For my last passion blog post I will be going to the tip of the Cape (the farthest town)! This town is a huge tourist attraction and gains popularity because of its location, beaches, and interestingly enough LGBTQ population!

Places to Visit

The first place I recommend going is called Pilgrim Monument. I think this is a cool place to go because it is a memorial for the town where the first pilgrims landed (because if you didn’t know, they landed on Cape Cod before they continued to nearby Plymouth). It was built in 1907, had a ceremony with Theodore Roosevelt that year, and continues to be the largest completely granite structure in the United States. What is a little funny is that the monument architecture itself doesn’t seem to have any connection with pilgrims, but it still draws thousands of tourists each year and has a lot of historical significance to it!

The second place I recommend going to has to be another beach, Race Point Beach. This is because it is literally the last beach you can go on the Cape. It is the actual “tip” of the Cape and has great views. It is extremely wide, so you have plenty fo space to do anything you would like, and it extremely peaceful. Because it is so big it doesn’t seem like most beaches. There is a lighthouse at the end of the beach to visit which also has great tours as well.

Place to Eat

The place I recommend to eat is called The Lobster Pot. There are certainly a lot of expensive restaurants in Provincetown and this is a nice change of scenery for anyone looking for a family fun restaurant but still with great food and a pretty good atmosphere. And if you couldn’t guess already, they have good lobsters!

LGBTQ Community

A very interesting fact is that Provincetown actually has the highest rate of same-sex couples in the country. Since the 1920’s, Provincetown has been a hot destination for members of this community and has continued until this day. Every year they hold an annual “gay parade” which I have never gone myself but is something that almost everybody on Cape has attended or at least wants to attend. In connection with this, they have the longest running lesbian cultural event and the oldest gay bar in the United States! Very unique history and it continues to grow!

Only two more weeks of passion blogs so I can only choose two more places to talk about! I decided that one of those weeks has to be the island of Nantucket! Nantucket is unique because it is one of the two islands off the coast of Cape Cod (the other being Martha’s Vineyard) but has a smaller population and attracts a little less attention. However, many people visit over the summer to visit their huge mansions or just spend a day on the island (like me). Like other Cape towns, it is very quiet in the winter. Additionally, there is a ferry throughout the year that goes to Harwich, Barnstable, Woods Hole and New Bedford.

Places to Visit

The first place I recommend going to is, of course, a beach. Madaket Beach is a well known beach on the South Side of Nantucket and is known for its big waves and rough surf. This is because it is facing the Atlantic Ocean as opposed to the North Side of Nantucket which is facing the calmer waters of Nantucket Bay. Either way, this is a great place to surf, swim and have fun or relax and enjoy the view like any other beach. Sunsets are great and the houses right along the water are very cool (however they get pretty battered during the storms)

Next, I recommend going to the Nantucket Whaling Museum. While it might seem a little boring, this place has a cool story and history because Nantucket was once known as the whaling capital of the world. As awful as whaling might seem now (it definitely is, and is illegal) it was important back in the day and was huge for the local economy. This museum has a bunch of artifacts and exhibitions that allow people to learn more about the history and life of Nantucket in the past regarding whaling.

Places to Eat

Even though Nantucket is a small island, there are still great places to eat. The first place is called Cru. Cru is a seafood / American restaurant that has great oysters, clams and fresh seafood. They have the basics like lobster rolls and lobster salads but also some unique things on the menu. The best part is they are right on the water and the pier so boats are always docking up right next to the windows and docks which makes a great atmosphere.

Lastly, I recommend going to Brother of Thieve’s. This place is awesome because it has classic American food (great burgers, salads, grilled cheese) and has a great pub feel. It is open late night so when you’re 21 you can buy drinks and listen to live music. I like the old tavern like atmosphere as well!

Today I am going to be talking a little bit about Truro, MA. A lot of people think many of the Cape towns have weird names. I think because I am around them so often I am used to it and never really think about it. I will admit though that my town “Sandwich” is pretty weird. Truro has some pretty cool places so let’s get into it!

Places to Visit

Nauset Lighthouse is an awesome place to go because it is right near Nauset Beach, one of the best beaches on the Cape. I know I have recommended lighthouses in the past and it might be boring to visit them all, but this one has a lot of history and is still functional. Like I said, you can visit it on the way to the beach and it also has tours if you want to learn all about it!

This first part might as well turn into “beaches to visit”. At this point you have reached the part of the Cape where it is beaches over everything. Of course there are stores, downtown areas, mini golf places, museums, but they really never seem to outmatch the beaches. That is what the Cape is known for and those other places are amazing but you need to see the beaches. Therefore, I recommend Coast Guard Beach. This beach is a little bigger and has a shuttle service but is never too crowded and has great waves and sand bars. There are a good amount of shark sightings here so just be careful when swimming!

 Places to Eat

Again, I have not been to Truro in a while so places may have changed but one restaurant I really like up there is an Italian restaurant called Montano’s. I wanted to throw this in because it is different than all the “Cape seafood” restaurants. While they do have seafood, they are known for their great pizza, salads and tiramisu’s for dessert.

Lastly, a place I have not been to yet but am recommending it because I really want to visit this summer is called Chequessett Chocolate. This place has been becoming very popular for their, obviously, chocolate, but also chai lattes,  truffles, coffee, hot chocolate etc. They seem to have a huge variety of chocolates and candies to choose from and all of the reviews are great. It is a little pricy but hopefully it is worth the cost!