Parent’s Guide

Beaches

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.

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.” 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 particular water activity.

Sailing & Kayaking

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

For families who prefer more intimate ways of being on the water, they can rent kayaks or visit The West End Racing Club, which specializes in summer sailing lessons for those eight to 14 years old.

Whale Watching

If you and your family want to get up close and personal with these behemoths, than book a ​whale watch trip! Whale watches from PTown are the best on the East Coast since feeding grounds are close to PTown.

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

“Why is that tower there?” is probably one of the most often asked questions by children visiting PTown for the first time. “That tower” rising high above Provincetown is the Pilgrim Monument which commemorates that the Pilgrims landed in Provincetown BEFORE they eventually headed to Plymouth for permanent residence. Kids love to climb the monument for unparalleled views of the outermost points of Cape Cod.

While the Pilgrim Monument is the most visible attraction for families in PTown, a variety of very unique land activities await parents, teens and kids. Some of these include a pirate museum, dune tours, shops that appeal to kids of all ages, and a children’s section of the library that has a full-sized ship in the middle of it! Don’t miss hidden gem Beech Forest, with its short and gentle walking trails. Since Provincetown is 40 miles out into the Atlantic Ocean, it is a migratory bird stop; Beech Forest is one the birds’ favorite spots and it might just end up being one of yours!

Provincetown has 2 wonderful playgrounds: East End Mildred Greensfelder Playground, intersection of Bradford and Howland Street and West End Chelsea Memorial Playground, intersection of West Vine and Bradford Street. Also kids love our Provincetown Skate Park, intersection of Jerome Smith and Shank Painter Road, located in parking lot across from VFW. Please note: kids must register before using at Community Center, 2 Mayflower St
Provincetown, MA 02657, 508 487-7097; hours Monday – Thursday 9am – 8pm, Friday 9am – 5pm. Helmets are required.

For more information visit Provincetown-MA.gov website Provincetown-MA.gov

What’s there in PTown for Teens?

Provincetown is deemed the “coolest” spot on Cape Cod for families with teens. From colorful street culture to awesome nearby beaches, PTown has it all.

For parents with teens, PTown is a safe environment to consider allowing your young adult some limited freedom. Provincetown has the excitement of a small city — which is the type of vacation atmosphere teens gravitate to – yet all shops, restaurants and non-beach attractions are in walking distance.

All the activities listed below are teen-approved by teen travel bloggers and their friends who visit PTown annually.

Family dining, fast food, take out, sweets, ice cream

Activities & Fun

Free & Fun

Walk Commercial Street
Listen to Street performers
Walk the Bayside or Ocean beaches – gather shells, do somersaults,
Take a stroll on MacMillan Pier
Take a walk in the sand dunes
Check out the Public Library with incredible views and a ship inside!
Visit wonderful Art Galleries throughout the town.
Go fly a kite at the beach!
Visit the fun shops in Provincetown

So much more …

In this section, teen who visits PTown annually have provided input in regards to their favorite Provincetown spots.

18-year old Alex writes:

Where can one find the quaintness of a New England seaside town coupled with the vibrancy of a metropolitan area? Provincetown, at the tip of Cape Cod, fits this exact mold. From family-friendly beaches, eateries, and activities strewn across a few main streets and surrounding ocean side venues, to lively ventures that entertain the younger generation, Provincetown (PTown) is the best of both worlds.

PTown is known for its eclectic atmosphere. It’s an environment that serves as a “place to go” on any given night on a Cape Cod vacation. I’m 18 years old and never get tired of hanging out in PTown. My family and cousins vacation in Cape Cod each summer so I have been lucky to have spent many exciting nights in Provincetown with my cousins who are slightly older than I. Even if your teenager doesn’t have any companions their own age on vacation with them, parents will enjoy some of our regular hangouts in Ptown as well.

After a long day at one of the Provincetown beaches—my personal favorite is Herring Cove—we’re usually pretty tired from all of the energy we exerted sitting on the beach all day (sarcasm intended). Therefore, a journey into PTown is always welcomed! We soon make our way to one of our favorite eateries for a fun, group family dinner. After meandering down Commercial Street (the main avenue in PTown) for a while and popping our heads into various shops, the parents usually decide to let us “kids” (teenagers) have some fun on our own.

