DAY TRIPS
You definitely want to have a vehicle to explore all the towns up and down the cape, and I think it's best you stay at least a full week to really take it all in. During our stay we wanted to make a day trip to the islands of Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket, and then explore a few other towns. Between each day trip we'd usually have a rest day where we'd stick around Mashpee and visit the local beaches. South Cape Beach was our go-to beach in the area, and where I took the most amazing photos at sunset. 

Martha's Vineyard:
You can take a ferry to Martha's Vineyard out of Woods Hole or Hyannis. We were closer to Woods Hole so that's where we caught a ferry. You don't need a reservation to take a ferry to Woods Hole, but you should definitely reserve parking in advance if you can because the parking in Woods Hole is very limited. We had to park in a large lot and then shuttle to the ferry which all-in-all took about an hour. The ferry took an hour and was ~$20 a person. It's good to know the ferry has two drop off locations, Oak Bluffs or Wood Haven. We were dropped off in Wood Haven which has some cute spots, however if I had to choose a drop off point I would choose Oak Bluffs (more shops, restaurants and activities in a central area). If you do decide to stop in Wood Haven here are some spots I loved.

- Black Dog Tavern & General Store

If you spend any time in Massachusetts you'll see someone wearing a shirt or hat with a black lab on the front. In 1967 Captain Douglas adopted a black lab-boxer mix he named "Black Dog" after a Treasure Island character, and they were inseparable. In 1971 the captain opened up The Black Dog Tavern so Vineyards (aka locals) and visitors could enjoy a cup of chowder and friendly conversation year-round. The tavern has such a great local vibe and is right on the beach. It's very kid-friendly as there is a grassy area with picnic tables and corn hole out back. 

After lunch we strolled down Main Street and stopped in a few shops. Unfortunately, my shopping was non-existent due to kids but I fell in love with the shop, Beach House. It was full of unique housewares and the most beautiful textiles. There were hundreds of prints to choose from for bedding and shams. 

- Owen Park 

The kids were ready to play so we headed to Owen Park (easy walk from the ferry drop-off and just off of Main Street) so they could swim. The beach was quaint with no waves and a beautiful view of the harbor. I brought swimsuits & towels with me and the kids changed in the public bathroom. 

After swimming we took a 10 minute Uber over to Oak Bluffs (you can take a bus for fairly cheap). Oak Bluffs has lots of shops, restaurants and adorable homes to explore. When I was young my mom and I rented a Vespa and rode around the island.

Our family wanted to explore one of the beaches along the Cape Cod National Sea Shore and we chose Coast Guard Beach. This beach is also not far from the famous Nauset Lighthouse, the lighthouse featured on the bag of Cape Cod Chips. This beach is officially located in Eastham which a little less than an hour from where we stayed in Mashpee. If you want to be closer to this sea shore ideally you stay in a more central area of Cape Cod. 

We were greeted at the beach by a shark WARNING sign which the kids and I loved! We found the perfect spot along the beach where there wasn't anyone around, and were in absolute awe of the wild seals swimming right in front of us. When they cleared our area we jumped in and had the most amazing swim. The water was cold but felt amazing. Yes, I do realize we should not have been swimming in the ocean when seals were that close...sometimes I like to live on the edge ; ). No shark siting that day but a week later they had to close the beach because there were so many sharks in the area! 

After the beach we headed 20 minutes north to Wellfleet for dinner. We had planned to go to Provincetown that day, but kids were tired and we didn't feel like making the drive. Wellfleet was absolutely adorable, but unfortunately most stores were closed after 5pm. We ate at Mac's Shack which was delicious but I heard I missed out on one of the favorite local spots, The Beachcomber. Next time! 

If I could re-do a day it would 100% be our day trip to Coast Guard Beach except the next day trip I'd try Marconi Beach. You can't go wrong with any beach along that coast. 

One day the kids did a fishing trip in Wood's Hole, so I decided to take advantage of some kid-free time and take a short day trip to Nantucket. I wanted to go with the entire family during our trip but it was going to cost over $700 for ferry tickets. My mom, cousin and I took the 8:30am Hy-Line ferry out of Hyannis to Nantucket (1 hour and $98 round trip ticket). Nantucket is an island only 3.5 miles wide by 14 miles in length and is easy to get around. I honestly had no idea what to expect but OMG my mind was blown. I was greeted by cobblestone streets and the most quaint shops I've ever stepped foot in. In every direction there were high end shops with the most unique goods and also some very cool pop-ups by brands that don't normally have brick-and- mortars. Everything was VERY expensive and the air smelled of wealth, but I didn't let that stop me from exploring. 

A few places to check out while you're there!

- Brand Point Lighthouse (short walk from the ferry drop off)

- The Juice Bar (the best ice cream on the island)

- Whaling Museum

- Cisco Brewers

- Jewelers Gallery (the oldest jewelry store on the island, amazing unique pieces)

- TownPool (A must stop for kids...ask about their secret candy store)

- Sconset Beach

- Provisions Sandwiches (get their signature sandwich "Turkey Terrific" which tastes like Thanksgiving)

- Sankaty Head Lighthouse

-  The Gazebo (as you head back to the ferry stop by the Gazebo for their famous Mudslide cocktail) 

I would love to go back and spend a few days in Nantucket, but I would definitely do sans kids because it would get expensive! Check out more sights and places to stay here. 

Falmouth:
Our rental was very close to Falmouth, and years ago my grandparents had a vacation home in this quaint town so we made sure to make a visit! It's on the way to Wood's Hole which is where we took a ferry to Martha's Vineyard and where the kids went on their fishing trip. Falmouth's Main Street is small but has some great souvenir shops and restaurants. I had one of the best pastries of my life at Maison Villatte and I'm still dreaming about it. We had a delicious lunch at The Quarterdeck and ice cream at Ben & Bill's Chocolate Emporium.