Fall in Love with Old Cape Cod
Falmouth Harbor, located on Cape Cod, is a destination in its own right. About ten or so years back, Falmouth was lightly regarded and used primarily as a cruising stopover for trips to Nantucket, Martha’s Vineyard, Hyannis, etc. But today, Falmouth Harbor is considered a quite desirable location – and rightfully so. The main harbor is deep, easy to enter and clearly marked. Transient dockage and moorings are available from the harbormaster. If the town facilities are full, MacDougall’s, Falmouth Marine, East Marine or Pier 37 may have availability. Fuel (gas and diesel) is available at reasonable prices – as are marine services.
Provisioning is convenient, with Windfall Market located right across the west side of the harbor on Scranton Avenue. Here, you’ll not only find the basics, but a wonderful bakery that entices with a wide assortment of store-baked breads, cakes, pies, cookies and other delicacies. The deli has a large assortment of ready-to-go salads, entrees and veggies, and also one of the best meat counters in the area. If you missed picking up a copy of WindCheck in your homeport, be sure to grab one as you walk out the door!
Next door to Windfall is a well-stocked West Marine store. Most weekends I’ll stop in just to see what’s on sale. I’ve picked up some good bargains on clothes and gear. On the occasions when I’ve stopped in with a repair problem, the staff has proven to be friendly and knowledgeable. They never seem to be too busy to take time to talk with customers and provide helpful advice.
Keep walking to the end of the street, hang a left and stop in at John’s. If Noah happens to be in, he’ll help you choose that perfect local wine to enjoy while relaxing on the boat. The Cape is known for its wineries. Cape Cod Winery, located on Sandwich Road, is open Thursday thru Sunday during July and August. If you get over for a wine tasting, be sure to pick up a bottle of their award-winning Nobska Red. If a vineyard tour is not in your plans, check with Noah – he might have it in stock at John’s.
One of the first stops you might want to make is a visit to see Bob at Holiday Cycles, located on the east side of the harbor – just down on the opposite side of the street from the Island Queen ferry. Bob has a huge assortment of bicycles – including bicycles for two and surrey bikes. When you go in, be sure to tell him that “Jay” sent you. I stop in all the time just to get my tires aired and repairs made. Before heading off, stop in and say, “Hi,” to Mike and Lyn at the Beach Walk Café. This is their first summer in business – you’ll enjoy eating out under the trees and patio umbrellas, or you can dine inside on those rainy Cape days.
Speaking of food… Within walking distance of the harbor is an assortment of restaurants: Right on the harbor is the Flying Bridge – you passed it to your port side as you entered the harbor. This is one of those places where you’re bound to run into somebody from home – never fails that I run into a neighbor or one of my kid’s school teachers from way back when. It’s a small world.
If you take a right out of the harbor parking lot you’ll pass the Boat House restaurant. It’s kind of tucked in off the path, but there’s a sign so you can’t miss it. A little further down, just around the corner of Pier 37, you’ll find the Raw Bar. It sits at the furthermost point of the harbor. Keep walking and you’ll come to Falmouth’s Main Street where you’ll find an array of restaurants and shops. If it’s a Friday afternoon, walk thru the Village to Falmouth Wine & Spirits and join the locals in a Friday afternoon wine tasting.
Falmouth Village has an eclectic collection of specialty restaurants: The Peking Palace has a nice sushi menu as well as traditional Chinese and Thai dishes. You’ll find the best Greek pizza at Steve’s. Betsy’s Diner, housed in a circa 1950s diner car, is a popular local haunt for breakfast and good ol’ American comfort food.
One of our favorites is Liam McGuire’s, where we’ll often meet up with friends to enjoy the lilt of Irish tenors for the evening – sometimes we even get to sing along. On the way to Liam’s you’ll pass by the Roobar. The door’s usually open and you’ll be lured in by the laughter and friendly voices that escape to the street. The Quarterdeck, on the opposite side of the street, is a local favorite for anything from a burger to the freshest seafood. Café Villagio is one of my favorites for Italian cuisine. La Cucina Sul Mare is an excellent choice for a more intimate dining experience. You’ll also have other choices: Indian and Mexican cuisine or sandwich and tea shops add to whatever dining experience you’re craving.
A stroll down Main Street isn’t complete until you stop in at Ben and Bill’s for a walloping big scoop of homemade ice cream. They’re famous for their lobster ice cream. I was daring enough to try it…once. Lobster isn’t my flavor, but every time I’m there I hear somebody ordering a double scoop. Cape Cod is famous for its ice cream stores. An evening on the Cape always ends with a visit to your favorite ice cream shop.
If this is a family vacation and you brought the kids along, stop in at the Leary Family Amusements (just off Main Street about midway down). Falmouth is a casual seaside village; most restaurants cater to families and your kids will feel welcome where ever you go. The Village offers shopping opportunities for everybody: bike shops, record stores, hardware, pet store, and gift stores as well as specialty boutiques. If you’re visiting in July, you’ll want to go to the annual Falmouth Village Street Fair. Main Street is blocked off and downtown becomes a shopper’s paradise of vendors from all over the Cape! It’s a tradition that even the locals enjoy.
