Travel Tips: Getting to Cape Cod

Best times to drive to the Cape:

  • Sunday through Thursday
  • Fridays before 2 p.m. or after 9 p.m.
  • Saturdays before 8 a.m. or after 2 p.m.

Best times to leave the Cape (if you must!)

  • Monday – Friday (except Monday holidays between 2 to 9 p.m.
  • Saturdays after 2 p.m.
  • Sundays before 1 p.m. or after 9 p.m.

Travel times to avoid in peak season:
Arriving: Fridays 2 to 9 p.m. and Saturdays 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Departing: Sundays or Monday holidays from 1 to 9 p.m.

Tips from people who live here:
Approach Cape Cod by the Bourne Bridge (Routes 195 and 495) instead of the Sagamore Bridge (Route 3).  Some 25 percent fewer cars use the Bourne Bridge in a year’s time.

Saturday mornings and afternoons are very busy on Cape Cod roads as guests check-out/check-in and residents run errands.  To save time on the road, travel to the beach or go shopping early or late in the day.

On cloudy summer days, Route 28 between Yarmouth and Falmouth gets busy – so consider a bus ride on the Regional Transit Authority. Uber and Lyft also service the Cape Cod area!

Web cameras are installed at the bridge, along the scenic highway (Route 6) by the canal and by exit 2 (outbound.) Live video cams can e accessed on both the 511 website and the MassDOT website

Hands-Free Electronics While Driving - It's the Law: The new Massachusetts hands-free distracted driving law took effect on February 23, 2020. Find out more here!

Spotlight on Cape Cod