While every town on Cape Cod has its own unique charm and personality, the town of Barnstable is the best place to stay for vacationers who want easy access to all that Cape Cod offers.
Barnstable is the most “cosmopolitan” of the Cape Cod towns and is located right in the middle of Cape Cod allowing vacationers to stay on the Cape Cod Bay side or the Nantucket Sound side.
When you choose a place to stay in Barnstable, the hardest part is deciding among the hotels, motels, B&B;’s and rental cottages. The large hotels range from a Four Points Sheraton to a Holiday Inn to a Radisson. The nice thing about these particular hotels is that you can check their availability and amenities right online before ever leaving your house. If you’re interested in smaller scale or more quaint options, you can check out the Hyannis Chamber of Commerce website at www.hyannis.com and the Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce website at www.capecodchamber.org where you will find listings of Cape Cod businesses.
Dining on Cape Cod is an enjoyable experience and dining in Barnstable can’t be beat. On Main Street in Hyannis, there are restaurants ranging from Italian to Mexican to traditional Cape Cod seafood. You can take your time and stroll down Main Street and compare the different restaurants and their menus before you make a choice. Many of them offer outside seating where you can enjoy the scenery and happenings on Main Street.
No trip to Cape Cod would be complete without a trip to the beach. Barnstable shines in this area and the town’s beaches all have something different to offer depending upon the type of beach experience you are after. If you’re looking for a nice, quiet family-oriented beach, then head over to Veteran’s Beach Park. The swimming area is located in an inlet so the ocean is smooth and perfect for children to swim. It’s located next to the Hyannis Yacht Club so there are boats sprinkled throughout the ocean beyond the buoyed-off swimming area adding to a quintessential Cape Cod view. The parking lot at Veteran’s Beach separates the beach side from the park side. The park has a swing-set, jungle gym and picnic tables. It’s a family favorite for cookouts since it has public grills.
If you go a little further down the road you’ll come to Kalmus Beach. Kalmus Beach has a straight view of the ocean and, at the scheduled times, you can watch the ferry to Nantucket go by. Kalmus Beach is a favorite for wind surfers and boogie boarders since it has a rougher surf than the other beaches in Barnstable.
If you go even further down the road, you’ll come to Craigville Beach. Craigville Beach actually consists of Covell’s Beach and Craigville Beach but the locals generally refer to the whole things as Craigville Beach. This beach is the most popular in Barnstable. It’s a large, long beach but it can fill up pretty quickly so get there early to get the spot you want. Even if you don’t get there early, you’ll still be able to find a spot to put your chair or lay down your beach towel since the beach is large. The ocean at Craigville Beach is great for swimming or riding the gentle waves or water sports.
If you need further information about the town of Barnstable, the official town web site is packed with information. You can find it at: www.town.barnstable.ma.us
