I’ve been doing this Cape Cod vacation for a long time. It began in Harwich Port, transitioned to South Chatham and finally landed in Wellfleet, my preferred destination, for what has been close to 20 years.
For a person who grew up in an area where folks gravitated to either Long Island or the Jersey shore for their beach vacations, I find it to be kind of interesting that I have completely embraced Massachusetts.
You know, because of the Red Sox and all.
I’m recently back from two weeks in my favorite rental property ever, and wanted to share some of my tips for fun, food and activities to enjoy with friends and family. Bookmark this for next year. 🙂
- Happy Hour at the Wicked Oyster. This is a daily event between 3-5 pm and offers a fabulous deal on local Wellfleet oysters – $20 will get you a dozen! Add a glass of wine or a nicely made cocktail, and you’ve got yourself the perfect late afternoon snack.
- I have driven past The Atlantic Spice Company too many times to count. Somehow I imagined it as simply a place to buy spices but, boy, was I wrong! This unassuming building is home to a fantastic array of kitchen and pantry items, including linens, dishware, sauces and oils, high quality extracts, dried pastas and, of course, bulk spices. I came home with pure vanilla extract, large bags of ground cinnamon and ginger for making granola, cool salad tossing tools and premium olive oil. The prices are fair and the selection is excellent.
- My sauna obsession was totally satisfied by a newish Wellfleet business, Outermost Sauna. This portable barrel sauna is at home on Briar Road, but also can be enjoyed in remote locations, such as a private residence in North Truro where we attended a special autumnal equinox balancing yoga class followed by sauna time and cold plunging into the Bay. Full disclosure: I skipped the cold plunge. It was getting dark and the cool temperature of the air and wind made that part of the experience unappealing to me. On a hot day, I’d be all about it! The following week, however, I did manage to climb into a tub of moderately cold water twice when we returned to the sweet sauna heat in Wellfleet. There’s something about woodsmoke and steam that is absolutely magic.
- Tea Dance at The Boatslip. We hit this twice and had so much fun! These events are themed (80s Gold was exactly our vibe) and $10 gets you 3 hours of bayside dancing with a crowd of locals and tourists of every persuasion. Get your glitter on and dance your ass off – all are welcome as long as you’re there for a good time.
- Happy Hour at Victor’s. From 3:00 – 5:00 pm you can score gorgeous oysters and plump shrimp for $1.50 each. What else do I have say?
- Dinner at Sal’s Place. I don’t care how many people complain about their reservation policy (phone calls only within a small window of time), expensive drinks (wine is $80 a bottle or $20 a glass) and cash only payments, I love this place. The hospitality, service and food are all exceptional and I made it there twice this year. If you don’t like the way they do things, it makes it easier for me to get a table. Love you big, Sal’s!
- Utilities in Provincetown is always on my list of places to stop in with its curated collection of practical and indulgent kitchenwares, bathroom accessories and funky home items. This year I scored a phenomenal deal on a high end Dutch oven that jumpstarted my Christmas shopping. Support small businesses, peeps, before all we have left is Amazon…
- Marine Specialities remains a wonderland of the most bizarre collection of items under one roof that I’ve ever seen. From Halloween costumes to national flags, there is something here for everyone at every price point.
- Pizza Spinello in Wellfleet serves up high quality Roman pizza at a premium price. We tried two varieties, the Margherita and the Amatriciana and went to town on both – the crust was wonderfully light and the sauce was fresh and flavorful. A bit of an investment at $60 for 24 squares, but no regrets. There were leftovers!
September on the Cape definitely had a different speed than high season and I really appreciated the more languid energy, along with the ability to easily make a left hand turn onto Route 6. The weather could have been better, but there wasn’t a moment that I didn’t appreciate being there – come rain or come shine.
Here’s to #Wellfleet2027!
