Cape Cod, Nantucket & Martha's Vineyard 2004
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01 542818 FM.qxd 1/22/04 9:31 AM Page i Cape Cod, Nantucket & Martha’s Vineyard 2004 by Laura M. Reckford 01 542818 FM.qxd 1/22/04 9:31 AM Page ii About the Author Laura M. Reckford is a writer and editor living on Cape Cod. Formerly the man- aging editor of Cape Cod Life Magazine, she has also been on the editorial staff of Good Housekeeping magazine and Entertainment Weekly. She is currently a reporter for the Falmouth Enterprise newspaper. She is also co-author of France For Dummies (published by Wiley Publishing, Inc). Published by: Wiley Publishing, Inc. 111 River St. Hoboken, NJ 07030-5744 Copyright © 2004 Wiley Publishing, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval sys- tem or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photo- copying, recording, scanning or otherwise, except as permitted under Sections 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without either the prior written permission of the Publisher, or authorization through payment of the appropriate per-copy fee to the Copyright Clearance Center, 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, 978/750-8400, fax 978/646-8600. Requests to the Publisher for per- mission should be addressed to the Legal Department, Wiley Publishing, Inc., 10475 Crosspoint Blvd., Indianapolis, IN 46256, 317/572-3447, fax 317/572-4447, E-Mail: [email protected]. Wiley and the Wiley Publishing logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of John Wiley & Sons, Inc. and/or its affiliates. Frommer’s is a trademark or registered trademark of Arthur Frommer. Used under license. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Wiley Publishing, Inc. is not associated with any product or vendor mentioned in this book. ISBN 0-7645-4281-8 Editor: Christina Summers Production Editor: Donna Wright Cartographer: John Decamillis Photo Editor: Richard Fox Production by Wiley Indianapolis Composition Services For information on our other products and services or to obtain technical support, please contact our Customer Care Department within the U.S. at 800/762-2974, outside the U.S. at 317/572-3993 or fax 317/572-4002. Wiley also publishes its books in a variety of electronic formats. Some content that appears in print may not be available in electronic formats. Manufactured in the United States of America 54321 01 542818 FM.qxd 1/22/04 9:31 AM Page iii Contents List of Maps v What’s New in Cape Cod, Nantucket & Martha’s Vineyard 1 1 The Best of Cape Cod, Nantucket & Martha’s Vineyard 3 1 The Best Beaches . .4 5 The Best Hotel Deals . .11 2 The Best Bike Routes . .5 6 The Best Restaurants . .12 3 The Best Small Towns 7 The Best Clam Shacks . .13 & Villages . .8 8 The Best Shopping . .14 4 The Best Luxury Hotels & Inns . .10 9 The Best Bars & Clubs . .14 2 Planning Your Trip to Cape Cod & the Islands 16 1 The Lay of the Land . .16 7 Getting There . .33 2 Visitor Information . .19 A Word About Traffic . .34 3 Money . .20 8 Getting Around . .37 4 When to Go: Climate & Events . .21 Travel Times to Cape Cod Cape Cod & the Islands & the Islands . .38 Calendar of Events . .23 9 Tips on Accommodations . .39 5 Health & Insurance . .28 10 Planning Your Trip Online . .41 6 Tips for Travelers with Fast Facts: The Cape Special Needs . .30 & Islands . .43 3 For International Visitors 47 1 Preparing for Your Trip . .47 3 Getting Around the 2 Getting to the United States . .53 Cape & Islands . .53 Fast Facts: For the International Traveler . .54 4 The Upper Cape: Sandwich, Bourne, Falmouth & Mashpee 60 1 Sandwich . .61 Ocean Quest . .74 Family-Friendly Hotels 3 Falmouth . .78 & Restaurants . .69 4 Mashpee . .95 2 Bourne . .73 01 542818 FM.qxd 1/22/04 9:31 AM Page iv iv CONTENTS 5 The Mid Cape: Barnstable, Hyannis, Yarmouth & Dennis 99 1 Barnstable, Hyannis, Neighboring 2 Yarmouth . .117 Villages & Environs . .100 3 Dennis . .125 Camelot on Cape Cod: The Kennedys in Hyannisport . .106 6 The Lower Cape: Brewster, the Harwiches, Chatham & Orleans 134 1 Brewster . .134 2 Harwich . .145 Family-Friendly Hotels 3 Chatham . .151 & Restaurants . .144 4 Orleans . .165 7 The Outer Cape: Eastham, Wellfleet, Truro & Provincetown 175 1 Eastham . .176 3 Truro . .193 2 Wellfleet . .182 4 Provincetown . .198 Cape Cod National Seashore . .184 Whale-Watching . .202 8 Nantucket 221 1 Essentials . .222 5 Kid Stuff . .232 2 Beaches & Recreational 6 Shopping . .233 Pursuits . .226 7 Where to Stay . .235 3 Museums & Historic 8 Where to Dine . .241 Landmarks . .229 Nantucket’s Music Scene . .249 4 Organized Tours . .230 9 Nantucket After Dark . .250 9 Martha’s Vineyard 251 1 Essentials . .252 5 Organized Tours . .270 Reservations-Only Policy 6 Kid Stuff . .270 for Car Passage