Cape Cod or Nantucket?

[AnnitaR]

Hope someone in this forum can help me out!

If I were to pick one for a much needed vacation which should I choose? They both look absolutely beautiful! Can someone maybe give me the pros and cons of each. I would appreciate it very much!

I would like to go in May next year. I know either place will be probably less crowded in May and hopefully a little more affordable.

[merbex]

1. I'd vote for Nantucket

but as we just had an awful nor'easter keep in mind that Nantucket's nickname is The Gray Lady of the Atlantic

it is also expensive;but gorgeous.

[unhappycamper]

2. May in Mass? Are you nuts?

May is, at best an iffy month up here. About the only thing you can count on is you're not going to have a clue what the weathah's going to be. It could be sunny and 60 or rainy and 50.

Now that you understand the weathah situation, how much were you planning on spending & how long were you planning on staying?

[AnnitaR]

4. LOL! See this is the kind of info I was needing!

What would be the best month in your opinion?

I want to stay a week. Don't really have a set budget since I will have a year or so to save. I know it's going to be pricey, but I haven't had a vacation in 5 years. So, I'm willing to treat myself.

Thanks for your help!

Leaving work but I'll check back here tonight!

[Rockholm]

15. September. Nantucket.

[GrandInquisitor]

18. Ferry rates

In season is generally May 15th through October 15th for the Steamship Authority(islandferry.com) so keep this in mind as the fares for cars go from $115 off season to $175 in season roundtrip to Nantucket.

But the best thing to do is take the highspeed service w/o your car and rent a bike. Nantucket is tiny, and already congested with enough cars.
On the Vineyard, its a toss up.
The Vineyard has a 1/2 marathon that i run on Sept 4th this year as well as right around that time last year. So google up things like this as resorts/hotels/B&B's will most likely keep their summer rates on the Vineyard at least through that weekend.

[newyawker99]

26. Hi GrandInquisitor!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[FourStarDemocrat]

3. You might be able to do both

I'd recommend staying at the Cape in or near Provincetown. There's a lot to see and there. North Truro is very close to P-town and a lovely sea side area. There are ferrys that leave out of Hyannis daily, and you can do a one or two day excursion to Nantucket, which will enable you to enjoy it and not have to spend a ton of money being there during your whole vacation.

[AnnitaR]

5. Oooh! That sounds like a great idea.

So, I'm taking it that Nantucket is a lot more expensive than Cape Cod? Seeing both place sounds wonderful. I have only been to beaches in Florida (Destin, St. Pete, Daytona) and S.C. (Myrtle). I am really excited about seeing as much as I can there.

You guys are great! Thanks so much for helping me out!

[Rockholm]

16. If you are straight, please Stay AWAY from P-town.

You are ruining the place.

[paineinthearse]

17. Excuse me, but

I don't like this "Jim Crow" attitude. Are you serious?

[Rockholm]

22. Sorry. That is how I feel.

I watched the South End get overrun with baby carriages and 25 year-old girls who want to be "fabulous."
I have watched P-town get overrun with day trippers who are there to do two things...get a cheezy t-shirt and watch the canivale on Commercial Street.
I have many straight friends who have bought homes in P-town. They are NOT the ones to which I refer. I should have made that clearer.

[FourStarDemocrat]

19. That is obnoxious talk. You sound like a Pat Robertson of the left. n/t

[unhappycamper]

25. I'm straight, but I think P-town is one of the jewels of the Cape.

I would buy down there if I had the $$$$. The people there are the friendliest you can find in Massachusetts.

[unhappycamper]

6. Truro is a pretty good location.

You are right on the Cape Cod National Seashore. We're talking some seriously nice beaches.

P-Town, aka Provincetown, has a large summertime gay community. (I mention this just in case gay bothers you.) Having said that, P-Town is probably the funnest place on the cape.

A day trip to Nantucket is very doable. I would also recommend you take another day trip to Martha's Vineyard. Be sure to take the bus tour on MV. Katama beach on MV near Edgartown is another winnah.

