Cape Cod National Seashore

What a stunning landmark and location! My husband and I made the drive out to the seashore on Memorial Day weekend, and we absolutely did not regret it! We beat the traffic by arriving before 10:30am on Sunday morning. We popped into the welcome center and gift shop before viewing the Three Sisters lighthouses and ultimately, the famous Nauset Light (bring your bag of Cape Cod chips with you for a photo op!) We ended up paying the $25 to park our car in the lot so we could walk to the Nauset light and the beach. Overall, definitely worth it for the memorable views. We will definitely be back when the weather gets warmer as well to enjoy the beach more!

Beautiful coastline and beautiful views. From light houses to miles of beaches and coastal areas this is a pretty and relaxing park. Take a drive or a hike. Swim or just take in the sounds of the ocean. Lots of history too.

This glorious strand of scenic coastline, stretching the 40-mile length of Cape Cod's eastern shore, is one of America's most accessible national parks -- a vast wonderland of unspoiled beaches, historic lighthouses and towering cliffs with spectacular views of the Atlantic. Like most of the great parks in the NPS system, there are far more activities to enjoy than a single trip will allow, so you'll have to narrow down your options to fit the length of your visit. Our family spent about 5 hours exploring just a small section of the National Seashore, starting at the Salt Pond Visitor Center near Eastham, then driving a short distance north to the famous Nauset Light, before finishing at the breathtaking Marconi Beach, the site of the first transatlantic wireless transmission between the United States and Europe, in 1903. While these stops represent just a small portion of the Seashore's vast geography, they provide a superb overview of what makes this place special. The Salt Pond Visitor Center, right off U.S. 6 near Eastham, is a great place to learn about the history and ecosystem of the Cape Cod Seashore, and also to get some valuable Ranger tips about how to best spend your time there. The Visitor Center provides a wonderful view of the adjacent Salt Pond and the Bay just beyond, as well as family-friendly nature trails through the surrounding marsh. If you have limited time at the Seashore (as we did), Nauset Beach and the Nauset Light should be your top priority. Accessed down a short trail from a spacious parking lot with modern restrooms (there's a small fee that lets you park anywhere in the Seashore), the beach is one of the best ways to experience the Cape's majestic coastline up close. We saw seal pups playing in the surf, and whale sightings are not uncommon. But if you're looking for a place to jump into the ocean yourself, this might not be the spot -- sharks are another frequent visitor to the Seashore, and the rough water can be frigid even in the early summer months. The Nauset Light, just opposite the beach parking lot, is another essential stop. Cape Cod's iconic lighthouse (it's the one on specialty license plates and the famous potato chip bags), Nauset dates to 1923, but has been relocated several times from its original location because of erosion. It's one of the Cape's quintessential photo spots and one of New England's most popular sights. Afterward, take the short walk inland to see the Three Sisters -- a trio of small lighthouses from the 1830s that were relocated here after being decommissioned in the early 1900s. The last stop, Marconi Beach, offers a perspective of the Cape Cod coastline that's like no other. A short walk from the parking lot to the observation platform will reward you with dramatic ocean views from the cliffs that tower 40' over the surf below, as well as a visit to the spot where the Marconi Wireless Tower stood between 1901 and 1920, when erosion required it to be dismantled. There's so much more to experience at the Cape Cod National Seashore, but this brief itinerary will provide an amazing way to spend an afternoon if your time is limited. We're already planning a return visit to finish the drive north to Provincetown, where some of the Cape's other notable lighthouses are located. But even if you only have a few hours to spend here, you'll leave with a new appreciation for this breathtaking coastline and it's indelible place in American history.

The most gorgeous beaches on the East Coast. Mile after mile of beaches, scores of lighthouses, and it should be on everyone's "bucket list."

