I loved Cape Cod’s Provincetown when I used to hang out there on summer weekends twenty years ago and I love it today. On a recent trip there over the summer, I discovered how little had changed over the years.
Its history dates back to the Pilgrims’ First Landing in 1620 and the Mayflower Compact, no grave surprise give its strategic geographic location and the fact that it’s surrounded by water.
As colorful and fun as ever, this heavily touristed town at the very tip of Cape Cod in Massachusetts, continues to actively throw parties, festivals and other cultural activities that draw the crowds. From the summer to the early fall, they have dozens of events, which range from a celebration of whales, a homemade boat race, WorldFest, the Sea Bike Trek and the Afterglow Alternative Performance Arts Festival to Grape Stomp, Tennessee Williams Festival, Castle Hill Annual Art Auction and the GLAD Summer party.
LGBT: the town itself is known for its large gay and lesbian population and because of it, Provincetown continually attracts a fun crowd who seem to want to play hard. I love this about this Cape Cod gem.
Dog Culture: the town also attracts lazy dogs who are well loved. There’s no shortage of animal lovers in Provincetown, another aspect to love.
Flowers: they grow wild in the summer and there’s tons of vivid colors throughout the town and adjoining beaches.
Lobster pot buoys are everywhere, perhaps a reminder that you’re along the New England coast.
The miniature houses and architecture are all things seaside…..
Art and Culture: the art scene is a dominant factor in the town with no shortage of incredible talent. I’d recommend renting a bike and cycling it to all the galleries inside and outside the town so you can hit a lot of them.
Beaches: the beach scene is also spectacular and reminds you of the fact that if you do live in a city, you probably don’t want to for the rest of your life.
Food & Nightlight: the food scene top notch, especially for seafood. Options:
- Pepe’s Wharf for seafood is always and if the weather is good, they have great waterfront dining.
- Fanizzi’s by the Sea
- Lobster Pot Restaurant
- Red Inn for fine dining
- Squealing Pig
- Vorelli’s Restaurant
- Victor’s
- Mayflower Cafe
- Harbour Lounge
Lodging: For where to stay, it depends on what you’re in the mood for but there’s no shortage of options of inns, resorts, hotels and motels and in a wide variety of price ranges. A few recommendations include:
- Admiral’s Landing on Bradford Street.
- Atlantic Light Inn on Pearl Street.
- The Captain’s House on Commercial Street.
- Crowne Pointe Inn, Spa & Bistro on Bradford Street.
- The Crown & Anchor Inn on Commercial Street.
- Gallery Inn on Johnson Street.
- Crow’s Nest Beach Front Resort & Cottages on Shore Road.
- Watership Inn on Winthrop Street
- Snug Cottage on Bradford Street.
- Sage Inn & Lounge on Commercial Street
- Outer Beach Resort on Commercial Street
- Provincetown Inn Seaside Resort & Conference Center on Commercial Street which is a great option for groups and families.
Here are links to read all of our posts on Massachusetts, Boston and Cape Cod. All photos, credit and courtesy of Renee Blodgett.
Note: The Massachusetts and Cape Cod Tourism Board hosted and helped with some of our activities but all opinions expressed are entirely my own.
Renee Blodgett is the founder of We Blog the World. The site combines the magic of an online culture and travel magazine with a global blog network and has contributors from every continent in the world. Having lived in 10 countries and explored nearly 80, she is an avid traveler, and a lover, observer and participant in cultural diversity.
She is also the CEO and founder of Magic Sauce Media, a new media services consultancy focused on viral marketing, social media, branding, events and PR. For over 20 years, she has helped companies from 12 countries get traction in the market. Known for her global and organic approach to product and corporate launches, Renee practices what she pitches and as an active user of social media, she helps clients navigate digital waters from around the world. Renee has been blogging for over 16 years and regularly writes on her personal blog Down the Avenue, Huffington Post, BlogHer, We Blog the World and other sites. She was ranked #12 Social Media Influencer by Forbes Magazine and is listed as a new media influencer and game changer on various sites and books on the new media revolution. In 2013, she was listed as the 6th most influential woman in social media by Forbes Magazine on a Top 20 List.
Her passion for art, storytelling and photography led to the launch of Magic Sauce Photography, which is a visual extension of her writing, the result of which has led to producing six photo books: Galapagos Islands, London, South Africa, Rome, Urbanization and Ecuador.
Renee is also the co-founder of Traveling Geeks, an initiative that brings entrepreneurs, thought leaders, bloggers, creators, curators and influencers to other countries to share and learn from peers, governments, corporations, and the general public in order to educate, share, evaluate, and promote innovative technologies.
