Explore Orleans, Cape Cod
Watch the tide roll in at Nauset Beach as the sun comes up, lunch your way through Orleans, then catch the sunset over Skaket or Rock Harbor. The best of the Lower and Outer Cape is all within reach.
Why Orleans
Where the Cape meets the National Seashore
Orleans sits at the elbow of Cape Cod, where the bay and the Atlantic come within a few miles of each other. Just to the north, the Cape Cod National Seashore protects 40 miles of beach, dunes, marsh and ponds, all the way to Provincetown. And when you want an island day, the Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard ferries are an easy morning away.
40 miles
Cape Cod National Seashore
Protected beaches, dunes, lighthouses and trails, starting a short drive north of the house.
Gold
Orleans' own beaches
Cape Cod Life readers voted Nauset the Best Beach and Skaket the Best Sunset View in Best of Cape Cod 2026, with Rock Harbor right behind for sunsets.
25 miles
Cape Cod Rail Trail
Paved, flat and car-free through 6 towns, 2 minutes from our driveway.
Walk
Downtown by footpath
Take the footpath through Eldredge Park for coffee at Jo Mama's, Viv's Kitchen or Navilus, a pint at Hog Island Beer Co. and the shops and galleries on Main Street.
Two coasts, one Cape Cod town
Some days call for the calm, warm water of Cape Cod Bay. Others call for big surf and miles of Atlantic shoreline. In Orleans, you can decide after breakfast.
From the house it's 3 minutes to Skaket Beach, 7 to Nauset, a short walk to Eldredge Park and downtown, and 20 minutes to the Nantucket fast ferry. One beach pass covers both beaches on the same day.
Skaket Beach, 3 minutes
The bay beach, and the one we send families to first. Warm water, tidal flats at low tide, outdoor showers, a snack stand, and the best sunset in Orleans. Bikeable from the house.
- Best Sunset View, Cape Cod Life 2026
- New England's best family beaches, Boston Globe readers
Nauset Beach, 7 minutes
The Atlantic beach. Ten miles of sand, dunes, and surf, with lifeguards and food trucks in summer. Arrive early on hot weekends; the lot fills.
- Best Beach, Cape Cod Life 2026
Rock Harbor, 5 minutes
A working fishing harbor with a small sheltered beach, the famous clam trees at low tide, and free parking. Watch the charter fleet come in around dinnertime, then stay for the sunset.
- Runner-up, Best Sunset View, Cape Cod Life 2026
Crystal Lake, 5 minutes
Clear freshwater swimming when you want a break from the salt. Parking is limited and may be residents-only in peak season; ask us.
Pilgrim Lake, 8 minutes
A quiet 39-acre pond for swimming, kayaking, and picnics.
Little Pleasant Bay Beach, 10 minutes
Small, calm, and off the beaten path in South Orleans. Street parking only.
Coast Guard Beach, 10 minutes
Just north in Eastham, inside the Cape Cod National Seashore. Wide Atlantic sand below the dunes, reached by shuttle from the Little Creek lot in summer.
- Dr. Beach top 10, America's best beaches
Mayflower Beach, 25 minutes
A bay beach in Dennis with long flats at low tide and some of the most photographed sunsets on the Cape.
- No. 2 sunset beach in the U.S., 2025 study via The Manual
Herring Cove, 45 minutes
Provincetown's west-facing beach at the tip of the Cape, inside the National Seashore. Calm water and a sunset worth the drive.
- No. 3 sunset beach in the U.S., 2025 study via The Manual
Beach parking, explained
Skaket and Nauset require a sticker or daily pass during enforcement hours, typically mid-June through Labor Day, 7:30 AM to 4:30 PM. After 4:30 parking is free, which makes an evening swim and sunset the best deal on the Cape. As of 2026, a daily pass runs about $32.50 at the gate and a weekly sticker about $165, valid at both beaches for 7 consecutive days. Weekly stickers are sold online by the Town of Orleans (allow 5 business days) or in person at the Sticker Office on Giddiah Hill Road. Bikes and pedestrians enter free at both beaches, and Rock Harbor never charges. Prices and dates are set by the town and change; confirm details with the Town of Orleans before your trip.
How we'd spend the day
Morning
Skaket, on the bay
Warm, shallow water and a quarter mile of flats at low tide. Tide pools, hermit crabs and shells for small kids.
Afternoon
Nauset, on the Atlantic
Ten miles of dunes and surf, with lifeguards and food trucks in summer. Bring a sweatshirt for after the swim.