If you love the sea in all it's grandeur like I do AND still enjoy the 'woodsy' nature, Cape Cod National Seashore gives you both- because it's so much more than just a picnic at the beach. Don't expect to walk on the countless paved or sandy paths or even walk on the beach in a day or two- because you won't- because there's to much land to cover. Hubs and I couldn't leave Ptown and the surrounding towns like Wellfleet without inhaling the ocean scent and walking on the beach. The National Seashore is vast- and even though we came here on our own without a tour guide, we still went ahead to explore the marsh. There are too many loops and turns and way too many path entrances to even count or tell you about. Hubs actually parked by the side of the road several times when it was possible and trekked to nearby paths. Plus some of the paths even have direct access to the shoreline making it a double-feature.

We were fortunate to arrive at the visitor center 20 minutes before a scheduled ranger program to hike around a marsh. Our guide, Olivia, was very knowledgeable and engaged our small group with information that we were specifically interested in. Whether it was history, trees, or the water she had a vast array of knowledge. She also wanted to be sure we could identify poison ivy, and that we understood the importance of doing a tick search when we get home. We spent time exploring the entire National Seashore, including going to all the lighthouses and the many beaches, but the highlight was the tour by Olivia.

Gorgeous, with miles of undisturbed beaches. You can likely find a pretty secluded spot at any time of the day. I saw lots of different wildlife (especially seals swimming close to shore!). There are signs to be aware for sharks which can also swim in the shallow waters, so know that ahead of time. Several sections are dog-friendly depending on the time of year as well -- but in the summer when many other beaches are closed to dogs, check the NPS website for the sections of beach where dogs are allowed. The visitor centers are helpful and great places to start for your visit. Love it here!

Pretty extraordinary place. And, for us, memorably so on a mid-May morning with lots of sun and wind and chilly temperatures. We strolled along an empty beach, looking out to the Atlantic and back to those gracious dunes and marveling at the beauty of it all. Of course it's also beautiful in mid-summer when visitors flock to this shore. But on this deserted May day the seashore's bounty is all embracing. Hope you have an opportunity to enjoy it this way, too. The National Park Service's Salt Pond Visitor Center is a wonderful introduction to the Cape Cod NS. Rangers can answer questions and provide maps, there's a natural history museum, a fun store with nice souvenirs, and a beautiful new 12-minute film about the area's origins. (It doesn't hurt that there are some clean bathrooms here, too.) The center wasn't busy when we were there, but it can get crowded, and during the summer season you'll also pay for parking at the beach (free in the off-season). There are always tradeoffs; we missed the warmer weather, but we'll gladly accept that in return for the joys gifted to us by nature on this visit.

I've only had breakfasts here, but they are very good. Love Uncle Tim's biscuit breakfast and the Jerusalem Bagel with smoked salmon.

This National Seashore has 7, yes, I think 7 lighthouses sprawled out across all of its beaches along Cape Cod. The main Visitors Center has a small museum inside and a great little giftshop. It is handicapped accessible and there are restrooms adjacent to the building. There is a second visitor center at the other end of the Seashore in Provincetown. It has 360 views of the peninsula and also a small museum but no shop. It has a steep incline to this VC but the restrooms are handicapped accessible.

Beautiful!! You can't go wrong visiting our numerous national park service sites and CCNS is no different. Take time to enjoy the lighthouses and undulating coastline. We did a quick drive through on our way to Provincetown and I wish we had more time - just an excuse to come back! The visitor center has several neat exhibits to enjoy as well.

Visited today. Not my favorite nps park but still a neat place if you've never been. The drive isn't scenic along the 25 miles. Went to a couple light houses, beaches, and two visitor centers. Provincetown is a must if you like window shopping and a dog friendly area. (Also including Provincetown photos).

