Jeff Shaw

Is Falmouth Cape Cod?

Welcome indeed! Photo credit: American Security.

by Jeff Shaw, July 22, 2021

This basic question – Is Falmouth Cape Cod?, has been gnawing on me for a while. Silly as it may seem, and equally questionable my posing it considering I rarely visit the Upper Cape, I remain undeterred.

Don’t get me wrong, Falmouth has plenty of going on. It is considered the “gateway” to Martha’s Vineyard thanks to its proximity to the island and requisite ferry service; it is home to the renowned Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute, the premier Falmouth Road Race, the iconic Shining Sea Bikeway, and most of its villages have picturesque views of Buzzards Bay or Vineyard Sound. It was the birthplace of Katherine Lee Bates, who wrote “America the Beautiful,” likely inspired by the natural beauty of the land and sea.

It also happens to be the second most populated town. That word “second” is actually what my theory is based upon – Falmouth is second to Barnstable and not happy about it.

As mentioned above, Falmouth is the second most populated Cape Cod town. Guess which town is first? Barnstable of course! Falmouth was settled in 1660 (incorporated in 1686). Guess what year Barnstable was settled? 1637, a whopping two decades before (though Sandwich, Bourne and Yarmouth were settled even earlier).

If you are into baseball, then you may chuckle at this ridiculous fact – Falmouth has the second most runner-up finishes in the Cape Cod Baseball League finals since their last championship – 1980. Adding insult to injury, they also have the longest championship drought of any active franchise since 1980. Ouch.

My point is Falmouth, as solid as its offerings are, seems relegated to “runner-up” status when it comes to Barnstable. Put another way, Falmouth is the sidekick to Barnstable; the Robin to Barnstable’s Batman; the Sundance to the Barnstable’s Butch Cassidy. This beef may go back more than a century.

As marketing professionals would expect (and suggest), a lot of attractions on Cape Cod have the words “Cape Cod” in their name. Well, “duh” you might say. In Barnstable, examples include: Cape Cod Central Railroad (Hyannis Depot), Cape Cod Mall, Cape Cod Maritime Museum, Cape Codder Resort, Cape Cod Beer and plenty more.

As it turns out, Falmouth may have embraced this strategy to make a case for themselves as the center of Cape Cod. Below are some examples:

Cape Cod Fairgrounds logo.

Cape Cod Fairgrounds (East Falmouth), 1884

Perhaps the most ironic name, the Cape Cod Fairgrounds in Falmouth is the home of the Barnstable County Fair. You can NOT make that up. And yes, I know the county Cape Cod resides is Barnstable County. But still, that’s pretty funny. Also the Fair is happening this week!

Notice the entire Cape is featured in the logo.

Cape Cod Country Club (East Falmouth), 1928

As one of the earliest golf courses on the Cape, the Cape Cod Country Club name suggests it is the “center” of golf on Cape Cod. It is located in Falmouth. Interestingly, Barnstable opened a golf course in 1992, named the Old Barnstable Fairgrounds Golf Course. I can’t find the exact history, but believe an agricultural and livestock fair was hosted by the Barnstable County Agricultural Society in the mid-1800s on some fairgrounds. Still, the fact that Barnstable and Falmouth each have fairgrounds, no other Cape towns have/had them, is worth noting.

My finisher medal and iron-on commemorative t-shirt! Photo credit: Jeff Shaw

Cape Cod Marathon (Falmouth), 1996

Yet again, Barnstable and Falmouth lock horns. There are two marathons hosted on Cape Cod. Guess where they are located? You’re getting the hang of this exercise! Certainly Barnstable (Hyannis Marathon and Half Marathon) and Falmouth (Cape Cod Marathon).

Now I’ve run both races, and have somewhat comical recounts of each. In 2013, I was volunteering at the Hyannis Marathon and Half Expo, ran into a friend who sprained her ankle, who gave me her bib to run in her place. Having not run much over the winter (the event is held annually in February), I was huffing and puffing at mile 5, but for whatever reason, I recall this glorious tail wind that pushed me along the final miles and assisted in a respectable finish time. My friends were cheering me on at the finish line and it was all smiles.

