Upper Cape, Massachusetts travel guide: things to do, food & where to stay

Overview

Upper Cape is the westernmost region of Cape Cod, nearest to the Cape Cod Canal.

Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage

Plan your trip

Best time to visit & weather

Most comfortable: May–Sep. Summer highs reach about 79°F; winter lows dip to about 25°F. Cold months (Jan, Feb) can bring snow and ice; check road conditions. Wettest: Mar and Nov. (climate data from nearby Provincetown)

Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).

Getting there

From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
HYA Cape Cod Gateway Airport, Hyannis — 12 mi away. Directions
EWB New Bedford Regional Airport, New Bedford — 23 mi away. Directions
PVD Rhode Island T. F. Green International Airport, Providence/Warwick — 47 mi away (major hub). Directions

Full “Get in” guide ↓

Sample 3-day trip

Day 1: Falmouth — Cape Cod Marathon, Falmouth Road Race, Osborn & Rugh Gallery.
Day 2: Sandwich — Sandy Neck Beach, Scusset Beach State Reservation, Dexter Grist Mill.
Day 3: Bourne — Aptucxet Trading Post Museum, Briggs-McDermott House, National Marine Life Center.

Built from the best-covered destinations in this region; open each for its own day plan.

Places in Upper Cape

Falmouth

City / town · 43 listings

Sandwich

City / town · 29 listings

Bourne

City / town · 19 listings

Woods Hole

City / town · 19 listings

Mashpee

City / town · 16 listings

Do

There are many great things to do on the Upper Cape from fishing in the Cape Cod Canal to antiquing to dining out at some great Cape Cod traditional spots. There is parking all along the canal where you can drop a line right from the banks. There is also Route 6A in Sandwich, which has many antique shops that would take you an entire day to make it from one end to the other.

Towns

Bourne includes the villages of Bourne Village, Bournedale, Buzzards Bay, Cataumet, Gray Gables, Monument Beach, Pocasset, Sagamore and Sagamore Beach
Sandwich includes the village of Forestdale.
Falmouth includes the villages of Teaticket, Waquoit and
Woods Hole
Mashpee (includes the villages of New Seabury and Popponesset)