Sunset
Rock Harbor
Watch the charter fleet come in around dinnertime. Parking here is always free.
Night
Back at the house
The fire pit, s'mores and a soak under the stars.
What you can reach without the car
The house sits in a quiet residential neighborhood with a footpath into Eldredge Park. From the park it is a 10 to 15 minute walk to Main Street.
Walkable
Eldredge Park, with playgrounds, tennis and pickleball, a skate park, and free Orleans Firebirds baseball from mid-June through early August. Hog Island Beer Co. for local brews and live music on summer Saturdays. Jo Mama's for coffee and sandwiches. The Alley for BBQ, candlepin bowling, and an arcade. Charles Moore Arena for public skating. Main Street for galleries, the Artist Cottages, the Saturday farmers market, Hot Chocolate Sparrow, and Snow Library.
On the house bikes
We keep 8 bikes and helmets in the garage, and bikes enter every Orleans beach free. Favorite rides start at the driveway: Skaket for sunset and back through town for ice cream (4 to 6 miles, flat, perfect with kids), the Cape Cod Rail Trail 2 minutes away, and for stronger riders the Rail Trail north to Coast Guard Beach in Eastham, a regular on Dr. Beach's list of America's best beaches, about 8 miles each way.
The whole Cape is a day trip
Walk
Eldredge Park
A footpath leads into Eldredge Park, and Main Street is a 10 to 15 minute walk beyond it.
2 min
Cape Cod Rail Trail
Twenty-five miles of paved trail, starting 2 minutes from the house on the bikes.
3 min
Skaket Beach
Warm bay water, tidal flats at low tide and an evening sunset swim.
5 min
Rock Harbor
A working harbor with a charter fishing fleet. Half-day striped bass trips leave from here, and parking is always free.
7 min
Nauset Beach
Ten miles of Atlantic dunes and surf, with lifeguards and food trucks in summer.
10 min
Nickerson State Park
Kettle ponds for swimming and paddling, shady campground roads and 8 miles of paved bike trails, just over the line in Brewster.
15 min
Chatham
Main Street shops, the Chatham Squire, seals at the fish pier, a seal-watching cruise out to Monomoy, the Shark Center, and a drink on the veranda at Chatham Bars Inn.
20 min
Nantucket and Wellfleet
The Nantucket fast ferry from Harwich Port, with free parking and an 80-minute crossing (Memorial Day through Columbus Day). Wellfleet for oysters, the drive-in, and the flea market.
25 min
Cahoon Hollow and Great Island
The Beachcomber on the bluff at Cahoon Hollow, and the Great Island Trail to Jeremy Point, the Cape's best hike if you time the tide.
40 min
Martha's Vineyard
Drive to Hyannis and take the seasonal Hy-Line fast ferry across for a day of Oak Bluffs, Edgartown and the Gay Head cliffs.
45 min
Truro and Provincetown
Wine tastings at Truro Vineyards on the way up, then whale watches from MacMillan Pier, the Province Lands dunes and Commercial Street at the tip of the Cape.
Twelve months of Orleans
Most people know the Cape in summer. We think the other seasons are our best kept secret. Here is what each one looks like from Orleans, with the full top 10 list for every month on our blog.
January
Quiet luxury: fireplaces, the hot tub under a clear cold sky, the indoor winter farmers market at the Community Center, and restaurants with no wait.
February
Valentine's by the sea: empty beaches for two, live music at The Barley Neck, and the Chamber's February vacation-week events for families.
March
St. Patrick's and spring stirrings: the Cape Cod St. Patrick's Parade in Yarmouth, the Gloriae Dei Cantores spring concert, and the first warm afternoons on the flats.
April
Easter and spring break on the Cape: Arts Week in Orleans, Earth Day beach cleanup on the National Seashore, whale watch season opening in Provincetown, and Brewster in Bloom.
May
The Cape comes alive: shops and stands reopen, the Nantucket ferry starts running, Figawi race weekend on Memorial Day, and the beaches before the stickers.
June
Salty air and sandy feet season begins: First Fridays in downtown Orleans, Firebirds opening day, and the Provincetown film and Portuguese festivals.
July
High summer: fireworks over Rock Harbor, the Fourth of July parade, Monday concerts at Nauset Beach, the Hydrangea Festival, and lobster roll church suppers.
