Cape Cod
Cape Cod is a hooked peninsula of sand in southeastern Massachusetts. People come for ocean beaches, dune walks and lighthouses on the Atlantic shore.
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Cape Cod is a hooked peninsula in southeastern Massachusetts that reaches into the Atlantic. Road travelers from Boston cross the Sagamore and Bourne bridges, the only two road crossings of the Cape Cod Canal. The Cape Cod National Seashore covers much of the outer shore with beaches, dunes and marsh trails. Old fishing harbors line the coast, Provincetown sits at the tip, and lighthouses mark the shore. Ferries run from Woods Hole and Hyannis to Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket.
Choose the Cape for a summer beach stay, a slower week of walking, cycling and seafood, or a late spring or early fall visit when crowds thin. Late June through early September is the warmest time for swimming, and summer traffic on the bridges and Route 6 is heavy, so the town you base in matters more than the number of sights. Plan at least three nights to cover one stretch of the Cape, and a week if you want both the beaches and an island day.
Cape Cod in five
- Pick one or two bases, not allThe Cape is about 65 miles end to end, and summer traffic over the bridges can add hours. Stay in one area and day-trip, rather than changing hotels.
- Plan beach parkingTown beaches often need a resident or visitor parking pass, and the National Seashore charges fees at its beaches in summer. Check each town's or the NPS page for current rules.
- Time your drive over the bridgesFriday evenings and Sunday afternoons in summer are the worst. Arrive early or late, or take a ferry from Boston to Provincetown in season.Boston travel guide
- Visit in shoulder season for quietMany seasonal shops and restaurants close or cut hours after the high season, but beaches are empty and rooms are cheaper. Check opening dates first.
- Add an island dayFerries run to Martha's Vineyard from Woods Hole and to Nantucket from Hyannis. They are popular in summer, so reserve ahead.Eastern USA overview
Things to do in Cape Cod
See all attractions in Cape Cod
Need to know
- Airport
- Boston Logan (BOS), then about 1.5–2 hours by car; small airports at Hyannis
- Getting around
- Car; seasonal buses and the Cape Cod Rail Trail for bikes
- Best base
- Provincetown, Chatham, Falmouth or Hyannis, by trip type
- Time needed
- 3–5 days; a weekend gives one area only
- Time zone
- Eastern, UTC−5; UTC−4 in summer
Weather by month
- Rainy days
- Snowy days
- Best
- Good
- Mixed
- Poor
- JanuaryPartly cloudy11 rainy days1 snowy dayHigh4°Low-1°Cold, quietJanuaryPartly cloudy
Poor
- High
- 4°
- Low
- -1°
- Precipitation
- 135 mm
- Rainy days
- 11
- Snowy days
- 1
- Days with storms
- 0
Cold, quiet
- FebruaryPartly cloudy11 rainy days2 snowy daysHigh4°Low-1°Cold, quietFebruaryPartly cloudy
Poor
- High
- 4°
- Low
- -1°
- Precipitation
- 111 mm
- Rainy days
- 11
- Snowy days
- 2
- Days with storms
- 0
Cold, quiet
- MarchPartly cloudy11 rainy daysHigh6°Low2°Chilly, emptyMarchPartly cloudy
Poor
- High
- 6°
- Low
- 2°
- Precipitation
- 134 mm
- Rainy days
- 11
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Chilly, empty
- AprilRain12 rainy daysHigh10°Low6°Cool, springAprilRain
Mixed
- High
- 10°
- Low
- 6°
- Precipitation
- 120 mm
- Rainy days
- 12
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Cool, spring
- MayRain13 rainy daysHigh15°Low10°Mild, shops reopenMayRain
Good
- High
- 15°
- Low
- 10°
- Precipitation
- 117 mm
- Rainy days
- 13
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Mild, shops reopen
- JunePartly cloudy10 rainy daysHigh20°Low16°Warm, beach seasonJunePartly cloudy
Best
- High
- 20°
- Low
- 16°
- Precipitation
- 102 mm
- Rainy days
- 10
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Warm, beach season
- JulyPartly cloudy10 rainy daysHigh24°Low20°Peak summerJulyPartly cloudy
Best
- High
- 24°
- Low
- 20°
- Precipitation
- 100 mm
- Rainy days
- 10
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Peak summer
- AugustPartly cloudy9 rainy daysHigh24°Low20°Peak, busyAugustPartly cloudy
Best
- High
- 24°
- Low
- 20°
- Precipitation
- 92 mm
- Rainy days
- 9
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Peak, busy
- SeptemberPartly cloudy10 rainy daysHigh21°Low17°Warm sea, quietSeptemberPartly cloudy
Best
- High
- 21°
- Low
- 17°
- Precipitation
- 145 mm
- Rainy days
- 10
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Warm sea, quiet
- OctoberRain11 rainy daysHigh16°Low12°Fall color, quietOctoberRain
Mixed
- High
- 16°
- Low
- 12°
- Precipitation
- 172 mm
- Rainy days
- 11
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Fall color, quiet
- NovemberPartly cloudy9 rainy daysHigh11°Low6°Cool, quietNovemberPartly cloudy
Mixed
- High
- 11°
- Low
- 6°
- Precipitation
- 115 mm
- Rainy days
- 9
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Cool, quiet
- DecemberRain12 rainy days1 snowy dayHigh6°Low2°Cold, lightsDecemberRain
Poor
- High
- 6°
- Low
- 2°
- Precipitation
- 159 mm
- Rainy days
- 12
- Snowy days
- 1
- Days with storms
- 0
Cold, lights
Average daily high and low in Hyannis, 2016–2025. Rainy day: 1 mm of rain or more.
