Summer on the Seashore

May 01, 2011

Why: I own a vintage postcard, printed in the 1950s, featuring a muted color image of a toddler on a Cape Cod beach. The caption reads, "Cape Cod cutie." Suffice it to say Cape Cod has been a family destination for decades.

When to Go: Summer is the peak, but the Cape's season now extends from spring into fall.

Where to Stay: The Cape Codder Resort & Spa in Hyannis maintains an indoor water slide and wave pool. Shoreway Acres Resort Inn in Falmouth has indoor and outdoor pools and a spacious play area but, surprisingly, the kids always head straight to its Victorian gazebos. Chatham Wayside Inn in Chatham is roomy and stylish.

What to Do: Using a fleet of Suburbans, Art's Dune Tours takes families off-roading on trails approved by the National Park Service. Not only is the ride great, but the excursion is enhanced by the humor of Art's guides. (When I told my daughter she would hear funny jokes on the tour, guide Rob Costa responded, "Lots of jokes, yes. Funny, I don't know.")

Cape Cod National Seashore extends beyond the dunes. Bicycle trails wind among the trees and marshland, and footpaths snake their way along sand and through forests. As for beaches, those facing Nantucket Sound boast the warmest waters.

Kids can ride a carousel with original handcarved horses, construct a fort and create nature-inspired art at the newly opened Hidden Hollow, a part of the multi-building Heritage Museum & Gardens, in Sandwich. In East Sandwich, you will find the home of children's author Thornton W. Burgess, where jams and jellies are made using century-old methods. The home of another children's author, Edward Gorey, known for his offbeat ABC book "The Gashlycrumb Tinies," faces Yarmouthport's town green. Don't neglect to notice the toilet fixture that the eccentric Gorey transformed into an elephant-shaped end table.

Insider Tip: Get off the main road, Route 6, as often as you can and explore the cozy small towns along the way.