August
Peak Cape vibes: the Pan-Mass Challenge rolling through town, the Orleans Police block party on Main Street, the Catboat Gathering on Pleasant Bay, the chamber music festival, and Provincetown Carnival.
September
The locals' favorite month: warm water, empty sand, no stickers after Labor Day, Cape Cod Restaurant Week, the Eastham Windmill Weekend, and the Provincetown Schooner Regatta.
October
Long weekend getaways: Wellfleet OysterFest, the Outermost Roots and Blues Festival on Nauset Beach, Halloween strolls downtown, and foliage on Route 6A.
November
Thanksgiving on the Cape: Orleans oyster season opens November 1, the Tis the Season stroll on Thanksgiving weekend, and a full house around two fireplaces.
December
A seaside holiday: the tree lighting at Depot Square, Chatham's Christmas Stroll, Provincetown Holly Folly, and First Night Chatham to close the year.
Where we send our guests
The Knack for lobster rolls and burgers after the beach. Land Ho! for the local legend seafood dinner. The Barley Neck in East Orleans for our favorite night out, with live music most evenings. Hog Island Beer Co. and Town Cove Tap House, a beer garden hidden behind a century-old hardware store, for a casual evening. Hot Chocolate Sparrow and Sunbird for coffee and breakfast. Nauset Fish Market when you want to cook the catch at home. Cape Cod Charcuterie for a board to bring to Skaket at sunset. And Arnold's in Eastham, Brewster Fish House, and the Beachcomber in Wellfleet when you are ready to drive. The Cape's food scene changes every season, so ask us for the current favorites when you book.
Questions guests ask
How far is Orleans Holiday House from the beach?Skaket Beach on Cape Cod Bay is a 3-minute drive or an easy bike ride. Nauset Beach on the Atlantic is 7 minutes. Rock Harbor, with free parking and the best sunsets in town, is 5.
Which beach is best for small kids?Skaket. The bay water is warm and shallow, and at low tide the flats stretch out for a quarter mile of tide pools, hermit crabs, and shelling. Nauset is the surf beach, better for older kids and anyone who wants real waves.
Do I need a beach parking sticker?Yes for Skaket and Nauset in season, roughly mid-June through Labor Day, 7:30 AM to 4:30 PM. Daily passes are sold at the gate and weekly stickers are available online from the Town of Orleans; one pass covers both beaches the same day. Bikes and walk-ins enter free, which is why we keep 8 bikes in the garage. Rock Harbor is always free.
Do I need a car?It helps for Nauset, Chatham, and Wellfleet, but you can happily spend days without one. Eldredge Park, Hog Island Beer Co., Jo Mama's, The Alley, the ice rink, and Main Street galleries are all walkable, and the Cape Cod Rail Trail and Skaket Beach are a short ride on the house bikes.
Can we get to Nantucket for the day?Yes. The Freedom Cruise Line fast ferry leaves from Harwich Port, 20 minutes away, with free day-tripper parking and about an 80-minute crossing, Memorial Day through Columbus Day. Book the return before you settle into a long Nantucket lunch.
Is Orleans worth visiting outside the summer?September is the locals' favorite month: warm water, empty beaches, and every restaurant open without a wait. October brings Wellfleet OysterFest and the Roots and Blues Festival at Nauset Beach. Winter is fireplaces, the hot tub under the stars, and a town that stays open year-round. Orleans is always in season.
What is there to do on a rainy day?The Alley (BBQ, candlepin bowling, arcade) and Indoor Golf Sims are 2 minutes away, the Himalayan salt cave and Orleans Yoga are on Main Street, the Whydah Pirate Museum is a 40-minute drive, and the house has a lower-level game room with ping pong, foosball, and karaoke. Rainy-day hot tub soaks are a guest favorite.
Is the neighborhood walkable?Yes. The house is in a quiet residential neighborhood with a cut-through to Eldredge Park, and from the park it is a 10 to 15 minute walk to Main Street, the Artist Cottages, and the Saturday farmers market.
How do we get to Orleans?Most guests fly into Boston, which is about 1 hour 40 minutes to 2 hours away depending on traffic. Hyannis has a small airport with limited flights. Uber and Lyft both work well around Orleans once you're here.
Are there bikes for everyone?We keep 8 bikes and helmets in the garage, and bikes get into every Orleans beach free. The Cape Cod Rail Trail is 2 minutes from the house.
Consider this your message in a bottle…
Come sea us when you're ready to get away. Five bedrooms, a private hot tub, two fireplaces, and the whole Cape within reach.