to 7 Shopping . .271 Martha’s Vineyard . .254 8 Where to Stay . .274 2 A Stroll Around Edgartown . .258 9 Where to Dine . .282 3 Beaches & Recreational The Quintessential Lobster Pursuits . .261 Dinner . .284 4 Museums & Historic 10 Martha’s Vineyard After Dark . .290 Landmarks . .267 Menemsha: A New England Fishing Village . .268 01 542818 FM.qxd 1/22/04 9:31 AM Page v CONTENTS v Index 293 General Index . .293 Restaurant Index . .305 Accommodations Index . .304 List of Maps Cape Cod 6 The Outer Cape 177 Cape Cod & the Islands 17 Provincetown 199 The Upper Cape 63 Nantucket 223 Falmouth Area 79 Nantucket Town 231 The Mid Cape 101 Martha’s Vineyard 253 Hyannis 103 Edgartown 259 The Lower Cape 135 Oak Bluffs 269 Chatham Area 153 Vineyard Haven 271 01 542818 FM.qxd 1/22/04 9:31 AM Page vi An Invitation to the Reader In researching this book, we discovered many wonderful places—hotels, restaurants, shops, and more. We’re sure you’ll find others. Please tell us about them, so we can share the information with your fellow travelers in upcoming editions. If you were disappointed with a recommendation, we’d love to know that, too. Please write to: Frommer’s Cape Cod, Nantucket & Martha’s Vineyard 2004 Wiley Publishing, Inc. • 111 River St. • Hoboken, NJ 07030-5744 An Additional Note Please be advised that travel information is subject to change at any time—and this is especially true of prices. We therefore suggest that you write or call ahead for confirma- tion when making your travel plans. The authors, editors, and publisher cannot be held responsible for the experiences of readers while traveling. Your safety is important to us, however, so we encourage you to stay alert and be aware of your surroundings. Keep a close eye on cameras, purses, and wallets, all favorite targets of thieves and pickpockets. Other Great Guides for Your Trip: Frommer’s Portable Nantucket & Martha’s Vineyard Frommer’s New England Frommer’s USA 01 542818 FM.qxd 1/22/04 9:31 AM Page vii Frommer’s Star Ratings, Icons & Abbreviations Every hotel, restaurant, and attraction listing in this guide has been ranked for quality, value, service, amenities, and special features using a star-rating system. In country, state, and regional guides, we also rate towns and regions to help you narrow down your choices and budget your time accordingly. Hotels and restaurants are rated on a scale of zero (rec- ommended) to three stars (exceptional). Attractions, shopping, nightlife, towns, and regions are rated according to the following scale: zero stars (recommended), one star (highly recommended), two stars (very highly recommended), and three stars (must-see). In addition to the star-rating system, we also use seven feature icons that point you to the great deals, in-the-know advice, and unique experiences that separate travelers from tourists. Throughout the book, look for: Finds Special finds—those places only insiders know about Fun Fact Fun facts—details that make travelers more informed and their trips more fun Kids Best bets for kids and advice for the whole family Moments Special moments—those experiences that memories are made of Overrated Places or experiences not worth your time or money Tips Insider tips—great ways to save time and money Value Great values—where to get the best deals The following abbreviations are used for credit cards: AE American Express DISC Discover V Visa DC Diners Club MC MasterCard Frommers.com Now that you have the guidebook to a great trip, visit our website at www.frommers.com for travel information on more than 3,000 destinations. With features updated regularly, we give you instant access to the most current trip-planning information available. At Frommers.com, you’ll also find the best prices on airfares, accommodations, and car rentals—and you can even book travel online through our travel booking partners. At Frommers.com, you’ll also find the following: • Online updates to our most popular guidebooks • Vacation sweepstakes and contest giveaways • Newsletter highlighting the hottest travel trends • Online travel message boards with featured travel discussions 02 542818 WN.qxd 1/22/04 9:31 AM Page 1 What’s New in Cape Cod, Nantucket & Martha’s Vineyard The following are highlights of what’s Whether you opt for the pan-seared new in the Cape and Islands. scallop and lobster cakes or the steak GETTING AROUND For those au poivre with wasabi horseradish going to Martha’s Vineyard, there is cream sauce, you’ll be overwhelmed one and possibly two new options. with satisfaction. Also new in recent New in 2003, the fast ferry from years are RooBar (& 508/548-8600) Rhode Island to Oak Bluffs makes the and La Cucina Sul Mar (& 508/548- trip in 90 minutes and avoids Cape 5600), both on Main Street, making Cod traffic jams.