Cape Cod NS is a relaxing oasis, despite all the traffic chaos on the Bourne&Sagamore bridges getting there. The Visitors' Center profiles Cape Cod's history with the Wampanoag ("People of the First Light"), whaling, and tourism (that started before the Civil War- Thoreau&Emerson were early tourists) One can see Native American artifacts, how the classic Cape Cod style house is structured, and the fisheries. Cape Cod has a long, rich history. Cape Cod isn't as dramatic as Pt. Reyes with its torn fence (nor can one cross between the North American&Pacific plates), there's no seismograph, because the Mid-Atlantic Ridge is taking its sweet time (however, it is tearing Iceland apart) They have a nice, small gift shop, packing a lot in a little space. Maps of the park can be a challenge to find. The Salt Pond trail is a nice, short walk. There was a nature photographer along the trail. One can see how the Salt Pond area is dependent on the tides. One can watch the tide coming in (like the Napa River, if you're in the right place at the right time) Be mindful. One of the instructional signs discusses estuaries (for example, the San Francisco Bay is incorrectly named- it's an estuary, formed by the Ice Age) Cape Cod NS is a national treasure. Its seashore graces the Atlantic.

This is a great place to visit the ocean side of the Cape. There are miles and miles of beaches so you are sure to find a spot that isn't too crowded. Being the ocean side, the waves are much bigger and the water colder. The restrooms and shower houses are much nicer (federal run) than the other beaches (city run).

I'll boil it down to pure dum luck: we were spoiled by warm, blue skies on April 9, and we were so incredibly fortunate for it... enhanced the whole experience of traveling what Thoreau called the arm and fist of MA from Eastham up to Ptown! Stop off points included the Visitor's Center whereby I learned that the cliffs erode at an ave. rate of 3 feet per year! Then onto Nauset and Highland lighthouses, the Marconi Site where the first transatlantic signal stretched via cables from Europe to the US, Atlantic white cedar swamp hiking trail (only 1+ mile RT), and the shore view from the western end of the arm in Wellfleet, and traveling clear up to Provincetown, the former workingman's Portuguese fishing village. I was really pleasantly surprised by Ptown, as it holds loads of charm and character. Though the twilight hours when we arrived saw a petering out of folks, some stores were still open for perusing, and both the plethora of galleries as well as liberal raunch was definitely notable. The PIlgrim's monument is located here, in honor of the Pilgrims actually first landing here for a month before sailing over to Plymouth. Beautiful strolling along Commerical Ave before we headed over to the beach to join the cast of others who were all parked along to witness the glorious view over the Atlantic.

What's not to LOVE! This might be one of the most beautiful places in the United States! As a fairly active sea kayaker, I have seen alot of water, both salt and fresh, as well as the sand that goes with it. However, I have seen nothing quite this pristine, kempt. The dunes...amazing mountains of groomed sand that feels as it the that flows to the rhythm of the wind. The views are spectacular no matter where you are. The beach access, in areas is wheelchair friendly. Not heavily inundated with tourists. Plenty of space for all! Plenty of great photo opportunities, between the lighthouses, birds or the sunlight providing a warm glow over the dunes. Highly recommended if looking for serenity!

Definitely worth stopping and taking the walk down the stairs to the beach. There are endless beautiful rocks to collect along the water.

Offers many beaches, hiking trails, biking trails. On a sunny day, it is very beautiful. I avoid the busiest months (July, August). Chatham beach has seals all year round, but beaches in Cape Cod NS is only in summer.

Made multiple visits to CCNS during our week in the area - from PTown to Eastham. Despite the ranger stations being closed, the staff were still accessible and helpful. Lots to see and do here - from homesteads and old buildings, to natural wonders. Loved it.

Amazing. The water is chilly but the views and beach and hiking trails make up for it.

Overall my party of six (two adults and four kids) enjoyed our visit. Park Rangers were pleasant, the trails were a fun hike, and the beach was good for wading in the water.

This place is beautiful. We went to Newcomb Hollow Beach (ended up there by mistake) and were impressed by the color of the sea, the fine sand and how much space you have to enjoy without being crowded. Very nice place to spend the day. We saw a family of seals which was unexpected. $15 for parking, enough spots to park. The water was cold as you would expect, even in the summer. Very close to Wellfleet when you can have great food.

