Explorer’s Guide Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard & Nantucket 11E

BARNSTABLE

The Cape’s largest town covers 60 square miles and is home to 48,000 year-round souls. It’s also the Cape’s second-oldest town, incorporated two years after Sandwich, in 1639. Barnstable actually comprises seven distinct villages—Cotuit, Marstons Mills, Osterville, Centerville, and Hyannis along Route 28, and West Barnstable and Barnstable along Route 6A. (Barnstable is sometimes referred to as Barnstable Village to distinguish it from Barnstable County, which embraces the whole of the Cape.)

On the bayside, Route 6A (also called Old King’s Highway and Main Street) winds through West Barnstable and Barnstable Village. Development—or lack thereof—is rigidly controlled by the Old King’s Highway Historical Commission, which regulates signage and does not allow gas stations, chain stores, or unconventional restorations within sight of the road. Sandy Neck, a haven for naturalists and beachgoers, is located off Route 6A, as are stately homes now converted into B&Bs.

On the southside, off Route 28 you’ll find Centerville, Osterville, and Cotuit—parts of which front Nantucket Sound. Centerville’s Main Street is full of handsome old homes built during the 19th century by affluent sea captains and businessmen. Osterville boasts some of the Cape’s largest summer mansions, all with Nantucket Sound as their front yard. Osterville’s Main Street is lined with upscale shops. At the turn of the 20th century, Cotuit was dubbed “Little Harvard,” as it was home to many academicians. Cotuit’s Main Street is lined with impressive Federal, Greek Revival, and Queen Anne houses, with American flags and Adirondack chairs dotting the lawns. The popular Craigville Beach dominates this side of Barnstable.

Landlocked and wedged between Routes 28 and 6, Marstons Mills is tiny, quiet, and residentially developed. It was founded by the Marston family, who built and ran the mills driven by the Goodspeed River.

Barnstable was founded by English Congregationalist minister John Lothrop and a small band of religious renegades who found Plymouth Colony a bit too settled for them. The neighborhood of Oysterville, as it was called, was purchased from the Native Americans in 1648 for “two copper kettles and some fencing.” The area then was called Mattakeese, which translates as “plowed fields”—indeed, the land had already been cleared—but the settlers eventually named it for a similar harbor in Barnstaple, England.

GUIDANCE Images Hyannis Area Chamber of Commerce (508-775-2201; hyannis.com), 397 Main Street, Hyannis. The visitor center is located at the JFK Hyannis Museum, and the Hyannis chamber has information about all Barnstable villages.

GETTING THERE By car: Barnstable is 15 miles from the Cape Cod Canal. Take Route 6 to Exit 5 for West Barnstable (Route 149 North) and Marstons Mills, Cotuit, and Osterville (Route 149 South). Take Exit 6 for Barnstable Village (Route 132 West) and Centerville (Route 132 East).

By bus: The Plymouth & Brockton bus line (508-778-9767; p-b.com) connects Barnstable with other Cape towns, as well as with Boston’s Logan Airport. The bus stops at the big commuter parking lot behind Burger King, Exit 6 off Route 6 at Route 132.

A PERFECT DAY IN BARNSTABLE

8:00	Break bread with fellow guests at your B&B.
9:30	Wander the dunes at Sandy Neck Beach.
11:15	Pore over centuries-old primary sources of Cape Cod history at the Nickerson Memorial Room at Cape Cod Community College.
12:30	Duck into the Anglicized and Japanese-style St. Mary’s Church garden.
1:15	Enjoy a casual lunch at the Barnstable Tavern.
2:30	Pop into Route 6A antiques and specialty stores like West Barnstable Tables.
7:00	Dine on seafood with the locals at Five Bays Bistro.
9:00	Appreciate seasonal, fleeting beach plum ice cream from Four Seas.

GETTING AROUND By shuttle: The Barnstable Villager (800-352-7155; capecodtransit.org) connects Barnstable’s Route 6A (at the courthouse) with the malls in Hyannis on Route 132, the Hyannis Transportation Center bus terminal, and the Barnstable harbor.

MEDIA The weekly Barnstable Patriot (508-771-1427; barnstablepatriot.com) has local news and gossip.

