Staying at a Bed & Breakfast is a fine thing to do while on vacation--doubly fine while visiting Cape Cod. Our B&B was in Yarmouthport (Mid-Cape) on a cozy little street of historic captains' homes. We were told that this 1820s home was first occupied by a tavern owner and ship financier, who happened to be the wealthiest man in Massachusetts at the time. The hospitality and our two-night stay was simply the best.
Beyond Yarmouthport, exploring the rest of the Cape was incredible. It's no wonder that this arm of land is transformed into a summer vacation wonderland. I can't wait until we will be able to come again when each day is a perfect sunny, summer day.
Highlights of Day Four and Five:
*Beaches, beaches, beaches. At each of these beaches, we collected sand and shells (and a couple of coral-speckled lobster claws) like a couple of treasure seekers.
*We had another night of driving around trying to find restaurants that were open for the season. Fortunately for Boy, we approached the infamous Kreme N Kone after I had made fun of its ridiculously cheesy advertisement on the radio. (The same idea as a local burger joint, except substitute the burgers with a menu of fried seafood.) Take a guess which of us had a basket of calamari while the other had a soft serve ice cream cone for dinner.
*Spending our first full day in the Cape with some much-needed sunshine; no rain, no wind--just warm and luxurious sunshine.
*Driving to Outer-Cape and ooh-ahhing over the scenic views. Cape Cod National Sea Shore, yes please.
*Appreciating the warmth at Race Point Beach and hoping to see any sight of whales from the shore. (Apparently, it is common to see them in the spring.)
*Hunting for crab cakes the whole trip. Super bad luck for me.
*AND the one time we had sat down in a restaurant that happened to have crab cakes on the menu, we ended up walking out of it after being seated. We hummed and hawed as we reviewed a menu that was well beyond our league. That, and the fact that all the patrons in the restaurant were well dressed senior citizens made us feel like fish out of water. (Bad pun, but I couldn't resist.)
*SO INSTEAD, we ate at a Brazilian BBQ in Hyannis. I've never eaten so much meat in my life. My mouth wouldn't stop salivating each time a server would stop by our table with some type of savory meat. By the time we were ready to pay the check, my belly probably looked like I was carrying triplets.
*I couldn't resist taking a photo of a nickname of mine that I found on the Sandwich Boardwalk. Another beautiful beach.
*Watching the sunset on the Yarmouthport Boardwalk. Simply breathtaking.
*Sacrificing precious time for shopping: after a nice lunch in Chatham on Day 4, we were disappointed with so many shops still closed in the off-season. If it weren't for a certain little boy who was promised a present when his mom and dad got home from vacation, this wouldn't have been a big deal. So it was off to Falmouth (again) to go souvenir shopping, which was a bit out of our way at that point.
***
By Day Five, one of us was eager to return home to see our little darlings. For the record, when I say one of us, it wasn't me. We drove through Boston and our only stop was Trader Joe's. Big whoop. Once we were home, two little faces lit up and four little arms wrapped themselves around our legs. Our frantic souvenir shopping became totally worth it as we watched our baby girl shriek with giddiness after she pulled out a new friend hiding within the gift bag from The Black Dog. "I was a good boy, Dad! Where's my present?" For the boy, the plastic fire department boat we gave him made bath time that evening longer than usual. My bookshelf has now been updated with evidence of our Cape Cod experience. A little bit of ocean in the home is good for the soul.
Without my parents, who are some of the best grandparents I know, this trip wouldn't have been possible. I can't say enough how grateful I am. You are the best.
