Longpasture Wildlife Sanctuary, one of the Massachusetts Audubon Society’s facilities which is located near our Cape Cod Bed and Breakfast, just released their 2011 Kayak Adventure dates for the spring season. These 3-hour guided kayak trips feature some of Cape Cod’s most scenic waterways and are a great way to get out on the water with expert guides who will introduce you to the local flora and fauna. No need to bring your own equipment, as everything you’ll need will be provided. Kayak adventures are priced at $40 for members and $45 for non-members. Call 508-362-7475 for reservations.

Sat., May 21st, 9 am -12 pm Sampsons Island, Cotuit

Sat., May 28th, 10 am – 1pm Herring River, W. Harwich

Sat. June 4th, 10 am -1 pm Barnstable Harbor/Sandy Neck

Sat. June 11th, 9 am – 12 pm Gray’s Beach, Yarmouthport

Wed. June 15th, 8 pm – 10 pm Full Moon, Mashpee

Sat. June 18th, 11 am – 2 pm Osprey Paddle, Westport

Sat. June 25th, 9 am – 12 pm Barnstable Harbor/Sandy Neck

The High Pointe Inn supports the efforts of the Longpasture Wildlife Sanctuary through annual donations. Book your kayak trip now and then reserve a room at the Inn, located just 15 minutes from the facility, for a fabulous weekend getaway.

Cape Cod offers so much to see and do that you could literally spend weeks exploring its beautiful beaches, great nature trails, and kayaking the numerous creeks and tidal marshes. Museums are plentiful too, as is live theatre, and music at the Melody Tent and other venues. Not to mention sampling all the fine restaurants, clam shacks, farmer’s markets, and ice cream shops that feature the freshest of local fare. And dare we leave out fun adventures like whale watching, seal cruises, and deep sea fishing.

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.

View Great Sunsets On Cape Cod in a larger map

When I was working on cruise ships, in a pre-innkeeping lifestyle, sailors would tell me stories of seeing the “green flash”, a phosphorescent burst of greenish hue that supposedly occurs just as the final remnants of the sun disappear into the water. In all my days at sea, above and below the equator, I paused at day’s end to watch intently as the sun set. Try as I might, however, in my five years at sea, I never witnessed the “green flash”.

Part of me thought it was an old wives tale, or in my case, old sailors. But part of me, the romantic “I believe in Santa Claus and the good fairy” part, really, really wanted to see it. Years later, after my swashbuckling seafarer days, I was on a cruise with my husband, Rich, that took us south to Guatemala. Leaving port at the end of the day, we were on deck just beneath the bridge waving goodbye to the locals who had gathered to see us off. As we steamed toward the horizon, for some strange reason, I recounted the tale of the “green flash” and my disappointment in never having seen it myself.

Caught up in the moment of wistful recollections, but with some circumspection, he indulged my romantic notion and stopped to watch the sun sink slowly in the sky. Perhaps it was the warm trade winds, or the gentle swell of the ocean beneath us, or even the effervescence of the bubbly in our glasses, but at the very moment the sun slipped softly below the horizon…there it was. Ever so brief, but none the less brilliant, a flash of emerald green. And though we’ve never seen it since, every time we watch the setting
sun, no matter where we are in the world, we hold our breath and hope that it appears.

Very few places on the  east coast of the continental U.S. have a view of the sun setting over water, save for the west coast of Florida, some offshore islands, and parts of Cape Cod. We invite you to witness this phenomenon the next time you visit us at the High Pointe Inn. Even if you don’t see it, it sure is fun trying. Here are some of our favorite spots to catch the sunset on this magnificent peninsula we call home:

Gray’s Beach, Yarmouthport
A long boardwalk across the marsh leads to a viewing platform. Along the way, you might spot a crab or two in the tide pools.

Chapin Memorial Beach, Dennis
Right across the town line from Gray’s Beach. Bring a blanket or a beach chair for comfort.

Wychmere Harbor, Harwichport
Wychmere is considered by some to be one of the prettiest harbors on the Cape. Pull into the little observation area off Rt. 28, but remember that parking is limited to 15 minutes.

Skaket Beach, Orleans
Set right in the crook of the Cape’s elbow, Skaket offers you that rare East Coast treat of seeing the sun set on water.

Great Island, Wellfleet
This secluded section of the National Seashore overlooks Cape Cod Bay to its west and Wellfleet Harbor to the east.

Cape Cod Light, Truro
The view from this vantage point includes dunes, ocean, bay, Pilgrim Monument, and Cape Cod Light to frame your sunset.

Race Point, Provincetown
Race Point sits on the very tip of the Cape, surrounding by water on three sides.

From Sea or Sky
Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard also have beautiful sunsets, but our favorite treat is to catch the sunset from the back of the ferry on our return trip from one of the islands. Even better is to catch it in-flight aboard a Cape bound plane.