Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard & Nantucket September 20-27, $965 per person
What's Included
- Seven nights inn and hotel lodging.
- Six hearty breakfasts and five wonderful dinners - including lobster!
- Ferry tickets to Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket.
- Day trip on Nantucket Island.
- Support van, luggage transport and en route ride leaders.
- Ride packet with cue sheets, maps & items of interest.
Our 11th Year on the Cape!
Fall Foliage in New England cycling the nooks and crannies of Cape Cod, Massachusetts - renowned for miles of glorious coastline, quaint villages, scenic byways and a rejuvenating ambiance. This exciting bicycle vacation from the Cape Cod Canal to Provincetown will also enjoy a weekend on Martha's Vineyard and day-trip to Nantucket.
Itinerary
Day One: Hyannis- Check-in and Welcome
Our bicycle trip begins on Saturday in Hyannis - the Cape's busiest town. You'll check-in throughout the day at the hospitable Hyannis Heritage Hotel - our anchor for the trip, located on Main St. and just a few blocks from the harbor.
If you arrive early, you can walk the harbor area or venture on your bikes to visit the Kennedy Memorial and nearby Hyannisport-home of the Kennedy Compound. That evening, you'll meet your fellow cycling friends at a Welcome Dinner in the Heritage House dining room.
Cycling alongside the Cape Cod Canal.
Days Two & Three: Martha's Vineyard(44 miles or Direct Ferry from Hyannis Harbor)
Sunday morning, cyclists will have the option for a direct ferry from Hyannis Harbor or to enjoy a Sunday morning adventure cycling to the Cape Cod Canal and then along the Shore Road and Shining Sea Bike Trail to the M.V. ferry at Woods Hole.
Even though we offer group rides, cycling beautiful Martha's Vineyard is best done "at your leisure". M.V is a large island with lots to do and see.
You can choose your daily mileage from 10 to 70 miles-or leave the bicycle behind and enjoy sightseeing by trolley, a hike along the many beautiful beaches and trails, or a kayak tour on quiet Chappaquidick.
Our weekend enjoys inviting accommodations at the Madison Inn in Oak Bluffs.
Day Four: Orleans(28 or 43 miles)
On Day Four, Tuesday, we'll have "the best breakfast on the Vineyard" at Linda Jean's Restaurant and meet the fast ferry heading back to the Cape mainland. From the Hyannis harbor we head towards the "elbow" of the Cape, passing the historic homes and beautiful sandy beaches of the Harwiches. At this point, cyclists have a choice to have a leisurely cycle of 28 miles straight to Orleans -by hopping onto the Cape Cod Rail Trail.
Others will venture east into Chatham, offering spectacular views along its harbor, and riders will want to stroll the town's streets, visit the famous Chatham Light and catch a bite to eat in one of the lovely cafes. The long route then joins the Rail Trail into charming Orleans and our stay at the Olde Taverne Inn.
Outside the Judah Baker windmill in Harwichport.
Day Five: Provincetown(32 mile- short riding day so we can fully enjoy Provincetown!)
Wednesday, we'll rejoin the Cape Cod Rail Trail and head to the tip of the National Seashore and one of the Cape's favorite destinations - Provincetown. On our way, we'll visit Wellfleet, - where artists gaining inspiration from the shore landscapes, call home.
Looking down to the Provincetown pier.
We'll also travel through Truro - known as the last vestige of "Old Cape Cod". Here we pass lots of restored lighthouses and cycle along expanses of pristine beach and dunes in the wildlife management areas.
We reach Provincetown via the incredible dunes of the Province Lands and check in at our beachfront lodging - Surfside Inn - with rooms overlooking the water.
You'll want to put away the bike and take to the streets walking to find out why Provincetown is such a popular and unique place. Visitors relish not only the artsy atmosphere of "Commercial Street", but the town's natural beauty, preserved architechture, remote beaches and famous Whale Watch Tours.
Day Six: Hyannis(50 miles)
We say good-bye to delightful Provincetown and head back along the National Seashore and Cape Cod Rail Trail to Hyannis.
We will be offering a shuttle this day for those that want to lessen this day's mileage.
Tonight we'll enjoy a Lobster Dinner at the Heritage House Hotel!
Day Seven: Day on Nantucket- Night in Hyannis
New to our schedule this year, we'll finish our week with a day trip to Nantucket. We'll enjoy a hearty breakfast at the Heritage House then take to the harbor just 2 blocks away for our voyage!
We'll enjoy history rich Nantucket at our leisure, walking or bicycling. Our ferry sails back to the Cape mainland by late afternoon.
We will enjoy a farewell dinner to celebrate the end of an exciting bicycle vacation.
Day Eight: End of a great trip!
After a restful night, we say our good-byes!
Trip Difficulty
The terrain in Cape Cod is gently rolling with a hill or two along the National Seashore towards Provincetown. We bike or give option to cycle as many miles as possible along Cape Cod's bicycle paths. However, many of the trip miles are cycled on public roadways shared by cars. We try and select quiet, picturesque routes with as little car traffic as possible and that provide at least a 2 foot shoulder for cycling.
For full enjoyment of the trip, you will want to come prepared to cycle the total tour mileage. However, we do offer shorter routes on some days, days off feature in Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket, as well as the opportunity to take advantage of the Cape's excellent transportation system.
We advocate social touring and a "smell the roses" philosophy to bike travel.
Getting There
Cape Cod is easily accessible by car and plane-landing in Boston's Logan Airport with a direct bus shuttle to our hotel in Hyannis.
We offer free parking at our host hotel for those driving to Cape Cod.We are glad to receive your bikes if you ship them to the ride start and will store boxes until the end of the trip.
Additional Information
Please visit our Trip Information page for more trip and registration information. Upon registration we will send you a Welcome Letter containing lots of pre-trip details
including how to get you and bike to the trip start, bike rentals, suggestions on packing, trip area and contact information, cycling and travel websites to enhance your trip experience, etc.
We are always happy to receive your e-mails or calls if you have any questions!