Conversely, in 2014, I completed my first marathon in Falmouth. Hooray, right? However, I assumed the finish line area would be the place to get food and fuel upon finishing. Most races provide water, food, fuel, even a beer ticket, etc., along with medals, at or near the finish line. Not Falmouth; the water, food and fuels was back at the school/Expo, over a half mile away! There were not as many smiles at the Falmouth finish line.

Notice the entire Cape is featured in the logo. Photo credit: Cape Cod Winery.

Cape Cod Winery (East Falmouth), 2014

And finally, some wine. The recently opened Cape Cod Winery, located on a former strawberry farm, is in Falmouth. But the old guard of craft brewing is Cape Cod Beer (opened in 2004). Not only is Cape Cod Beer located in Barnstable, but has a dedicated tap line in almost every Cape Cod restaurant and bar.

Sorry Falmouth, but Barnstable is winning.

Now sure, plenty of businesses, cultural sites, even natural resources on Cape Cod have “Cape Cod” in their name (Cape Cod Rail Trail-Dennis+, Cape Cod Light-Truro, Cape Cod Creamery-Yarmouth+, Cape Cod Lanterns-Chatham; Cape Cod Realty-Orleans, Cape Cod Sea Camps-Brewster, Cape Cod National Seashore-Eastham+, etc.). Some off Cape businesses do too (Cape Cod Café-Raynham+) just to attract the wandering eye.

But Barnstable and Falmouth take the name game to the next level. Just don’t finish second.

2021 Cape Cod Summer Reading List

Beach Bliss. Photo Credit: Chris Hackett/Getty Images/Tetra images RF

Jeff Shaw, July 1, 2021

There is something remarkably relaxing about reading on the beach. Whether holding an actual book (old school!), scrolling on a device, or flipping through pages of a magazine, a gentle breeze across your face, warm sand in between your toes and the natural sounds of waves washing ashore is a setting hard to beat.

There are many authors who live on Cape Cod. There are also a ton of books – fiction and non-fiction – about Cape Cod. Now best sellers most of these recommendations are not. But if you just want to get lost in a book for a while, why not pick one about the very sand you are sitting on? Enjoy these reads on your next day at the beach.

2021 Cape Cod Summer Reading List

Into A Raging Sea, My Life and the Pendleton Rescue, 1985

The autobiography of Coast Guard hero Bernie Webber, who captained the rescue boat CG36500, is a truly unbelievable account of a career in the U.S. Coast Guard.

Certainly best known for leading the unimaginable rescue of crew members of the Pendleton, which split in half during a storm in February, 1952, he also was stationed in Vietnam, in Truro, on Martha’s Vineyard, at Monomoy Light and on Lightships displaying an unassuming heroism that simple defines the greatest generation he was apart of.

Lovers of nautical history, and of course Cape Cod history, must know the stories told on these pages. It may give you a new respect for the fishermen, patrollers and scientists that devote their life to the sea.

Baseball by the Beach, Christopher Price, 1997

After the 2020 Cape Cod Baseball Season was cancelled, what better way to make up for lost time with this detailed historical account of the earliest years of baseball on Cape Cod, all the way to the modern day.

The early evidence of the Nichols Baseball Club of Sandwich (1860s), suspisouions that future major leaguers played (Mickey Cochrene), and the debate about which year was the true start of the Cape Cod Baseball League (CCBL). Price finds the newspaper evidence of the first time baseball was playedon Cape Cod, the first time the words “Cape Cod Baseball League” was printed and chronicles the changes from rosters full of local players to the recruitment of college stars, and the decision to use wooden bats.

He also includes the history of each franchise (current and former), with team records for major statistical categories, wins, losses, and managers. A perfect companion for a summer afternoon.

