HARWICH

Harwich isn’t nearly as developed as its westerly neighbors, although its stretch of Route 28 does have its share of bumper boats, mini-golf courses, and go-carts. In fact, the town exudes a somewhat nonchalant air. It’s as if the 12,200 year-rounders are collectively saying, “This is what we have and you’re welcome to come and enjoy it with us if you wish”—which is not to say that Harwich doesn’t attract visitors. It boasts a wide range of places to stay and eat, from humble B&Bs to family-friendly cottages, from exceptional New American fare to roasted chicken-on-a-spit. At the same time, while Harwich has more saltwater and freshwater beaches than any other town on the Cape, only a few have parking for day-use visitors.

Harwich, mostly blue collar and middle class, comprises seven distinct villages and is blessed with one of the most picturesque harbors on the Cape, Wychmere Harbor. Nearby, lovely Saquatucket Harbor is reserved for fishing charters and ferry service to Nantucket. It’s worth poking around the quiet center of Harwich, with its historic homes standing in marked contrast to the heavily developed areas just a mile or so away. Harwich, which bills its annual Cranberry Harvest Festival as “the biggest small-town celebration in the country,” lays claims to cultivating the first commercial cranberry bog.

GUIDANCE Harwich Chamber of Commerce (508-430-1165; harwichcc.com) and Harwich Information Center (508-432-1600), Route 28, One Schoolhouse Road, Harwich Port. Pick up Harwich biking and walking trail maps, as well as their very helpful (free) street map.

GETTING THERE By car: From the Cape Cod Canal, take Route 6 to Exit 10 (Route 124 South and Route 39 South) to Route 28, or take Exit 11 to Route 137 for East Harwich. It takes 35 to 40 minutes to reach Harwich from the canal.

By bus: The Plymouth & Brockton bus line (508-746-0378; p-b.com) connects Harwich with Hyannis and other Cape towns, as well as with Boston’s Logan Airport. The bus stops at the Park & Ride commuter lot near the intersection of Routes 6 and 124.

WYCHMERE HARBOR

GETTING AROUND By car: Route 28 is also called Main Street. (This is not to be confused with the Main Street—a.k.a. Route 39—in the center of Harwich, which is inland.) Although most points of interest are located along or off developed Route 28, head inland to explore Harwich’s ponds and conservation areas.

GETTING TO NANTUCKET There is seasonal passenger ferry service to Nantucket from Harwich Port. For many people, this service is more convenient than going into Hyannis to catch a boat. For complete information, see Getting There in “Nantucket.”

PUBLIC RESTROOMS At the chamber (see Guidance).

PUBLIC LIBRARY Brooks Free Library (508-430-7562; brooksfreelibrary.org), 739 Main Street, Harwich.

MEDICAL EMERGENCY Fontaine Outpatient Center (508-432-4100), 525 Long Pond Drive, off Route 137, Harwich.

To See

Brooks Academy Museum (508-432-8089; harwichhistoricalsociety.org), 80 Parallel Street, Harwich Center. Open late June to early October. This imposing 1844 Greek Revival schoolhouse was home to one of the country’s early vocational schools of navigation, established by Sidney Brooks. Now operated by the Harwich Historical Society, the museum features a history of cranberry farming, historical photographs, and changing exhibits on Harwich’s past. There is also a permanent display of art by C. D. Cahoon, a gunpowder house used from 1770 to 1864, and a restored 1872 outhouse. Genealogical resources and a significant manuscript collection round out the research facility. $.

First Congregational Church, 697 Main Street, Harwich Center. Built in the mid-1700s, this church is surrounded by a white picket fence and anchors the tiny town center.

Harwich Jr. Theatre (508-432-2002; capecodtheatrecompany.org), 105 Division Street, West Harwich. This semiprofessional theater—the country’s oldest children’s theater, established in 1951—produces up to 12 shows a year for both children and adults. In summer, children star in kids’ roles, manage the sound and lighting, and sell refreshments. Whether your child is considering acting or you want to introduce him or her to theater, this is an imaginative alternative to another round of mini-golf. Classes or workshops are offered year-round. $$. Their Harwich Winter Theatre offers plays geared toward an older crowd off-season.

To Do

All listings are in Harwich Center unless otherwise noted.

BASEBALL The Harwich Mariners (harwichmariners.org) play baseball from mid-June to mid-August at Whitehouse Field behind the high school in Harwich Center, off Oak Street from Route 39. They also host weekly clinics from late June to early August; $$$$+.

A PERFECT DAY IN HARWICH

8:30	Order a famous meltaway sweet bun at Bonatt’s.
10:00	Find the quiet center of Harwich Center.
10:30	Swim in a glacial kettle pond.
12:30	Dine outdoors at Brax, overlooking Saquatucket Harbor.
1:45	Paddle up the Herring River with a kayak.
4:00	Play a round at Harbor Glen Miniature Golf.
5:00	Watch the light change on sailboats in Wychmere Harbor.
6:00	Have a romantic New American dinner at Cape Sea Grille.
8:00	Catch a Cape Cod League baseball game.
10:00	Enjoy an old-fashioned cone from the Sundae School.

