But what if you are on a limited budget, as many of our guests are? What can Cape Cod offer the frugal traveler or those interested in an authentic experience on their vacation. Plenty. So much that boston.com just released their top “25 Free Things to do on Cape Cod” list online this week.

It got me thinking about our favorite things to do on Cape Cod. As innkeepers we get very little free time, especially during the summer months. But having survived 11 years of running an inn, Rich and I have become fairly adept at carving out time for ourselves and exploring all the nooks and crannies that make up this amazing peninsula we live and work on. We quite often jump in the car and see where it takes us. These little adventures have uncovered some great places to while away an afternoon. And many of them offer no cost or low cost entertainment. Here for your enjoyment and consideration, is our “Top Ten List of Free Ways to Spend a Cape Cod Day“.

1. Hop in the car and drive the Old King’s Highway (Route 6A), rated one of the “Ten Most Scenic Byways in America”.
2. Pack a picnic and a good book and spend the afternoon at Fort Hill wandering the trails and enjoying an awe-inspiring view.
3. Stroll the paved multi-use path along the Cape Cod Canal admiring the numerous boat that ply the water.
4. Grab a net and head for Paines Creek in Brewster when the tide is low to explore the tide pools.
5. Walk the beach at Sandy Neck looking for sea glass and heart rocks.
6. Kayak Chase Garden Creek following the tides for an “up a lazy river” experience.
7. Take an ice cream cone to the boardwalk at Gray’s Beach for a magnificent sunset.
8. Climb Scargo Tower and take pictures of Cape Cod Bay from the top.
9. Take a leisurely walk in the 6-acre Spohr Garden on Oyster Pond in Falmouth.
10. Ride your bike along the 11-mile Shining Sea Bikeway from north Falmouth to Woods Hole.

Hiking in Nickerson State Park on Cape Cod

Rich and I began our inn keeping careers in North Conway, NH in the heart of the White Mountains before moving to West Barnstable, MA and opening the High Pointe Inn. Living in the shadow of Mt. Washington, the tallest mountain east of the Mississippi, and surrounded by five major ski slopes, was a bit daunting for couch potatoes such as ourselves. The area was a haven for skiers, rock climbers, mountain bikers, and other daredevil outdoor types. We stuck out as flatlanders, which was what the locals called folks from away.

Determined to take advantage of this outdoor wonderland, and needing to drop a few pounds after our first summer of inn keeping, I cajoled Rich into trying a few of the hikes in the area. We had done Diana’s Baths, a gentle hike through the woods to a gorgeous waterfall with rock pools, several times with Casey, our yellow lab pup, but it was time to try something a little more challenging. So we set our sites on Black Cap, an easy hike with a paltry 900 foot vertical rise.

We parked at the trail head on a beautiful autumn morning, grabbed our water bottles and hiking poles and started off on the trail. At first we meandered through tall pine woods on a wide, clearly marked trail, but a few hundred feet further the terrain became distinctly more rocky and decidedly uphill. We pressed on, novices that we were, stopping frequently to take long gulps of water and air. Eventually we emerged onto the rock face of Black Cap for a scramble to the summit. We were huffing and puffing for sure, but the view from the top was magnificent. It had taken us just over an hour to make it to the top, and we were hooked on hiking.

We continued hiking the White Mountains every chance we got in the five years we lived up north, branching out to snowshoe in the winter months, and taking on more and more difficult hikes. Just before we left North Conway for our adventure on Cape Cod, we took a final hike up Black Cap where our hiking journey had begun and where we thought it appropriate to say goodbye to the Mt. Washington Valley that had been our home for five years.

Again it was a beautiful fall morning, crisp with an achingly blue sky. We unleashed the dog at the trail head and set off behind her for our final hike in the mountains. When we reached the top, we stood and looked out at the magnificent landscape surrounding us, the foliage bathed in the reds and brilliant oranges of autumn. It was like being in a White Mountain School painting. It had taken us a mere 30 minutes to reach the top this time, but the event spawned a million memories.

We hung up our hiking poles when we moved to the Cape, not so much from lack of desire as from changing tastes. Here when time allows, we bike or kayak, but there are plenty of hiking trails to challenge us when the spirit moves. Here in no particular order are some to consider tackling on your next visit to Cape Cod.

Beebe Woods is a 383-acre conservation area with extensive hiking trails just off the main streets in downtown Falmouth. Take Depot Avenue to the top of the hill. The trails lead out to two different ponds with signs marking the way. Maps and trail guides are available at the 300 Committee Office, 157 Locust St., Falmouth.

