Things To Do

Eastham, with its vast town conservation areas including The Cape Cod National Seashore Park and the Massachusetts Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary, has some of the best, most diverse, and most accessible nature spots in the East. Eastham has it all, including wooded trails, salt marshes, open ocean, protected bays and fresh water ponds. Sunsets that defy description, but will be kept in your heart forever, can be enjoyed from any of our beautiful bay beaches.

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Beaches

Nauset Light Beach, Cape Cod National Seashore, Eastham

Cape Cod National Seashore & the oceanside beaches

Approximately 27,000 acres of uplands from the southern tip of Monomoy Island off Chatham to Provincetown comprise the Cape Cod National Seashore. A bill, signed by President John F. Kennedy in 1961 ensured the conservation and preservation of some of the area's most beautiful natural surroundings as well as approximately 30 miles of the finest seashore on the Atlantic Coast. Eastham is considered the "Gateway to the National Seashore" with the Salt Pond Visitors Center, the Nauset Marsh hiking trails and two beaches, Coast Guard and Nauset Light.

2013 beach rates apply everyday from June through Labor Day Fees are also imposed on weekends late May until late June and the last three weekends in September. Rates are $15 per day per vehicle or $45 for a Season Pass for the beaches of the Cape Cod National Seashore. Parking lots for both Nauset Light and the Coast Guard shuttle lot tend to fill between 10:00am and 1:00pm. Questions? Visit their website or call the Salt Pond Visitor Center 508-255-3421.

Cape Cod Bay Beaches of Eastham

The western border of Eastham is lined with six miles of beautiful beaches overlooking Cape Cod Bay. Just as magical as the National Seashore, Cape Cod Bay offers calmer and warmer waters, amazing flats to walk and explore at low tide and breathtaking sunsets. The most notable and largest Eastham bay beach is First Encounter, the location where the native Indians first encountered the pilgrims in 1620. Eastham's bayside beaches and ponds require a parking sticker June - Labor Day, between 9 am & 4:30 pm. Daily Stickers are $15; weekly $65; Two week $100; Seasonal $180. Questions? Call 508-240-5976.

Eastham Recreation and Beach Department Programs

Kayaking / Canoeing

The marshes and open waters surrounding Eastham provides some of the best kayaking and canoeing on the Cape and the East Coast. The preserved areas allow for complete escape and intimate exposure to the incredible wildlife that inhabits Cape Cod.

Biking

Eastham boasts two bike paths and several walking trails that travel through remarkably picturesque scenery. Both bike paths are paved and provide an opportunity for bicyclists and hikers to enjoy a very special encounter with Cape Cod's charm and beauty. Within and around the trails are heavily wooded forests, lakes and quiet kettle ponds, salt marshes, bogs, winding creeks and sandy beaches.

The Cape Cod Rail Trail

The Cape Cod Rail Trail ("the Bike Path") is a twenty-four mile path that starts on Route 134 in Dennis and ends at LeCount Hollow in Wellfleet, having traveled the entire length of Eastham. The trail follows the old Penn Central Railway tracks. Today the tracks are gone, but the convenience to all of Eastham is easily accessible. Just off the path, side trips offer ocean beaches and fishing piers, country stores and quaint villages, parks, picnic areas, and places to lodge and dine.

Nauset Bike Trail

Nauset Bike Trail starts at the National Seashore's Visitor Center and ends only 1.6 miles later at Coast Guard Beach. Magnificent vistas of the salt marsh and the great Atlantic Ocean are not to be missed. This trail is wheelchair accessible, and can be shortened by starting at the Doane Rock picnic area. The trail's bike bridge is under repair until sometime in July. Bicyclists should ask for an update at the Salt Pond. Visitor Center and obtain a map showing a detour around the bridge.

Photo courtesy of Doreen Cahill and The Department of Environmental Management

Hiking

Nauset Marsh Trail

Nauset Marsh Trail is a half-mile loop that skirts Salt Pond and Nauset Marsh and returns through transitional forest and fields. The area is well suited for studies of salt marsh ecosystems and upland succession. It also offers excellent bird watching opportunities.

The Lady Slipper Trail

The Lady Slipper Trail in the Wiley Park Conservation Area is a walking trail through the woods on Great Pond and Bridge Pond. There is also a beach at Wiley Park with parking and restroom facilities.

Red Maple Swamp Trail

Red Maple Swamp Trail with its serpentine boardwalk gives yet another dimension to Cape Cod that is totally unexpected compared to the Outer Cape's general landscape. This quarter mile walk is most colorful in the fall. A portion of this trail is wheelchair accessible via Hemenway Landing.

Fort Hill Trail

Fort Hill Trail is a one and one-half mile trail with some log steps on slopes. This walking trail offers spectacular view of Nauset Marsh, the Nauset Spit and the Atlantic Ocean. Bring your binoculars for some wonderful birding opportunities.

