Commercial Street, the heart of Ptown’s universe. The three-mile stretch spans the town and provides access to Ptown’s notable landmarks, local art galleries, unusual souvenir shops, cabaret entertainment, and interesting architecture. Ptown also offers several one-of-a-kind experiences. You might board private transportation for a tour of the Ptown sand dunes, explore Ptown’s various nature trails by bicycle, or jump on a private schooner for a whale-watching tour. If you would like to relax a bit more, feel free to spend your time sunbathing along Race Point or Herring Cove beaches. For the ride back, we can build in time to stop at some very unique shops in the various towns along the Cape. If you’re a foodie, we always recommend a trip to The Atlantic Spice Company in Truro: this shop has over 350 products that include spices, herbs, teas, extracts, salts, essential oils and much more!

Get to know the most famous Massachusetts attractions using this self-guided tour, which comes with a guide, an audio tour, a map as well as animated videos at some of the stops. In your own time and at your own pace, visit attractions such as Harvard Square, Plymouth, Martha’s Vineyard, and more. Begin your action-packed day by downloading the self-guided tour, and familiarize yourself with your digital guide. Make your first stop Harvard’s storied campus. Hear how the school got its start and how it evolved from a tiny college into one of the most prestigious institutions in the world. Then, head to the Freedom Trail to walk in the shoes of the United States' Founding Fathers. Hear how the first sparks of revolution flew in Boston and how those sparks became an inferno. Feel the revolution come alive as you pass sights like the church where Paul Revere’s famous lanterns once hung. Next, immerse yourself in the ship-rigging, ale-drinking, shanty-singing days of Colonial Boston on Boston’s Harborwalk and revisit the fiery lead-up to the American Declaration of Independence. Admire harbor views and visit the site of the Boston Tea Party. Continue by following your app to the most haunted spots of the city and hear popular ghost stories. Walk through graveyards, execution sites, and more while hearing hair-raising tales of the unquiet dead. After, head to Salem, and learn the truth behind the infamous Witch Trials. Turn the clock back even further in Plymouth, the town founded by Pilgrims fresh off the Mayflower. See where they first landed, hear how they organized their system of government, and revisit the complicated dynamic between those newcomers and the Wampanoag tribe. Drive out to Cape Cod, where colonial history collides with the present. Cruise past historic villages and continue along the coastline to explore towns like Gloucester and trace their seafaring history. Ride along a rocky shore dotted by beaches, and catch some sun and surf. Head to Lexington and Concord and follow the route of a battle between an American militia and the British army. Find out how the Americans turned the tide, and what it meant in the fight for independence. Finally, retreat to Martha’s Vineyard. Visit cute towns and learn some surprising history.

Create your own cross-country trail, following recommended routes between 50 of the best attractions the United States has to offer. Enjoy audio and visual guides that are curated by local experts, creative writers, and professional voice artists, conveniently packed into the Action Tour Guide App. Start your adventure at Gettysburg Heritage Center, and explore the Civil War's most important battlegrounds. See the roots of the revolution in Boston and Philadelphia. Visit Lexington and Concord to imagine the famous “shot heard ‘round the world”. Drive out to Cape Cod or Cape Ann for the unique shoreline and quaint New England towns. Turn back time at the Gilded Age mansions in Newport. Roll down your windows on the Pacific Coast Highway, and take in the majesty of Big Sur. Head west to Utah’s “Mighty Five” national parks, and admire each breath-taking landscape. Swing north to Yellowstone, home to volcanic springs and the Old Faithful geyser. Take your time completing each tour and choosing your ideal route after browsing all 50 options. Stay entertained along the way with texts and visuals that accompany each audio guide. The hardest part is deciding where to start.