PUBLIC LIBRARIES Osterville Village Library (508-428-5757; ostervillevillagelibrary.org), 43 Wianno Avenue, Osterville.

Also see Sturgis Library under To See and Do.

MEDICAL EMERGENCY Cape Cod Hospital (508-771-1800; capecodhealth.org), 27 Park Street, Hyannis.

To See

ALONG OR NEAR ROUTE 6A

West Parish Meetinghouse (508-362-4445; westparish.org), 2049 Meetinghouse Road, off Route 149, West Barnstable. Open late May to early September. This fine example of early Colonial architecture is the second oldest surviving meetinghouse on Cape Cod. Don’t miss it. (The oldest, the 1684 Old Indian Meetinghouse, is in Mashpee.) Its members belong to the oldest Congregationalist church fellowship in America, established in 1639 and descended from London’s First Congregational Church. Founding pastor John Lothrop and his small band of followers erected their first meetinghouse in 1646. By 1715 the Congregational church had become so popular that Barnstable split into two parishes; the building you see today was constructed in 1717. Its bell tower, topped by a gilded rooster, holds a bell cast in Paul Revere’s foundry in 1806; it still rings. Until 1834 the meetinghouse doubled as a town hall—so much for separation of church and state! In the 1950s, the meetinghouse was fully restored to its original modest, neoclassical beauty. Donations.

West Barnstable Cemetery, Routes 6A and 149. Near the stone wall along Route 6A, look for a large granite memorial bearing the following inscription: IN THIS CEMETERY LIE THE MORTAL REMAINS OF CAPT. JOHN PERCIVAL KNOWN AS “MAD JACK.” BORN APRIL 3, 1779. DIED SEPTEMBER 17, 1862 IN COMMAND OF OLD IRONSIDES AROUND THE WORLD 1844–1846.

William Brewster Nickerson Memorial Room at Cape Cod Community College (508-362-2131, ext. 4445; capecod.edu), 2240 Route 132, West Barnstable. Rainy day or not, visitors with more than a passing interest in the social history, literature, institutions, and people of the Cape and islands owe it to themselves to stop at the “4 C’s.” Students voted in 1966 to set up this collection to honor the college’s second president’s son, a Vietnam War hero and Mayflower descendant. The significant collection contains more than 5,000 documents: religious treatises, biographies, autobiographies, oral histories, letters by dune poet Harry Kemp, scrimshaw, ship registers and logs, early diaries, U.S. Lifesaving Service reports, telephone directories from 1886 on, and aerial photographs. The place is a treasure trove for researchers; several excellent books have been written solely using these materials.

WEST PARISH MEETINGHOUSE

Sturgis Library (508-362-6636; sturgislibrary.org), 3090 Main Street, Route 6A, Barnstable Village. Researchers from all over the U.S. (including entrepreneurs looking for information about shipwrecks) visit the country’s oldest public library. It boasts one of the finest collections of genealogical records, dating to the area’s first European settlers; more than 200 oral histories; an original 1605 Lothrop Bible; more than 1,500 maps and charts; and archives filled with other maritime material. William Sturgis, by the way, was born in the original part of the building, went off to sea at age 15 when his father died, and returned four years later as a ship’s captain. Although he received no formal education, this self-made man obtained reading lists from a Harvard-educated friend and deeded the building to the town as a library. Use of the collections is free, though donations are welcome. The library also has a very good children’s area.

Barnstable County Courthouse (508-362-2511), 3195 Main Street, Route 6A, Barnstable Village. Built in 1831–32, this imposing granite Greek Revival building is one of few reminders that tranquil Barnstable is the county seat for the Cape (and has been since 1685). Look for original murals and a pewter codfish in the main courtroom. On the front lawn, a bronze sculpture commemorates James Otis Jr., a West Barnstable “patriot” who wrote the famous 1761 Writs of Assistance speech. President John Adams said Otis was the “spark by which the child of Independence was born.” And on the side lawn, a memorial stands to Mercy Otis Warren, who self-published her Revolutionary War memoirs.

LOTHROP HILL CEMETERY

Lothrop Hill Cemetery, Route 6A, just east of Barnstable Village. Slate headstones are scattered across this little hillock, where John Lothrop and other Barnstable founders rest.

