Provincetown with Kids
Provincetown with Kids – You can’t visit Cape Cod without heading to its capital, Provincetown. This town, on the very tip of the cape, has a rich creative, theatrical history and it’s a favourite LGBTQ destination, and, as such, it welcomes everyone.
Tour the Sand Dunes – Provincetown with Kids
Provincetown’s lively streets are just minutes away from the beautiful and quiet sand dunes that are protected as part of the region’s National Seashore. The best way to visit them is on an official tour, so we hopped into one of Art’s Dune Tour’s jeeps to head off into this desert landscape.
We learned more about the wildlife, how the dunes were formed, the isolated cabins that became the haunt of writers and artists, and the ups and downs of creating the National Seashore. There was also time for the kids to run and play in the sand, like tiny creatures in Tatouin. The tour guides are really personable and share tales, photos and laughs along the way. Discover more here. [Pedicab tours are also available.]
Wander Commercial Street & Family Friendly Shopping
After we were dropped back in town from our tour, it was time to explore. A bit like experiencing the streets of NYC, simply walking the main street of Provincetown gives you a sense of the place, its colour and joy. My kids were naturally drawn to the candy stores, selling an array of saltwater taffy, and the independent toy store Puzzle Me This.
Walk the Bob Gasoi Memorial Alley
Just off Commercial Street you’ll find Bob Gasoi Memorial Alley. This artistic creation initially came into being as a way to decorate the winter shutters that board up shop windows in low season. These pieces are colourful, alternative and several have an adult and/or sexual theme. Most of it went right over my kids’ heads, so we had no problem taking to see this unique artistic endeavour.
Lunch! Provincetown with Kids
We dined at Tin Pan Alley on Commercial Street. The kids menu was strong, featuring seafood and family favourites, and for adults I’d recommend the Taste of Cape Cod featuring Mini Fish-n-Chips, Cup of New England Clam Chowder, Mini Lobster Roll. The outdoor seating has gorgeous views out to sea. By night, it’s a cool piano bar.
Catch the Elevator to the Pilgrim Monument
Newly opened in 2022, this elevator links Bradford Street in central Provincetown with the tower and museum on the hilltop. It makes it so much more convenient and accessible, plus riding the elevator is fun and it’s included in the price of ticket to enter the museum/tower.
Pilgrim Monument – Provincetown with Kids
My kids LOVED the Pilgrim Monument (America’s tallest granite building) racing the 77 meters to the top and leaving us for dust. The tower, inspired by the Torre del Mangia tower in Sienna, Italy, commemorates all those who emigrated and settled in Cape Cod. Opened in 1910, the views from the top, right out to sea, are worth the effort. Ideal for King of the Castle moments.
Provincetown Museum
The museum adjacent to the monument reveals the many sides to Provincetown. My kids liked the tales of artic exploration (including a stuffed polar bear) and the model ship of the Mayflower. The museum covered the town’s whaling history, its links with the theatre/culture, the story of how the monument came to be, and the treatment of Native Americans at the hands of the settlers i.e. in 1611 three Native men were captured to be sent to England to be displayed as curiosities. A simple but worthwhile summation of Provincetown history.
Beach time – Provincetown with Kids
As Provincetown is on the tip of the Cape, nipping down to the shoreline for a quick paddle, sunbathe or swim is a no-brainer. Enjoy.
Walk the Provincetown Causeway
This is one thing I loved the sound of but we didn’t have time to fit in. At low tide it’s possible to walk the Provincetown Causeway, a 1.25-mile long dike completed in the early 1900s that takes you towards the very tip of land and Long Point and/or Wood End Lighthouses. It takes at least half an hour, probably longer for little legs, and can be slippy with very uneven boulders underfoot. If you don’t wish to walk there and back, hop aboard a Long Point Shuttle boat to get whizzed back.
Provincetown – Getting There
We rented a car in NYC and drove around Cape Cod, but it’s also possible to catch the fast ferry direct from Boston to Provincetown. For bus and air travel routes discover more here.
Where to Stay
We opted to book a self catering through VRBO on the Cape, which gave us the space to live and hang out as a family – this is where we stayed. But if you’d prefer a hotel or guest house, find the location that would work for you below. For more ideas and inspiration about where to go, play and stay browse the Cape Cod Chamber. Have a brilliant time in Provincetown.
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