Looking for an East Coast beach destination for your next family trip? Cape Cod, Massachusetts has the perfect blend of coastal beaches, sand dunes, family friendly activities, hiking, and dining/shopping opportunities. We went for the ocean, and were impressed by the many things to do on Cape Cod with kids.
The plethora of outdoor activities makes Cape Cod an excellent choice for outdoor loving families, and gives you plenty of opportunity to keep your visit eco-friendly! We have rounded up our favorite outdoor and indoor activities we feel you should add to your itinerary for your next trip to Cape Cod.
Things To Do On Cape Cod With Kids (Outdoors)
Go For a Bike Ride Along the Shining Sea Bike Trail
The Shining Sea Bike Trail is a 10.7 mile long trail that extends from North Falmouth to Woods Hole. The trail is flat and paved, following along an old railroad trail. A portion of the trail takes you alongside the Vineyard Sound with views of Martha’s Vineyard, while other sections take you past marshes and cedar swamps.
The trail ends in Woods Hole, a small town featuring restaurants, shops, and access to the Martha’s Vineyard ferry. There are multiple free parking areas and access points along the trail.
You have a couple options for accessing a bike. You can either bring one from home or rent one from the many shops around Falmouth, such as Holiday Cycles of Falmouth Heights or Arts Bike Shop.
Visit the Heritage Museums and Gardens
The Heritage Museums and Gardens, just inside the Cape in Sandwich, is the perfect combination of a relaxing walk through the gardens, entertainment for kids, and for antique car lovers, the Antique Automobile Collection is quite extensive!
Heritage Museums and Gardens offers eight different garden areas with over 100 acres of trees, shrubs, flowers, and statues/sculptures. This turned out to be one of my daughter’s favorite stops during our visit.
There is also a small children’s area with a tree house and different stations, such as the water pumping and chalk board areas, for learning and fun! he maze garden was also a big hit with the kids! Visit the Antique Automobile Collection and your child and sit in a real Ford Model T, a great photo op!
Things to Do On Cape Cod With Kids: Go on a Whale Watch
Whale watching is one of our absolute favorite things to do, as long as the tour is eco-friendly! From Cape Cod, you can take a whale watching excursion to the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary, where humpback whales are known to frequent.
The sanctuary is about 30 miles off the Northern coast of Cape Cod. The Dolphin Fleet Whale Watch offers tours to see these majestic creatures and observe them as they play naturally. While whale sightings are not guaranteed because the whales are wild and roam freely, we have not done a whale watching excursion here yet that we didn’t see any.
The cruise leaves from Provincetown and treats you to views of the shoreline, famous P-town sand dunes, and lighthouses. Both the boat ride and watching the whales bob up and down out of the water will be a great experience for the kiddos!
Walk the Streets of Provincetown
The streets of Provincetown, the northernmost tip of Cape Cod, are lined with restaurants and quaint shops for souvenir shopping. You can find plenty of Cape Cod themed gifts and local, handmade and unique gifts. There is an old fashioned candy shop and a toy shop that are sure to catch your child’s attention.
On Commercial Street you will find the Bob Gasoi Memorial Art Alley. Children and adults alike will enjoy walking through the small alley and admiring the artwork, many of which depict common children fairy tales including Humpty Dumpty and Alice in Wonderland.
Downtown Provincetown also gives you access to popular Cape Cod attractions, including whale watches and off-roading dunes tours. The Pilgrim Monument and Provincetown Museum is also accessible from Provincetown for those looking to learn about the history of the area.
Go Lighthouse Hunting
Cape Cod is home to many lighthouses, some of which you can get up close with and others than can be observed from a distance. There are many lighthouses that you are able to tour, including the Nauset Light, Chatham Light, Highland Lighthouse, and occasionally the Nobska Lighthouse.
Race Point Lighthouse is one of the most difficult to reach but one of the most rewarding. It sits on the tip of the cape and requires either a 45 minute walk along the coastline or a permit for an oversand 4-wheel drive vehicle. Because of this, you will often find less crowds and have access to a secluded beach area.