Barnstable Harbor, Mill Way Road off Route 6A. Fishing charters and whale-watching trips depart from this small harbor.

Coast Guard Heritage Museum (Old Customs House) (508-362-8521; coastguardheritagemuseum.org), 3353 Main Street, Route 6A, Barnstable Village. Open early May to early November. Before Barnstable Harbor filled with silt around 1900, it was the Cape’s busiest port. The Old Customs House was built in 1856 to oversee the enormous stream of goods passing through the harbor. When harbor activity diminished, the brick Italian Renaissance Revival building served as a post office until the Barnstable Historical Commission made it its headquarters in 1959. The commission restored the beautiful building, painted it deep red, and opened this museum complex. On the grounds you’ll find the Coast Guard Heritage Museum (showcasing the history of the Coast Guard and the lighthouse service), a blacksmith shop, and a circa-1690 jail cell (the oldest in the U.S. but closed because of a fire), complete with colonial “graffiti.” $.

OFF ROUTE 28

Cahoon Museum of American Art (508-428-7581; cahoonmuseum.org), 4676 Falmouth Road, Route 28, Cotuit. This magnificent 1775 Georgian Colonial farmhouse was once a stagecoach stop on the Hyannis-to-Sandwich route. Today it houses a permanent collection of 19th- and early-20th-century American art, and features the whimsical and often humorous paintings of the late neoprimitive artists Martha and Ralph Cahoon. The building’s low ceilings, wide floorboards, fireplaces, and wall stenciling provide an intimate backdrop for the artwork. Don’t miss it. The museum also offers summer workshops and classes. $.

Images Images Centerville Historical Museum (508-775-0331; centervillehistoricalmuseum.org), 513 Main Street, Centerville. Open May to mid-December. The 1850s Mary Lincoln House (no relation to Abraham) was built by Mary’s father, Clark, a local tinsmith. Then along came Charles Ayling, a wealthy Cape businessman and philanthropist, who endowed a wing and assembled an entire Cape Cod colonial kitchen, complete with large open fireplace and dozens of iron utensils. The 14 rooms are filled with rare Sandwich glass, Civil War artifacts, maritime artifacts, historic quilts, costumes from 1750 to 1950, children’s toys and games, perfume bottles, and A. E. Crowell’s miniature duck carvings. Exhibits change throughout the season. $.

The 1856 Country Store (508-775-1856; 1856countrystore.com), 555 Main Street, Centerville. With the exception of the original wooden floors, the store is more picturesque outside than inside. Crowds do flock here for the selection of cutesy country and perfumed things.

Osterville Historical Museum (508-428-5861; ostervillemuseum.org), 155 West Bay Road, Osterville. Open late May to mid-September. The museum comprises three properties, well worth a visit for local history buffs. The Captain Jonathan Parker House, built circa 1824, contains period art, antiques, furniture, and dolls, as well as paintings and porcelain from the China trade. The one-room-deep Cammett House, a simple Cape Cod farmhouse built circa 1790, is furnished with period pieces. And the Boat Shop Museum showcases the famous Crosby-designed catboat Cayuga, built in 1928, and the Wianno Senior and Junior. Half models, tools, and historic Osterville waterfront photographs are also displayed. Don’t miss the period colonial gardens maintained by the Osterville Garden Club.

Samuel B. Dottridge House (508-428-0461; cotuithistoricalsociety.org), 1148 Main Street, Cotuit. Open late May to early September. Owned by the Historical Society of Sansuit and Cotuit, this 1790 house contains historical but otherwise fairly unremarkable objects pertaining to daily 19th-century life. $.

SPECIAL PROGRAMS Images Tales of Cape Cod (at the Olde Colonial Courthouse) (talesofcapecod.org), 3046 Main Street, Route 6A and Rendezvous Lane, Barnstable Village. This simple, white-clapboard building served as the Barnstable County Courthouse from 1772 to 1832, when the “new” granite structure down the road was built. The secular Olde Colonial Courthouse then became a Baptist church until it was purchased in 1949 by Tales of Cape Cod, a nonprofit organization that preserves Cape folklore and oral histories. The organization sponsors an excellent summertime lecture series delivered by knowledgeable townspeople. (Refreshments alone are worth the price of admission.) $.