South Eastham Conservation Area - SECA

This area is home to a rich variety of habitats surrounding three small ponds, boasting some unusual tree species. Park on the trailhead on Peach Orchard Lane. Abutting the SECA is Upper Boat Meadow, which has magnificent walking trails and woodlands. Parking and access are available at the trailhead on Smith Lane as well as the bike path on Rock Harbor Road.

The Nickerson Property

25 acres of Conservation land that has walking trails along Bridge Pond, Great Pond, as well as Widow Harding Pond. This is where Eastham's Herring Run flows into Bridge Pond and on to Great Pond. It is located on Herringbrook Road, with parking at the Cole Road Herring Run.

Cottontail Acres

Cottontail Acres is more of Eastham's conservation land with hiking trails trough the meadows peppered with wildflowers along Herring and Jemina Ponds. Enter at Samoset Road.

Cedar Banks Trail

Cedar Banks Trail is a one and one-half mile hiking path that connects to the Nauset Marsh Trail and continues on to Coast Guard Beach.

Buttonbush Trail

Buttonbush Trail is a short quarter mile multi-sensory loop designed for the blind with a rope guide, and interpretive text panels in Braille and large lettering.

The Massachusetts Audubon Society Wildlife Sanctuary

The Massachusetts Audubon Society Wildlife Sanctuary in Eastham and Wellfleet has five very unique walking trails, all starting at their Nature Center and cross through forests, meadows, and marshes, including a boardwalk out to Cape Cod Bay.

Scenic Overlooks

Scenic Overlooks can be found at several points, but can best be enjoyed from Fort Hill, Salt Pond Visitor Center, Skiff Hill Pavilion, and Nauset Light Beach.

Fishing

The flats and rips around Rock Harbor, Wellfleet Harbor, Chatham Harbor and the Monomoy Islands offer some of the best and most challenging salt water fishing in the world. To really get the best Cape Cod fishing, you may want to take advantage of a fishing charter that will help you plan the best trip, explain the fish you'll catch and point out other wildlife along the way.

Fresh water fishing requires a Massachusetts Fishing License for all 15 years old and up. Eastham also offers fresh water fishing in one of its many kettle ponds throughout the area. The Eastham ponds include:

Shellfishing

Shellfishing is a classic activity on the Outer Cape. For an introduction to this favorite pastime, Salt Pond is available on Sundays throughout the year and is stocked with quahogs, littlenecks and steamers -- oysters are also available in the fall. Bring your shellfish permit, rake, basket and sneakers and have some fun. Permits are required and available at the Natural Resources Facility at 555 Old Orchard Road, Eastham.

Museums

Schoolhouse Museum

Located on Nauset and Schoolhouse Roads, across from the Salt Pond Visitors Center, this museum is a one-room schoolhouse built in 1869. Exhibits depict the area's history and include a model schoolroom, farming and household implements, shipwreck treasures, old paper currency, information on the Life Saving Service, Native American artifacts, and a 13-foot jawbone from a 65-foot finback whale. Listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

Open in July and August. Open for Labor Day Weekend Saturday & Sunday. Windmill Weekend Festival, Columbus Day Weekend. For specific times, visit their website @www.easthamhistorical.org.

Swift-Daley House

Located on Route 6 next to the Post Office, the Swift-Daley House was built in 1741 by Joshua Knowles. Its bowed roof, wide board floors, deep kitchen fireplace and narrow stairways are typical of early houses built by ship's carpenters. The house is completely furnished; its collections include examples of period furniture, clothing, china, and quilts. The Swift-Daley House is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

Set behind the Swift-Daley House are The Tool Museum and The Olde Shop. The Tool Museum displays hundreds of tools and implements from the area, including a wooden crankshaft from the old saltworks, a foot-operated grindstone, cranberry sorters and doorposts from the First Eastham Meeting House. The Olde Shop is a gift shop filled with fascinating treasures from antiques to hand-crafted items from local artisans. The Dill Beach Shack, which survived the storm of 1978 that ravaged the coast, is also on these grounds.

All buildings on the site are open to the public. For specific times, visit their website @ www.easthamhistorical.org Admission is free, but donations are appreciated.

Captain Penniman House

Located on Fort Hill Road, just 1/2 mile off Route 6. This historic house was built in the mid-nineteenth century by an affluent whaling captain; now refurbished, the house is open to tours and features many original period items. Tours are by reservations but free; the rangers also host open house hours that don't require advance reservations.

Salt Pond Visitor Center

Located 2.8 miles from the Orleans rotary on Route 6 eastbound at the second traffic light. Along with a popular recreation of a Native American village, this museum and visitor center also features exhibits that elucidate the varied array of natural and cultural characteristics that are central to the history and nature of the Cape Cod region. There is a bookstore and a theater, showing four different short films on local history and the environment of the area.

