We treated ourselves to a “farewell to summer” trip to Martha’s Vineyard the other day, much like we greeted the summer with a daytrip to Nantucket in the spring. After a wonderful season of warm weather, bright sunshine, and our Cape Cod bed and breakfast inn full of guests from near and far, we enlisted the help of our innsitter for a day and set sail for the island via the Island Queen ferry out of Falmouth Harbor.

We took the 9:00 AM ferry, along with a few other early birds, and landed in Oak Bluffs less than 45 minutes later. Looking to circumnavigate the entire island in a day, we opted to rent a mini-Cooper convertible and enjoy the late summer sunshine in style. We drove towards Edgartown via the Beach Road as soon as all the paperwork for the rental was complete, but instead of going into town, which we had done on many previous excursions to the island, we took the Katama Road to South Beach. The beach was just beginning to fill for the day with late summer sun worshippers eager to hit the beach for a day that promised wall-to-wall sunshine. On any other day we would have opted to join them, but our mission was to see as much of the island as we possibly could so that we could advise our guests of the best things to see and do on a day trip to the island.

Our route took us past the airport via the Edgartown-West Tisbury Road and down towards Aquinnah and Gay Head via the South Road. Martha’s Vineyard is extremely rural and lush with farms and fields, as well as wooded areas of scrub oak and pine. Many dirt roads and long winding drives branched out from the main roads, leading I assume to lovely waterfront estates and secluded beaches. But without a local guide to point the way to the Vineyard’s hidden treasures, we were left with just a rudimentary map of the island to navigate our course to the east end of the island.

The view from the lighthouse at Gay Head is absolutely inspirational–sparkling sea and dramatic heath-covered cliffs that lead to secluded sandy beaches. However, the walkway to the scenic overlook is lined with concessioners selling everything from fast food to tee shirts. It is a stark contrast betwixt inveterate commercialism and stunning natural beauty. I chose not to let the blur of tacky tourist traps mar my experience and simply drank in the vista before me: all blue sky and an ocean of next to navy in color lined with dramatic cliffs of golden sand. It reminded me in many ways of the Greek islands and the Mediterranean Sea.

We lingered only a short while before retracing our steps to the tiny fishing village of Menemsha. Our plan was to have lunch at either The Bite or Larsen’s, as their reputation for fresh seafood is of near historic proportions around these parts. Unfortunately, The Bite was closed on the Tuesday we visited, and Larsen’s menu was limited to steamed shellfish, which didn’t suit my husband’s penchant for all things fried. So we pressed on, eventually landing in Vineyard Haven where we dined at the infamous Black Dog Tavern while watching the boats bobbing in the harbor. After a good, but unremarkable lunch, we shopped a bit for the logo sportswear that has become world famous at the eponymous gift shop next door.

We ended the day as it began, with a return drive to Oak Bluffs, past the lighthouses of both East and West Chop, a quick spin through the gingerbread cottages on the grounds of the Martha’s Vineyard Camp Meeting Association, and a peek at the Flying Horses Carousel, the nation’s oldest operating platform carousel and a National Historic Landmark.

The ferry trip back to the mainland was uneventful, and as we exited the parking lot to start our journey home to the Inn, we were filled with a sense of anticipation at what the fall would bring and an overwhelming gratitude for this wonderful region we call home.

The first ever list of 1000 Great Places in Massachusetts was released yesterday, July 12, 2010. Selected from over 12,000 nominations, the range of Great Places shines on every part of the state, but none so much as Cape Cod. Intended to celebrate what is truly special about Massachusetts, the list of 1000 Great Places gives visitors the opportunity to see the variety and richness the state has to offer. For those of us who live and work on Cape Cod, it was a point of much civic pride to realize that nearly 10% of the identified 1000 Great Places are right here on the lovely peninsular we call home.

So here in alphabetical order, are the places known and loved by many that make Cape Cod special, not only to the residents, but to those who come to visit us year round. You can view the whole list of Great Places in Massachusetts online, or visit the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism website.

Barnstable

• Cahoon Museum of American Art
• Hyannis Harbor
• JFK Museum
• Long Pasture Wildlife Sanctuary
• Melody Tent
• Sandy Neck Beach
• Sturgis Library
• The Hyannis National Guard Armory

Bourne

• Aptucxet Trading Post Museum
• Cape Cod Canal Bike Path
• Scusset Beach State Reservation
• The Herring Run Recreation Area at the Cape Cod Canal

Brewster

• Cape Cod Rail Trail
• Nickerson State Park
• Stony Brook Grist Mill
• The Brewster Flats
• The Crosby Mansion
• The Old Mill

Chatham

• Chatham Light
• Chatham Village
• Monomoy Island
• The Chatham Fish Pier

Dennis

• Bass River
• Cape Cod Museum of Art
• Cold Storage Beach
• Mayflower Beach
• Scargo Tower
• Sesuit Harbor

Eastham

• Cape Cod National Seashore
• Coast Guard Beach
• First Encounter Beach
• Fort Hill

Falmouth

• Ashumet Holly Wildlife Sanctuary
• Bourne Farm
• Falmouth Museums on the Green
• Falmouth Shining Sea Bikeway
• Highfield Hall
• Nobska Point Lighthouse
• Spohr Garden on Fells Road
• The Knob, Woods Hole
• Woods Hole Village

Mashpee

• Cape Cod Children’s Museum
• Old Indian Church
• South Cape Beach
• Waquoit Bay

Orleans

• Academy of Performing Arts Playhouse
• French Cable Station Museum
• Nauset Beach
• Rock Harbor
• Plymouth
• Brewster Gardens to Jenny Pond
• Ellisville Harbor State Park
• Historic Plymouth Harbor
• Jenney Grist Mill
• Myles Standish State Forest
• Pilgrim Hall Museum
• Plimoth Plantation
• Plymouth Rock
• The Cordage Historical Society in Plymouth