OLD CUSTOMS HOUSE

SCENIC DRIVES

From the center of Centerville, take South Main Street toward Osterville. Turn left on East Bay, which will wind around and become Seaview; follow that to the end. Double back and turn left on Eel River, then turn left onto Bridge. You will not be able to go very far on this road (it empties into a gated community), but it does cross a sparkling waterway. After turning around, follow West Bay back to Main Street.

You can also take Main Street off Route 28 in Santuit (as you head toward Falmouth on Route 28, turn left onto Main Street just before the Mashpee town line). Follow Main Street through Cotuit center, jog left onto Ocean View overlooking Nantucket Sound, then jump back onto Main Street and follow it to the end for more pond and Sound views.

See also Barnstable Comedy Club under Entertainment.

To Do

AIRPLANE RIDES Cape Cod Airfield (508-428-8732; capecodairfield.com), Marstons Mills Airport, Route 149, Marstons Mills. These scenic tours, from the Cape’s only grass-strip airport, can go virtually anywhere on the Cape. Reservations recommended. $$$$+.

BASEBALL The Cotuit Kettleers (kettleers.org) play at Lowell Park in Cotuit from mid-June to mid-August.

BICYCLING If you don’t have a friend with a summer place in the exclusive Wianno section of town, the best way to enjoy the village of Osterville is to cycle or drive along Wianno Avenue to Seaview Avenue, then turn right onto Eel River Road to West Bay Road and head back into town.

FISHING & SHELLFISHING Procure freshwater and saltwater fishing licenses and regulations online (mass.gov/eea/agencies/dfg/licensing).

Wequaquet Lake in Centerville has plenty of largemouth bass, sunfish, and northern pike to go around. Limited parking along Shootflying Hill Road. Marstons Mills has three ponds stocked with smallmouth bass, trout, and perch: Middle Pond, Race Lane; Hamblin’s Pond, Route 149; and Schubael’s Pond, off Race Lane.

FOR FAMILIES Cape Cod YMCA (508-362-6500; ymcacapecod.org), Route 132, West Barnstable. In addition to a fitness and cardiovascular center, the YMCA offers tons of programs for adults and kids that are open to short-term visitors. Open swims daily. Drop off the children and go out to dinner while they do arts and crafts. The Y also has a summer camp with weekly sessions.

BARRIER BEACH BEAUTY

Sandy Neck Beach, on Cape Cod Bay, off Route 6A in West Barnstable, is one of the Cape’s most stunning beaches. The entrance to this 6-mile-long barrier beach is in Sandwich. Encompassing almost 4,500 acres, the area is rich with marshes, shellfish, and bird life. Sandy Neck dunes protect Barnstable Harbor from the winds and currents of Cape Cod Bay. Sandy Neck was the site of a Native American summer encampment before the colonists purchased it in 1644 for three axes and four coats. Then they proceeded to harvest salt-marsh hay and boil whale oil in tryworks on the beach. Today a private summertime cottage community occupies the far eastern end of the beach. Known locally as the Neck, the former hunting and fishing camps, built in the late 19th century and early 20th, still rely on water pumps and propane lights.

Beach facilities include restrooms, changing rooms, and a snack bar. You can purchase four-wheel-drive permits at the gatehouse (508-362-8300). But six items must be in your car when the permit is issued: a spare tire, jack, ¾-inch board, shovel, low-pressure tire gauge, and something to tow the car. Parking $$.

SANDY NECK BEACH

GOLF Images Cotuit Highground Country Club (508-428-9863; cotuithighground.com), 31 Crocker Neck Road, Cotuit. Nine holes. $$–$$$.

Olde Barnstable Fairgrounds Golf Course (508-420-1141; barnstablegolf.com), 1460 Route 149, Marstons Mills. So close to the airport that you can see the underbellies of approaching planes from the driving range. $$$$+.

TENNIS Public courts are located at the Centerville Elementary School on Bay Lane; at the Cotuit Elementary School on Old Oyster Road; at the Marstons Mills East Elementary School on Osterville–West Barnstable Road; and at the Barnstable–West Barnstable Elementary School on Route 6A.

