Day Tripper Cape Cod

08/23/2026

Before the school buses start rolling, there’s still time for one more Cape Cod adventure! 🌊☀️
I pulled together some of my favorite family-friendly things to do, town by town, from the pages of my book, Cape Cod & the Islands Family Fun Guide. From whales and lighthouses to trains, playgrounds, trails, museums, and plenty of ice cream, there’s still lots of summer fun left to discover.

Where will your family go before summer slips away? 👇

With just a couple of weeks left before the school bells ring, there’s still time to squeeze a little more fun out of summer.

08/16/2026

Those of us who live on Cape Cod sometimes take this beautiful place for granted. It’s easy to do. We drive along shaded, winding back roads. We explore cute little villages with a true New England village green—its white church and steeple reaching toward the heavens. Roses climbing white picket fences. Sometimes it’s simply driving along the dunes on Ocean View Drive in Wellfleet and looking out at the vast ocean, or stepping outside to see a sunset from your back deck.
I often stop to pinch myself and realize these are nature’s miracles we get to see every day. ❤️
That got me thinking about Cape Cod sunsets—and some of my favorite places to watch the day come to an end.
Read this Sunday’s Day Tripper Cape Cod on Substack. The link is in the first comment below. 👇

08/09/2026

Every time I drive into Falmouth, I can't help but smile at the "Welcome to Falmouth" sign, proudly proclaiming it the birthplace of Katharine Lee Bates, author of America the Beautiful.

As a schoolchild growing up in Falmouth, I always knew there was a connection, but I didn't fully appreciate its significance until later in life.

Katharine Lee Bates’ birthday is August 12, and as our nation marks its 250th anniversary, I think it’s the perfect time to remember this remarkable woman, whom Falmouth proudly claims as its own.

Continue reading my weekly Substack below.👇

Long before she wrote America the Beautiful, Katharine Lee Bates was "Katie"—a curious Cape Cod girl shaped by a village that never stopped feeling like home.

08/04/2026

If Elin Hilderbrand’s novels came to life, they might look a lot like Osterville.
We recently spent a wonderful day exploring Osterville, one of Cape Cod's most elegant villages. As we drove down the winding roads leading into town, lined with stately white homes—many painted classic white with black shutters—along with white picket fences, beautifully landscaped gardens, and impeccably manicured lawns, I couldn't help but think I had wandered onto the pages of an Elin Hilderbrand novel. That feeling only grew stronger as we spent the day discovering scratch bakeries, charming boutiques, hidden gardens, and friendly shopkeepers who make Osterville such a memorable destination. With its understated elegance and welcoming village atmosphere, Osterville easily rivals the charm of Chatham while maintaining a personality all its own.

Read about our perfect day exploring one of Cape Cod’s most elegant villages in my latest Day Tripper Cape Cod newsletter on Substack. Link in first comment below👇

07/27/2026

The Leeside has been an anchor in Woods Hole village as long as I can recall, fueling locals and MV bound travelers for years. What’s your favorite Leeside memory? 

07/26/2026

🌊 Sharing misadventures and memories growing up on Cape Cod.
🎡 This Sunday’s Substack is about a 180-year-old tradition of sideshows, carnival barkers, and deep-fried Oreos.

🎠 Where Cape Cod Comes Together: The Barnstable County Fair
What began in 1844 as a modest gathering of farmers showing prized livestock and handcrafts has grown into one of New England’s classic summer traditions—still celebrating the Cape’s agricultural roots while delighting generations with rides, music, food, and family fun.
For me, the Barnstable County Fair has been a constant for as long as I’ve lived on Cape Cod—which is pretty much my whole life.
Ironically, I never went as a child. With six kids in the family, a trip to the fair meant paying for admission, rides, games, hot dogs, and all the other temptations that came with a carnival. For a family our size, even in the best of times, it simply wasn’t affordable. I could only imagine what it would be like to taste fluffy cotton candy for the first time or watch the midway lights from the top of the Ferris wheel.
🎢 As a teenager, though, that all changed...
👇 Click on the link in the first comment to read the rest of the story!

07/19/2026

🎭 No Set. No Costumes. No Problem.
Last night I discovered one of Cape Cod's best-kept cultural secrets.
For years, I assumed the Cape Cod Theatre Project was "for theater people"—the crowd that could quote Shakespeare without looking it up. I couldn't have been more wrong.
What I experienced was an unforgettable staged reading of a new play called The Maccabees. No scenery. No costumes. Just phenomenal actors, a terrific script, and an audience that became part of the creative process.
I left wondering why I had waited more than 30 years to finally give it a try.
In my latest Substack, I share what a staged reading is, why it's unlike any other theater experience on Cape Cod, and how this small organization has helped develop plays that have gone on to win Pulitzer Prizes and Tony Awards.
👇 The link is in the comments. I'd love to hear if you've ever been to a Cape Cod Theatre Project reading—or if this inspires you to go.

07/14/2026

It was awesome seeing old friends, meeting new ones, and talking all things Cape Cod and the Islands today at my book signing at Edgartown Books! I was on the porch from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM, signing copies of Cape Cod & the Islands Family Fun Guide: Creating Unforgettable Memories. If you're in Edgartown, stop by Edgartown Books- they would love to see you!

07/14/2026

🌊 Put Down the Screens: The Science of a Happier Cape Cod Vacation 🌊
📖 If you’ve read my book, Cape Cod & the Islands Family Fun Guide: Creating Unforgettable Memories, or followed my weekly Day Tripper Cape Cod Substack, you know I’m not a big fan of spending a vacation glued to a screen.
So I was a little surprised when the “big brother” algorithm served up a video featuring social scientist Arthur Brooks explaining why so many of us are actually bad at taking vacations—even when we finally arrive in a place we’ve been looking forward to visiting.
About three minutes into the video, I stopped everything, grabbed a pen, and started taking notes.
Why? Because everything he was saying echoed what I’ve been writing about for years—except he had the research to back it up.
His conclusion is simple:�A vacation doesn’t automatically make you happier. It’s how you vacation that matters.
As Brooks shared findings from studies—including research based on Danish tourism data—I couldn’t help but think about Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard, and Nantucket.
What makes a Cape vacation truly restorative?�Why does putting away your phone help you create memories that last?�And why do some people come home refreshed while others return more exhausted than when they left?
Those questions inspired this week’s article.
👉 Read the rest of the story using the link in the first comment!

04/30/2026

Can you guess where I am today? 🌷 Bringing the Cape Cod & The Islands Family Fun Guide to one of my favorite peaceful corners of Falmouth. The daffodils are out, the water is calm, and the book launch is just days away