When the sun goes down in Provincetown, vampires unfortunately don’t come out (oh darn!), but the street definitely has a livelier and sometimes “adult” vibe to it. There are many types of entertainment available from comedy to musical productions and many restaurants stay open late. As teenagers, just walking this street at night is the most exciting to us due to the constant amusement anywhere on the street, including street performers. Some of the spots we like to stop at include: dessert places, bookstores, jewelry shops and the henna tattoo kiosk. Other times, we just like to buy an iced tea or coffee and wander down quieter MacMillan Pier and watch the sunset over the water.

Provincetown during the day vs. Provincetown later at night may be different venues for different age groups and interests, but regardless, PTown offers fun for any age. From beaches to restaurants to shops to entertainment, Provincetown is probably one of the most animated and colorful locales on the Cape. Our annual two-week stay in Cape Cod would not be the same without our many visits to PTown – with and without our parents!

What’s there in PTown for Teens?

What child doesn’t have a sweet tooth?

In Provincetown they’ll be in heaven since the town is home to bakeries, ice cream stores, and candy and fudge shops that kids will remember for quite a while. Some of the sweet spots have been around for decades, which is a testament of how good they really are.

Since most parents, though, prefer that their child has a well-balanced meal before they indulge in treats, there are plenty of family-friendly restaurants and eateries in PTown for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Whether you prefer to eat outside during the summer months or somewhere that provides your family with a view of the harbor, the choices are varied and accommodate even the pickiest little eater. Make sure you ask for the children’s menu upon arrival.

Ever slept in a lighthouse?

How about at the tip of a peninsula, which just so happens to be the closest spot in the U.S. to Europe? Give your kids something to write home about when you stay overnight in Provincetown!

The family-friendly lodging ranges from Race Point Lighthouse’s two cottages – which are located in the National Seashore — to camping, condos and motels. Provincetown’s West and East Ends are perfect, quiet spots for families yet have easy access to the center of town. The waterfront lodging on Route 6A is a perfect example of this; much of this lodging boasts a waterfront view. Some of PTown’s family-friendly lodging also includes complimentary continental breakfast, which is a big plus when feeding a family of three of more.

While the locations of PTown’s family-friendly accommodations all vary, one thing they have in common is that they welcome families of all shapes and sizes.

PTown’s many family-friendly options offer the best of both worlds

Last summer, my family and I stayed at Surfside Hotel and Suites on the East End of PTown. We truly felt like it offered the best of all worlds. But which worlds are we talking about here?

The most obvious is that it even though it is on Commercial Street (the main, bustling thoroughfare in PTown), it is located on the quiet East End of town. This affords easy parking in the resort’s lot. Since Surfside it is only a 15 minute walk down scenic Commercial Street to the main hub of town, we gladly left our car at the resort and ambled into the heart of town.

In addition to Surfside’s location offering the best of both worlds — the quiet and bustling sides of PTown – it also features the best of swimming options: pool and beach. In some families there is a division between beach lovers vs. pool folk. At Surfside, the pool is a few steps from the gentle PTown beach. Families with little ones can even book Surfside units right on the beach. These rooms have a deck so that parents can watch older children play on the beach while an infant or toddler naps under watchful eyes inside.

Surfside also is a welcoming bridge for families of all shapes and sizes. I’m divorced yet felt very comfortable with my kids at the resort. Also, there were plenty of nuclear families staying at Surfside as well those of same-sex parents. The bottom line is that Surfside welcomes families – period. Oh, and if that’s not enough, the free, extensive breakfast will save you plenty; children especially love the make-your-own waffle machine.

Provincetown’s lodging is so varied and unique that your family can even stay on the grounds of a lighthouse! At Race Point Lighthouse, located within the Cape Cod National Seashore, families can rent Keeper’s House or Whistle House. Keeper’s house has three bedrooms that can sleep up to 11 people while Whistle house sleeps up to eight. Both cottages have been meticulously restored and boast modern amenities.

However, what’s most outstanding about these rentals is that you and your family are surrounded by unsurpassed views of water, sand, sea grass, sunrises and sunsets. This lodging will be one that your family will talk about for years to come.