Legends and Lore of Cape Cod, Robin Smith-Johnson, 2016

A collection of short stories and vignettes you never heard of about people, places and noteworthy events that have occurred on Cape Cod. There are suggestions that the first to visit Cape Cod was not Samuel de Champlain, the first white explorer in 1605; not Bartholomeow Gosnold, credited with naming Cape Cod and Martha’s Vineyard; not the Pilgrims who landed in Provincetown and later colonized Plymouth, but the Lief Ericson and the vikings with are rumored to have wintered on Cape Cod in the summer of 1004.

There are accounts of famous people like President Grover Cleveland’s “Gray Gables” summer retreat and personal train station in Bourne, America the Beautiful author Katharine Lee Bates birthplace in Falmouth and of course the Kennedy’s compound in Hyannis Port.

Of course, you will find stories of major disasters (hurriance, shipwrecks, erosion, etc) to murder mysteries and requiste hauntings to where famous landmarks get their names (MacMillian Wharf, “Bellamy” anything, etc) to UFO sightings. Perfect book for the beach, before bed or if you get interrupted regularly.

Murder on Cape Cod, Maggie Day, 2019

There is no better name than “Cozy Caper,” the actual name of the fictional book club (Cozy Capers) in the story to describe this fun and quick read. Murder on Cape Cod is the first of a new book series by author Maggie Day, who takes you on a loop through the Upper Cape Cod fictional town of Westham. WIth plenty of Falmouth area references, both numerous and direct, it is hard not to visualize this quaint seaside village.

The main character is impossible not to like and who happens to live off a bike trail and owns a bike shop. Even the businesses owned by her friends are “delightfully Cape Cod;” bakery, candy store, bookstore, library, liquor store and lighthouse caretaker, who all convey the ease of getting around a main street by foot. While there is little to no mention of life on the water, a fishing knife becomes a prominent clue in the mystery.

The author sprinkles in actual places, a few opinions on life choices that transcend to real life, and actual recipes of meals included in the story arc in the appendix.

In need of other recommendations? Check out the Cape & Islands Book Store Trail that span the peninsula and usually feature a section about books written by, or about, Cape Cod.

Free Beach Parking Part 2

“Sun”day at Forest Beach in May. Photo credit: Jeff Shaw.

The calendar says June which means we are on the cusp of beach parking fee season. A little-known fact about Cape Cod is that there are actually over a dozen beaches spread throughout the Upper, Mid, Lower and Outer Cape where you can find free beach parking. That’s right, no stickers, no passes, no fees, no tickets, do exist!

Sure, these beaches are not on any Top 10 lists. Most, you probably never heard of. But if you are looking for a new adventure, a reason to check out a new Cape Cod town or just want to save a few bucks, the beaches listed below do not charge fees to park/enter.

Of course, you can always visit the beaches that do require a sticker before or after the enforcement hours, generally 9:00-4:30 p.m. or park elsewhere and walk, bike or ride-share back.

Whatever your preference, enjoy the sun and sand!

Free Beach Parking Exists on Cape Cod

Chatham

Forest Beach: Public beach, limited parking, no restrooms, no fees.

Jacknife Harbor Beach: Public beach, no fees, no restrooms.

White Pond: Public beach, no fees, limited parking

Oyster Pond: Public beach, lifeguards, restrooms, no fee, medium sized parking lot (50 spots)

Clear water at Mayo Beach, with ample eating and shopping options within walking distance. Photo credit: WeNeedAVacation.com

Falmouth

Grew’s Pond: toilet, bath house, ice cream truck, lifeguards

Wellfleet

Mayo Beach: Medium-sized parking lot (90 spots), walkable playground, restaurants and harbor

Yarmouth

Bay View Beach: No lifeguards, beach area, seasonal Porta-John, small parking lot (20 spots) calm, shallow water

Colonial Acres: Small beach, marina, no lifeguards, wooden bridge, small parking lot (15 spots), seasonal Porta-John, nearby Mill Creek is a good spot for fishing and crabbing