WHALE-WATCHING Hyannis Whale Watcher Cruises (508-362-6088; whales.net), Mill Way off Route 6A, Barnstable Harbor. Daily departures, April to mid-October. A convenient mid-Cape location and a fast boat make this a good choice for whale-watching. An on-board naturalist provides commentary. Summertime sunset clambake cruises, too. $$$$+.

HYANNIS WHALE WATCHER CRUISES

Green Space

BEACHES Millway Beach, just beyond Barnstable Harbor. Although a resident parking sticker is needed in summer, you can park here and look across to Sandy Neck Beach (see the “Barrier Beach Beauty” sidebar) in the off-season.

Images Craigville Beach, on Nantucket Sound, Centerville. This crescent-shaped beach—long and wide—is popular with teens and college crowds. Facilities include restrooms, changing rooms, and outdoor showers. Parking $$.

Long Beach, on Nantucket Sound, Centerville. Centerville residents favor Long Beach, at the western end of Craigville Beach; walk along the water until you reach a finger of land between the Sound and the Centerville River. Long Beach is uncrowded, edged by large summer shore homes and a bird sanctuary on the western end. Although a resident sticker is required, I include it for my nonresident readers because it’s the nicest beach, and Explorers can check it out off-season.

PONDS Hathaway Pond, Phinney’s Lane, Barnstable Village, is a popular freshwater spot with a bathhouse and lifeguard. The following freshwater locations require a resident sticker: Lovell’s Pond, off Newtown Road from Route 28, Marstons Mills; Hamblin’s Pond, off Route 149 from Route 28, Marstons Mills; and Wequaquet Lake, off Shootflying Hill Road from Route 132, Centerville.

CRAIGVILLE BEACH

WALKS Sandy Neck Great Salt Marsh Conservation Area (508-362-8300), West Barnstable; trailhead at the parking lot near the gatehouse off Sandy Neck Road. First things first: Hike off-season when it’s not so hot. It takes about six hours to do the whole circuit. The 12-mile (round-trip) trail to Beach Point winds past pine groves, wide marshes, low blueberry bushes, and 50- to 100-foot dunes. It’ll be obvious that this 3,295-acre marsh is the East Coast’s second largest. Beginning in June, be on the lookout for endangered piping plovers nesting in the sand. Eggs are very difficult to see and, therefore, easily crushed. If you’re into camping they have a primitive campground open May to mid-October with four sites (first-come, first-served). Hike in the 3.3 miles with your gear; they provide wood, water (free), and bathroom facilities. Parking $$.

Long Pasture Wildlife Sanctuary (508-362-1426; massaudubon.org), 345 Bone Hill Road. These 100 acres include wooded trails, tidal flats, and incredible views of Sandy Neck dunes. Dip into their guided hikes, children’s programs, or kayaking and paddleboarding. $.

SANDY NECK GREAT SALT MARSH CONSERVATION AREA

St. Mary’s Church Gardens (508-362-3977; stmarys-church.org), Route 6A (across from the library), Barnstable Village. Locals come to these peaceful, old-fashioned gardens to escape summer traffic swells on Route 6A. In spring, the gardens are full of crocuses, tulips, and daffodils. A small stream, crisscrossed with tiny wooden bridges, flows through the property; the effect is rather like an Anglicized Japanese garden.

Tidal flats, Scudder Lane, off Route 6A, West Barnstable. At low tide you can walk onto the flats and almost across to the neck of Sandy Neck.

West Barnstable Conservation Area, Popple Bottom Road, off Route 149 (near Route 6), West Barnstable. Park at the corner for wooded trails.

Armstrong-Kelley Park, Route 28 near East Bay Road, Osterville. This lovely 8½-acre park has shaded picnic tables, flowers blooming throughout the summer, wooded walking trails with specimens identified, and wetland and woodland walkways. Look for rare trees like the umbrella magnolia and the Camperdown elm. This park claims to be the oldest and largest private park on the Cape.

ST MARY’S CHURCH GARDENS

Lodging

While a number of historic B&Bs line Route 6A, I’ve included only a select few because each offers exceptional hospitality and are all quite different.

