While a little sunshine always lights up a Cape Cod beach day, the fun doesn’t stop when the sun goes down. Here are our best bets for getting the most out of your summer nights on the Cape.
Nightlife
Catch a stunning sunset at Chapin’s Beach in Dennis before making your way just down the street to Chapin’s Bayside. Flip flops are most welcome at this beachy locale, known for great seafood, refreshing cocktails and live nightly music from some of the area’s best local bands.
The Lost Dog Pub has locations in East Dennis and Orleans, both with the feel of an unpretentious neighborhood watering hole. Meet and mingle over a chilled pint and lively live tunes; hand-tossed pizzas fresh from the brick oven are served until midnight on weekends.
Perched high above Cahoon Hallow Beach, the Wellfleet Beachcomber’s award-winning raw bar has been known to draw a crowd, but the high-energy, endless summer vibe keeps the party going. Regional and national acts take the stage weekly at this local staple; dancing into the night is not only welcomed, it’s expected.
The Chatham Squire is a classic local tavern in the heart of downtown Chatham. Live music nights ─ featuring hometown bands, karaoke and Sunday night fiddling ─ are just one reason to love this Main Street mainstay, where you can enjoy a wide selection of local beers on tap and such signature cocktails as the Chatham Cucumber and Cape Cod Margarita.
Live music is just part of the fun at The Lanes Bowl & Bistro in Mashpee Commons, where performers can be heard on the outdoor patio in season and indoors year-round. Rounding out the entertainment experience is an upscale bistro menu, craft cocktails, outdoor bocce court and state-of-the-art bowling alley with colorful lighting and lane-side bar & table service.
Local bands are best enjoyed in laid-back style. Get into the groove at Grumpy’s Pub in Falmouth, hallowed haunt of local bands, or check out the Woodshed in Brewster. It’s loud, it’s fun, and it’s right downstairs from the namesake chowder at the Brewster Inn and Chowder House.
Find more options for Cape Cod nightlife here!
Movies under the Stars
The Wellfleet Drive-In Theater is among the last of its kind in the country. Savor the nostalgic experience of catching first-run feature films from the comfort of your car at this historic outdoor landmark, operating since 1957.
Many towns on the Cape host a weekly outdoor movie night, where the fading backdrop of a dusky sky is its own special effect. Among them are Falmouth (Wednesdays in season on the Falmouth Public Library lawn) and Mashpee (Thursdays in season at Mashpee Commons).
If you prefer to take your movie-going experience indoors but up a notch, head to the Falmouth Cinema Pub, where you can enjoy a casual menu and pitcher of beer while catching a flick in one of their cozy reclining chairs.
Ghost Tours
If you appreciate history and you’re up for a scare, one of Cape Cod Haunted & History Tour Company’s haunted walking tours through Barnstable Village is right up your alley. Led by professional ghost hunters, the evening tours delve into paranormal activity in this neck of the woods, and stops along the way include such known haunts as Cobb’s Hill Cemetery, a jail dating back to 1690, and The Barnstable House, also known as "The House of 11 Ghosts.” At the tip of the Cape, Provincetown Ghost Tours explore strange happenings, popular folklore and reported ghost sightings at many of the town's historical buildings, homes, inns and cemeteries.
Family Fun
Savor a slice of Americana at a Cape Cod Baseball League game and watch the future pros swing for the stars. Catch the best college players in the nation before they move on to the majors; Carlton Fisk, Nomar Garciaparra, Jeff Bagwell, and Aaron Judge are just a few of the top talents that have come through the Cape League on their way to stardom. Grab a beach chair or blanket and root for the home team at this Cape Cod summer tradition; games are free and most happen in the evening under the lights.
Mini golf is also a longstanding family tradition on Cape Cod, and Route 28 in Yarmouth offers a treasure trove of them to visit after you’ve grabbed dinner. A local favorite is Pirates Cove, where players can putt through two 18-hole pirate-themed courses, fully illuminated after dusk and complete with waterfalls, caves, footbridges and a giant replica pirate ship.|
Gather some friends and head over to Ryan’s Ten Pin Eatery in Hyannis, an entertainment complex inside the Cape Cod Mall. The 11 upscale bowling lanes offer sofas and table seating, while the fun also includes laser tag, a golf simulator and a giant arcade. Parents of older kids may prefer to take a backseat to the action at the 45-seat bar, while their kids play.
Campgrounds
Cape Cod is one of the best places in the world to sleep under the stars in the summer. The cool, comfortable summer nights and soothing salt air are perfect sleep aids for insomniacs.
The Cape Cod RV Resort in East Falmouth offers 55 acres of shaded campsites among Cape Cod’s signature scrub pines. The facility has an onsite lake and beach, with amenities including a pool, game room and paddle boat rentals. Atlantic Oaks in Eastham is a no frills facility with a playground, dog park, and on site store, but the main attraction of this camping site is its proximity to the Cape Cod National Seashore, local beaches and the Cape Cod Rail Trail. Coastal Acres Campground in Provincetown also has an ideal location to experience Cape Cod at its finest; the campground is within walking distance to downtown Provincetown and has access to bike trails that connect to beaches on the National Seashore.
And who says camping can’t be luxurious? Choose from nearly 100 souped-up Airstream rental trailers luxury canvas tents at AutoCamp Cape Cod in Falmouth (pictured above). Experiences offered after dusk include acoustic music by the fire, a kids’ storytime and movie nights.
Live Music
There’s no shortage of places on Cape Cod for music lovers to enjoy live performances (read more on that here), especially during the summer months. The Friday-night Chatham Band concerts at Kate Gould Park are a local tradition, with the band’s first free concert in Chatham dating back to 1932. Other popular outdoor concert venues include Drummer Boy Park in Brewster, Mashpee Community Park and the Hyannis Village Green. The Cape Cod Melody Tent in Hyannis presents a rotating lineup of world-class performers each summer in an intimate tented theater-in-the-round, and a cappella groups like Hyannis Sound and Cape Harmony perform concerts weekly in peak season.
Ocean Sunsets
A Cape Cod sunset is an experience all on its own, but witnessing one of nature’s nightly shows from the water is something you’ll never forget. With Rideaway Adventures, enjoy a guided sunset kayak or paddle onto the calm waters of Ockway Bay or Sandwich Creek. Cape Cod Kayak’s sunset excursions will take you out to Monks Cove or Megansett Harbor.
On one of Art’s Dune Tours four-wheel drive sunset tours, explore Provincetown’s majestic dunes and historic dune shacks before settling in to watch the sun go down over Race Point Beach. Take your tour experience to the next level with one of Art’s clambake and bonfire packages.
And if you’re looking to catch a sunset on your own, there is nothing better than grabbing a beach blanket and scoping out your favorite spot. Some of our favorites include Paine’s Creek in Brewster, Skaket Beach in Orleans, Old Silver Beach in Falmouth and the Cape Cod Canal. Once you’re done, head to a local ice cream shop and treat yourself to a cone. Call it a perfect day.