The crossing to Colonial Acres Beach in Yarmouth. Photo credit: CapeCod.com

Dennis Pond: Parking area, seasonal Porta-John, no lifeguards

Englewood Beach: No lifeguards, beach, marina, jetty, small parking lot (20 spots); good sunset spot

Gray’s Beach (Bass Hole Beach): Good views, amenities including pavilion with picnic tables, charcoal grills and playground; Unpaved boat launch for kayakers, boaters and anglers; Good sunset spot; Medium-sized parking lot (50 spots)

Long Pond (Wings Grove): Parking area, small playground, wooded area, basketball court, seasonal Porta-John

Sandy Pond: Small beach, no lifeguards, recreation area, softball field, soccer field, tennis courts, basketball court, playground, picnic area (first come first serve), seasonal bathrooms, parking areas

Wilbur Park Beach: Picnic area, boat ramp, parking lot, seasonal Porta-john

Windmill Beach: Small beach, historic windmill, small parking area

Do you know of other Cape Cod beaches with free parking? Please let me know!

All-Access Cape Cod Beach Parking Pass

The Ridgevale Beach parking attendant shack in May, 2021. Photo credit: Jeff Shaw.

Author’s Note: Happy Memorial Day weekend! I hope you are able to gather safely with family and friends to celebrate and commemorate. In the spirit of this weekend kicking off the unofficial start of summer, below is an essay (long shot idea) asking local leaders to consider participating in a multi-town — better yet Cape-wide — beach parking pass.

The concept is rooted in the mountains (ski areas), but could create new experiences and better understanding of Cape Cod’s natural resources for locals and visitors alike. I’d love to hear your reaction to the idea, so unleash the comments!

All-Access/Multi-Town Cape Cod Beach Parking Pass

Whether bayside or oceanside, salt or fresh water, private or public, beaches make Cape Cod a special place. The same is true for the communities around them.

Yet parking at area beaches during the summer season can be daunting, to say the least. Could a multi-town, even Cape-wide, beach parking pass better promote these natural resources?

Beach access has been on my mind. Recent articles on the “dust-up in Dennis,” where seasonal residents are not eligible for the $50 full-time resident beach sticker and instead must buy an $180 seasonal resident beach sticker. Similarly, Chatham and Orleans continue the longstanding debate of the proper distribution of revenue from oversand vehicle stickers.

Being Memorial Day weekend, the unofficial start of the summer, most Cape Cod towns updated their beach information and fees for the upcoming summer season. Easier said than understood.

All 15 Cape Cod towns have different prices, options, enforcement dates, enforcement times, and processes for purchasing a beach parking sticker/pass. (I actually compiled a spreadsheet listing all this information and my head hurt about thirty minutes into a 2-hour project.)

Overloaded with 15 different beach sticker programs, I am convinced a multi-town beach sticker season pass is a worthy pursuit. Feel free to ready the rotten tomatoes.

Admitedly, it is easy enough to work-around parking at town beaches without the required parking sticker. You can visit before 9:00 am, or after 4:30 pm in most cases. You can drop off your party and park elsewhere if you don’t mind walking back. Ridesharing eliminates parking problems completely.

The idea of a multi-town or Cape-wide pass is rooted above sea level. A recent trend in the ski industry is the evolution of a multi-resort, “all-access” season or frequency pass. If you are a skier or rider, think Epic/Ikon (season pass) or Indy/Mountain Collective (frequency pass).

A season pass could offer unlimited or limited access to beaches in participating Cape Cod towns. Just look at The Cape Cod National Seashore annual pass as an example. For $60, you have unlimited access to six beaches in four Cape Cod towns. For Cape Cod standards, what a deal!

A frequency pass offers a set amount of days (say, two or three days) to visit beaches in participating towns, with or without restrictions. Just like holiday “black out” dates in December and February at ski areas, the Fourth of July or Labor Day weekends could have restricted access.

Such programs give passholders more options/incentives to visit different places and have new experiences while host communities reap the benefit of increased exposure and related economic activity and hopefully, return shoppers (beachgoers).

