Frommer's Cape Cod, Nantucket & Martha's Vineyard 2009

Chapter One

Cape Cod is a curling peninsula only 70 miles long that encompasses hundreds of miles of beaches and more freshwater ponds than there are days in the year. The ocean's many moods rule this thin spit of land, and in summer, it has a very sunny disposition indeed. The "arm" of the Cape has beckoned wayfarers since pre-Colonial times. These days, more than five million visitors flock from around the world each year to enjoy nature's nonstop carnival, a combination of torrid sun, and cool, salty air.

On the Cape, days have a way of unfurling aimlessly but pleasantly, with a round of inviolable rituals. First and foremost is a long, restful stint at the beach (you can opt for either the warmer, gently lapping waters of Cape Cod Bay or the pounding Atlantic surf). The beach is generally followed by a stroll through the shops of the nearest town and an obligatory ice-cream stop. After a desalinating shower and perhaps a nap (the pristine air has a ... read full excerpt from Frommer's Cape Cod, Nantucket & Martha's Vineyard 2009 (Frommer's Complete #639) ebook