BED & BREAKFASTS Honeysuckle Hill (508-362-8418; honeysucklehill.com), 591 Route 6A, West Barnstable. Among the most welcoming innkeepers on the Cape (since Day One when they began in 2013), Nancy and Rick have applied their considerable talents to making this 1810 farmhouse a favorite. Their four rooms and two-bedroom suite (an extremely good value) have feather bedding, robes, fine English toiletries, flat-screen TVs, and marble baths. Friendly, elegant, and modestly furnished with a mix of white wicker and antiques, they’re a breath of fresh air. I particularly like Wisteria, the largest, with a king bed, blue toile decor, and its own entrance. What’s not to love—from the garden that boasts woodland walks and sitting areas to the spa tub with outdoor shower and a large screened-in porch. Nancy and Rick indulge guests with concierge services (they are a font of local information) and bountiful breakfasts. $–$$.

Images Images Images Lamb and Lion Inn (508-362-6823; lambandlion.com), 2504 Route 6A, Barnstable. Although it’s the kind of place where guests are left alone if they want, proprietors Alice Pitcher and Tom Dott know a little something about service and hospitality: They operated a Relais & Châteaux restaurant in the Hudson Valley before coming here. This transformed inn consists of 10 guest rooms (including the Lamb’s Retreat cottage and the most excellent Barn-Stable that can accommodate families) surrounding an open-air heated swimming pool and hot tub. Long hallways are brightened with sky murals, and the diverse rooms are pleasant, with wicker and antiques. I particularly like Room 9, which gets great afternoon sun, and the suite with a private deck, hot tub, and kitchenette. Although rooms are quite different, most have a fireplace, half have a kitchenette, and most have a spiffy motel-style bathroom. Before leaving, ask to see the rare, triple-sided fireplace in the original 1740 house. A fine expanded continental breakfast is included, and for $5 extra you can order a hot breakfast. $$–$$$.

RENTAL HOUSES Craigville Realty (508-775-3174; craigvillebeach.com), 648 Craigville Beach Road, West Hyannisport.

Where to Eat

Barnstable isn’t overflowing with dining options, but it does have two fine ones, a waterfront restaurant, an excellent local tavern, and the best homemade ice cream on the Cape. In the end, what more do you really need?

DINING OUT Five Bays Bistro (508-420-5559; fivebaysbistro.com), 825 Main Street, Osterville. Open D. Named for the five bodies of water that surround Osterville, this buzzy (or noisy, depending on your sensibilities) little place is urban and stylish—befitting a neighborhood awash with patrons sizing each other up and keeping up with the Joneses. As for the sophisticated fusion cuisine, it gets very good reviews across the board. Local seafood (perhaps done with an Asian twist) and lobster mac and cheese are always a good bet. $$$.

Images Images Images Dolphin (508-362-6610; thedolphincapecod.com), 3250 Main Street, Route 6A, Barnstable. Open L, D. This reliable and friendly watering hole, in chef-owner Nancy Jean Smith’s family for three generations, features extensive seafood selections. At midday you’ll find everything from crabcakes and oysters to salads, specialty sandwiches, and baked and fried seafood. At dinner it’s a bit more elaborate. The Dolphin, complete with a long bar separated from the main dining room, is heavily patronized by locals who’ve been coming for years (and staffed by the same). L $–$$, D $$–$$$.

HONEYSUCKLE HILL

LAMB AND LION INN

EATING OUT Barnstable Restaurant and Tavern (508-362-2355; barnstablerestaurant.com), 3176 Main Street, Route 6A, Barnstable Village. Open L, D. Thanks to Bob Calderone and Susan Finegold, this old tavern in Barnstable’s historic district is a decent choice—whether for a burger and beer in the tavern or a more substantial meal of fried seafood (or daily specials like sautéed sea scallops) in the main dining room. I prefer the tavern, which attracts a slightly younger clientele. Salads are always a good bet. $$.

Craigville Pizza & Mexican Restaurant (508-775-2267; craigvillepizza.com), 618 Craigville Beach Road, Centerville. Open L, D. Although this is a no-frills place, you can’t beat it for these parts. $–$$.

