Provincetown sits at the very tip of Cape Cod — one of the most dramatic and celebrated destinations on the entire Eastern Seaboard. The Mayflower Pilgrims first landed here in November 1620, before continuing to Plymouth. Today, Provincetown is a world-famous arts colony, an internationally recognized LGBTQ+ destination, and the whale-watching capital of the world, with three miles of vibrant Commercial Street, Race Point Beach, and the Pilgrim Monument towering above it all.
Provincetown Highlights
- Pilgrim Monument — the tallest all-granite structure in the United States, commemorating the Pilgrim's 1620 landfall
- Race Point Beach — a wild National Seashore beach at the very tip of the Cape, famous for sunrise and sunsets over the open ocean
- Commercial Street — 3 miles of pedestrian-friendly galleries, restaurants, boutiques, and nightlife
- Whale watching — one of the world's finest whale-watching locations, with Stellwagen Bank just offshore
Race Point Beach
A wild, spectacular National Seashore beach at the very tip of the Cape — one of the finest beaches on the entire East Coast. Faces north across Cape Cod Bay, with frequent whale sightings offshore and extraordinary sunrise and sunset views.
Atlantic Ocean / National SeashoreParking (fee)Lifeguards (seasonal)RestroomsConcessionsWhale sightingsTop-rated beach
Herring Cove Beach
A National Seashore beach on the Cape Cod Bay side of Provincetown, calmer and warmer than Race Point, and world-famous for its extraordinary sunsets over the water. Full facilities and a lively summer atmosphere.
Cape Cod Bay / National SeashoreParking (fee)Lifeguards (seasonal)RestroomsConcessionsFamous sunsets
Long Point Beach
A pristine and very remote beach at the very tip of Cape Cod, accessible by seasonal water taxi from MacMillan Pier or a 3-mile walk along the breakwater. No facilities, no lifeguards — pure, unspoiled National Seashore.
Cape Cod Bay / AtlanticWater taxi or long walkNo lifeguardsNo facilitiesVery remotePristine National Seashore
Pilgrim Monument & Museum
The tallest all-granite structure in the United States at 252 feet — climb it for a 360° view of the outer Cape and bay, and visit the museum below celebrating the Pilgrim landing of 1620.
Race Point Beach
A wild and spectacular National Seashore beach at the very tip of the Cape, facing due west across Cape Cod Bay — remarkable for sunrise and sunsets over the open ocean, with frequent whale sightings offshore.
Province Lands Visitor Center
The National Park Service's outer Cape visitor center, with exhibits on Province Lands ecology and access to miles of bicycle trails through dramatic coastal dunes.
Commercial Street
Three miles of pedestrian-friendly street lined with galleries, boutiques, restaurants, drag clubs, guesthouses, and public art — one of the most distinctive main streets in America.
MacMillan Pier & Whale Watch
The departure point for whale-watching voyages to Stellwagen Bank, where humpbacks, finbacks, and minkes feed in extraordinary numbers close to shore from April through October.
The Lobster Pot
A P'town landmark since 1979 — multiple floors of dining overlooking the harbor, with outstanding chowder, lobster, and Portuguese-influenced seafood dishes.
Fanizzi's Restaurant & Bar
A beloved local spot on the water beyond the tourist strip — great views, classic American seafood, and a welcoming year-round atmosphere.
Café Heaven
A charming breakfast and brunch destination on Commercial Street, famous for its creative egg dishes and homemade pastries.
The Mews Restaurant & Café
A stylish and sophisticated restaurant with a loyal following for its creative American cuisine and one of Provincetown's finest bar scenes.
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.
Marine Specialties
A P'town legend — a cavernous surplus and specialty store on Commercial Street selling outdoor gear, military surplus, diving equipment, and extraordinary miscellany since 1945. One of the most distinctive shops on the entire Cape.
Cabot's Candy of Cape Cod
A beloved Provincetown sweet shop on Commercial Street with handcrafted chocolates, saltwater taffy, fudge, and old-fashioned penny candy — a year-round local institution and a go-to stop for visitors looking for authentic Cape Cod confections.
East End Books Ptown
An independent bookshop in Provincetown's East End with a thoughtfully curated selection of fiction, poetry, LGBTQ+ literature, and Cape Cod titles — a neighborhood literary anchor for year-round Provincetown residents and summer readers.
Provincetown Farmers Market
A seasonal open-air market at Veterans Memorial Park featuring local produce, artisan foods, handcrafted goods, and crafts from Cape Cod growers and makers — a lively Saturday morning community gathering point from spring through fall.
Provincetown Art Association & Museum (PAAM)
The heart and history of the Provincetown art world since 1914 — a world-class museum and active gallery with rotating exhibitions, a renowned permanent collection, artist residencies, and an education program that has shaped American art for over a century.
Commercial Street Gallery District
With 30+ galleries concentrated along 3 miles of Commercial Street, Provincetown has one of the densest gallery scenes per capita in the country — from blue-chip contemporary art to emerging talent, photography, sculpture, and fine crafts.
Schoolhouse Gallery
One of Provincetown's most respected contemporary galleries, presenting ambitious exhibitions by artists who carry on the serious studio practice tradition that has defined P'town since Charles Hawthorne founded the Cape Cod School of Art in 1899.
DNA Gallery
A contemporary art gallery known for bold, innovative exhibitions and a commitment to emerging and mid-career artists — part of the vibrant creative ecosystem that makes Provincetown's art scene endlessly surprising.
Lewis Brothers Ice Cream (Commercial Street)
A Provincetown legend at the west end of Commercial Street — Lewis Brothers serves hand-dipped scoops from an ever-changing selection of flavors, and has been a P'town institution for decades. Open late to serve the after-theater and after-dinner crowd.
Spiritus Pizza & Ice Cream (Commercial Street)
Famous for its late-night pizza, Spiritus is equally known for its ice cream window — a P'town tradition after a night on Commercial Street. The line stretches down the sidewalk on summer evenings, and it's worth every minute.
The Nut House — Ice Cream & Bakery
A beloved Provincetown fixture on Commercial Street serving house-made ice cream alongside fresh-baked goods — a sweet stop that blends the best of a bakery and ice cream parlor in a warm, welcoming setting popular with locals and visitors alike.
Courtesy of the Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce
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