BICYCLING & RENTALS About 5 miles of the Cape Cod Rail Trail run through Harwich; you can pick up the trail near the old Pleasant Lake General Store on Route 124 and off Great Western Road near Herring Run Road. The chamber of commerce publishes a good biking map.

BOATING Saquatucket Harbor (threeharbors.com), Route 28. With 200 berths, this is the largest municipal marina on the Cape. A few slips are reserved for transient visitors, who can launch at both Saquatucket and Allens Harbor.

ALONG THE CAPE COD RAIL TRAIL

SAQUATUCKET HARBOR

Wychmere Harbor, Harbor Road off Route 28. A fleet of sloops is often moored here, making it one of the Cape’s most scenic (albeit human-made) harbors. In the late 1800s, Wychmere Harbor was simply a salt pond around which a racetrack was laid. But locals, disapproving of horse racing, convinced the town to cut an opening from the pond into Nantucket Sound. A harbor was born.

Allen Harbor, on Lower County Road, is the town’s other picturesque, well-protected, and human-made harbor. Only seasonal ramp passes are available.

The Herring River, which runs north to a reservoir and south to Nantucket Sound, is great for kayaking.

See also Herring River/Sand Pond Conservation Area/Bells Neck under Green Space.

FISHING & SHELLFISHING Shellfishing permits ($$ daily for nonresident families) are obtained from the harbormaster (508-430-7532) at Saquatucket Harbor, June through September.

A number of charter fishing boats depart from Saquatucket Harbor, including the Yankee (508-432-2520).

Try your luck casting from a jetty at Red River Beach (see Green Space) or the Herring River Bridge in West Harwich. And rent equipment from Sunrise Bait & Tackle (508-430-4117), 431 Route 28.

FOR FAMILIES Grand Slam Entertainment (508-430-1155; capecodbumperboats.com), 320 Route 28. Open April to mid-September. Batting cages with varying degrees of difficulty and bumper boats for toddlers to teens. Also a zip line over the pool, a radar pitching cage, and one of the world’s only (purportedly) Wiffle ball cages for kids.

Trampoline Center (508-432-8717), 296 Route 28. Open late June to mid-September. There are no age or height restrictions; the only limit at this outdoor center is that kids can’t do flips.

Bud’s Go-Karts (508-432-4964), 9 Sisson Road, at Route 28. Open mid-April to mid-October. Kids have to be more than 54 inches tall and at least 8 years old to drive without parents at this busy track.

Castle in the Clouds, behind the Harwich Elementary School, South Street. A fun playground.

Playground, Brooks Park, Route 39, Harwich.

GOLF Cranberry Valley Golf Course (508-430-5234; cranberrygolfcourse.com), 183 Oak Street, off Main Street, which turns into Route 39. Open March through December. An 18-hole, par-72 course with driving range and practice putting green.

Harwich Port Golf Club (508-432-0250), 51 South Street. A nine-hole, par-34 course.

MINI-GOLF Harbor Glen Miniature Golf (508-432-8240), 168 Route 28, West Harwich. Open April to mid-October. With fountains and imitation rocky waterfalls, this place packs ’em in, especially at night. Perhaps it’s due to the adjacent restaurant, which offers kids’ meals and ice cream. $.

SAILING See Cape Sail under Sailing in “Brewster.”

TENNIS Free public courts are located at Brooks Park (508-430-7553), Route 39 and Oak Street. In summer there are morning programs for children.

Green Space

BEACHES If you’re renting a cottage, purchase a parking sticker at the Community Center (508-430-7568), 100 Oak Street, or at Earle Road Beach off Lower County Road.

Red River Beach, off Depot Road from Route 28, is one of the few beaches with daily parking; $$. Facilities include restrooms, concessions, and a lifeguard.

Pleasant Bay, off Route 28, is salt water, but calm, like a pond.

BUD’S GO-KARTS

NANTUCKET SOUND BEACHES

PONDS Hinckleys Pond and Seymour Pond, both off Route 124, are open to nonresidents. You can also swim at Bucks Pond, off Route 39. Limited parking; sticker required.

Long Pond has two beaches, although both require parking stickers ($$). One is located off Long Pond Drive from Route 124, the other off Cahoons Road from Long Pond Drive from Route 137.

Sand Pond is off Great Western Road.

WALKS The chamber of commerce (see Guidance) publishes a good walking-trail map.

Herring River/Sand Pond Conservation Area/Bells Neck (park off Bells Neck Road from Great Western Road) in West Harwich. These 200-plus acres of marshland, tidal creeks, reservoir, and riverway are great for birding and canoeing. You may see cormorants, ospreys, and swans.

