Placid bays and windswept beaches. Classic Main Streets and whaling villages…fresh seafood and cranberry bogs. Lighthouses and sea captains. From the buzz of Hyannis, and the art scene in Provincetown to the Island lifestyle of Martha’s Vineyard, Cape Cod is all this and more on this 4-day bus tour.
Itinerary
Day 1 - Arrive Cape Cod, MA
Arrive in Cape Cod for a delightful 4-day escape to Cape Cod. Extending some 70 miles into the sea, the Cape is home to both natural beauty and quaint colonial villages. You can walk pristine beaches, revel in the arts and culture, and reclaim childhood memories of seashells, sandcastles and saltwater taffy. We will meet our local guide who will take us on a tour of the John F Kennedy Memorial, the Korean War Memorial, Hyannisport and a view of St. Francis Xavier Church, the summer parish of the Kennedy family. After a brief check in at our hotel, the Holiday Inn Hyannis, we continue to the train depot for boarding. We will be welcomed aboard the Cape Cod Central Railroad, where the thrill of the whistle blowing means our adventure is about to begin. We will pass beautiful cranberry bogs, natural woodlands, and lush marshes as we make our way from Hyannis to the Cape Cod Canal and back. Soak in the ambiance and relax to the rhythms of the rails as we are served a fresh five course gourmet dinner ~ a true culinary journey. (D)
Day 2 - Provincetown
After breakfast, our local guide meets us at our hotel for a full day of touring. We will travel historic Rt. 6A, the Old King’s Highway, a scenic byway winding through centuries of Cape Cod history. Along the way we will see a windmill, a Cape Cod lighthouse and will stop and visit the Cape Cod National Seashore Visitor Center. Sand dunes and the ocean surround us as we approach ‘land’s end’…Provincetown. We are now at the extreme tip of Cape Cod. Formerly known as the ‘Province Lands’, the pilgrims landed here first before they decided to settle across the bay in Plymouth. Take some time to enjoy the wonderful variety of restaurants, shops, and galleries that make this artists/fisherman village so unique. This afternoon we will enjoy a dune buggy tour, where we ride along the shoreline of the protected lands of the Cape Cod National Seashore. Our guide will point out the ‘dune shacks’ where famous artists and writers became inspired to create their art. Dinner is included this evening. (B,D)
Day 3 - Martha's Vineyard
Our guide will meet us at the hotel this morning, after breakfast, and will escort us to the ferry docks. We will be boarding the Hy-Line Ferry to Martha’s Vineyard, where upon arrival we will board a local bus for a sightseeing tour. We will learn about the history and lifestyles of the islanders as we pass through Vineyard Haven. There will be free time for lunch and shopping in the historic whaling town of Edgartown. We will complete our day on the island in Oak Bluffs. Upon our return to the main land, we will enjoy dinner, where lobster is on the menu! (B,D)
Day 4 - Harwich - Depart Cape Cod
We will check out of our hotel following breakfast, and travel to Cape Farm & Cranberry Co., located in Harwich MA. We will have a cranberry bog tour, where our bog guide will show us examples of an existing bog, currently in production, and will discuss the stages of the cranberry growing process. There are two methods of harvesting, and we may even see it happening. This afternoon, depart for home with sand in our shoes, seashells in our pockets and many fond memories of our escape to the Cape!