This is the absolute Jewel of the National parks service. Where else can they claim trillions soon trillions of fathoms of seawater and miles upon miles of pristine beach? It is absolutely breathtaking. Thank Goodness for President Kennedy for his advocacy of this national treasure. Thank you to the parks service for their daily work to keep it so beautiful.

Having cut my teeth on Point Reyes, Cape Cod doesn't thrill me quite as much. There are some sections like Fort Hill which excite me with their diversity of nature and views, not to mention the classic whaler's mansion exemplified in the Penniman House. Then there are areas like Pilgrim Heights where the Pilgrim Spring Trail leads to a grim gray marker and Small Swamp's is a mystery tour (Swamp? Swamp? Where's the Swamp?). The sand dunes can be spectacular photo opportunities when they are clear of vegetation and the angle of the sun is right. We enjoyed visiting Marconi Beach, the Beech Forest Trail, and the Atlantic White Cedar Swamp Trail. Don't miss the Red Maple Swamp in autumn. Provincetown is an easy ride from the Provincelands Visitor Center, so when you are sick of nature, you can comingle with tourists, gay, lesbian, and otherwise.

Oh, Cape Cod, I've fallen in love with you. :-) We visited for the first time during May -- before the crowds. We took advantage of visiting the National Seashore Salt Pond Visitors Center in Eastham and hiking the various trails. I would recommend this. We also toured the Captain Penniman House, which was open to tour on Monday. (Highly recommend this!) The trails along the seashore are not to be missed. Absolutely incredible landscape.

No wonder JFK made this a national treasure. It is. Pretty much any beach view is worth it. But the area inland is just as beautiful - full of scrub oak and pitch pine and sand dunes. Take the time to get out of the car and walk around and look. You will be happy you did.

My favorite place in the entire world. There is nothing I don't love about the Cape. I have a second home in Eastham, and will visit the seashore ANY time of year. Extremely pretty and peaceful in early fall or spring without the bustling tourists. Even in the summer though when there are people everywhere, it is my favorite place to be. No matter which beach you choose, the Cape is gorgeous and one of the most beautiful and peaceful places on the planet. I have fallen in love with this area and the hiking, trails, and history that surround every beach. At Marconi Beach in Wellfleet, there is an entire Cedar Swamp Trail and historical radio site that you can walk on and explore free of charge. (and that is only one of the many different gems hidden in the cape!) Overall, an extremely gorgeous place to be and one of the gems of this world.

If you visit Cape Cod and don't take advantage of the National Seashore and all this gigantic and beautiful park has to offer, WHAT IS THE MATTER WITH YOU?!?!? Many beaches, both bayside and ocean side -- yes, you have to pay to park on-season, but this is typical. The Seashore has to generate revenue somehow. FREE tours of some of Cape Cod's lighthouses. Free tours of the Penniman House and Atwood-Higgins house. Free access to the visitors centers. Awesome bike paths and hiking trails. Impossible to check everything out in just one week. My only criticism: the Seashore map is a bit inaccurate. We had some trouble finding the Great Island Trail and the Atwood-Higgins House using the map.

This place is amazing!!!! We brought our bikes and was able to ride along the seashore. Pretty cool, huh. The ranger at the visitor center also runs tons of programs during the summer. One time, we went clamming in the salt pond behind the visitors center. The last time, we did a dune walk which was amazing since we also tasted some fruit along the way. You will not be disappointed except for maybe the traffic during the summertime. But, it's well worth it.

This is a beautiful place to go enjoy the ocean. During our walk we saw tons of seals swimming in the water. Make sure you keep out if you see the seals... it usually means sharks are nearby! We saw a couple of groups having bonfires on the beach at night. It looked really fun but just make sure you get a permit!

