Area Attractions
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Local Attractions
Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard
Traditional and hi-speed ferries depart hourly from Hyannis and travel to both Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard in less than 1 hour. The ferry terminals are less than 10 miles from the Pelham House Resort. Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard make for excellent day (or weekend) trips from the Pelham House Resort.
Whale Watching
Enjoy spectacular whale watching tours on any of the professional charters that depart from historic Cape ports a short drive from the Pelham House Resort. Whale watching crews leave regularly from Plymouth, Barnstable, Hyannis and Provincetown Harbors; most guarantee a sighting. Depending on the port, trips vary in length.
Cape Cod National Seashore
The national seashore comprises 43,608 acres of shoreline; salt marshes; clear, deep, freshwater kettle ponds; uplands; as well as a great diversity of species supported by these habitats. Lighthouses, a life-saving station, dune shacks, Modern and Cape Cod-style houses, cultural landscapes, and wild cranberry bogs provide a glimpse into Cape Cod’s past and continuing life ways. The Seashore offers six swimming beaches, eleven self-guiding nature trails, and a variety of picnic areas and scenic overlooks
Deep Sea Charter Fishing
Albatross Deep Sea Fishing
Sesuit Harbor, East Dennis
508-385-3244
Captain George S. Mabee
Dennis
508-385-7265
Bay Charters
43 New Boston Road, Dennis
508-385-2936
Prime Rate Sportfishing
East Dennis
508-385-4626
Brandi Ellen
508-945-2227
Cape Cod Boats
Route 28, West Dennis
508-394-9268
Cape Cod Sportfishing
508-790-7820
Captain Roger Vandal
Sesuit Harbor, East Dennis
508-385-8150
Captain Todd K. Murphy
South Dennis
1-877-385-8305 or
508-385-8305
Kimpa Charters
110 Hillside Drive, Dennis
508-385-4700
Movie Theaters
Entertainment Cinemas
26 Enterprise Road
South Dennis, MA 02660
508-394-4700
3 miles from Pelham House Resort
Cape Cinema
35 Hope Lane
East Dennis, MA 02638
508-385-2503
8 miles from Pelham House Resort
Regal Cape Cod Mall Stadium 12
793 Route 132
Hyannis, MA 02601
508-771-7872
10 miles from Pelham House Resort
Beaches
Chapin Memorial
508-394-8300
Chapin Beach Road, Dennis, MA
Driving Directions
Four-wheel drive trail off road (Chapin/Crow). Quiet. Tidal pools. With not much of anything surrounding it, Chapin Memorial Beach is the perfect place for those trying to get away from the commotion of everyday life. Equipped with miles of sand for your beach pleasure, Chapin also offers ORV trails for those vehicles with permits. At low tide shallow tidal pools stretch out for what seems like forever – perfect for searching for those cute little sea creatures with your own cute little creatures.
Corporation Beach
508-760-6159
Corporation Road, Dennis, MA
Driving Directions
Disabled accessible. Play area. Warm, calm water. Swing set. Crescent-shaped Corporation Beach, hugging Cape Cod Bay, is a popular spot on hot summer days. The curve of the beach forms a tidal pool that’s perfect for children. The warm, calm bay water is great for swimming at high tide. At low tide, the water recedes and reveals huge flats great for exploring and walking. It is near Sesuit Harbor, and beachgoers can pass the day watching pleasure boats sail the bay. Corporation is popular with children and their families, especially during low tide.
Harborview Beach
508-780-6159
Harbor Road, Dennis, MA
Driving Directions
Connects with Cold Storage Beach. Private on one side. Nice. Small waves. Clean sand. Next to harbor. About 10 parking spots. Attendant on duty. Short walk to beach. Resident parking only.
On the east side of Sesuit Harbor, Harborview Beach is aptly named. There’s lots of room for plenty of visitors. Gentle waves make it a great place for younger children still learning to swim.
Mayflower Beach
508-760-6159
Dunes Road , Dennis, MA
Driving Directions
Large beach. Connects with Bayview Beach. Pools at low tide. Nice sand. Very popular. All ages. Boardwalk. Large parking lot. Attendant on duty. Short walk to beach. Small waves. Mayflower Beach is a gorgeous beach on Cape Cod Bay that’s great for people of all ages. Children will enjoy the many shallow pools created at low tide, while parents will enjoy the serenity of the a calm beach. Among the most scenic of Dennis’ 16 beaches, it features a boardwalk that stretches from the large parking lot over the dunes to the beach below. This is a favorite spot for families. Mayflower Beach reveals hundreds of feet of tidal flats at low tide.
Dennis Pond
508-398-2231
Summer Street , Yarmouth, MA
Driving Directions
Special beach sticker needed. Freshwater. Restrooms. Seasonal snack bar. Medium-sized sandy beach. Roped-off swimming area. Near train tracks. Nice view. Small parking right off beach. Families. Not too crowded. Portable restrooms are hidden in wooden structure.
Don’t let the name mislead you, Dennis Pond is indeed in Yarmouth. This freshwater pond with a medium-sized beach has calm waters and soft sand. It’s a good family beach and it’s not too crowded. There are restrooms and a seasonal snack bar.
