In search of a brand new beach getaway, I recently ventured someplace I’ve never been before…Cape Cod! 

I’d actually never been ANYWHERE in New England before (can you believe it?!?), but I’ve always been intrigued by the small, coastal beach towns of the Northeast so I finally made it happen this summer. 

And since I like a little adventure, I decided to throw an extra element into this trip…glamping!

Keep reading for details on the COOLEST place to stay on Cape Cod plus everything I did on the trip: 

Glamping on Cape Cod

Full disclaimer here…I did NOT grow up camping. I like a comfy hotel with cool sheets and a hot shower. But I do love spending time outdoors and a place to stay that offers a little “something extra.” So I’m all about the new wave of “glamping” properties that are bringing some creature comforts to the great outdoors. 

So for my little Cape Cod adventure, I decided to stay at AutoCamp in Falmouth. AutoCamp has been on my radar for awhile now. AutoCamp is a collection of luxury “glamping” resorts headquartered in some pretty legendary outdoor destinations…Zion, Joshua Tree, Yosemite, the Catskills, and…Cape Cod!

While they have luxury tents, they’re most known for their vintage Airstreams. The resort has dozens (probably 50!) Airstreams clustered around the property in little loops, each with its own campsite and firepit. 

And the Airstreams are…NICE. Each one has been completely renovated and outfitted for modern comfort. I’m talking about a full bathroom, a comfy queen size bed, a sitting area, and a small kitchenette. Each one is basically a little hotel suite. 

Besides sleeping in an Airstream, what makes this feel like camping is the communal nature of the property. Yes, a lot of people are out adventuring around Cape Cod all day, going to the beach, taking advantage of the bike path, etc. But a lot of people are also just always hanging around enjoying the property. 

And there’s always something going on! There’s live music in the clubhouse most evenings and they have daily offerings like yoga and stargazing. 

From the upper deck of the clubhouse you can see the ocean plus if you don’t want to have a fire at your campsite in the evenings, there’s also a large fire pit out on the lawn behind the clubhouse.

 

I LOVED staying at the AutoCamp while I was on Cape Cod and even though I was out exploring most of the time I was there, it still made the trip feel like more of an experience. 

More about staying at AutoCamp later, but first, here’s everything I DID on Cape Cod: 

Things to Do on Cape Cod

This is by no means an exhaustive list of everything to do on Cape Cod, but here’s how I spent my time: 

Shining Sea Bikeway

I did a lot of really neat things on Cape Cod, but my unexpectedly favorite was the Shining Sea Bikeway.

This 10+ mile bike path runs along the west side of Cape Cod from North Falmouth down to Wood’s Hole and it is a GEM. And this is coming from someone who really doesn’t ride bikes unless there’s a good reason to ; ) 

And the best part…AutoCamp sits RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE of the bikeway. 

There’s a bike rental company on property and guests get complimentary 2 hour rentals so it’s super easy to hop on a bike and head out. 

I opted to ride about two miles north on the trail (at the recommendation of Peter at the front desk) and IT WAS FABULOUS. 

We rode from AutoCamp north through the Sippewissett Marsh to the West Falmouth Market and down Chapoquoit Road to the beach and back. It was a little over four miles round trip but very easy. It’s entirely flat (my bike didn’t even have gears) and since it’s a bikeway it’s good for nervous riders who don’t want to have to worry about cars. Once you reach the turn off for the market and the beach you’re riding on the side of the road, but it’s not very heavily trafficked. 

I cannot stress enough how IDYLLIC the Sippewissett Marsh was. It’s straight out of Dawson’s Creek. 

And the West Falmouth Market is a great place to stop for muffins or pastries. 

So we rode north (take a ride leaving AutoCamp) on the bikeway, but you can also ride south all the way to Woods Hole. We opted to drive down to Woods Hole instead since it’s quite a bit farther, but if you like bike riding and have longer to spend, I’m sure it’s lovely. 

Cape Cod National Seashore

You can’t come to Cape Cod without seeing the best beach! I know so many people from the Northeast come to Cape Cod for their beach vacations, but since it was a big trek for me (two planes and an hour and a half drive) this trip was really more about exploring the area than sitting in the sand. 

Plus it’s a little cold and sharky for me ; ) 

BUT I knew I had to see the Cape Cod National Seashore. I made stops at both National Park Visitor Centers (there’s one open year round in Wellfleet and one open seasonally in Provincetown) to collect stamps for my passport. 