Looking for a great beach? It doesn’t get much better than Falmouth Heights Beach. It’s a short walk from the harbor. To get there, walk (or bike) down the east side of the harbor. Just keep going past the Island Queen – hang a left at Holiday Cycles and take a short cut to the top of the hill – turn right and wind around until you get to the ballpark. At that point, you’re almost there – it’s just across the street. Once there, you’ll get mostly calm surf from Nantucket Sound, beautiful white sand, warm water (mid-seventies in August) and a clear view of Martha’s Vineyard off in the distance. Across from the beach is the famous British Beer Company with its many brews and good casual food – the burgers are huge and the fish ‘n chips are fabulous! You’ll be able to catch live music on Friday and Saturday nights.
If you want to venture off on a shopping expedition, take Main Street away from the Village. It will lead you over to Falmouth Plaza where you will find some familiar spots such as Starbuck’s and Friendly’s. From there, walk across the parking lot to the Christmas Tree Shop. The name is an accurate description of the store. While it may not be Christmas in the holiday sense, it will certainly feel like Christmas to an avid shopper! During the summer, you’ll find everything “beachy”– from dishes to toys, furniture, yard and wall decorations, towels, linens and even gourmet foods! The shelves are lined with coffees, teas, sauces, cookies, cakes and your favorite beverage mixers. Bring your backpack – you’ll need it for transporting your treasures back to the boat! Just across from the Christmas Tree Shop you’ll find Kappy’s. Locals know that this is where you go to find the largest choices for wines, beers, and other alcoholic beverages.
If all that shopping made you hungry, stop in at the 99 Restaurant on the way back to the harbor. Or, if you’d like a lighter fare, the Box Lunch has great roll-up sandwiches. This is a popular sandwich spot for teens. You won’t get a burger here – but they have a great selection of tuna melts, lobster rolls, veggie rolls and other mouth-watering specialties.
Making Falmouth Harbor your homeport, you can venture across the Cape via the public transportation system that runs from Hyannis thru Mashpee, into Falmouth and on to Woods Hole. Or you can use the local taxi service to shuttle you around. You might even want to call Enterprise – “they’ll pick you up!” Cape traffic can get hectic in the summertime, and newcomers to the area can literally find themselves going in circles. All roads lead to one of the three majors – 28, 6 and 6A. If you go the car rental route, be sure to stop in at the Chamber of Commerce and pick up a map. Some of the local shops also have maps. You’ll need one if you go off exploring by car (as well as a lot of patience to deal with the traffic)!
With all the opportunities to play on the beaches and ride the bike trails, don’t forget – there’s an ocean out there and plenty of wind to fill your sails. The Vineyard is only six miles across the Sound – less than a two-hour sail on most days! Or, sail east out of Falmouth Harbor and enjoy the beauty of the Cape Cod coastline as you head up to Sampson’s Island on Cotuit Bay. You’ll sail past several significant inlets on your way.
The first will be Great Pond; its low clearance bridge will keep sailboaters out, but it’s a nice little inlet to explore in a small powerboat. Green Pond will be your next landmark. A new public boat ramp was opened up on the pond last fall. The pond is sailboat-friendly for about a quarter of a mile inland. Another low clearance bridge will prohibit entry any further. The next landmark will be Bourne Pond. It’s quite shallow – which makes it the perfect destination for clamming during low tide. Further east, you’ll pass Waquoit Bay. Washburn Island creates a natural barrier into the bay. However, you can sail in from the west between the island and Menahunt Yacht Club. You’ll want to check your charts and tide tables. Once past Waquoit Bay, you’ll enjoy the scenic coast past Popponesset and on to Cotuit Bay. There’s anchorage outside the bay – you’ll want to dinghy in to the island.
Sailing west out of Falmouth Harbor you’ll pass Nobska Point, enjoy more beautiful beaches and sail past the scientific community of Woods Hole – home to the Marine Biological Laboratories, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute, Woods Hole Research Center, NOAA’s Northeast Fisheries science center, the National Marine Fishery and home campus to the Sea Education Association.
The harbor is enclosed and entry/exit is controlled by a drawbridge at the mouth of the harbor that opens on a fixed schedule during season. Navigating Woods Hole can be hazardous. You’ll need your paper charts, tide reports and Waterway or Embassy guides to help you successfully navigate these currents and stay off the rocks. Locals treat Woods Hole with respect. Unless you just have to get that adrenaline rush, we suggest taking public transportation or the bike trail to go over and enjoy a day at Woods Hole.
My preference to visiting Woods Hole is to take the Bike Trail that picks up on Locust Street in Falmouth. The bike trail is quite popular for bikers, runners and walkers. It’s well used by families with children and pets. It will take you through some beautifully shaded paths while winding toward the shoreline. You’ll approach the shoreline just below Nobska Point (home of Nobska lighthouse). The trail will take you past Nobska pond on your right along the shoreline for a while and then back into a shaded path. You’ll exit at the Steamship Authority where the ferries are coming and going to the Vineyard and Nantucket. There are frequent places to stop and rest or just take in the beauty. Be sure to pack a water bottle. The ride from Falmouth to Woods Hole is about four miles. Once there, you may want to reward yourself with a pastry and soda at Pie in the Sky. You can dine on the water at Landfall and Captain Kids – both area favorites. You’ll also find places to pick up souvenirs. Woods Hole is best enjoyed for its beauty and charm.
You could easily spend a week in Falmouth Harbor and not run out of things to do. Even if you prefer to make this a car trip, you’ll find plenty of hotels, resorts or quaint B&Bs to call home for a few days. When it’s finally time to pack up the car or cast off the mooring, I guarantee….you will have fallen in love with “old Cape Cod.” ✦