The Perfect Provincetown Daytrip

With Provincetown just 20 minutes from our Wellfleet hotel, doing a daytrip to the quirky town at the tip of the Cape makes perfect sense.

We’ve been to Provincetown countless times and we still find something new every time we go. Here’s the insider info you need to know:

First thing in the morning, before you leave Endless Coast, reserve a street-legal golf cart from Ptown Carts. A three-hour rental, the minimum, is $75. Each additional hour is $25. Pick up said cart in the parking lot at Far Land Provisions ($25 daily parking fee). If you haven’t had breakfast yet, grab from-scratch baked goods and an exceptional cup of coffee at Far Land. The golf carts are on the far side of the lot. An attendant is on hand. A few quick instructions and you’re on your way. They ask that you not go on the highway. Other than that, you are free to tool around town to your heart’s content. Commercial Street, here we come!

WAIT! We need to add a bit of footnote here, although we realize this isn’t at the actual foot of our ponderings. Whale watches are incredible. We happened to have discovered the golf carts on our most recent visit, so they’re top of mind, but if you rarely get to Cape Cod or have never been on a whale watch, you may want consider going that route. Their utter awesomeness cannot be overstated.

How much fun can a golf cart possibly be, you ask? Way, way fun. We’ve gone down Commercial Street a million times (okay, slight exaggeration), but this was an altogether different experience, skirting through pedestrian traffic in the unique conveyance. Zip down to the end of MacMillan Pier for a great view of the harbor and Provincetown Monument.

Continue down (or is it up?). Once past the delicious insanity that is Commercial Street, it will yield to a residential neighborhood. Take the time to meander through the narrow, twisty street ogling the historic homes. You will not be disappointed.

You know “that house with the big flag” you always see in photos? It’s at 77 Commercial Street. It will be on your left, set back from the road. You’re welcome.

Next stop is the jetty, a.k.a. the Provincetown Causeway, at the very end of Commercial Street. Depending on the time of day or year, on-street parking is permit only. As luck would have it, your golf cart actually has a town permit. If you decide to walk out on the jetty, mind the tide. Every year, someone makes the local news for getting stuck out there. Tides happen, people; be smart. For a great photo op, walk up the street a block or so to where there is a “break” in the dunes, opening up the sand-scape for a gorgeous view.

Back in the cart, we are Province Lands-bound. While the bike trail may look tempting, you need to stay on the road in the golf cart. It goes about 25 miles an hour, slightly below the speed limit. If you notice a queue of cars behind you, consider pulling over for a minute. It’s the right thing to do.

You’ll pass Herring Cove Beach first. This Cape Cod National Seashore beach charges a daily fee in season and, no, your town sticker won’t get you in (believe me, we tried). The fee is charged every day during the peak season and weekends only from Labor Day until late September. After that, parking is free. If you decide to stop here, choose the parking lot to the right of the entrance for the far better view. You will also pass Race Point Beach, another Seashore beach with the same parking scenario.

For a no-cost experience year-round, opt for the Province Lands Visitor Center: always free and always fabulous. The view from the second-story observation deck is awesome. Hit the head before getting back on the road if need be.

Throughout the Race Point/Province Lands area, it is quite possible that a fox or four may approach you. Don’t panic. They live and breed here. The foxes have become accustomed to people feeding them, so they’re not shy. Please do not feed the foxes. Seriously. We are here to have fun, not mess with the ecosystem of a national park.

By now, you are likely nearing the end of your three-hour cart rental. Back to town we go to return it. Commercial Street, the site of all things shopping, eating and drinking, is an easy walk from Far Land Provisions. No need to move your car and pay a second parking fee.

A right turn when you hit Commercial Street will have you in the thick of things in no time. Our favorite shops when we’re on the hunt for finds for the home that won’t make our credit card melt include Luxories, for a nice selection of international pieces including inexpensive glassware such as vases and ornamental orbs, handmade greeting cards and funky jewelry, and Utilities, which specializes in things for cooking and entertaining. Farther up is the swankier Shor Home Furnishings. For, um, intimate items, stop into Shop Therapy, even if it’s just so you can say “yes” when your friends inevitably ask if you went in.

Note the Provincetown Public Library on your right; stunning, isn’t it? The sculpture in front of the library is “Tourists” by the acclaimed sculptor Chaim Gross, who summered in Provincetown for many years.

For art aficionados, there are galleries galore on Commercial as well as the Provincetown Art Association and Museum: great gift shop, incredible collections of art, most of it local, and interesting exhibitions that change frequently.

If you feel like spending twenty bucks for two minutes of fun, check out the funicular (technically, it’s an inclined elevator) to Pilgrim Monument. It’s on Bradford Street, right behind Town Hall, and offers an altogether different view of the town, harbor and bay. The $20 fee does buy you entry into Pilgrim Monument and Provincetown Museum, but we’re getting hungry and are in need of cold beer at this point, so we haven’t ever actually been in either.

Lunch is a tough call. We love Fanizzi’s, but it’s a bit too far out of town to hoof it. Two faves in town include the 1620 Brewhouse and the Lobster Pot. At the Brewhouse, weather permitting, sit at the drink rail along Commercial Street for an elevated take on people watching. Great beer selection (no, not Pabst…look for it) and an incredible burger that, unless you want to lie down and nap immediately after lunch, is enough for two people.

At the Lobster Pot, the only place to sit is upstairs, a.k.a. the “Top of the Pot.” It has far better views and a much more local vibe than downstairs. We’ve actually never sat downstairs. Ever. Start with the Blackened Tuna Sashimi with beurre blanc. It is a must. We are non-vacillating on this point. For the main course, opt for one of their “Signature Bouillabaisses.” If we had to pick just one, the Sopa Do Mar would get the nod. We think. Maybe. Apparently we are vacillating on this point.

If you have one more stop in you, and have a designated driver, the Governor Bradford, directly across the street from the Lobster Pot, offers an immense selection of craft beers on tap and the most colorful local color you can find in Provincetown. The tall tables in front of the windows, to the right of the entrance, are the place to be to fully enjoy the experience that is the Governor Bradford.

Unless you’re all tuckered out or have dinner reservations, meander along the “shore route” (a.k.a. Route 6A) on your way back to the hotel. It’s a beautiful, beachy drive.

Perhaps a glass of wine in front of the fire pit in our backyard will be in order when you return to Endless Coast. Just a thought.

Writing and photography (except where noted) by Jennifer Kain DeFoe.