Each year I think every Cape Codder has been asked, "Oh, where should I go while I'm on Cape Cod?" or "What should I do while I'm on Cape Cod?" Quite frankly, I love being asked that question because it reminds me of how many wonderful spots there are on the Cape. There are so many wonderful places that sometimes I can't even think of just the main points to hit.
So, I've decided to do a Cape Cod Road Trip. Each week, I will pick a different town and make a list of either general or personal favorite spots and activities to do there. This way, by the end, of the summer every Cape Codder will have access to the ultimate list. Let's be real I mostly am just interested in all of the places and things I have to hit, but the fact that this can be useful to anyone gives me all the more reason to do so.
To start the road trip off, I picked Chatham. Mostly, because I don't spend a ton of time there and it is actually a gorgeous town. Chatham was first settled in 1664 by English settlers. Before the English came, Chatham was home to the Nauset tribe, but specifically the Monomoy people. Chatham became an official town on June 11, 1797. Because of Chatham's location on the "elbow" of Cape Cod, it became the hub of all shipping, whaling and fishing. Due to the extreme wealth that came into Chatham during this time, the town is home to many classic homes and buildings that line the town with elegance.
Nowadays, Chatham is known for their influx in seals leading them to being a recent hot spot for sharks. You can often see this beautiful town gracing the face of Discovery Channel's "Shark Week". While the Cape tends to have colder water, Great White Sharks can be found off of Chatham in the summertime. These sharks, much like humans, seem to be summering here to feed off of the seals that inhabit these waters.
Normally, once a year, Chatham beaches get shut down due to these beasts, but more often than not not due to human injury. While these animals are dangerous, they won't attack unless provoked, or you somehow take the shape of a seal. So always be careful when swimming in waters, regardless of location, that tend to have sharks in them.
Now that the little safety lesson is over, let's get on with stop one on the road trip!
Things to see and do:
Chatham Lighthouse
Monomoy National Wildlife Refuge
Chatham Lighthouse Beach
Atwood House Museum
Chatham Railroad Museum
Chatham Shark Center
Stick'n Rudder Aero Tours
Skydive Cape Cod
Cape Cod Baseball League- Chatham Anglers
Chatham Candy Manor
Restaurants:
Ollie's
Kream 'n' Kone
Bistro on Main
Chatham Bar's Inn