Right now in Cape Cod
Local time, today's weather and the exchange rate, refreshed through the day.
17
- Feels like
- 11°
- Humidity
- 52%
- Wind
- 25 km/h
- Chance of rain
- 3%
Cape Cod
03:36 PM
Monday, November 2
- Today18°5°3%Monday: Cloudy. High 18°, Low 5°. Chance of rain 3%.
- Tue20°10°6%Tuesday: Cloudy. High 20°, Low 10°. Chance of rain 6%.
- Wed19°13°0%Wednesday: Cloudy. High 19°, Low 13°. Chance of rain 0%.
- Thu19°14°29%Thursday: Cloudy. High 19°, Low 14°. Chance of rain 29%.
- Fri18°15°50%Friday: Drizzle. High 18°, Low 15°. Chance of rain 50%.
- Sat15°10°61%Saturday: Rain. High 15°, Low 10°. Chance of rain 61%.
- Sun13°8°38%Sunday: Partly cloudy. High 13°, Low 8°. Chance of rain 38%.
Updated 01:28 PM local time · Powered by WeatherAPI.com · Weather data by Open-Meteo.com
Money
Mid-market rate1 EUR = 1.116 USD
Rates from Nov 2, 2026 · Rates By Exchange Rate API
Every year
- JulNewport Folk FestivalNewport, a day trip
- AugNewport Jazz FestivalNewport, a day trip
Day trips by train
- Martha's Vineyardabout 45 minutes by ferry from Woods HoleIsland towns, bike rides and beaches.
- Nantucketabout 1 hour by fast ferry from HyannisCobblestones and beaches; book ahead.
- Bostonabout 1.5–2 hours by carThe big city; best as the start or end.Read the guide
Before you go to Cape Cod
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Rules for Cape Cod, checked
- Visitors from Visa Waiver Program countries need an approved ESTA before flying to the US. Apply on the US Customs and Border Protection site (esta.cbp.dhs.gov).Source
- Restaurant servers expect a tip on top of the bill, usually around 18 to 20 percent, and taxi drivers expect one too.
- Only two bridges, Bourne and Sagamore, carry road traffic over the Cape Cod Canal. Expect slow traffic on them at peak summer weekends.
- Ticks that carry Lyme disease live in the grass and woods here. Check your skin and clothes after walks, and see a doctor if a rash appears.
Plan around Cape Cod
The usual start and end of a Cape trip
Read the guideEastern USA overviewHow the northeast fits together
Read the guideMidcoast Maine travel guideAnother coastal trip, further north
Read the guideNew York travel guideAdd the big city before or after
Read the guideESTA explainedWho needs it and how to apply
Read the guideSouth ShorePlymouth and harbor towns before the bridges
Read the guideProvidenceA gateway city on the way from Boston
Read the guideAll of the USAParks, cities and road trips
Read the guideCape Cod FAQ
How many days do you need on Cape Cod?
Three to five days lets you base in one area and see the beach, a village and perhaps an island. A weekend works only for one town, because the Cape is long and summer traffic is slow.
When is the best time to visit Cape Cod?
June to September for swimming and open shops, with July and August the busiest. September has warm water and fewer people, and May and October are quiet but many businesses close.
Where should I stay on Cape Cod?
Provincetown for nightlife and dunes, Chatham for classic villages, Falmouth for the Martha's Vineyard ferry, Wellfleet or Eastham for National Seashore beaches, Hyannis for budget and Nantucket.
Do you need a car on Cape Cod?
Almost always, to reach beaches and compare villages. There are seasonal buses and a ferry from Boston to Provincetown, but a car gives the most flexibility.
How far is Cape Cod from Boston?
The bridges at the Cape's edge are about an hour from Boston without traffic. Hyannis is about 1.5 hours, and Provincetown about 2.5 hours, with long delays on summer weekends.