Cape Cod & Martha's Vineyard

Cape Cod is New England's summer playground — a 100 km long, arm-shaped peninsula that juts into the Atlantic and has attracted artists, writers, and families for centuries. Sandy dune beaches, picturesque lighthouses, baskets full of oysters, and the light that Edward Hopper captured on canvas. In summer, the small towns along Route 6A (the "Old King's Highway") are a single postcard motif of white wooden houses, rose hedges, and antique shops.

Provincetown

Provincetown (short "P-town") at the very tip of the Cape is one of the most tolerant and creative places in America — a lively LGBTQ+ stronghold with excellent restaurants, art galleries, and the Pilgrim Monument (the tallest all-granite tower in the USA, 77 m, admission $17). This is where the Pilgrims actually landed first in 1620 before moving on to Plymouth. The Commercial Street is the heart of the town — drag shows, cabaret, and seafood right by the water. In summer, a fast ferry runs from Boston (90 min., from $65 one-way), making P-town the perfect day trip.

Chatham & the Beaches

Chatham at the "elbow" of the Cape is the prototypical New England town: a lighthouse, a fishing harbor where you can watch fishermen unloading at 2 p.m., and Main Street with shops that look like nothing has changed since 1900. The Cape Cod National Seashore (established by JFK in 1961) protects 65 km of pristine Atlantic beaches — Nauset Beach, Coast Guard Beach, and Race Point Beach in Provincetown are the highlights. Daily parking fee: $25 per car (or free with the America the Beautiful Pass, $80/year).

Martha's Vineyard & Nantucket

Martha's Vineyard is the summer residence of the American elite — the Obamas have their estate here, and the ferry from Woods Hole (45 min., from $10 foot passenger, car from $85 in summer) takes you to another world: Victorian gingerbread houses in Oak Bluffs, the colorful Cliffs of Aquinnah (clay cliffs in red, orange, and white), and the sleepy elegance of Edgartown with its 19th-century captain's houses. Bike rental ($30/day) is the best way to explore the island.

Nantucket, the smaller sister, lies 50 km off the coast and feels like a time warp: cobblestones, climbing roses over cedar wood facades, no building over three stories. The Whaling Museum ($28) tells the story of the whaling era that inspired Herman Melville's "Moby Dick." Fast ferry from Hyannis: 60 min., from $45.

Whale Watching

From April to October, humpback whales migrate through the waters off Cape Cod — the Stellwagen Bank between Cape Cod and Cape Ann is one of the best whale-watching areas in the world. Tours start from Provincetown (shortest, 2.5 hours, from $55), Barnstable, or Boston. The sighting rate is over 95%. You'll see humpback whales, fin whales, and with luck, the rare North Atlantic right whales — one of the most endangered large whale species in the world.