Cape Cod is one of the treasures of Massachusetts. Residents have gone to great lengths to restrict growth and to require that property owners comply with strict regulations about their buildings in order to preserve the charm of the region.

     The area is extremely crowded in the summer time, so that traffic becomes troublesome, but the off-season is delightful unless you are here for the beaches.

      The largest city in the region is Hyannis, which offers shopping, lodging, and numerous restaurants. My favorite attraction in Hyannis is the JFK Museum, dedicated to John Fitzgerald Kennedy, the nation’s 35th president, whose family stills lives nearby.

JFK Museum

   At the outer tip of the cape is the village of Provincetown, where the Pilgrims probably landed prior to reaching Plymouth on the mainland. Residents have erected the Pilgrim Monument to memorialize this event.

Pilgrim Monument

   Also in Provincetown are the headquarters for the Cape Cod National Seashore, a pristine area of sand dunes and beaches extending to the village of Chatham.

Cape Cod National Seashore

   Lighthouses abound on the cape. Some, such as Chatham Light, are noteworthy.

Chatham Light

  The lovely town of Sandwich contains the best museum on Cape Cod, the Heritage Museum, which features vintage automobiles, lovely landscaped grounds, and even a windmill.

Heritage Museum, Sandwich