Take a Day Trip to Martha’s Vineyard
A day trip to Martha’s Vineyard is one of the best things to do on Cape Cop with kids. The trip is short, and easily reachable in under an hour. Ferries to Martha’s Vineyard are available from Hyannis, Woods Hole, and Falmouth.
Once in Martha’s Vineyard you can enjoy riding the oldest merry-go-round in the United States, hitting the beach, lighthouse viewing, exploring the Felix Neck Wildlife Refuge, and walk through Mytoi, a Japanese garden. Visit Oak Bluffs and take in the colorful cottages. Head to the Western side of the island and view the Aquinnah Cliffs and Gay Head Lighthouse.
There are multiple ways to get around on Martha’s Vineyard, including public transportation, taxis, bike rentals, or a personal vehicle (you can bring a car over on the ferry-but you will want to make sure to plan and book ahead of time).
Take a Day Trip To Nantucket
Nantucket is another great day trip when visiting Cape Cod with kids. While the ferry ride is a little long, about 2 hours and 15 minutes, it is worth the trip! Nantucket is known for its cobblestone streets, historic homes, and as being an inspiration for Moby Dick.
Once on Nantucket, you can enjoy strolling the streets in Nantucket Town and visiting the quaint shops or grabbing a bite at a local restaurant. Visit Children’s Beach, a sheltered beach right in Nantucket Harbor that is great for families. Jetties Beach is another great family friendly beach to visit. You can rent a bike and enjoy riding around the island and taking in scenic coastal views.
The Brant Point Lighthouse is another great option, also located in Nantucket Harbor. Visit the village of Siasconset and take the Sconset Bluff Walk. For an indoor activity consider the Nantucket Shipwreck & Lifesaving Museum. A harbor cruise is a great way to see the island from the water.
You can get around Nantucket by walking, biking, taking public transportation, or taxis. While you can bring a car via ferry, it is not necessary. The downtown Nantucket area is very walkable and gets you to many of the top destinations on the island.
Things to Do on Cape Cod With Kids: Go On a Seal Cruise
While whale watching is a popular activity on Cape Cop, a Monomoy Island Excursion is another excellent way to get out on the water and enjoy wildlife watching. Monomoy Island Excursions takes you to Monomoy Island, a barrier Island and wildlife refuge, where thousands of seals call home.
Tours last an hour and a half tour that will bring you up close to lounging and swimming gray seals, past three lighthouses, and also have the possibility of seeing sea birds and other forms of wild life. The cruise includes a live narrator providing information about the area and wild life spotted. The tour is best for children over the age of 4.
Seals popping their heads out of the water. © The Navigating Mom.
Hit the Beach
This one goes without saying while in Cape Cod. Surrounded on three sides by water, it is only natural that a good portion of a Cape Cod getaway would be spent at the beach. Beach options are endless and range from crowded areas, more secluded beaches, and private resort beaches. Depending on what you are looking for, do a little research and find the perfect beach for you when visiting Cape Cod with kids.
Some of the best beaches for kids are Macaroni Beach in Wellfleet with its pristine sand and beautiful shoreline, Race Point Beach, a more secluded and less crowded beach with restrooms and showers, Mayflower Beach in Dennis for tide pools, a small boardwalk, lifeguards, and restrooms, and the large Craigsville Beach in Centerville with plenty of space to spread out, lifeguards, restrooms, and a nearby snack bar.
Go Mini-Golfing
Cape Cod has no shortage of mini-golf options. Take a break from beach life for an hour or two and enjoy a game of mini-golf, surrounded by your choice of unique settings, including Pirate’s Cove Adventure Golf, Skull Island, Wild Animal Lagoon, and Cape Escape Mini Golf. You can even combine a trip to Skull Island mini golf with some go-karting, batting cages, and an arcade.
Go Off-Roading with Art’s Dune Tours
One of the most unique things to do on Cape Cod is to take a tour with Art’s Dune Tours to see the famous Provincetown Sand Dunes. Art’s Dune Tours will take you through the Peaked Hill Bars Historic District Sand Dunes, past Pilgrim Lake, and past the famous artists’ dune shacks.