Provincetown

• Cape Cod National Sea Shore
• Commercial Street
• Fine Arts Work Center
• Hatches Harbor
• Herring Cove Beach
• Pilgrim Monument
• Art Association and Museum
• Race Point Lighthouse
• The Breakwater’s Rock Passage

Sandwich

• Benjamin Nye Homestead
• Heritage Museums & Gardens
• Historic Village and Historic District
• Sandwich Glass Museum
• Sandwich Grist Mill
• The Board Walk
• Thornton W. Burgess Society

Truro

• Ballston Beach
• Highland Light
• Highland Links Golf Course
• Artist shacks in the dunes
• Truro Center for the Arts at Castle Hill

Wareham

• A. D. Makepeace Store
• Church Street Historic District
• Cranberry Bog Farms Trail
• Onset Beach/Village
• Plymouth County Cranberry Country Routes 58 and 28.
• The Porter Thermometer Museum

Wellfleet

• Jeremy’s Point
• Marconi Station Site
• Mass Audubon Society Wellfleet Bay Sanctuary
• Newcomb’s Hollow Beach
• The Beachcomber
• Town Center and Harbor
• Uncle Tim’s Bridge
• Wellfleet Drive-in

Yarmouth

• Boardwalk onto the Marsh at Gray’s Beach
• Cultural Center of Cape Cod
• Edward Gorey’s House
• Judah Baker Windmill on Bass River

One of the nicest things about living and working on Cape Cod in the summer is the availability and diversity of fresh, locally grown produce offered at Farmer’s Markets throughout the region. Rich and I try to use only the freshest of ingredients in our breakfast offerings, whether it be native berries for our muffins, fresh eggs and veggies for our omelets, jams and jellies for our popovers, or locally harvested shellfish for Rich’s Lobster Benedict or Hangtown Fry.

If you’re vacationing on Cape Cod this summer, be sure to frequent our Farmers Markets. No doubt there is one near you, no matter if you are staying with us at the High Pointe Inn, or renting a cottage on one of our beautiful beaches. And if you miss the one that’s closest to you, you can always try another one nearby. There is a Farmers Market everyday of the week, except Sunday, beginning June 1 and lasting until late in December. Hope to see you there!

The Mashpee Farmer’s Market

11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesdays and 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays, the Village Green in Mashpee Commons, across from the new Mashpee Public Library. Opening Day is June 12. The market is managed by Hawks Wing Farm, a member of the New England Regional Foodshed Farmer’s Collaborative.

Bass River Farmers Market

8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., Thursdays, at the Cape Cod Cultural Center, June 10 through the end of October. It has a petting zoo, an educators’ tent and a tie-in with a children’s program at the South Yarmouth library. It will feature farms as well as cultural center artists, and musicians.

Centerville/Marstons Mills Farmers Market

The fraternal (Masonic) lodge, 1987 Falmouth Road (Route 29); 2 to 4:00 p.m. Mondays June 14-Oct. 1

Falmouth Farmers Market

Peg Noonan Park, 300 Main St., Noon to 6 p.m. Thursdays, through Oct.14

Harwich Farmers’ Market

Brooks Academy Museum, Roue 39; 3 to 6 p.m. Thursdays , June 1-Sept.16

Mid-Cape Farmers Market

Hyannis Youth and Community Center, 141 Bassett Lane, Hyannis; 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. Wednesdays, June 9-Sept. 8

Orleans Farmers Market

21 Old Colony Way (across from Capt. Elmer’s); 8 .m. to noon Saturdays, through Nov. 27

Osterville Farmers Market

Osterville Historic Society, 155 West Bay Road; 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Fridays, June 4-Oct. 4

Provincetown Farmers Market

Ryder Street; 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays, through Dec. 4

Sandwich Farmers Market

The Village Green, Route 6A; 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesdays, June 1-Oct. 26

When Rich and I owned an inn in North Conway, one of the major outlet shopping meccas in New England, it was not unusual for our inn guests to plan a whole weekend around shopping. They would arrive on Friday evening with maps of the outlets malls in hand and a glint of firm resolve in their eyes. On Saturday morning, fueled by a hearty breakfast cooked to order, off they went in search of bargains galore. We could measure their success by the number of discarded shopping bags, boxes, and price tags strewn across their guestrooms when they checked out on Sunday afternoon. Their trash put a strain on our recycling efforts, to be sure, but we took satisfaction in knowing they had at least made a contribution to the local economy. (more…)

View 21 Favorite Cape Cod Clam Shacks in a larger map

Rich and I had lunch at one of our favorite local restaurants the other day. It’s a cozy spot tucked back from the road just off Route 6A in Yarmouthport, MA called Jack’s Outback. We’ve eaten there so often over the years that we’ve gotten to know the waitresses, the proprietor, and some of the other regulars. We’ve commiserated with them when life has dealt a nasty blow, shared funny stories, and gradually become part of the Jack’s Outback family.

We often convene the “Breakfast Club” on a winter’s morning, sharing a table with fellow innkeepers and trading stories of life before and, eventually, after innkeeping.
But this day we snuck off by ourselves for a serving of quiet and calm that Jack’s so easily delivers. It was cold outside, wintery and windswept from a storm that was whipping up the east coast. Inside it was warm and toasty, with the fragrance of all things yummy emanating from the kitchen. We waved to friendly faces and slid into a booth. Most days we just order our “usuals” – a burger for Rich and a BLT for me. But on this wondrous day one of us was in for a treat. There among the “specials” were two words that brought a twinkle to Rich’s eyes:  Clam plate. (more…)