A vacation on Cape Cod is a dream come true for travelers who flock to our sandy beaches from all over the world, and although summer is prime vacation time, spring on Cape Cod may be the vacation that fulfills all your wishes. Quiet days and even quieter nights, beaches that are pristine and empty, and the chance to experience the authentic Cape Cod will make your trip wonderful, and lower prices and more availability of our Pretty Picky Properties seasonal sanctuaries will make this the vacation you compare all others against.
Our ultimate guide to a spring getaway on Cape Cod will reveal the secrets we only share with our closest friends and all the wonders that await you, including what you will discover in our spring escapes!
Off-Season Is the Right Season
We understand the joys of a summer vacation on Cape Cod, but spring offers its own delights and thrills. November through April is considered our off-season, and you will pay less for pretty much everything, saving enough money to buy some extra souvenirs, enjoy a fancy dinner, or maybe even stay an extra day.
Because the crowds are looking elsewhere for their spring break shenanigans, the restaurants will offer shorter wait times and there will be more properties available for your relaxation and comfort, as there will be less competition for our most popular models. Early spring is also a great time to fly, with all the airlines offering fantastic bargains, and no one can complain about that!
Packing for Adventure
Although winter may still linger, spring temperatures can be quite exhilarating, offering sunshine and brilliant blue skies that encourage you to get out and play. But as April showers do bring the most beautiful May hydrangeas, we suggest you pack a rain jacket if you don’t want your outdoor adventures to be interrupted.
Cooler in the mornings, warmer in the afternoons, you will want to layer your clothing, packing tee shirts and long-sleeved shirts, jackets that will guard against the rain, and jackets that will keep you warm. A good pair of hiking shoes is always recommended, and although it will probably be too cold for flip flops, you will still spend some time on the beach, so sneakers can come in handy as well.
Sunglasses will guard against the brightness of the sun’s rays, hats will keep your nose and cheeks from turning red, and sunscreen will guard against any other exposed skin looking like a lobster. Finally, if the Pretty Picky Properties offers a hot tub, you won’t want to forget your swimsuits, but if you do, there are plenty of places you can purchase a new one on the island!
Outdoor Life
Now that you have picked your property and packed your bags, it is time to explore all there is to do during your Cape Cod spring vacation. Because the landscape of our Cape home is one that you will never tire of, let’s start with your outdoor adventures. We have listed a few of our favorite things to do outside below.
The Cape Cod Rail Trail
For an authentic exploration of the Cape Cod countryside, a ride along the Cape Cod Rail Trail promises to show you all that makes our Massachusetts home special. Stretching out nearly 30 miles and cutting through six Cape Cod towns, riders can expect to see cranberry bogs, forests filled with trees just beginning to bud, and marshlands and all the wildlife that lives within.
Named for the railroad that the trail follows, it is paved, making it a desirable trail not just for bikers but for joggers, skaters, and more. Helmets are required by law for all riders 16 and under and recommended for everyone, something that the bike rental shops around here will be sure to provide for you.
A Walk Along Shore’s Edge
The cold waters of the Atlantic Ocean are colder still during the fall and winter months and will be too cold to swim in during the spring, but you will still want to get in a little beach time while you’re here. Sunset walks along water’s edge—staying far enough back to avoid the water that ebbs and flows, with your eyes on the sky as the sun cycles through all the fiery stages of sunset—will be your favorite way to end every day. Mornings spent sitting on the sand with a blanket wrapped around your shoulders will have you contemplating all the wonders of Mother Nature.
Travelers visiting in the later months of the season may find it warm enough to set up beach chairs and work on your tan, especially if your visit brings you here around Memorial Day, but remember that although it is still spring, Memorial Day Weekend is considered the kickoff to summer, and the beaches will no longer be empty and the costs will begin to rise once again.
Hyannis Whale Watcher Cruises, 269 Millway in Barnstable
Whale watching season begins in April, (but the cruise companies generally don’t start their new season until mid-May) and although there are ways to see a whale breaching the surface from the shore, Hyannis Whale Watcher Cruises will ensure that you get an up close and personal peek at one of the most breathtaking shows on earth. Tours leave the dock once a day in May, usually around 11 AM, and the knowledgeable captains will take you to the places the whales are known to frequent, increasing the odds that you will actually get to see a whale during your spring vacation on Cape Cod.
Spring Events on Cape Cod
It is still a little cool for many festivals in the early part of spring, but there will be quite a few as the season evolves, including the ones listed below.
Cape Cod St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Yarmouth
Ok, we are cheating a little with this one, as the parade often starts its procession a week or two before spring has sprung, but it is one of our more popular events, and you may want to time your trip to coincide with it. Offering a 2-mile-long procession that begins at 11 AM and lasts for about three hours, more than 100 groups take part, and the beloved parade is something you will never forget. Featuring antique cars, Irish step dancers, marching bands, bagpipes, it truly is a sight to be seen!