The tour is lead by a knowledgeable tour guide who will provide you with an overview of the history and importance of the area. There are multiple tour options, including a one hour daytime tour, two hour sunset tour, and dune and water tours (combining a sand dune experience with a water activity such as kayaking). For the tour you will sit inside a comfortable SUV that holds up to 6.
Fly a Kite
The ocean wind sets the perfect scene for kite flying. Cape Cod has no shortage of kite shops, so if you don’t remember to bring one with you, you can easily purchase one. Many of the beaches in Cape Cod are less crowded at night time, especially the less popular ones, so you will find plenty of room for kite flying for the kids and a relaxing spot for you to sit and enjoy the evening.
Some of the best places to find kites in Cape Cod are Dr. Gravity’s Kite Shop in Harwich Port, The Kite Store in Provincetown, and The Red Balloon Toy Shop is Mashpee/Orleans.
Visit the Wild Waves Cape Cod
The Wild Waves Cape Cod Waterpark and inflatable park is a great way to spend an afternoon for families on Cape Cod. The park is a combo of a traditional water park with water slides, a wave pool, flow rider surf simulator, Splash Island, and a pool bar for the adults.
The park also features an inflatable park that features over 20 inflatables. Inflatables include bounce houses, games, and obstacle courses. There are also some kid friendly food options in the park, including the Shark Bites Cafe that offers hot dogs, hamburgers, pizza, and chicken fingers, and the Surf House Food Truck.
When visiting the park, you can get a combo pass that includes the water park, inflatable park, and flow rider, or you can buy single passes for the water park or inflatable park.
Things To Do On Cape Cod With Kids: Catch the Sunset
Cape Cod is known as a great spot to catch a sunset, especially on the tip of the Cape facing West. What better way to end the day than with a family picnic on one of Cape Cod’s beaches with the sound of crashing waves in the background and a colorful mixture of colors in the sky?
Some of the best spots on Cape Cod for sunset viewing include Race Point Beach in Provincetown, Gray’s Beach in Yarmouthport, Old Silver Beach in Yarmouth, Sandy Neck Beach Park, Barnstable, Skaket Beach, Orleans, Herring Cove in Provincetown, and Lieutenant Island, Wellfleet.
Catch A Film Under the Stars at the Wellfleet Drive-In Theater
Drive-In theaters are a dying breed, but that doesn’t make them any less fun to visit! The Wellfleet Drive-In Theater is the last remaining drive-in theater on the Cape and one of only 300 remaining throughout the country, so I would definitely recommend taking the chance while you can.
Watch a movie from the comfort of your car or bring a blanket and spread out in the grass while enjoying a movie under the stars with the sound coming through the car’s radio. There is a concession stand as well for you to get some tasty treats, popcorn, and drinks.
Before your movie, you can also visit the Dairy Bar and play some mini golf. The theater offers a vintage mini-golf course built in 1971, while the Dairy Bar offers indoor seating and tasty treats.
Explore the Cape Cod National Seashore
The Cape Cod National Seashore is a forty mile long stretch of sandy beaches, marshes, ponds, lighthouses, walking trails, and wild cranberry bogs on the Atlantic facing eastern shore of Cape Cod. The seashore is full of great, family friendly beaches, including Coast Guard Beach, Nauset Beach and the Nauset Light, and Macaroni Beach.
Aside from the beaches you will find plenty of walking trails, the Salt Pond Visitor Center, the Wellfleet Drive-In Theater, the Three Sisters Lighthouses, Doane Rock, the Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary, the White Cedar Swamp, Highland Light, and plenty of restaurants, ice cream parlors, candy stores, and toy stores.
Things to Do in Cape Cod With Kids (Indoors)
Take the Cape Cod Potato Chip Tour
Located in Hyannis, the Cape Cod Potato Chip Factory offers a free tour with free chips-how can you go wrong? If you have ever seen and tried the Cape Cod Kettle Chips with the image of the Nauset Lighthouse on the bag, you will understand why they went from a local sensation to being sold around the world. Visitors to the factory can take a self-guided tour to see how these chips are made and packaged. The tour ends in the gift ship with souvenirs for purchase and a free sample of the chips! Kids of any age are always welcome on the tour, making this a fun activity when visiting Cape Cod with kids.
