Cape Cod with Kids

Cape Cod with Kids – This is the ultimate US beach holiday destination, drawing families year after year. We reveal the key attractions that worked for our family.

Yarmouth – Cape Cod with Kids

Yarmouth Boardwalk and Marshes

This place had a slight ‘Where the Crawdads Sing’ vibe as we saw people kayaking through the greenery. The boardwalk stretches deep into the marshland and it was a really different way to take in the landscape. My kids LOVED the beach here – they spent HOURS puddling about. They found so many crabs and just loved the shallow water. While the beach is free, the parking cost us $20. That gave us access to all the beach car parks in the area for the day.

Wicked Waves Water Park, West Yarmouth

This was THE highlight of my kids’ Cape Cod experience. This extensive waterpark was full of splashy fun – lazy river, Lighthouse Cover  play area (with the gleeful tipping water bucket), Lobster Lagoon water obstacle course, but the waves made their day. We could not keep our boys out of the Nor’easter wave machine! Interestingly there are no enclosed flumes here or huge mega rides (it’s not Siam Park where you climb stairs for ages) so it was perfect for us. Take a look at the rides here.

Entry got you access to all the water activities, with free use of ample sun loungers, but indulgent cabanas can be booked too. Amazingly there were no real queues for any activities, especially considering we visited in the height of summer and school holidays, everything was a breeze. The food was the only point where eating early/late avoided significant queuing. Check out admission prices here.

Cape Cod Inflatable Park, West Yarmouth

This is the largest inflatable park in the US! My kids went nuts. It’s all outdoors and part of the Water Park, but you can pay for separate or joint entry. Take a look at the activities here. My kids loved Leaps and Bounds, they fought with dad like Gladiators on Battle Zone, and watching Mr Husband attempt the Duck and Jump was amusing. Your kids will adore you if you take them here. Check out admission prices here.

 

Yarmouth – Where to Eat and Other Beaches

From the boardwalk we drove to South Yarmouth and parked at Parker’s River beach. There is a host of beaches along the southern coast but we chose this one so we could dine at the Skipper Restaurant and Chowder House – the seafood is epic and excellent service too. Then we hit Parker’s River beach for the afternoon, which is a more traditional long stretch of golden sand. There’s also a playground, another reason we chose it.

Provincetown – Cape Cod with Kids

Provincetown is the capital of Cape Cod. It’s colourful and lively with an inclusive LGB community. It’s got a fab nightlife (so we heard) but lots for kids to do too.

Dune Tour, Provincetown

The stunning sandy landscape of Provincetown is part of the protected National Seashore. The best way to explore the dunes is on an official tour. We bundled our family into one of Art’s Dune Tour jeeps and headed off to learn about the flora/fauna, learn how the dunes formed, why they attracted artists and writers, and what all the curious little cabins dotted around were used for. The kids were encouraged to run, play and roll down the dunes too, so they got to stretch their legs and have kiddy fun.

Pilgrim Monument & Elevator, Provincetown

I love my history but hadn’t realised that the Mayflower docked here in 1620 having sailed from Southampton. To honour this, America’s largest granite building was erected in Provincetown. Visiting it is more fun than it sounds. From the town centre, the kids enjoyed catching the brand new elevator up to the hilltop where the monument stands. Then they left us for dust as they RAN up the stairs to the top. Once we caught up with them, the views over the town and bay are definitely worth it. The boys then left us for dust AGAIN running down the stairs🤦‍♀️

This detailed write up of Provincetown may interest you too...

Provincetown Museum – Cape Cod with Kids

The elevator, museum and tower are all included in the same ticket price. The museum is mainly display boards and artefacts but the artic history (including a stuffed polar bear) interested our children, and the model Mayflower ship caught their eye. I liked reading about the literary history of the town, visit by the likes of Tennessee Williams, Jackson Pollock and EE Cummings.

Provincetown Where to Eat and Extras

Commercial Street is the colourful and buzzing main street of Provincetown. Be sure to check out the vibes and do some shopping. We loved the candy stores selling saltwater taffy. We grabbed lunch at Tin Pan Alley, which has outdoor covered seating looking out over the water. I recommend the Cape Cod Seafood Platter featuring chowder, a lobster roll and mini fish and chips. We also wandered up the Bob Masoi Memorial Alley – a colourful artistic creation with a mix of themes. Just so you know, there are adult sexual references, but they went straight over my kids’ heads. Hitting the beach is another obvious choice in Provincetown. Read more things to do in Provincetown here.