The Sandwich Bazaar (Flea Market) 34 Quaker Meetinghouse Road in Sandwich
Billed as Cape Cod’s Premier Flea Market, the Sandwich Bazaar opens for the season in early April. It is held on Wednesdays from 6 AM until noon and on Sundays (the second day generally starts at the end of April) from 7AM until noon. This flea market offers an authentic glimpse into Cape Cod life, selling everything from tools and housewares to antiques and art, and we can tell you that we have picked up some of our most prized possessions at this wonderful flea market.
Brewster in Bloom, Multiple Locations in Brewster
In May, spring lives out loud with this wonderful festival that combines a love of flowers with a love of art and creates an adventure you won’t soon forget. Enjoy three days of activities, including live music, arts & crafts shows, a 5K run, and a town parade that is sure to be the most beautiful thing you will see this year. Featuring a new theme every year, the colorful floats will thrill, the marching bands will impress, and the classic cars will make you long for your own classic vehicle. A new Main Event, the Tastes of the Ocean, is a food show and mansion tour that has fast become one of our favorite parts of the festival!
A Taste of Cape Cod
The food of Cape Cod is world renowned, and although many of our local restaurants close for the winter, April is generally the month they all begin to reopen, so your Massachusetts spring fling will be a well-fed one! There are many, many wonderful restaurants to try during your seasonal adventures, more than we can list on this page, but below we have provided a few of our favorite restaurants that offer a quintessential taste of Cape Cod.
Sesuit Harbor Café, 357 Sesuit Neck Road in Dennis
Remember the crepe you ate on a street corner in Paris, the elote you sampled during your visit to Mexico, or king cake you tried at Mardi Gras in New Orleans? We are about to add one more culinary delight to add to your memory banks: a lobster roll from the Sesuit Harbor Café! This Cape Cod Clam Shack has been a local tradition for over a quarter of a century, and no, it isn’t the place you probably want to go to celebrate your golden anniversary, and no, it doesn’t accept credit cards, but yes, it offers an iconic taste of Cape Cod you will never forget!
Fisherman’s View, 20 Freezer Road in Sandwich
Chain restaurants are beginning to make an appearance on Cape Cod, but Fisherman’s View is a family owned waterfront restaurant that offers stunning views and some of the best seafood you can find in the entire state. Providing sea to table goodness, the owners are brother fishermen, and its market will allow you to purchase fresh seafood and cook it in your fully equipped Pretty Picky Properties kitchen.
Moonakis Café, 460 Waquoit Highway in East Falmouth
We can’t send you on a taste tour of Cape Cod without mentioning the most important meal of the day, and Moonakis Café in East Falmouth is Cape famous for its breakfast menu. Your breakfast choices are huge at this delicious café. Choose from waffles, pancakes, eggs benedict, and all the classic breakfast dishes you know and love. Their Cajun sausage is a spicy delight, making it difficult for us to choose between their Cajun sausage, onion, & cheddar cheese omelet and their lobster, asparagus, & Swiss cheese one. We very often go there two days in a row to enjoy both!
The Promise of Spring Has Awakened in Our Seasonal Sanctuaries
No matter how you spend your days and evenings during spring on Cape Cod, coming home to our Pretty Picky Properties spring sanctuaries will ensure that every day ends on a high note. Offering 2-bedroom love nests for couples, beachfront cottages for everyone who has dreamed of such a thing, and luxury properties loaded with all the amenities that will make you feel spoiled and loved, our homes will be the best part of a Cape Cod spring vacation experience unlike any other.
Interior Luxury Amenities
Our homes offer everything you need to be comfortable and relaxed, and they also provide all the ways to have fun, but our luxury amenities inside really make them special. Spring weather can be temperamental, but you won’t mind staying inside and binge watching your favorite movies in our home theaters or showing your family your mad pool skills on pool tables that are the center of attraction in our game rooms. State of the art televisions, deep soaking tubs, and gas fireplaces in the bedrooms are more ways we spoil you at home, and steam showers will ensure that your bathing experience will be a sumptuous one.
Exterior Luxury Amenities
Although you won’t be swimming during an April visit, when you step outside your spring retreat, you will discover a whole new world of luxury that includes a crystal-clear swimming pool, bubbling hot tub, and outdoor kitchen. We offer firepits for warmth, outdoor showers for fun, multiple seating areas, cornhole games; the list of outdoor amenities may be longer than the indoor ones, and you will need to choose your favorite property to discover everything we have to offer!
Reserve Your Favorite Cape Cod Seasonal Sanctuary Today
Every day is an adventure in comfort when you choose Pretty Picky Properties for your spring retreat. Reserve your favorite rental with us today!