When we left the Province Lands Visitor Center at the top of the cape, we drove down to the beach at Race Point Beach. It’s $20 to enter the national seashore, but it’s good for the whole day at all of the beaches on the cape. 

We stayed for about an hour and half walking down the beach and taking in the views of the dunes. 

It’s not the kind of beach I’m used to (I tend towards places with warm, turquoise water and sugar white sand) but it has its charm and I honestly just love seeing how different beaches can be. 

If I’d had more time, I would definitely do one of the dune tours that takes you out in an SUV down some of the more remote beaches and dunes. Art’s Dune Tours leaves multiple times a day from Provincetown. 

Day Trip to Nantucket or Martha’s Vineyard

There’s something magical about an island and Cape Cod has TWO jewels. Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard both have a reputation for being a haven for the jetset set, but it’s for good reason. They are sooooo quaint and charming. The ferry to Martha’s Vineyard leaves from both Falmouth and Wood’s Hole and it’s really convenient if you’re staying at AutoCamp, BUT Martha’s Vineyard is a pretty big island so it’s better if you can at least spend the night. 

Nantucket is really manageable as a day trip though. The ferry leaves from Hyannis (a bit further), but it’s worth the trip. The ferry docks “downtown” on the main part of the island and it is full of charm. 

I opted to take the ferry over to Nantucket for the day because I’ve always wanted to see their famous hydrangeas. And it did not disappoint. It’s the cutest island with old clapboard houses and plenty of New England coastal charm. I’ve got a full post on doing Nantucket as a day trip here. 

Drive All the Way to the End of the Cape

I knew I wanted to drive out to Provincetown honestly just to say that I’d been out on the furthest point on Cape Cod. It’s kind of a party scene and not a place I’d want to be at night, but it was nice to go for a few hours. 

After we left Race Point Beach on the National Seashore and ended up paying $30 to park on the pier (space is tight and there are a loooooot of people here so just be prepared to pay). 

First we headed to the Pilgrim Monument to get a little vantage point. If you enter from Bradford Street (the main driveable street through P-Town), you buy your tickets at a kiosk and then ride up to the base of the monument in a little glass elevator/cable car. 

Once you’re at the base of the monument, you still have to climb to the top! It’s 116 steps, but it’s actually mostly inclined ramps and honestly it wasn’t too bad of a climb. It takes less than 10 minutes to get to the top. 

The view is pretty good, but I don’t know that I’d say it’s a must do. At just over $20/adult it’s a bit steep for a quick climb, although the museum on site was a lot better than I expected and was honestly more about the history of Provincetown (whaling and immigrants) plus the local Native American tribes that were displaced than about the Pilgrims themselves.

There are a lot of shops in P-Town so we spent some time walking up and down the main street and then we headed to the Lobster Pot for a late lunch. 

I’m sure it’s overly touristy and locals have other spots they like better, but honestly it was everything I wanted it to be. Mid afternoon we were able to walk right in and get a table upstairs by the window. 

The clam chowder and lobster roll were really good and overall it was just such a nice experience. I’d go back!

Now, while we’re out here on the outer cape, I’ll add a recommendation that I got that I just didn’t have time for. 

The Beachcomber in Wellfleet is supposed to be the quintessential Cape Cod beachfront bar/restaurant. I really wish I had been able to check it out because I think it would’ve been a bit more my speed than P-Town. 

Cape Cod & Islands Book Trail

I always make it a point to visit a local independent bookstore whenever I’m traveling so when I did a quick Google search to see what was on Cape Cod, imagine my delight to discover that they have an entire BOOK TRAIL. 

This is my kind of place!

The Cape & Islands Book Store Trail includes 24 bookshops spread across Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard, and Nantucket. 

I managed to visit probably half a dozen different shops and some of my favorites were Eight Cousins Books in Falmouth, Where the Sidewalk Ends Bookstore in Chatham, and Mitchell’s Book Corner on Nantucket. 

Chatham Fish Pier

A trip out to Chatham is an absolute must do. I knew there were some fancy schmancy hotels in the area, and I heard that the Chatham Fish Pier was a good place to find seals, so off we went. 

Holy sea cow!

This is about as picturesque as it gets. There’s a great observation deck built and there are seals everywhere! They hang out hoping to snag a fish or two from the fishing boats. 

I also heard that it’s not unusual to see sharks in the area (makes sense since they eat the seals), but we didn’t see any. 