Scargo Lake
508-760-6159
Dr. Lord Road, Dennis, MA
Driving Directions
Restrooms. Ideal for children. Roped-off swim area. Small parking lot. Attendant on duty. No walk. Shady. Closes at 9 p.m.
For freshwater swimming, Scargo Lake has two beaches with restrooms, playgrounds, and a picnic area. The sandy-bottom lake is shallow along the shore, which is ideal for children. It is surrounded by woods and is stocked for fishing. This is the perfect beach for older kids who want to go to the beach without their parents.
Restaurants
Cape Sea Grille
508-432-4745
31 Sea St. (off Rte. 28), Harwich Port
www.capeseagrille.com
Cherished as a “favorite splurge” for a “sophisticated” dining experience, this “beautifully appointed” Harwich Port “treat” set in a “quaint country house” may be “as good as any swanky joint in Boston”; providing a “welcome escape from all the rustic fried foods on the Cape”, it features an “exceptional”, “innovative” New American menu (“who needs a view with a meal like this?”); be forewarned, however, that the service can be “ slower than midsummer traffic on Route 28.”
Chatham Bars Inn
508-945-0096
279 Shore Rd. (Seaview St.), Chatham
www.chathambarsinn.com
Evoking a “wonderful feeling of long-ago luxury”, this “grand lady on the hill” – a “captivating” “beauty” set in a tranquil resort perched high on a bluff “overlooking the ocean” in Chatham – “makes you remember why you sit in traffic to get to the Cape”; along with the “exceptional view”, patrons are served “well-prepared” Electic dishes by a “formal” staff, making for a “sophisticated culinary experience”; N.B. jacket required.
Clancy’s of Dennisport
508-394-6661
8 Upper Country Rd. (bet. Rtes. 28 & 134), Dennisport
www.clancysrestaurant.com
“There’s something for everyone” (including the kids, despite a logo that specifies “Ladies and Gents”) at this tavern “overlooking the Swan River” in Dennisport, which may explain why the “casual” room is “always a mob scene” in season; the Irish fare that once dominated the menu has mostly been replaced by Traditional American grud bhat may deem “good” if “plain”, though a few call it downright “boring.”
L’Alouette
508-430-0405
787 Main St./Rte. 28 (Julien Rd.), Harwich Port
frenchbistrocapecod.com/wp/
It’s “easy to miss” this “hidden jewel” in Harwich Port as “traffic whizzes by on busy Route 28”, which may explain why it remains “one of the Cape’s best-kept secrets”; owned by a “husband-and-wife team”, it achieves the “perfect marriage of classic French cuisine and Cape Cod seafood”, turning out “incredible”, “artfully presented” dishes; habitués who simply swoon “oui, oui, oui” bet that “once you visit, you’ll return often.”
Naked Oyster Bistro & Raw Bar
508-778-6500
20 Independence Dr. (Rte. 132), Hyannis
www.nakedoyster.com
One of the “best raw bars this side of the canal” lurks in this “New York-swank” Hyannis “meeting place” that “doesn’t look like much from the outside” (it’s “tucked in a nondescript building”); inside, the menu showcases “lots of seafood choices”, all “fresh” and “outrageously good” and paired with a “delightful selection of wines by the glass.”
Ocean House
508-394-0700
Depot St. (Upper Country Rd.), Dennisport
www.oceanhouserestaurant.com
“So close to the water” “you’ll think you’re on a cruise” rhapsodize “romantics” about this airy, elegant bistro in Dennisport that boasts an “incredible view of Nantucket Sound” through its endless windows; the “adventurous chef” prepares “outstanding” New American fare with “flair”, but some grumps grouse that “you’re mostly paying for the amazing” setting; N.B. there’s live jazz in the lounge.
Red Pheasant
508-385-2133
905 Main St./Rte 6A (Elm St.), Dennis
www.redpheasantinn.com
“Delicious, delightful, de-lovely” sums up this “quant”, “very New England” “gem” set in a 200-year-old barn in Dennis that’s particularly “inviting” if you nab a seat “next to the fireplace”; wherever your table, you’ll be treated to an “inventive” New American menu “filled with interesting choices” and delivered by an “informed, approachable” staff; a “real comfort zone”, it provides a “perfect escape from all the claim shacks and lobster shanties” around.
Sosumi Asian Bistro
508-945-0300
14 Chatham Bars Ave. (Main St.) Chatham
www.oceanhouserestaurant.com
“How refreshing” to find this “wonderfully funky addition to stuffy downtown Chatham”, where the “very fresh” sushi and “imaginative” Asian Fusion fare, all “beautifully presented”, make for a “nice break from the ubiquitous American seafood on the Cape”; while most appreciate the “creative” menu (“so good we wish this place were in Boston”), critics contend that the “unresponsive” staff can be “slow” or downright “rude.”
All restaurant reviews are from Zagat Survey, 2004/05 Boston Restaurants
Golf
Find a Golf Course
If you're a golfer, you won't have a hard time finding a tee time near the Pelham House Resort. There are 15 daily fee golf courses within 15 miles of the Resort!