Thompson’s Field, Chatham Road, south of Route 39. This 57-acre preserve, with dirt-road trails for you and your canine friends, is full of wildflowers in springtime. This gives you an idea of what the Cape probably looked like 100 years ago.

Lodging

BED & BREAKFASTS The Platinum Pebble Boutique Inn (508-432-7766; platinumpebble.com), 186 Belmont Road, West Harwich. Decidely different (in a good way) from most every other bed-and-breakfast or inn on Cape Cod, the Platinum Pebble will knock your socks off with its service, tickle your fancy with its mod décor, and pamper you silly with its luxe amenities. The centrally located boutique property features some rooms with private patios with direct access to the pool and others with soaking. All have fine linens and bedding. Schedule a time, and dine in your room or the lounge, poolside or in the garden on a sumptuously sweet or savory full breakfasts. $$-$$$.

Winstead Beach Resort (508-432-4444; winsteadinn.com), 4 Braddock Lane, Harwich Port. Open mid-January to early November. You’ll pay dearly for this privileged perch because there’s nothing between the decks and the ocean except a private beach. Just so you know: Gregg Winston has transformed this modest beachfront house into an upscale establishment with 18 simple but deluxe rooms and four suites. All rooms are off a central hallway; two offer a direct beach view and some have a private deck and Jacuzzi. The back porch, sheltered by Rosa rugosa, leads to multilevel decks set with lounge chairs. Extensive continental breakfast buffet included. $$$–$$$$$.

MOTELS & MORE Commodore Inn (508-432-1180; commodoreinn.com), 30 Earle Road, West Harwich. Open April through October. For the money and more, this is the best value in Harwich. At first glance, the complex looks like just another cluster of motel rooms set around a pool. But the delightful place is so much more than that. The large pool is heated; an excellent full breakfast buffet (at the in-house Raspberries) is included in summertime; and the 27 rooms are nicely outfitted with wicker furniture and white cotton bedspreads. There is real attention to detail here. Some rooms have a Jacuzzi, gas fireplace, and a wet bar; all have microwaves; many can sleep four. Ask for a room with a vaulted ceiling; they feel much more spacious. Located on 2½ acres in a quiet residential area, the Commodore is 75 yards from the beach, and there’s a play area. Tour groups stay here in the fall, but don’t let that dissuade you; there are too many other things going for it—including the best scones on the planet. $$.

WINSTEAD BEACH RESORT

Tern Inn (508-432-3714; theterninn.com), 91 Chase Avenue, West Harwich. Hands-on owners Sue and Dan run a spotless operation, and it pays off. A 10-minute walk from the beach, these six nicely maintained and renovated cottages and efficiencies (one of which is shaped like a gazebo) are set on a 2-acre wooded lot. They also rent eight guest rooms in a half-Cape house, where a bountiful breakfast buffet is included. A pool, swings, and basketball court are on the premises, perfectly oriented toward weeklong family stays. $$$.

RENTAL HOUSES New England Vacation Rentals (508-432-0900; newenglandvacationrentals.com), 565 Main Street, Route 28, Harwich Port.

Where to Eat

Harwich has one of the Cape’s best restaurants, a great hole-in-the-wall, and a bunch of places in between: You won’t go hungry here.

DINING OUT Cape Sea Grille (508-432-4745; capeseagrille.com), 31 Sea Street, Harwich Port. Open D, April to mid-December. This contemporary bistro offers well-prepared, creative New American cuisine with a French Mediterranean influence. Because it’s also served by twinkling candlelight in a lovely old sea captain’s home, it’s more like a grand slam. Outstanding signature dishes include pan-seared lobster with pancetta and asparagus and duck confit. Dishes change seasonally, but preparations always play with the classics. You’d better save room for strawberry shortcake or silky ginger crème brûlée. The three-course sunset menu is a steal. Jennifer Ramler and her chef husband Doug have (thankfully) presided since the day it opened in the early 2000s. $$$–$$$$.

Viera (774-408-7492; vieracapecod.com), 11 Route 28. Open D. The cuisine here is often described as “exquisite” and I resoundingly agree. Locals Ben and Angela Porter have brought a degree of sophistication worthy of every accolade they have received since opening in 2014. Their place highlights seasonal cuisine paired in inventive but accessible ways. My reviews usually highlight worthy house specialties, but honestly the whole menu, on every visit, has been consistently perfect. To boot, the quality of service matches the quality of cocktails. $$$–$$$$.

