Perched at the elbow of Cape Cod where the Cape bends dramatically southward, Chatham is widely regarded as the quintessential Cape Cod town. Its working fish pier, white lighthouse, flower-lined Main Street, and grand shingle-style estates have made it a magnet for discerning buyers and visitors for generations. Chatham is where old-money grace meets the open Atlantic — a place of extraordinary natural beauty, refined character, and a conservation legacy that ensures it will stay that way.
Chatham Highlights
- Chatham Lighthouse & Lighthouse Beach — one of the Cape's most photographed landmarks
- Chatham Fish Pier — watch fishing boats unload the daily catch in a working harbor still active today
- Monomoy National Wildlife Refuge — world-class birding on a barrier island accessible only by boat
- The Great White Shark hot spot — Chatham's outer beaches are among the densest white shark waters on the East Coast
Ridgevale Beach
A wide, sandy Nantucket Sound beach in South Chatham, popular with families for its warm water and full summer facilities. One of Chatham's most accessible ocean-side beaches.
Nantucket SoundParking (fee)Lifeguards (seasonal)Restrooms
Harding's Beach
A classic Nantucket Sound beach with a wide sandy shoreline, gentle surf, and beautiful views toward Monomoy Island. One of Chatham's most popular family beaches.
Nantucket SoundParking (fee)Lifeguards (seasonal)RestroomsConcessions
Chatham Lighthouse Beach
A dramatic ocean-facing beach below the historic Chatham Lighthouse, with powerful Atlantic surf and views of the Chatham Bars breach. Primarily a walking and sightseeing beach — strong currents make swimming inadvisable.
Atlantic OceanVery limited parkingNo lifeguardsStrong currents — no swimming
Chatham Lighthouse
A working lighthouse since 1808, dramatically situated above the Chatham Bars — the break in the barrier beach — with sweeping views of the open Atlantic.
Chatham Fish Pier
One of Cape Cod's last active commercial fishing piers, where lobstermen and groundfishermen still unload their catch each afternoon in front of appreciative crowds.
Monomoy National Wildlife Refuge
Over 7,600 acres of pristine barrier island habitat — a critical stop on the Atlantic Flyway and home to grey seals, white sharks, and thousands of shorebirds.
Chatham Marconi Maritime Center
Celebrating Chatham's role as the Cape's maritime communication hub, with exhibits on ship-to-shore radio and ocean rescue history.
Chatham Bars Inn
A storied 1914 grand resort — one of the finest oceanfront hotels in New England, with a private beach, spa, and farm-to-table dining.
The Squire
A Chatham institution since 1968 — a lively bar and restaurant on Main Street beloved by locals and summer visitors alike.
Impudent Oyster
A cozy, eclectic Main Street restaurant known for outstanding seafood and an adventurous international menu.
Del Mar Bar & Bistro
Upscale waterfront dining with creative New American cuisine and one of the Cape's finest wine lists.
Chatham Wayside Inn
A historic 1860 inn with a warm dining room, traditional New England hospitality, and classic American cuisine.
From CAI — Cape and Islands NPR Station
The small, black relatives of the blueberry grow all over the Cape and Islands.
Amateur cooks get by with a little ?kelp? from their friends and the results are pretty tasty.
Garlic scapes are in season at the Truro Farmers Market, and there are so many good ways to cook them.
A centuries-old Portuguese ritual rich with history, pageantry, and, most definitely, food.
Landscaping can direct major rainfalls to places where plants can use the water later.
An expert makes the case for eating "micro-livestock."
The hub offers food from 20 farms in the region.
For more than a hundred years, the state has been stocking ponds all over the Cape and Islands with locally raised trout. Mike Clark of Plymouth helps breed these fish at a series of outdoor pools in Sandwich.
On a Cape Cod blueberry farm, a newly arrived colony of bumblebees takes flight, beginning the careful work that transforms spring flowers into summer fruit.
Last spring, honeybee keeper Tim Colon of Vineyard Haven emailed me a fascinating recording.
We look at acorns, chestnuts, and hickories on the commercial food scene.
You know hostas? Those broad-leafed, perennial plants landscapers so often put in shady spots, or on the edges between gardens and lawns? Well, it turns out hosta shoots are edible. Really.
