Cape Cod on the Half Shell
This tour of the Cape is simply summer in a weekend—sand between your toes, ice cream cone in your hand, and pink sunsets overhead. If that’s not enough to sell you, here’s one word that will: Wellfleet. Yes, I’m talking about oysters. This ride will take you right down to the salty shores where they grow, and they are delicious.
Ride Details
118 miles
3 day ride
Depart: Drive
NYC >> North Falmouth >> Yarmouth
Return: Drive
Yarmouth >> NYC
Asphalt all the way
Mostly flat
Night 1: Stay in anywhere near the Cape Cod Canal
Night 2: Camp at Wellfleet Hollow State Campground
Oysters aside, Wellfleet also happens to be a pretty nice town. It’s one of several impossibly quaint coastal towns you’ll roll through on this trip.
Now for the bad news… This trip requires a car. Unfortunately, there is no convenient public transportation that will take you and your bike from NYC to the Cape. It’s a schlep, I know. You’ll probably sit in traffic somewhere terrible on I-95. But this long weekend escape will more than make it worth your while.
Day 1: North Falmouth <> Woods Hole
Leave NYC early. You’ve got a solid 4-5 hour drive before you reach the Cape, mostly on a thankless stretch of I-95. The goal is to get in your Day 1 ride before dinner, so you can spend your evening slurping shellfish, enjoying a cold one and a water view. Set your GPS to Shining Sea Bikeway Parking in North Falmouth.
Explore Woods Hole. Follow the appropriately named Shining Sea Bikeway a little over 10 miles south to the gloriously azure waters surrounding the town of Woods Hole, home to its namesake oceanographic institute that was made famous for finding the Titanic. If you’re lucky, you’ll spot the Neil Armstrong in the harbor. Pedal around town, then follow Church Street up to the Nobska Lighthouse (good place for a bike selfie) before connecting back with the bikeway to return to North Falmouth. If you didn’t eat in Woods Hole, treat yourself to something tasty at Epic Oyster just off the end of the bikeway.
Stay anywhere for Night 1. We stayed in a pleasant little place in Sandwich for our first night. Really, you could crash anywhere between North Falmouth, the Cape Cod Canal, and Yarmouth, which is where your ride on Day 2 will start. There’s no shortage of hotels, BnBs, and the like. There’s even a state park campground in the neighborhood, which is always my preferred option.
Day 2: Yarmouth >> Wellfleet
Get breakfast at Café Chew. You’re welcome. That’s all I have to say about this place. No matter what you order, add the pancakes. Your stomach will love you all the way to lunch. Of course, if you didn’t stay the night near Sandwich this place may end up out of the way—your loss!
Park at the trailhead in Yarmouth. This is where your car is going to live for the next day and a half. Note, it’s not the actual end of the trail, just the closest parking lot to that point. If you want to make sure you cover the Cape Cod Rail Trail 100% end-to-end, you can cycle west along the trail 2.5 miles, though admittedly this is hardly the nicest part of the ride.
Visit Nickerson State Park. This park is about halfway along your Day 1 ride and makes a nice little detour. Head on-road a short ways north to Crosby Landing Beach, then double back to the rest of the park. There’s a whole slew of bike trails that run through the park and are easy to get lost on. Most run in some form of a circle, so if you lose your bearings just keep going and you’ll end up somewhere familiar! Pack a bathing suit, Flax Pond is a great place for a dip.
Eat. Wellfleet. Oysters. You can’t throw a stone without hitting some form of an oyster bar in this town. We ate at Mac’s Shack and couldn’t have been happier. Interestingly, “raw bar” in this part of the world typically includes sushi. I recommend sticking to the local fare. Definitely mosey around the town while you’re there. Check out the town pier for some quintessential New England views, Uncle Tim’s Bridge for a bike selfie, and AIM Thrift Shop for local treasure. I found the weirdest board game in my life there: Anti-Monopoly II.
Drink at Beachcomber. Allegedly, this place is renowned though I couldn’t tell you why. It’s got a Jersey-Shore-trashy-meets-Boston-preppy vibe that doesn’t quite make sense. We only ended up here because a G-man from a three letter federal agency recommended it to me. I guess this is where he lets loose—or he thought this is where I would let loose.... Regardless, the beach sunset was glorious and it’s the closest watering hole to the campsite.
Sleep at Wellfleet Hollow State Campground. Just don’t forget the bug spray! We did and regretted it immediately. Google reviews will tell you that the bathrooms and showers are extraordinary. I dare say they’re right. I’ve scarcely seen nicer public facilities.
Day 3: Wellfleet >> Chatham >> Yarmouth
Nom nom nom your way through Day 3. Start off with a hearty breakfast at Wicked Oyster. Again, I recommend adding a side order of the pancakes. It’s just great bike fuel. Cool down with an ice cream en route at Cobie’s. There’s a sign right on the bike trail pointing the way. Get your seafood-on-a-picnic-bench fix at Chatham Fish & Chips for lunch. The lobster roll portions are refreshingly generous.
Don’t miss the lighthouses! Nauset Lighthouse is a real crowd pleaser with some interesting history. There used to be multiple lighthouses, all of which were moved multiple times due to erosion. Nauset is the last of the bunch right on the coast. The remainder, known as the Three Sisters Lighthouses, have been shifted a few hundred yards inland. Finally in Chatham, another extraordinarily quaint town, you’ll find the Chatham Lighthouse sitting proudly directly across from Lighthouse Beach. Lots of good bike selfie fodder to be found here.