Buca’s Tuscan Roadhouse (508-432-6900; bucasroadhouse.com), 4 Depot Road. Open D. You might be hard-pressed to know which continent you’re on at this cozy little trattoria. Both romantic and relaxing, with high-backed booths and red-and-white-checked tablecloths, they serve authentic and excellent gamberetti alla Toscana (Tuscan herbed shrimp, goat cheese risotto, lemon butter sauce, and kale), fresh mozzarella, seafood stew, as well as classic eggplant Parmigiana. Furthermore, portions are generous, desserts are homemade by the owner, and there’s a good selection of wines by the glass. $$$. Check out their fast food cart, Depot Dogs (depotdogs.net), parked in their lot. You can’t miss it.

CAPE SEA GRILLE

BUCA’S TUSCAN ROADHOUSE

L’Alouette Bistro (508-430-0405; frenchbistrocapecod.com), 787 Route 28, Harwich Port. Open D. Alan and Gretchen Champney’s French country cuisine is simple but splendid, as rich as you might expect, but it’s always a winner. Try the roast duck breast and duck confit in elegant but relaxed surroundings. Look for their bargain three-course dinner with wine in June, estate-grown wines, and after-dinner tarts. $$$–$$$$.

EATING OUT Brax (508-432-5515; braxlanding.com), 705 Route 28, Harwich. Open L, D, April through December. Bar open year-round. Overlooking Saquatucket Harbor, this not particularly deservedly popular and casual tavernlike restaurant has a varied menu. Look for fish and chicken sandwiches, fried seafood, seafood stew, and lobster rolls. For sure, their steamers are particularly renowned. A few indoor seats have choice views, but the real draw is outdoor seating by the tranquil harbor. A bountiful brunch buffet packs ’em in on Sunday. Regardless of the time of day, there is often a 45-minute wait. L $–$$, D $$.

Hot Stove Saloon (508-432-9911; hotstovesaloon.com), 551 Route 28, Harwich Port. Open L, D. Offering good-value pub grub since the mid-2000s, this place sports the requisite low lighting and boisterous quality you want in a (primarily) sports bar. The cheeseburgers are great, but you could also go for a thin-crust pizza, fish-and-chips, or any number of sandwiches (BLT, cheesesteak, or hot pastrami, for instance). A couple of picnic tables out front provide good watching on Main Street. $.

Bonatt’s Bakery & Restaurant (508-432-7199; bonattsbakeryrestaurant.com), 537 Route 28 at Sea Street, Harwich Port. Open B, L. A Harwich landmark since they created the meltaway sweet bun in 1939, Bonatt’s is still hanging in there. $–$$.

The Mason Jar (508-430-7600; masonjarcapecod.com), 544 Route 28, Harwich Port. Open L. Look for fine specialty sandwiches, homemade soups, prepared meals to go, and desserts. Patio seating. $.

SNACKS & COFFEE Sundae School Ice Cream Parlor (508-430-2444; sundaeschool.com), 606 Route 28, Harwich Port. Open mid-May to late September. This “olde”-fashioned “shoppe” is the place to go for homemade ice cream concoctions.

Entertainment

Band concerts are held Tuesday evening at 7 in Brooks Park, Route 39 and Oak Street.

Jazz Festival (wequassett.com/jazz). Tuesdays and Wednesdays in summer at the Wequassett Resort, on the Harwich-Chatham border.

See also Harwich Jr. Theatre under To See.

Selective Shopping

All establishments are open year-round unless otherwise noted.

SPECIAL SHOPS Cape Cod Tileworks (508-432-7346; capecodtileworks.com), 705 Main Street, Harwich Center. This colorful shop sells nothing but tile: ceramic, marble, limestone, and hand-painted. They do custom designs and installation, too.

Monahan & Co. Jewelers (508-432-3302; monahanjewelers.com), 540 Main Street, Harwich Port. Prices for high-end jewelry (manufactured, purchased from estate auctions, and left on consignment) range from the double digits to six digits. The largest jewelry shop on the Cape and America’s oldest family-owned jewelry store (established in 1815), it has been in Michael Monahan’s family for generations.

BRAX

MONAHAN JEWELERS

Special Events

Mid-May: Fooding Around Harwich. Formerly the Toast of Harwich, this trolley tasting tour of the town’s chefs includes (for VIPs) a reception with wine and bourbon tastings at the Wequassett Resort on the Harwich-Chatham town line. $$$$$.

July through September: Guild of Harwich Artists (guildofharwichartists.com) sponsors Monday “Art in the Park” programs at Doane Park, off Lower County Road. (Rain date is Wednesday.)

Mid-September: Fall for Harwich (harwichcranberryfestival.org) at the Harwich High School off Oak Street. Community spirit prevails at this popular celebration, which boasts an attendance of almost 40,000 people. Events include fireworks, a parade, a carnival, and hundreds of top-notch crafts displays.

Early December: Christmas Weekend in the Harwiches (harwichcc.com) includes hayrides, strolling minstrels, a choral group, and merchant open houses.

CRANBERRY BOGS BEFORE HARVESTING