Cape Cod Museum of Natural History has a network of walking trails through the marsh behind the Museum that lead out to Cape Cod Bay, with additional trails across the street. The Wing Trail goes through upland woodland, salt marsh, dune and tidal flats on a mile-long round-trip walk. Tides can limit access, so check for times of low tide, unless you’re willing to wade through ankle-deep water for a while. For two quick strolls, the “Loop” and South trails at the museum provide a quarter-mile and three-quarter-mile trail, respectively. 869 Route 6A, Brewster, MA.

Nickerson State Park also in Brewster, offers miles of trails that wind though acres of undisturbed woodland and around eight ponds. 3488 Route 6A, Brewster, MA.

Punkhorn Parklands provides miles of trails that can be accessed from Run Hill Road, off Setucket Road in Brewster. The Punkhorn also offers opportunities for fishing, canoeing, kayaking, birding and picnicking. It’s wise to take a map of the parklands with you before you set out to hike, because the network of trails can be confusing. Nearby is the herring run, located at the intersection of Satucket and Stony Brook roads, just down from Run Hill Road.

Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary provides five miles of trails that wind through varied habitats, including woodlands, salt marsh and heath restoration. 291 Route 6, Wellfleet, MA.

Cape Cod Canal is bordered on either side by paved service roads perfect for walking, bike riding, and in-line skating. Access the Cape-side trail at the end of Freezer Road in Sandwich.

The Murkwood Conservation Area covers 79 acres in East Sandwich, and a short trail meanders through a lovely woodland just off Route 6A near Scorton Creek.

Happy trails to you!

Sunset over the Cape Cod Canal

Often during the summer months, Rich and I will fill a cooler with drinks and hors d’ouevres, throw some folding chairs into the car, grab the dog and head for the Cape Cod Canal for what we like to call “Cocktails by the Canal”. It’s a great way to unwind after a busy day at the Inn. We set up camp at the edge of the canal near the Visitors Center. Once we set up our chairs and pour our first cocktails, we settle back for an hour or two of “canal watching”. Rich likes to observe, and sometimes chat with (quel surprise!), the men and women casting for stripers or hauling lobster traps up from the side of the canal. I like to scan the horizon for the next approaching yacht and dream of the day when it will be me onboard swirling my martini and eating canapés. Casey just likes to sniff whatever she can and beg for food. It’s truly a family outing.

Few of us who live and work on Cape Cod today can remember a time before the Cape Cod Canal separated us from the mainland. However, if you dig deep enough into the history of the canal, you will uncover some pretty interesting tidbits.

Cape Cod Canal

Apparently even before the Massachusetts Bay Colony was founded, locals believed that connecting Buzzards Bay to Cape Cod Bay was a good idea. Native Americans would portage their boats across a shallow valley after coming up the Scusset River from Cape Cod Bay and drop them into the Monument River, which drained into Buzzards Bay. Even Miles Standish extolled the benefits of a canal after dragging his small boat several miles between the bays.

Unfortunately, it took more than 200 years to make the canal idea a reality. Financed by August Belmont Jr., one-time owner of racehorse champion Man o’ War, work on the canal officially began on June 19, 1909. Opening with great ceremony on July 29, 1914, the first canal was 100 feet wide, 15 feet deep and traversed by three drawbridges, one of which was a railroad bridge. Originally a toll canal, it was not the success Belmont had hoped for, in part because it was so narrow ships could only proceed one at a time, but more accurately because of the treacherous currents that were challenging even for the most experienced boat captains.

The canal was eventually sold to the U.S. government in the spring of 1928, and work began to straighten and widen the canal, and replace the drawbridges. Funded by the WPA, the project employed hundreds of people during the Depression. The Cape Cod Canal of today is roughly 17.4 miles long and 504 feet wide. To accomplish this feat, workers had to cut through nearly seven miles of land, essentially creating an island from the former peninsula of Cape Cod. The canal is bridged by the Sagamore and Bourne vehicle suspension bridges, plus a railroad bridge with a vertical tower that lowers the rail to sea level when trains need to pass.

You can learn more about the history of the canal at the Cape Cod Canal Visitors Center, where you’ll find a 46-seat theater showing continuous presentations on canal history, as well as its flora and fauna. You’ll also find interactive monitors and displays of maritime artifacts and historic photos, plus a retired 41-foot US Army Corps of Engineers patrol boat. Throughout the summer, park rangers offer guided walks, “bike hikes” and evening campfire programs. Check with the Visitors Center for scheduled events, which is located just off Tupper Road in Sandwich.

When we’re not enjoying cocktails by the canal, we take our bikes to ride the level 7-mile service roads that parallel the length of it. Great for biking, walking, jogging, and rollerblading, the service roads are maintained by the Army Corps of Engineers. Benches are scattered along the roadways every few hundred feet so that visitors can sit and watch the more than 20,000 vessels that pass through the Cape Cod Canal annually. So pack up the cocktail shaker and your favorite snack and head on over to the canal for a great afternoon or early evening respite.