If you come late May / June, be sure to go on a whale watch. Stillwagen Bank is hopping (literally) with whales that time of year. There are whale watch boats all over MA & I would be amazed if there wasn't a location on the cape.

[Kathy in Cambridge]

13. Don't forget Wellfleet-typical New England town centre and artists colony

Not to mention good restaurants and beautiful beaches!

[stellanoir]

7. Not meaning to confuse you even further

but Martha's Vineyard is really nice as well.

[Soopercali]

8. How about Martha's Vineyard in September?

It's a lot cheaper then but it's still hot and the ocean is warm enough for swimmming.

[harlinchi]

9. Mah-thah's Vin-yud!

Edgartown beach is sooo cool, for kids and adults. Oak Bluffs has a couple of things to do. My great-aunt married a Wampanoug (Gay Head) and lived on the island, allowing us poor folks from Philly to enjoy the island for years. My mom was a frequenter of The Inkwell.

[soupkitchen]

10. Block Island

Unless your thing is sitting on a beach or golfing.
If you like to walk and bicycle and explore you will find some of the most beautiful vistas imaginable on Block Island.

[unhappycamper]

11. I forgot a month recommendation.

Keep in mind the weathah up here is unpredictable. Some of us still call rain "Don Kent" sunshine. (Don was a weathahman on one of our local TV stations.) We have a saying up heah: If you don't like the weathah, just wait a few minutes - it will change.

Mid to late June temps should be in the 70s. July is usually in the 80s~90s. Bring sweatshirts and rain gear. Temps along the coast tend to be about 10 degrees cooler. You will need a heavy sweatshirt if you go on a boat to Nantucket or MV or a whale watch. (Vineyard or Nantucket or Black Dog sweatshirts are way cool.)

For the best shot at decent beach weather, I would plan on mid-June thru August. Unfortunately, this is the "high" season, so you'll be paying top $$ for everything.

September can be one of the prettiest months. The kids are back in school, the crowds are mostly gone, and if a hurricane doesn't blow in it's prime time beach weathah.

I would avoid the area from November thru May if you are looking for outdoor activities involving moderate weathah.



edit to add September - duh.

[Kathy in Cambridge]

12. September is the best month down the Cape

the ocean water is warm. The days are warm and sunny and the nights cool. Spring is unpredictable here, and the Cape and Islands are usually cooler than the mainland because they are surrounded by water and ocean temp is cold.

unhappycamper is right-May can be 90 and humid or 50 and rainy. This week has been a typical May mess: it was in the 40s and rainy this weekend, but it's supposed to be 70s tomorrow and 80s on Wednesday.

[paineinthearse]

14. You'll freeze your ***** off in May!

Whichever you choose, go instead AFTER the season, after labor day or in October.

The crowds are gone, the prices are down and the warm gulf stream waters finally reach closer to shore.

[PuraVidaDreamin]

20. Lots of factors to consider...

Are you active/ passive?

MOre into arts/ antiques/music/theatre?

Like lots of peoples or less

Mountainbiking / cycling on cape is great. There are miles of singletrack trail of bike trail and bike routes to choose from.
Far less of the islands, yet still beautiful. Lyme disease is for some reason more prevelent on the Islands, esp. Nantucket.

Surfing is more an option down Cape and Nantucket, the temps nothing a wetsuit can't cure.

Fishing tours are awesome, yet off Barnstable (Stillwagon Bank as another poster alluded to is awesome) The Blues start hitting right about... now.

The kayaking in many of the different smallers bays is outstanding
In all areas. Many of our saltwater marsh areas are outstanding for birding, other wildlife. Sandy Neck in Sandwigh/ Barnstable gorgeous.

Many art galleries throughout all areas, Rte 6A is world reknown for
antiqueing.

We have some of the oldest grave yards, and if you are into it, supposedly haunted areas.

The music is fabulous, many blues/ jazz open jams throughout the region that attract some amazing young through old talent.

