Cape Cod, Massachusetts
As the leaves change color on Cape Cod, high-season crowds drain out of this hook-shaped peninsula, leaving wide-open beaches and quiet bike paths. It’s a time when you can easily secure a table at just about any restaurant, and there’s more room for browsing at the many roadside antiques shops. The coastal views are as beautiful as ever, especially during a misty December sunrise.
Must-Do: The town of Sandwich is right on the Cape Cod Canal, so it’s likely the first community you’ll reach by car. During the winter holiday season, its Heritage Museums & Gardens hosts the Gardens Aglow celebration, with the staff decorating the museum’s buildings and festooning its 100-acre grounds with colorful lights.
Eat: Seafood is best harvested in cold weather, particularly New England specialties such as lobster, scallops, and oysters. It’s the perfect time to dine at beloved seafood institutions like the Fishermen’s View (and Market) in Sandwich and The Naked Oyster Bistro & Raw Bar in Hyannis. Both are open year-round.
Day-Trip: Provincetown is located at the northern tip of Cape Cod, and its population drops from 60,000 in summer to 3,000 in winter. Still, December is an active time in P-town: Many restaurants and galleries remain open, costumed athletes sign up for the Jingle Bell Run, and residents and visitors alike celebrate the season with various ongoing events and markets.
