We first stepped onto Cape Cod by way of the sea. A ferry bound for Provincetown, then on to Nantucket, that was a crazy and still perfect Fall of 2024 where everything was brand new. Jill had just started her travel nursing contract in Plymouth, and we were still finding our footing in a new place, chasing small adventures wherever we could. The Cape felt far away then - a place that existed in postcards and movies; untouchable and just beyond reach. We never could have guessed that a year later, we’d be given the chance to call it home, if only for four months.

And yet, even from Boston, a short hour and a half away, getting there proved to be more than a challenge. Almost as if the Cape was asking us to earn our time there. Before we ever made it on the Cape, things took a turn that led us on a journey in some unexpected ways.

The first property we were meant to rent turned out to be a scam, leaving us “homeless,” if you will, for nearly a month in Boston. Not exactly the graceful goodbye we’d hoped for from that beautiful city. We drifted from place to place, some of them incredible (an apartment on the marina in Chelsea), all of them temporary (2 days in a hostel in Brighton), the stress of it hanging heavy over every unpacked bag. 

Then, just when we thought the chaos had finally ended, the day we were set to move to the Cape, our next rental canceled on us two hours before check-in. If you know anything about summer on the Cape, you know how impossible it is to find a place during high-season, when every cottage and guesthouse is booked solid or priced like diamonds and gold. 

So, once again, we became wanderers, drifters, never unpacking suitcases, bouncing from Airbnb to hotel every week or couple of days. To be quite honest, it was exhausting - just the instability of it all. What we learned is that a home, no matter how temporary, is a safe place in the world to call your own. Accomplishing even basic life tasks when you're constantly on the move proved difficult and eye opening. 

Though, in that strange in-between, we experienced something; the quiet beaches, the night-time walks, seaside harbors, the islands, the people. In the midst of all the unknown and instability, we found our truest version of Cape Cod: beautiful, peaceful, and impossible not to fall in love with.

From our first couple weeks at a beautiful Airbnb in Mashpee, to a charming beachside cottage in East Sandwich, then a month and a half at a family home in Falmouth, and finally a quiet month on the tiny, almost secretive Seconsett Island (we'll just skip over the week at the roadside motel In Buzzards Bay), each place left its own mark on the story of our time on the Cape. Along the way, we’ve put together our own guide to the Cape: a curated list of the beaches, towns, and hidden spots that stole our hearts.

Sandwich, MA

• Fisherman's View
• 6A Cafe
• Titcomb's Bookshop
• East Sandwich Beach

Mashpee, MA

• Naukabout Brewery & Taproom
• Trevi Cafe & Wine Bar
• Mashpee Pond
• Bleu Restaurant
• Mashpee Commons

Woods Hole, MA

• Landfall Restaurant
• Shuckers
• The Captain Kidd
• Leeside Pub

Chatham, MA

• Chatham Squire
• Chatham Bars Inn
• Yellow Umbrella Books
• Chatham Pier Fish Market
• Lighthouse Beach

Martha's Vineyard

• The Wharf
• Edgartown Books
• The Ritz
• Faraway Martha's Vineyard
• The Gingerbread Houses
• Edgartown Harbor Lighthouse
• Jaws Bridge
• Lambert's Cove Beach

Provincetown, MA

• The Squealing Pig
• Pepe's Wharf Restaurant
• The Lobster Pot
• The Shell Shop
• Tim's Used Books

Nantucket

• CRU
• Brotherhood of Thieves
• Or, The Whale
• Nantucket Bookworks
• Cisco Brewers
• Brant Point Lighthouse
• Breeze Restaurant
• Head to our Nantucket Guide for more about our favorite island.

Hyannis, MA

• Black Cat Tavern
• Baxter's Boathouse
• Mariner Cafe
• Tugboats at Hyannis Marina

Falmouth, MA

• Eight Cousins Books
• The Knob
• Coffee Obsession
• Quahog Republic
• Liam Maguire's Irish Pub
• The Lantern Room

Cape Cod left its mark on us; quietly, completely. We’re not sure when we’ll return, only that we will. If you want to see more of what life looked like there, you can watch our full journey on YouTube - the beaches, small towns, and slow days. Start here...