Looking at Sea Creatures

Provincetown ~ The capitol of whale watching on East Coast!

Provincetown ~ The capitol of whale watching on East Coast!

All the listings below are family-friendly. Since these all involve being on or in the water, parents must be the judge if their child is the appropriate age for each particular water activity.

Beaches

Cape Cod National Seashore Park

Seashore

It doesn’t get any better than the beaches in the Provincetown area! In addition to hotel, motel and condo beaches on Cape Cod Bay, the Provincetown area is graced with the crown jewels of the Cape Cod National Seashore: Race Point and Herring Cove. The water here is usually gentle which makes them a good choice for little ones. Best of all, they have breath-taking sand dunes and plenty of space for enjoyment (see the maps above).

On the road between Provincetown and these beaches is Beech Forest. Gentle walking and biking trails lead to kettle ponds. This is a prime area for spotting bird life.

Ferries

Families can easily travel seasonally by ferry from Boston to enjoy Provincetown for the day, weekend or more. Since Provincetown is a great town for walking and/or pushing a stroller, a car is not necessary. Bay State Cruise Co. and Boston Harbor Cruises offer high speed passenger ferries; Bay State Cruise Co. also offers traditional passenger ferries on this route.

Fishing

Kids love being on the water and so taking them on a fishing charter is a great way to get their feet “wet.”

Beth Ann Charters: Kids and all abilities welcome
Cee Jay Corp., Fishing Parties: All ages welcome; day and night trips are available
Flyer’s Boat Rental & Boat Shop Inc.: Includes Long Point Shuttle to Cape Cod’s tip
Good 2 Go Fishing Charters: Spend more time fishing and less time getting to the fish
Naviator, Party Fishing and Seal Cruises: Departing Wellfleet, these cruises offer plenty of seal spotting

Water Activities

Since Provincetown is graced with being surrounded by water on three sides, there are plenty of unique options for families to enjoy fun water activities.

On your next trip to P-town, make it memorable. Work with video artist Sam Smiley to create a vibrant and colorful video portrait with water. Contact Aqua Portraits by Sam to make appointment.

If you like the excitement of tall ships, check out: Dog Gone Sailing Charters, where your kids can help hoist the sails.

For sailings specifically designed to engage kids in a hands-on way, Provincetown harbor offers Viking Princess, known for its ecology cruises including The Critter Cruise.

For families who prefer more intimate ways of being on the water, there is Venture Athletics which offers kayak rentals and guided tours of PTown Harbor. The West End Racing Club specializes in summer sailing lessons for those eight to 14 years old.

Whale Watching

Whales

Whales

If you and your family want to get up close and personal with these behemoths, than book a Provincetown whale watch. Whale watches from PTown are the best on the East Coast since feeding grounds are close to PTown. Whale watch operators include: Dolphin Fleet Whale Watch, with decades of experience; another family-favorite is Provincetown Whale Watches.

To learn more about whales – and other marine life — visit Provincetown Center for Coastal Studies. The center’s calendar includes child-friendly activities.

Long Point Lighthouse

Long Point Lighthouse

Herring Cove Beach

Herring Cove Beach

Race Point Beach

Race Point Beach