Went on a canoe trip for the first time thru the Salt Pond Visitor Center. The rangers Jon and David were amazingly knowledgable and helpful. My 70-year old mother and 8-year old son both liked the trip very much. We all got a good work out from paddling. Do you know that the pretty-looking mute swans swimming in the pond are part of the "evil empire" as our ranger Jon calls it. The swans poop and the mud snails eat the poop and produce microscopic worms called nematodes. it's like poison ivy in the water--it goes into your skin and causes a rash.

If you don't visit the Cape while in eastern Massachusetts you should be hit in the head with a tack hammer. If you're there during the summer tourist season the best time to visit is Tuesday through Thursday, avoiding most of the traffic and finding better hotel availability. It isn't unreasonable to visit in a single day if you pick a hotel just west of the Cape Cod Canal. A good one day visit would include a drive out to Race Point, by the Provincetown Airport to enjoy the beach and views on the sand dunes. A great place to go year round. You can then head south stopping at Cape Cod Light, and walking the short trail for outstanding views off of the bluff and gray seal and humpback whale spotting (season supporting) Then continue south to the main Visitor Center in Truro. Be sure to visit both Nauset Light and Light House Beach, along with the old Coast Guard Life Saving Building. From the same area you can hike through the Nauset Swamp (wear bug repellant in the spring/summer) and view the sensitive area - no mud to worry about, most is on raised boardwalks offering a rare view of a swap. Finally as you head out of the park be sure to stop at Doane Rock; a glacial erratic placed there during the previous ice age. Toward sunset your chances of seeing wildlife are very high. It is one of the most beautiful places on earth.

The water is ice cold, and the trek down to the beach is a haul, but IMHO the National Seashore is the best beach on the east coast.

If I lived here, I would live here. Beautiful, stunning, gorgeous. Love Marconi best of all. Dunes, waves, miles of beach. Heaven.

Awesome... from Labor Day to Memorial Day. No rude tourists from Connecticut, (aka "wallets"), yeah, that's all you are to us... and it reverts back to those who live here. =)

Amazing. There are fewer and fewer beaches nowadays where you can enjoy the sand and the ocean and not have to look at condominiums and pizza joints as your backdrop. The most outstanding thing about the national seashore is that they still let you have a bonfire on the beach. How ridiculously awesome is having a fire at night next to the ocean with no one else around? You need a permit, but it's free. Kudos, NPS!

Great beaches, nicely maintained facilities, good size park lots, and stairs to the beach... but they tend to get crowded - so show up early or come here after 5:15 pm (for free entrance)

I love love love the National Seashore. I think my favorite beach is Nauset, but any beach on the Cape makes me happy. The hot sand, the crashing waves, the freezing cold water, and the dunes make you feel like you're so far away from everything in your own little paradise. Beach parking can be expensive and the lots fill up fast, so get there early or stop by in the evening. They stop charing after 5 or 6 and the beach at night is a whole different experience.

Beautiful place to ride a bike, take a long walk or hang out at the beach. And it is right near Ptown!!

Head of the Meadow, Pilgrim Heights, East Harbor, Moon Pond....wonderful places to explore, preferably with a bicycle, water bottle appropriate clothing for hot weather. A beautiful, secluded bike path off Rt 6 takes you past Moon Pond, right, and East Harbor on the left. Stay left to enter parking area (walk the bike here, very heavy gravel surface). Enter the trail and travel until you see the small bridge over a stream. Here you can find a choice of 2 trails. Both are good, but the one at right, goes up into Pilgrim Heights for fantastic views of Head of Meadow. Lots of bird and animal life up there, very natural surrounding, untouched. Back on the trail, continue to Head of the Meadow beach, for dune exploring (watch out for poison ivy!). Very beautiful vegetation here , esp in autumn and in spring. Head back on the trail to the main road and go up High Head road for some great views. It's a residential area with very rough road surface. Views of Moon Pond, and harbors from there are fantastic!

This was a nice beach. The shuttle ride was great. The beach was way too crowded for our liking. Literally packed with people.