Photos courtesy of The Eastham Historical Society and The Cape Cod National Seashore

Landmarks

Nauset Light

Located within the Cape Cod National Seashore, Nauset Light is one of the most famous lighthouses on the east coast. Originally built in 1877, it was moved to Eastham from Chatham in 1923 to replace the remaining Three Sisters Light. The upper portion of the beacon was painted red in 1940, to distinguish it from Highland and Chatham Lights. Nauset Light was in danger of being lost to erosion and in 1993, the Coast Guard proposed decommissioning the light. The light was saved, however, by the Nauset Light Preservation Society, which financed a project to move the light farther inland. The move was finally completed in 1996. This working lighthouse is visible 17 miles out to sea. On Sundays during Spring, Summer, and Fall, and on Wednesdays in July, you can tour inside the lighthouse and climb to the top. For more information please visit www.nausetlight.org.

Old Eastham Windmill

Located on the Town Green at Route 6 and Samoset Road (across from Town Hall), the Eastham Windmill was originally constructed by Thomas Paine in Plymouth in 1680. The structure was moved to Eastham in 1793, this windmill is the oldest working historical windmill on Cape Cod, and is still occasionally used to grind corn. In July & August the miller opens the windmill Monday - Saturdays 10 am - 5 pm, Sundays 1 pm - 5 pm.

Old Coast Guard Station

Since the early years of the Pilgrims, the Outer Beach of Cape Cod was known as the notorious "graveyard of ships" In 1871, the United States Congress appropriated funds for 9 life saving stations along the outer shores. The Nauset Station was built in 1937 and currently stands overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, being used as an education center.

Three Sisters Lighthouses

Located 1/2 mile from Nauset Light Beach on Cable Road. In 1837, a lighthouse station was established at Nauset Beach - halfway between the single light at Highland, and the twins at Chatham. To distinguish the Nauset Station, a keeper's house and three small towers of brick were constructed 150 feet apart. Two towers were taken out of service in 1911 and the third was replaced in 1923 with the "New Nauset Light". In 1975, the National Park Service purchased all of the Three Sisters Lights and conducted a $510,000 restoration that was completed on September 7, 1989. The Three Sisters now rest together and can be viewed with a short walk from Nauset Light Beach.

Special Events

Hands on the Arts Festival

The Eastham Cultural Council presents this This FREE festival is celebrating its 15th year. HANDS ON THE ARTS means a chance for adults and children to explore jewelry making, Japanese brush painting, fiber arts, printmaking and other art media, with professional artists. There will also be the ever popular found art sculpture. All activities and instruction will take place under the big tent on the Green.

Enjoy a variety of live entertainment including storytelling, puppetry, country, swing and jazz bands.

The juried arts and craft show and sale will showcase original works for sale by more than 50 local artists. Your support of these artists helps us to provide free activities, instruction and entertainment.

For more information and schedule updates or to send e-mail, log on to www.handsonthearts.com. Our automated phone number is 508-240-5915.

Windmill Weekend

Eastham's Windmill Weekend is an annual community festival, a fair, and a family party all rolled into one and is held on the weekend following Labor Day.

Windmill Weekend is a series of events held on Windmill Green and other locations around town. Activities include a sand art competition, road races, band concerts, arts and craft show, tricycle race, and dancing. Continuous entertainment is held on the Green both Saturday and Sunday.

A highlight of the weekend is the public recognition, as Windmill Honorees, of one or more Eastham citizens, who have demonstrated unusual dedication to the town through volunteer activities. Excitement peaks with Sunday’s Parade developed around the year’s theme.

Eastham Golf Tournament

Tee off to help support the Eastham Chamber of Commerce Philanthropic and Scholarship Trust Fund. Get your foursome together or we can pair you up for a day on the links, and a great community event, followed by a complete Lobster and Prime Rib Awards Banquet, raffles, prizes, and cash awards. Every level of golfer qualifies.

For the non-golfer that’s community spirited you can also purchase tickets for just the Awards Banquet and Raffle. For more info and registration call the Chamber (508) 240-7211.

Eastham Holiday Festival & Toy Drive

Sponsored by the Gift Barn & the Eastham Chamber of Commerce, this free event draws hundreds of children every year to help kick off the holiday season. This festive day includes a visit with Santa at the Gift Barn 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. Tell him about your Christmas list, jump on the moonbounce and get some free goodies! Then ride the free trolley to the Orleans-Eastham Elks Lodge to create holiday crafts, get your face painted, and enjoy entertainment. Refreshments, gifts, and more.

To brighten the spirits of those less fortunate, we ask of those who wish to help, to bring a new unwrapped toy of any value to the Elks Lodge. For more information on how to get involved in this event as a sponsor or participant, contact the Eastham Chamber info@easthamchamber.com
(508) 240-7211

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