Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Once you cross the Sagamore Bridge, follow signs for Rte. 6A, also referred to as the
Old King's Highway (a hint of the Cape's Colonial heritage). Slaloming past cranberry
bogs, briny marshland, and the countless weathered cottages that have become hallmarks
of Cape Cod, Rte. 6A has the feel of a quiet country lane, and locals much prefer it to
the faceless efficiency of Rte. 6 (the Mid-Cape Highway), which parallels the route to the
south.
2.
Sandwich
The New England of yesteryear is alive and well in Sandwich. Incorporated in 1639, this
historic town is the oldest settlement on Cape Cod and one of the oldest in North America.
It later became the site of one of the largest glass factories in the nation, and the Sandwich
Glass Museum, on Main Street, is a must-see, with a glittering assemblage of 19th-century
glass—cut, beveled, enameled, and blown.
The best way to sample Sandwich is on foot—it is, after all, in essence a 17th-century
English village. A goodly portion of the downtown district remains remarkably intact, and
many original buildings are open for tours.
Among the town's more notable residents was Thornton Burgess, author of Peter Cot-
tontail and other charming children's tales. A museum on Water Street showcases many
of his original manuscripts and illustrations. Another nearby site, the Green Briar Nature
Center and Jam Kitchen, honors both Peter Cottontail's “briar patch” home and his cre-
ator's affection for the sweeter things in life. If you have any doubts, stop to sample the
kitchen's beach plum jelly and cranberry preserve.
Across the highway the Sandwich boardwalk rambles through marshland and dunes to
Town Neck Beach. Destroyed in 1991 by Hurricane Bob, the boardwalk was later rebuilt
byacorpsofvolunteers,manyofwhomcarvedmessagesintotheplanks—everythingfrom
literary quotations to eulogies for boats lost in the storm.
3.
Sandy Neck Beach
One of the Cape's best-preserved shores, Sandy Neck occupies the eight-mile-long barrier
beachthatprotectsBarnstableHarbor.Thesouthsideofthispeninsulaismarshland—some
4,000 acres, teeming with shorebirds and other wildlife—while to the north, a long strip
of sand (perfect for strolling) meets the bay's chilly waters. Allow some time for an ex-
ploration of this marvelous stretch of dunes, beach plums, and lapping waves. Along the
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