Northeast - Cape Cod area touring

Hi. We have a free week in August and are thinking about a bike tour in Cape Cod. I've never been there and we used to tour before children so anxious to find easy riding, not spend all day on the bike and sightsee a bit too. We will take a tandem with husband and 6 year old and road bike for me. Anyone done this, have experience, have suggestions....anything? Maybe a mix of camping and cheapish motels if possible, no more than 40 miles/day (this is flexible) - about 5 days of cycling.
Thanks!

Veloellen,

The Cape isn't all that big. You could probably pedal the entire length in two 40 mile days. There is a Rail Trail that covers 50-60 miles. Take a look at this link: http://www.mass.gov/dcr/parks/southeast/ccrt.htm

I've taken my kids on the Rail Trail and they loved it. There are a bunch of campsites on the Cape. I'm sure they're busy in August, but you can make reservations.

Good luck!

Lucky, thanks. I guess when I say Cape Cod I'm "thinking" MArtha's vineyard, Nantucket, etc. The more research I'm doing, the more I realize we use Cape Cod down here to include all the "islands".

I live on Cape Cod so this is my input (lol)

The islands are nice for cycling, if you are just planning on cruising around. Not really recommended for heavy riding (racing whatever you want to call it).

Cape Cod and Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard are good for riding with the family.

The Cape is a great place in the Summer but can get very crowded.

As Lucky has said it wouldn't take long to go the distance of the whole Cape. There are many hotels on the Cape. Also there are lots of camp style places to go (one that comes to mind is Nickerson State Park) really nice place and the CCRT (Cape Cod Rail Trail) is right in the middle of it pretty much so you could get right on if you were to stay there.

As for hotels/motels I would say look in Eastham, Provincetown, Truro, all are on the "tip" area of the Cape and offer lots of homey hotels/motels to stay at.

I live in Harwich which is on the elbow of Cape Cod (nice place to live, lots of residential areas around here).

As for places to see, there are lots of shops along Route 28 (which runs most of the Cape), lots of shops up in Provincetown, Truro, Eastham...also the National Sea Shore is there so there are lots of beaches on that side of the cape. You can go to the main area of the National Sea Shore in Eastham and walk along the paths that are there and check out the views.

You won't really be able to bike around everywhere but you can bike most places.

Some more places to check out are the Plymouth Rock (which is in Plymouth, where the Pilgrims landed) it isn't on Cape Cod but it is right before it so you could stop there on the way down (or back), again lots of shops and beaches you might even be able to get a Plane Tour from the local airport in Chatham, or maybe get one out of Barnstable Muni. Airport (in Hyannis where there is the Cape Cod Mall, K-Mart, Sears all that stuff)


Also lots of B&B's around if you wanted to stay at a different place every night (I know people who have done it) Lots of places to get food too!

Hope this helps some, check out the internet for places to go and you can always pick a hotel and plan from there (they always know where to tell you to go)

and as they always say "Once the sand of Cape Cod gets into your shoes you will return" which is true, I was born in CT moved to Cape Cod, moved back to Cape Cod, and now I am moving to NH and will probably end up visiting Cape Cod many times after I get out of College.

Wow long post...hope it helps!

Thanks! We're with a 6 year old so not looking at doing 40 mile days or anything (although we can if we need to). I've gotten lots of info - just need to "put it all together".

Yeah, it's always a lot to do to go somewhere. Have fun with your visit!

As chainzawz mentions, the lower Cape is pretty hectic during July/August. If you want to do relaxed family riding, I'd reccommend Orleans and points North.

As chainzawz mentions, the lower Cape is pretty hectic during July/August. If you want to do relaxed family riding, I'd reccommend Orleans and points North.

Lucky has it right. (lol). Most of the shops and the such are up north anyways besides the mall. And Nickerson State Park is in Brewster so you could get right on the Bike Path.

Thanks for everyone's input. We made a reservation at Nickerson for a Sun Mon and Tues night so will get rides, tourist stuff in on those biking days. Wed eve we are going to leave the campground and head to the ferry and leave our car in the Cape while we head with our bikes only to Martha's Vineyard for 2 days. Took everyone's suggestion and will limit riding to Mon - Fri. Really want to do Woods Hole while we're there - yay or nay?

Hey, glad to hear you made some reservations! Nickerson is a great place (and the path is right there too!).

As for Woods Hole I haven't personally spent much time there. I suppose it would be a fun place to go.

Hopefully other will have some more input!

Enjoy the vaca when you go!

Spending an afternoon on Lighthouse beach in Orleans is a great day. I grew up in Plymouth and used to ride all over the Cape as a teenager. Relatively flat the miles just roll by. Have fun and enjoy some down time.

Camping is cheap, as most know the Cape in the summer is crowded so plan for it.

yes very crowded....but you can still get around!

HI VeloEllen:

I'm also a Harwich guy . ( I live about 3 miles from Nickerson) The Outer Cape IMHO is the best part of the cape for cycling; from nickerson you can get on the bike path and not see a car until you're in South Wellfleet or south dennis, Heading outbound there is a great and scenic route going through wellfleet to Provincetown, though it does get somewhat hilly. PLenty of beaches along that route (marconi is a good one because you can stay right on the bike path until you get to the entrance of marconi) Lots of places to see right off the bike path, you'll go through Orleans with has bike shops, restaurants all along the bike path,

to the south you go through cranberry bogs, more lunch stands and various other sites. there's a nice fresh-water beach right on the path in Harwich and you can take a spur loop into chatham........ every bike shop on the outer cape has bike path maps.

one word of caution: if you're going to be here the first weekend of august, the Pan Mass Challenge (about 4000 bikers) will be stopping through nickerson on their way to P town, so the bike path will be off limits that Sunday.

have fun!

Karl