🌊 A Chatham Weekend for Holding Hands and Chilling Out with Families
This Lower Cape adventure offers screen-free, hands-on fun with coastal charm and nostalgic old-fashioned fun! ⚾🦞
Escape to the Lower Cape for a screen-free family weekend in this delightful seaside village known for its beautiful beaches, historic charm, and vibrant community. This Friday-to-Sunday itinerary is packed with lighthouses, seafood, beaches, and magical moments, embracing nostalgic, old-fashioned fun for kids and grown-ups alike. 🚗✨
🗓️ Day 1: Friday – Arrival & Chatham Vibes
Early Afternoon: Check-In 🏡
Arrive on the Lower Cape around 1–2 PM and settle into a romantic resort or a VRBO rental in Chatham. Unpack and let the fun begin!
Afternoon: Strolling & Ice Cream ⛳🍦
Stroll down Main Street and admire the Art in the Park exhibit through mid-August. Stop by Fisherman's Daughter, 521 Main Street for locally designed clothing inspired by a lifetime by the sea. Chuckle at the world's largest collection of rubber ducks at Ducks in the Window at 507 Main Street. Grab a treat at Buffy’s Ice Cream at 456 Main Street, home of the famous Chatham Ice Cream Bars!
Evening: Dinner & Chatham Band Concert 🍽️🎶
Choose dinner at Aplaya Restaurant (585 Main St, Chatham) for fresh coastal flavors or The Squire (487 Main St, Chatham), a lively pub with tasty fare and a great bar for grown-ups. 🍻 By 8 PM, grab a blanket and head to Kate Gould Park (250 Main St, Chatham) for the iconic Chatham Town Band Concert. Dance to lively tunes under the stars! 🌟
Pro Tip: Stop by Chatham Candy Manor (484 Main St, Chatham) before the concert for treats to munch on. Pack glow sticks for the kids to wave along!
🗓️ Day 2: Saturday – Seals, Sharks & Baseball
Morning: Fishing or Biking 🎣🚲
Watch planes land while enjoying lemon ricotta pancakes at Hangar B Eatery (240 George Ryder Rd, Chatham). Then, join Cap’n Kids Fishing Adventure (230 Main St, Chatham) for fishing and crabbing. Prefer land? Rent bikes at Wheelhouse Bike Co. (next to the Bike Path entrance in Chatham) and cruise the Cape Cod Rail Trail. 🚴♀️
Afternoon: Seals, Sharks & Lobster Rolls 🦭🦈🦞
Visit Chatham Fish Pier (45 Barcliff Ave Ext, Chatham) to climb the observation platform (elevator available!) for seal-watching as fishing boats unload, typically after noon. 🦭 Chat with fishermen about their catch if you’re lucky! Then, hop on a seal-watching boat tour with Beachcomber Boat Tours: Chatham Harbor Seal Tours & Beach Shuttle(Chatham Fish Pier, Chatham) to spot seals, or take the beach shuttle to explore the secluded beach across the harbor. Wrap up with the best lobster roll on Cape Cod at Chatham Pier Fish Market—fresh, chunky, and served with fries at picnic tables with harbor views. 😋 Next, explore the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy Shark Center (235 Orleans Rd, Chatham) for fascinating shark exhibits—kids and grown-ups will love it
Evening: Lighthouse & Sunset or Baseball 🏖️🌅⚾
Enjoy dinner at The Impudent Oyster (15 Chatham Bars Ave, Chatham)—a local favorite for hearty seafood since 1974—or pick up supplies at Chatham Market (524 Main St, Chatham) for a picnic. Then, head to Chatham Lighthouse(Lighthouse Ave, Chatham) and Chatham Lighthouse Beach across the street. Use binoculars to spot seals, walk down the gentle slope, hold hands, and watch the sunset paint the sky—a perfect screen-free family moment! 🌄 Alternatively, check the Cape Cod Baseball League schedule for a game at Veterans Field (750 Main St, Chatham) at 7 PM for a nostalgic, home-field highlight. ⚾
🗓️ Day 3: Sunday – Sunday Drive, Fairies & Farewell
Morning: Sunday Drive & Pies 🥐🚗
Start your day with a scenic Sunday drive along Stage Harbor Road in Chatham. Admire stunning Chatham Harbor views, historic seafaring-era houses, and grand homes with white picket fences adorned with prized blue puffball hydrangeas and rambling roses. Continue to Atwood Museum (347 Stage Harbor Rd, Chatham)—the oldest house in Chatham—to see the Wampanoag wetu, a working Chatham Lighthouse fresnel lamp, and ring the old church and school bells outside. Then, prepare to drive home back to the Mid-Cape Highway, but first stop at Marion’s Pie Shop (2022 Main St, Chatham) for fresh pastries for the ride home. Don't forget to pick up one of their famous pies and quiches, too!
Afternoon: Lavender Fields & Home 🌸🏡
Head to Cape Cod Lavender Farm (Off Weston Woods Rd, Harwich) where kids can hunt for whimsical fairy houses among blooming lavender fields. Bring home a lavender sachet to sleep well! 🧚♀️🌿 Jump onto the Mid-Cape Highway towards the Sagamore Bridge. Pro Tip- Take exit 10 off the highway to avoid the back-up at the Sagamore Bridge and stop at the Cape Cod Canal Visitors Center (60 Ed Moffitt Dr, Sandwich) for interactive exhibits and canal views. Grab a final fried clam roll at Seafood Sam’s in Sandwich, a local favorite voted “Best Fried Clams” by Cape Cod LIFE readers. Wave goodbye as the sunset glows over the Sagamore Bridge and head home with sweet Cape memories! 😊
Addendum: Extend Your Stay!
If you’re lucky enough to spend more time in Chatham, don’t miss Beach House Grill (297 Shore Rd, Chatham), connected to Chatham Bars Inn but nestled down by the beach. With ample parking and valet service, it’s a unique spot for romance and family fun alike. No reservations are needed. Recently, while touring with friends after writing this article, we found this delightful escape when everywhere else had wait times of an hour or more! Families can request a table on the beach area where well-behaved kids can romp freely, while couples can savor an ocean-view table to watch fishing boats glide by. The bar scene is lively, and the menu offers coastal delights like beer-battered fish and chips ( $32.) or the best calamari ever ($22.) making it surprisingly affordable for a fancy spot The friendly and the well-trained staff added to the experience. A perfect seaside escape!
Share your Lower Cape adventures in the comments. What’s your favorite family moment? 💬
Pro Tip: Bring a windbreaker and comfy sneakers for the boat tour- the ocean air can be chilly! 👟
Pro Tip: While strolling Main Street, support our local independent bookstores, Where the Sidewalk Ends and Yellow Umbrella Books.