Island Hopping – Cape Cod with Kids

When in Cape Cod, most tourists take the chance to island hop to either Nantucket or Martha’s Vineyard, or both. We opted for Nantucket, as it’s significantly smaller than MV, so we felt we could do it justice and see all the highlights. A (long) day trip is perfectly feasible too.

Nantucket – Cape Cod with Kids

For all the practical details of how to get to Nantucket etc. please take a quick look the detailed post below.

Bluff Walk & Sankaty Head Lighthouse, Nantucket

We enjoyed doing Nantucket’s coastal cliff top Bluff Walk which takes you past, and sometimes almost through, the gardens of beautiful properties with amazing sea views. A chance to see how the other half live! It takes about a good hour to walk from Sconset along the Bluff Walk and back, and add extra time to take in the lighthouse. For details on how easy it is to get to Sconset by catching the Wave bus please read the Nantucket with Kids post above.

Children’s Beach, Nantucket

A specially designated children’s beach was another highlight. As well as shallow waters for the kids to play in, there were lifeguards on duty, a playground and toilet facilities.

Whaling Museum, Nantucket – Cape Cod with Kids

A recommended destination when the weather’s wet, or simply too hot. The kids listened to The Spirits Within Us, hologramatic stories from actors playing real historic Nantucket residents. There is a dedicated children’s play and discovery area too. The artefacts and stories were also quirky, sometimes gruesome, and interesting – candles made from spermaceti, beautiful carvings on whale’s teeth (scrimshaw), horrific tales of cannibalism aboard the Essex whaling ship, a huge whale skeleton in the main hall, plus the views from the rooftop terrace gave us a new perspective on Nantucket. Look at exhibits and prices here.

Back on the Mainland

Plimouth Patuxet Museums – Cape Cod with Kids

The three amazingly good Plimoth Patuxet Museums are slightly north of Cape Cod, but these immersive and engaging experiences allow visitors (including kids) to understand the amazing history of the area. On the way to Boston and its airport, you’ll be passing Plymouth anyhow, so I simply had to mention the Patuxet Museums. You’ll understand Cape Cod so much better if you do.

Historic Patuxet – Cape Cod with Kids

You start at the first village known as Historic Patuxet. You begin by walking to the Native village to discover how the indigenous people lived here for over 12,000 years. We stepped inside a wetu (house), sat on the soft fur-lined benches, and listened to tales about life in the Wampanoag communities in the 17th century. We also saw their gardens/agriculture and handcrafted mishoons (dug-out canoes).

English Settlers Village, Plimoth Patuxet Museums

From there we walked to the Settlers Village, which recreates the home of the English emigrants who arrived aboard the Mayflower in Provincetown. You can literally walk into a fort, visit a series of homes, and interact with actors in character playing actual residents known to have settled in the US. My husband even joined the militia and took orders from a barking captain. It’s a fantastic learning experience, a living history museum, it’s fun and works for all ages.

Grist Mill – Cape Cod with Kids

Next we drove a few minutes to the second museum, the Grist Mill, a reconstruction of the Plymouth Colonists’ original 1636 mill on Town Brook. Take a look at all the internal and external workings of the mill, and learn how the pilgrims needed the knowledge of the local people to grow crops like corn in order to survive. From the mill, simply follow the river to discover Plymouth Rock and the replica Mayflower.

Plymouth Rock – Cape Cod with Kids

The rock itself is slightly underwhelming, but it does represent the site of disembarkation of the  Mayflower Pilgrims who founded Plymouth Colony in December 1620. Worth a peak, as you pass it while walking between the Grist Mill and the Mayflower replica.

Life Size Replica Mayflower, Plimoth Patuxet Museums

This was another highlight, stepping aboard the Mayflower and imagining what it would have been like to cross the Atlantic in this small but durable vessel. A really great way to learn.

Where to Stay

There are SO many accommodation options and price points as Cape Cod is vast, but they do book up quickly. We went for a self-catering option through VRBO and booked this v cool property in Sandwich.

Or browse the map if you’re more destination led.

Getting to Cape Cod

The quickest international route would be flying to Boston. From there you can drive or catch a fast ferry straight to Provincetown. There are also very limited sailings from New York but no rail links. We flew with British Airways from Aberdeen to JFK via London Heathrow, hiring a car and incorporating Cape Cod into a 2-week road trip from NYC to Boston. And what a time we had!

Discover more tourist information at Cape Cod Chamber.

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