Excellent restaurants Everywhere, including sushi FRESH FRESH,
Indian and Thai. Better to go to a seafood mart and purchase/boil your own lobster.

Great Fleamarket down cape weekly. The yardsales ROCK.
Lived here most of my life so you could contact me for more info

[AnnitaR]

21. THANK YOU!

Thank you all sooo much! I really appreciate all the great info you have provided! I knew I could count on the DUers to help me out! Getting first hand info is soo much better than what you can find in a book or on the Net.

After reading through these posts and what I've read on the Net... right now I'm leaning toward this for my trip:

-September (after Labor Day). My birthday is Sept 4th so this trip is going to be a great B-day present to myself!

-Staying on the Cape (not exactly sure where yet probably close to Provincetown). Two-day trip to Nantucket and a day trip to Martha's Vineyard.

I'm a southern girl. The only place I've been up north is NYC, which I loved! The only beaches I have been to are in Florida and SC. I wanted a different vacation this time.

I am a low-key relaxed person, no biking or surfing for me. I just want to sit by the beach with a good book, shop, and stroll around town.

Once again thank you guys for your help. I hope you all won't mind me keep asking you questions. This is going to be a dream trip for me and I'm probably going to need all the help I can get! :7

[Kathy in Cambridge]

23. If you like to shop, stroll around town, and relax, Wellfleet or P-Town

are your best bets on the Outer Cape. Truro is beautiful, but doesn't really have a town center. Same for Eastham.


Wellfleet Harbor


The beaches along Wellfleet have high dunes

[unhappycamper]

24. Great choice! If you can schedule a few extra days, Boston

is a really cool town. The Freedom Trail, Duck Tours, Museum of Fine Ahts are just a few of our attractions. And that mecca of all outdoors, LL Bean, is only about 2 hours north of Boston. The Lobstah Pound in Olgouinquit, ME (sp?) is still open on the weekends.

Outside of our weathah, it's a great area.

(I came here 32 years ago & nevah left.)

[skippysmom]

27. Stay on the Cape

You'll find many more affordable options, and you can day trip to the Islands.

I live in Hyannis, which is nice and centrally located but not incredibly quaint. However, if you are looking for places open late (or a mall) this is the place to be.

Each of the towns on the Cape has something well worth seeing. I happen to like Chatham and Wellfleet myself.

[Justitia]

28. I'm coming to the Cape & MV this week, & I'm heartbroken!!!!

I have been raving to my husband for yrs about how much I love the cape and Martha's Vineyard. I have described it to him in aching detail, the smell of the air, the diversity of the topography, the history, the beauty, the atmosphere, the downright "American Gothic" mystery of it all....

Hubby finally has the chance to go with me THIS WEEK after a biz trip to Rhode Island. Meeting him in Boston, then heading down to the cape and Martha's Vineyard for several days. Blew a bunch of non-refundable $$$ to make it a really top-drawer initial vacation for him there (and entice him to return, naturally) and now....

It's COLD, RAINY and WET - expected to remain so our ENTIRE TRIP.

Don't get me wrong, I can definitely get into the "rainy cape & island" mood, but for his very FIRST trip there, I am sooooo disappointed! It will so hard to take him out walking around and seeing everything.

Someone please lie to me and tell me that the weather will be clear and fabulous by Wednesday - Thursday at the latest.

:cry:

[Kathy in Cambridge]

29. It should be 75 and sunny, but it isn't

:cry:

it sucks-it's 25-30 degrees below normal. and the damp will kill you down the Cape. It's so raw.

Maybe stick to indoor activites?

[Justitia]

30. I'll point out all the beauty from inside the car. Thanks for your reply.

I've been talking up the area to hubby so much, now he'll just have to see it thru the windows - ha!

We can still have some great seafood, 'tho!

[Cobalt Violet]

31. This is thee worse May for the Cape.

But I'm still going to go camping on the Cape Memorial weekend. I'm going to bring lots of tarps, firewood, and sleeping bags.

[Kathy in Cambridge]

32. don't forget the sump pump

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