The Chatham Pier Fish Market also looked like an amazing place to grab some fresh seafood!

From the Fish Pier, it’s 100% worth walking south along Shore Rd to see how the other half lives. 

This stretch in front of the Chatham Bars Inn was probably the most outrageously beautiful place I saw on Cape Cod. And exactly what I thought it would be like. 

Definitely in an over the top manicured way. 

Woods Hole

Down at the southwestern tip of Cape Cod, Woods Hole is a quaint little place to come for lunch or dinner. 

I drove out to see the lighthouse and then we had lunch at Landfall where I had probably the best lobster roll of the trip. 

Woods Hole is also a mecca of ocean research. It’s home to the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute (basically the Harvard of the ocean) and the Woods Hole Science Aquarium (the oldest public aquarium in the country – since 1875). 

Lobster Rolls & Clam Chowder

I pretty much had clam chowder and lobster rolls for every meal while I was on Cape Cod. Plus a few other things ; )

A few places I liked: 

The Quarterdeck in Falmouth: Clam chowder, fried broccoli, shrimp scampi, and halibut were all 10/10

Hot Chocolate Sparrow in Orleans: A great coffee shop and bakery in Orleans on the way out to Provincetown. Great breakfast sandwiches and sooooo many dessert options. 

Lobster Pot in Provincetown: A P-Town institution. Amazing chowder and lobster rolls with even better views. 

West Falmouth Market in West Falmouth: Muffins, donuts, and pastries!

Landfall Restaurant in Woods Hole: The only cold lobster roll I had and also probably the best of the whole trip. 

Tips for Staying at AutoCamp Cape Cod

Okay, back to AutoCamp…

Here’s a few things to know about what to expect: 

It’s a luxury property with plenty of amenities, but make no mistake…it still feels like camping. I mostly noticed it in terms of space. The Airstreams are well laid out, but there’s just not a lot of room for luggage. If there are only two people in the Airstream, you can use the futon to lay out your suitcases, but if you’ve got more than two people, then somebody is going to be sleeping there. So you may need to think about how you pack. Normally when you’re camping, you’re coming via car from not terribly far away and you’ll probably only have minimal clothes and cosmetics and more gear, but if you’re traveling from a farther distance (not uncommon since AutoCamps are located in destination areas) you may want to unpack what you’ll need for your stay and store your luggage in your vehicle. 

There are some food options on property, but I wouldn’t rely on them. There’s a tiny market with a few snacks and drinks. They put out coffee, tea, and granola in the mornings, and they have a counter where you can order some food (breakfast sandwiches in the mornings, flatbreads, etc.) but it’s not a full fledged restaurant. They also had a food truck in the evenings on the weekend, but it was super backed up and we waited a long time to get food. It’s nice that they have some options if you’re in a pinch, but I wouldn’t plan on having meals onsite. 

Also, part of what makes the AutoCamp charming is that they don’t allow cars back near the campsites. It’s foot traffic only, but that also means that you’ll have to carry your bags and gear from your vehicle in the parking lot all the way to your Airstream. They provide little wagons to use, but it’s just something to be aware of. 

For a bit about the location: AutoCamp is located in Falmouth on the west side of Cape Cod. It felt way more lowkey and less crowded than other places we went on Cape Cod and it’s also quite a bit closer than the outer cape if you’re coming from Boston. I drove all over Cape Cod and was able to see a lot in the few days I was there. 

And lastly, I want to give a shoutout to Peter! He checked me in when I arrived and was so helpful throughout my whole stay giving me recommendations for things to do and where to go across the whole cape. If you run into him during your stay, definitely just do whatever he recommends! ; ) 

Add Cape Cod to Your Travel List

Like I said, this was my first trip to New England and I LOVED getting to visit an entirely new part of the country. 

While so many New Englanders come to Cape Cod for a local beach getaway, it’s still 100% a place I would recommend for people who have to travel much farther. While I probably wouldn’t choose to head to Cape Cod for my annual beach vacation, I LOVED spending time exploring a new place with a completely unique culture. 

The clapboard houses, dunes, lobster rolls and chowder, hydrangeas, whales, early American history…it really is unlike any place I’ve ever been before. 

It’s nothing like Oklahoma ; ) 

I chose to do this trip in July because my #1 priority was getting to see the hydrangeas at their peak bloom, but if that’s not important to you, I think this would be a great early fall getaway!