Things To Do on Cape Cod With Kids: Visit the Whydah Pirate’s Museum
Any pirate lovers out there? If so, the Whydah Pirate Museum is the perfect spot to not only learn about pirates, but to see actual pirate treasures. Older children will enjoy learning about pirates and the history of the Whydah shipwreck, while younger children can enjoy a scavenger hunt in the museum. The museum offers many exhibits, a partial replica of the Whydah Gally, and Sea lab and Learning Center.
Explore the Cape Cod Children’s Museum
If you are looking for a rainy day activity or just to get out of the sun for a little bit, consider visiting the Cape Cod Children’s Museum. The museum offers plenty of hands- on exhibits that combine learning, imagination, and fun. You can join in on some of the museum’s newer exhibits, including scavenger hunts, check out the Steam room, Escape Room adventure, and Riddle Around the Museum.
The museum also offers several different activities throughout the day, such as arts and crafts, sing-a-longs, and stories. The Cape Cod Children’s Museum is best suited for younger children, but is good for children ages 1-12.
Learn About Great Whites at the Chatham Shark Center
If you are interested in learning about the wildlife that call Cape Cod home, the Chatham Shark Center is a great indoor option! The Chatham Shark Center will take you under the waters surrounding Cape Cod and introduce you to the Great White Sharks that have made the area their home.
You can explore the museum on your own and learn about the history of the sharks in the area, ongoing White Shark research, and the role of the Great White Sharks in the ecosystem. You can also join one of their family programs, including fossil fun and Shark 101. The Chatham Shark Center is hosted by the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy, an organization supporting further research on White Sharks and Grey Seals.
Explore the Cape Cod Museum of Natural History
The Cape Cod Museum of Natural History combines fun and learning, while helping teach kids an appreciation of the natural environment. The museum contains a variety of exhibits that explore the natural world with fun, hands on kids activities.
To learn about the wildlife of the area, check out the honey bee observation hive, the Osprey cam, the bird walk and talk, and the butterfly exhibit. The Mud kitchen is a great option for hands-on activities, playing in the mud, and building tunnels. If you are up for a little bit of walking, join a hike to the Mudflat on the Brewster flats.
You can also find some other hiking trails at the museum, including the Lee Baldwin Trail (1 mile) and the John Ring Trail (1.3 miles). Be sure to check the tide schedule before you visit as this can affect the trails. The Cape Cod Museum of Natural History is the perfect way to spend a rainy day and is one of the best things to do on Cape Cod with kids.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best time of year to visit Cape Cod with kids?
Summer is the most popular time for families because of warm weather and beach activities. Spring and fall can be quieter and more comfortable for exploring, while summer generally offers the most attractions and activities.
How many days do you need on Cape Cod with kids?
A 3–5 day trip is a good starting point for families. This gives you enough time to visit several beaches, explore different towns, enjoy outdoor activities, and have a day for a boat excursion or whale watching. But there is enough to do on the Cape that you could easily spend over a week there exploring.
Is Cape Cod stroller-friendly?
Many attractions, paved paths, and some beaches are stroller-friendly, but sandy beaches and some nature trails can be difficult with a stroller. A baby carrier may be more practical for exploring certain trails.
Are there kid-friendly hiking trails on Cape Cod?
Yes. Cape Cod has numerous short, relatively easy trails through forests, marshes, dunes, and coastal landscapes. Many are suitable for families looking for a break from the beach.
Do you need a car to explore Cape Cod with kids?
Yes, I would recommend having a car. Attractions/Destinations can be far apart, and there are many small towns worth visiting. Having a car will make it easier to get around and fully explore the area.
Which is better for a day trip with kids: Martha’s Vineyard or Nantucket?
Both islands are great options, but the better choice depends on your family’s interests. Martha’s Vineyard is a good choice if your kids would enjoy colorful cottages, beaches, small towns, and attractions such as the Flying Horses Carousel. Nantucket is a great option for families interested in historic downtown streets, beaches, maritime history, and museums.
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