Main Street Chatham
One of the Cape's premier shopping destinations — a mile of galleries, boutiques, jewelers, and specialty shops in a beautifully maintained village center.
Yellow Umbrella Books
An independent bookshop in the heart of Main Street, beloved for its curated selection and community author events.
Chatham Jam & Jelly Farm
Artisan jams, jellies, honey, and Cape Cod pantry gifts made on-site from local ingredients.
Main Street Fine Art Galleries
Chatham's Main Street is home to multiple established fine art galleries representing nationally recognized artists in oil, watercolor, photography, and sculpture — making it one of the Cape's premier gallery destinations.
Chatham Art Guild
A juried artists cooperative presenting member exhibitions in a welcoming gallery space, celebrating the breadth of artistic talent that calls the Chatham area home.
Chatham Waterworks Gallery
A fine art gallery in a beautifully converted 1914 pumping station, offering rotating exhibitions in one of Chatham's most distinctive architectural settings.
Buffy's Ice Cream
A Chatham summertime favorite — a casual, welcoming ice cream shop known for generous scoops, creative flavors, and the kind of friendly small-town character that defines Cape Cod at its best. A short walk from Main Street makes it a natural post-shopping stop.
Short 'n' Sweet Ice Cream
A Chatham Main Street favorite set in a cozy converted century-old schoolhouse, Short 'n' Sweet is known for rich, creamy homemade ice cream in an ever-changing roster of inventive flavors alongside classic cones, sundaes, and frappes. The kind of place you find yourself returning to every day of vacation.
Chatham Candy Manor
An iconic Chatham confectionery institution famous for its handcrafted chocolates, saltwater taffy, and seasonal ice cream — a sweet stop on Main Street that draws visitors back year after year.
Courtesy of the Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce
April 25 - October 18, 2026
- What comes to mind when you think of cranberries? A crimson bog on a bright autumn day? Or maybe a Thanksgiving table? Whether covering our local bogs or garnishing our cocktails,...
April 25 - October 18, 2026
- In From Carriage to Classic: How Automobiles Transformed America, we present the origin story of the American automobile through 26 cars from Heritage’s permanent collection....
June 1 - August 14, 2026
- Spend your summer evenings with Hyannis Sound at our weekly Cape Cod shows in Falmouth, Chatham, Dennis, and Osterville! Join us from June 1 through August 14 for live a cappella...
June 4 - September 3, 2026
- Thursdays, 5:00 - 8:00 PM Chapter House Cape Cod, 277 MA-6A, Yarmouth Port Join Cape Symphony Presents for Thursday Night Chapters - a free, weekly summer residency at the historic...
June 25 - August 22, 2026
- 2026 Osterville Village Library 34th Annual Car Raffle - Tickets are on sale now!Win either a 2026 Audi A3 quattro or a Jeep Wrangler 4-door Sport 4x4 - winner's choice!The...
June 25 - August 27, 2026
- Canal Region Farmers Market📅 Thursdays, June 25 – August 27, 2026🕔 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM📍 Buzzards Bay Park, 90 Main Street, Buzzards Bay,...
July 7 - August 31, 2026
- Our ever-popular biennial installation of whimsical fairy houses will return to the Highfield grounds this summer! Our theme for the 2026 fairy houses will be Celebrations!,...
July 7 - September 27, 2026
- The country will celebrate 250 years of Independence in 2026. To honor this special Semi-quincentennial anniversary, Highfield will present a celebratory exhibition, O Beautiful:...
July 25 - August 8, 2026
- View the Plein Air works of art created by local artists painting in the gardens during the Cape Cod Hydrangea Festival garden tours.For the sixth year, artwork will be on display,...
July 27 - August 2, 2026
- Hyannis HyARTS ARTIST SHANTIES Hyannis Harbor *two locations along the Walkway-to-the-Sea* OPEN MAY - OCTOBER Bismore Park & Harbor Overlook, on Ocean Street 12 seaside...
July 29 - July 31, 2026
- Bayberry Quilt Guild annual quilt show, over 200 quilts on display as well as vendors, demos, lectures, refreshments. Bayberry Quilters’ 43rd annual quilt show will be...
July 30 - August 1, 2026
- The Cape Cod Writers Center Annual Conference is a nationally-acclaimed multi-day event tailored for both aspiring and published writers of all genres. It provides attendees...
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