DOLPHIN

SINFUL SCOOPS

Four Seas Ice Cream (508-775-1394; fourseasicecream.com), 360 South Main Street, at Centerville Four Corners. Open mid-May to mid-September. Founded in 1934, Four Seas is owned by Dick Warren, who took over from his father—who had owned it since 1960, when he bought it from the folks who had given him a summer job as a college student. Got that? The walls of this funky place, a former blacksmith’s shop, are lined with photos of preppy summer crews, newspaper articles about Four Seas (it wins national ice cream awards every year), and poems penned in honor of past anniversaries. You can see that this place really inspires folks! It’s named for the four “seas” that surround the Cape: Buzzards Bay, Cape Cod Bay, the Atlantic Ocean, and Nantucket Sound. Oh yes, about that ice cream: The Cape’s best is made almost daily, using the freshest ingredients. The only downside: Every time I stopped by this past summer, it was way too melty and I had to gobble it down too quickly. Try the coconut or black raspberry. Lobster salad sandwiches are great, too. Really great.

Cotuit Fresh Market (508-428-6936; cotuitfreshmarket.com), 737 Main Street, Cotuit. This old multiuse building would go unnoticed in Vermont, but on the Cape it’s an anomaly. It’s a convenience store–wine shop–grill–fruit and veggie market. $.

Nirvana Coffee Company (508-744-6983), 3206 Route 6A, Barnstable Village. What more can you ask for: strong coffee or green tea, a comfy vibe with pleasant service, breakfast sandwiches or gluten-free bagels, and some Adirondack chairs on the main drag when the weather is warm. Some people (no names, please) have been known to patronize this place daily when researching back-and-forth along Route 6A.

Images Kettle Ho Restaurant & Tavern (508-428-1862), 12 School Street, Cotuit. Open L, D. When you want to hang out with locals for a beer or mixed drink (and a great burger!), this friendly place is the place. Blink and you’ll miss it because Cotuit only consists of four or five buildings. Even though it’s been refurbished, it still feels divey—in a good way.

BARNSTABLE RESTAURANT AND TAVERN

Entertainment

Barnstable Comedy Club (508-362-6333; barnstablecomedyclub.org), 3171 Route 6A, across from the Barnstable Restaurant and Tavern, Barnstable Village. Performances November through May. Let’s get something straight right off the bat: This is not an actual comedy club! Founded in 1922, the state’s oldest amateur theater group performs more than comedies in this 200-seat theater—look for musicals and straight (though not heavy or provocative) theater. Since 1922 its motto has been “To produce good plays and remain amateurs.” (Kurt Vonnegut got his feet wet here and was the club’s first president.) $$$. No credit cards.

Selective Shopping

All shops are open year-round unless otherwise noted. Osterville center, with a number of upscale shops, is good for a short stroll.

ANTIQUES Harden Studios (508-362-7711; hardenstudios.com), 3264 Main Street, Route 6A, Barnstable Village. This late-17th-century house was beautifully restored by Charles M. Harden in the mid-1990s and now functions as an antiques shop and gallery. It’s a true family affair: Harden’s son, Charles, operates an etching press and art gallery in the adjacent shed, and son Justin researches the fine antiques collection. The collection includes American antiques from the early 1700s to the 1840s; Empire and Federal pieces; Oriental rugs, lamps, and chandeliers.

Sow’s Ear Antiques (508-428-4931; sowsearantiqueco.com), 4698 Falmouth Road, Route 28 at Route 130, Cotuit. Americana and primitive folk art and furniture sold from an 18th-century house; some garden antiques, too.

Cotuit Antiques (508-420-1234), 70 Industry Road, behind Cotuit Landing off Route 28, Cotuit. Henry Frongillo enjoys people and keeping his shop folksy. Since he buys whole estates, you never know what you’ll find. Primarily, though, he offers fine furniture, collectibles, some art, pottery, and lots of great old signage and advertising memorabilia.

ART GALLERIES Cape Cod Art Association (508-362-2909; capecodartassoc.org), 3480 Route 6A, Barnstable Village. This nonprofit was founded in 1948 and displays a fine range of juried art and artists in a beautiful and airy gallery. Shows change monthly. Indoor and outdoor classes and workshops are offered.

Tao Water Art Gallery (508-375-0428; taowatergallery.com), 1989 Route 6A, West Barnstable. The offerings of this contemporary Asian gallery, representing more than 35 artists from post–Cultural Revolution China and the States, run the gamut from exceptional abstract painting to landscapes, sculpture, and Chinese contemporary art. At more than 5,600 square feet, one of the largest galleries on the Cape.