Heading to the Cape in Sept

Hi all. Thanks for all your help again to date. I am a firm believer in the prior preparation and planning so as to enjoy a holiday properly. I am only planning since Feb. So thanks very much again for all your help in locating a property on the Cape. I have booked a house for 8 days in Septemeber (mid Sept to late) in Chatham. I beleive the propery is about 1/2 mile from Ridgevale Beach. The plan now is to have a type of itinery for the vacation. So again I appreciate any assistance that is given and always investigate it thoroughly

So in asking a few questions I hope to get a steer

1. What are the absolute must do%26#39;s in this part of the Cape?

2. What are the nice to do%26#39;s?

3. What attractions are there for small kids?

4. Nantucket or Martha%26#39;s Vineyard on a day trip. To maximise time on the island where would people recommend getting the ferry from? Are there any really fast ferries to the islands? If so from where?

5. The plan essentially is to chill out on the Cape but if people think there are any day trips we should do - I would love some advice

6. The Chatham area - restaurants, attractions etc? I have read about a concert that takes place in Chatham on Friday evening during the summer. Will this be on mid Sept or do people know when it ends?

Thanks a million for any advice. It is great to hear from people who really know what they are talking about.

Heading to the Cape in Sept

Just a little sanity check here. You mnetioned you have the house for 8 days. I don%26#39;t think so. Almost all rentals are for one week only, usually Saturday afternoon to the following Saturday morning. So if that%26#39;s what you%26#39;re calling 8 days, it%26#39;s okay. Otherwise, you had better check what you do have.

AlanM

Heading to the Cape in Sept

No, it is for 8 days. Fri to a Sat. I got the house through a realtor and as it is off season, I was able to get it for 8 nights.

Welcome Gibliano! Glad that you have chosen the Cape as a vacation spot for your family. You%26#39;ve picked a pretty time of year to come with fewer crowds.

I can%26#39;t answer all of your questions...but will attempt to help with a few. It would help future posters to know the ages of your children so that we can steer you in the right direction.

Some Must Dos in my book:

Spend some time biking on the CC Rail Trail or up in Provincetown. One of our favorites is to rent bikes in Eastham at Little Capistrano Bike Shop and then bike out to Coast Guard Beach. Seeing the Atlantic ocean beaches (Coast Guard, Marconi, Nauset to name a few) is also a must see so this kills two birds with one stone!

Wandering the shops in Chatham. All very cute (and expensive) but a fun thing to do. The Mayflower and Benjamin Franklin stores would have inexpensive toys/games for the children.

The Brewster Store (in Brewster) - kids would love shoping for ';penny'; candy and they have unique items. Old time country store. And then travel down Route 6A to stop in their sister store, the Strawberry Patch. They have nice gift items but also garden trains and a maze for the children to enjoy.

Walking the Fort Hill Trail in Eastham. The views out through the salt marshes to the Atlantic Ocean are just beautiful and the kids will enjoy walking on the boardwalk trail through the marsh section of the %26#39;hike%26#39;. It%26#39;s pretty flat throughout and is less than 1.6 miles of walking.

You should be aware that the weather in mid to late September can range from bathing suit weather to quite chilly and damp.

Have a wonderful time!

Mid-September is one of the nicest times of year on the Cape. Brides (and everyone else who visit this time of year) think so too...so lots of weddings, rehearsal dinners,people in restaurants, bars, etc. It%26#39;s ';off-season'; but it isn%26#39;t sleepy at all. You can experience almost everything you can experience in the summer but with fewer people about.

Re: Chatham: (others will contribute their favs.)

The Band Concerts in Chatham will be finished by mid-September. The high speed ferry to Nantucket from Saquatucket Harbor (close to S. Chatham), will still be going, as will all the ferries out of Hyannis, Woodhole, Falmouth, etc.

All the restaurants should still be open, some few may close after Labor Day weekend, but not many: In Chatham, try the Squire, the Impudent Oyster for good food. The Squire is great for families. Also: check out Pisces in S. Chatham on Rte. 28 between Forest Beach Rd. and Pleasant St. (I%26#39;ve always made a reservation here, as it%26#39;s tiny. Also, it%26#39;s a great place for adults).

The beaches will be great on warmer days. No guarantees on the temp. of the water! (The lifeguards will be long gone this time of year, too, so be careful). Although Cape weather is unpredictable, September can be more lovely than not. You%26#39;ll still want to bring layers and some sort of jacket that blocks the wind.

Will you have bikes? You can pick up the bike trail on Morton Road in S.Chatham (the road between Box Office Cafe and the Christmas store and across the street from Forest Beach Rd.) Enjoy your trip!

flew over the ';s';: should be Woodshole

Thanks for that information. The kids are very young - 2 and 1. I certainly hope to rent bikes for a day or two. I presume that you can rent bikes with carrier space for very young kids?

I really appreciate any information. It certainly makes for a more enjoyable holiday for me when I have things organised.

Awww. yours are still babies! You%26#39;ll have great pics when you get home. OK: The Impudent Oyster and Pisces won%26#39;t be the right restaurants for you with your kids, but the Squire will be great. Kreme and Kone (across from Job Lot) will be perfect too.

Beaches: Head to Oyster Pond. filled with little kids, not a wave in sight, lots of minnows to catch with a net from Ben Franklin%26#39;s. You can buy kites there too, you might like to ';help'; your 2 year old to fly a kite on the beach after everyone has left.

Bike rentals have the kid carriers. You bringing your own helmets for them?