Soak up the Sun, Food & Sights in Dennis, Cape Cod
Cape Cod is known for its beautiful beaches, wonderful restaurants, and generally excellent family atmosphere that makes it a great place to eat ice cream and play mini golf. The center of the Cape, and its beating heart, is the town of Dennis. Smaller than Barnstable and Yarmouth, the town boasts some of the region’s best beaches, along with all the typical shops and restaurants that one would expect to find on a seaside holiday.
Here’s our recommendation of how to spend 24 hours soaking up the sun:
Mayflower Beach
No trip to Dennis is complete without a visit to this beach, which is one of the best on the East Coast, if not the world. Its golden, sandy shores and wide seascapes makes for a great day out. The bay beach is warm and the surf is calm. What’s not to love? Bring a picnic and umbrella and stay for a while. Cost: $25 for non-residents.
The Beach Shack / DPM’s Surfside Grill
At Corporation Beach or Sesuit Harbor. These two establishments are owned and managed by the same people who brought us the mouthwatering meats at the Dennis Public Market. Best. Hamburgers. Ever. Go enjoy a casual lunch at the picnic tables on a bluff overlooking the ocean and savor the mix of sun and the intoxicating smell of the ocean. You can even bring wine or beer (but shhh, don’t tell anyone!)
(Photo: Cape Resorts)
Ice Cream Smuggler
The post-beach bliss out calls for ice cream. Lots and lots of ice cream. And the ice cream at the Smuggler is worth the wait in line. Countless flavors, all fresh and homemade, tempt the tastebuds. My favorite? The black raspberry. Delish.
After ice cream it is time to go back to the cottage you have rented to clean up and have cocktails, or maybe a nap. Take a couple hours out of the day to enjoy the downtime…you can listen to the birds, walk on the Northside’s shady streets, or relax with some good, mellow beach music. Soon it will be time for dinner…get ready to stuff your face on seafood!
Ok, I know you think that this is incredibly unoriginal. Seafood. On Cape Cod. Come on. Actually, yes. It is all fresh; a trip to the Cape without lobster, swordfish, cod, or the like is like a day without sunshine.
Ocean House
Wash the sand off and put on your (relatively) dressy clothes and head for a well heeled dinner at the Ocean House. Like the name might suggests, the restaurant is on the water’s edge with amazing ocean views and mouth watering fare. While it is on the south side of the Cape and thus away from the other venues on this list (which are on the north side), it is worth the trek. In addition to seafood, the restaurant boasts a great wine list and dessert menu. Chow down and then roll home to bed!
(Photo: Ocean House Restaurant)
A photo posted by The Ocean House (@theoceanhouse) on
Harvest Gallery Wine Bar
But not before a night cap at the Harvest Gallery Wine Bar on Main Street! Owned by longtime Dennis resident Michael Pearson, this combination gallery and wine bar features great food, a wonderful wine list, and local live music that gets the restaurant rocking to cover songs of Crosby, Stills, & Nash and the like (casual beach music). Have a couple of glasses of wine and an order of the olives stuffed with blue cheese before heading home for a peaceful slumber under the stars. Then get up again the next day and do it again.
The List
Mayflower Beach
Dunes Rd & Horsefoot Path
Dennis, MA 02638
The Beach Shack / DPM’s Surfside Grill
250 Corporation Beach Rd
Dennis, MA 02638
Ice Cream Smuggler
716 Main St
Dennis, MA 02638
Ocean House
425 Old Wharf Rd
Dennis Port, MA 02639
Harvest Gallery Wine Bar
766 Main St
Dennis, MA 02638
Photo Credits: Cape Cod Wave, Cape Resorts, Ocean House Restaurant,Harvest Gallery Wine Bar
By Maureen Kerry
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Maureen Kerry • August 9, 2016