Town parking policies would not have to change. A multi-town season or frequency parking pass would still not guarantee a parking space. Parking lot access would still be first-come, first serve. Towns can also dictate which beach(es) participate, so locals only beaches can be preserved. No refunds can still be the policy.

The concept is based on increased value (slight discount, enhanced access, etc.) in exchange for upfront commitment by customers (resident or tourist passholders). Payouts could be distributed equally among participating towns based on passes sold, or by redemptions, meaning each town gets paid when a passholder visits one of their beaches. Technology makes tracking usage seamless.

Snacks bars, food or ice cream trucks, equipment rental shops, and area businesses would gain exposure to new visitors (again, resident or tourist passholders) who would otherwise not have a reason to visit the area. A multi-town beach pass could also make a great gift, especially for those looking to give the gift of experiences rather than stuff.

Finally, Cape Cod has a history of collaboration. From regionalization of schools to recreation trails to wild life management – even beaches. That’s right, precedent for a multi-town beach pass exists in the Upper Cape. Bourne and Sandwich have a reciprocal agreement that grants season passholders access to certain beaches in each town, though there are caps and restrictions.

Summer on Cape Cod can be magical. The parades, baseball games, band concerts, clambakes, are just a few cherished summer traditions that define summer on Cape Cod. The beaches also tend to be part of that story, many of which are consistently ranked in “Top 10” lists nationally.

Let’s make visiting them possible and affordable.

Red Cottage Restaurant South Dennis

Even on a cold off-season morning, the wait was about an hour for a table of five! Photo credit: Jeff Shaw.

by Mike Shaw

Several years ago, a family friend visiting the Cape stumbled upon The Red Cottage Restaurant, located in the South Dennis Historic District less than two miles off Route 6. The restaurant is set up like an old-style diner in a former two and half room cottage that serves breakfast and lunch.

The Red Cottage Restaurant has a dozen notable features – literally – which necessitated a “first timers” informational webpage featuring – twelve crowd favorites. The restaurant also offers muffins, pies, and quiches as delicious takeaway options.

Award-winning indeed. Photo credit: Jeff Shaw.

Originally established in 1951 by Kenneth Pareseau as a seasonal restaurant serving fresh seafood, it was sold in 1953 to the Mathieu family, who expanded it to a variety/grocery store. It was also owned by the Powers, Madeiros, Gordon and Peabody families. For the last 37 years, the Rosenbach Family has owned and operated the restaurant.

Patrons may also notice two unique offerings that prove the Red Cottage Restaurant is anything but a typical diner. First, two types of coffee are offered: regular, “diner-like” and a premium, special blend. The staff also decorates tables with placemats featuring a vintage 1950s “noontime nostalgia” menu, which was still offered on certain days of the week (well, pre-COVID). I mean, how can you pass up a Cream Cheese & Olive Sandwich or Creamed Chipped Beef? For $6.99, what a deal!

Even though I’d likely skip the nostalgia menu, somehow these offerings just make one smile. Photo credit: Jeff Shaw.

I’ve visited several times and usually have their homemade corned beef hash with sides of toast and sausage links. The homemade hash is excellent and the portions are quite generous. You should also splurge and “upgrade” to the (famous) Red Cottage Home Fries, prepared with ham, onions, peppers, and layered in hollandaise sauce.

The staff are extremely friendly and treat you like family. On two separate occasions, when the staff learned about a customer’s birthday, they dimmed the lights, sang Happy Birthday, and offered a complimentary dessert item complete with candle. Not your typical diner experience!

Even blog writers have to get their giant pancake fix. Photo credit: A wonderful waitress.

In short, The Red Cottage Restaurant is a gem and worthy of a special trip when visiting the Cape. One note of caution: perhaps unsurprisingly, the restaurant gets extremely busy during the peak season, with limited parking options and wait times easily passing one hour. Plan accordingly and try to arrive early – you won’t regret it!