Feature Article

We're going down the Cape!" It's a New England phrase and it means one thing: vacation-getting away from the continent. Never been down the Cape? Well then, let me back up.

Cape Cod, Massachusetts, is a peninsula that is separated from the mainland by a canal. It juts out and curls up like the shoe of an elf, and it has several unique features not found elsewhere that make it seem like a world unto itself.

From the south, the warm Gulf Stream moves up the eastern seaboard, curves around Cape Cod, then heads across the Atlantic to Northern Europe. The Cape, as we New Englanders affectionately call it, lies directly in the Gulf Stream's path, which sends relatively warm waters from the south (Californians would not call it warm!). This makes the weather temperate enough so that Cape Cod rarely gets snow. The rest of New England measures snow by the foot. And while oak and maple trees grow in most of New England, Cape Cod has far more pine trees, which flourish

En route to Cape Cod, tourists relive history at Plimoth Plantation. Top: The sun sets over dunes at Sandy Neck Recreation Area in Barnstable. Harris Gaffin

in the sandy soil.

A majority of Cape Cod homes are built from Canadian cedar. This is a wonderfully resistant wood that actually gets harder with age. It requires no painting. In fact, it seems to thrive on the cold and often damp winters, and, like an experienced gentleman, actually becomes more distinguished with age, turning from blond to gray and gently blending in with the environment.

Past and Present

When the Pilgrims arrived in 1620, they landed on the tip of Cape Cod at what is now Provincetown. Since there was ocean on three sides, only sand for topsoil and no reliable water source, they set sail again and settled up the coast at what is now Plymouth. The rest is, well, history. More on that shortly.

In the 21st century, Cape Cod is the place where many New Englanders keep their second home, albeit winterized. The area has long had a vacation feel to it-a quiet New England atmosphere with winding, shady, tree-lined streets where virtually no two homes are alike. There are quaint inns, restaurants and tranquil scenery.

A typical New England church in Sandwich Square, Cape Cod. Harris Gaffin

Although the Cape is only about 60 miles long, because of the way it curves with all the nooks and crannies along the coast, there are hundreds of miles of beaches-all of them good. So asking for directions to a beach is kind of like asking someone for a nearby 7-Eleven. You might get a strange answer like, "You can go left or you can go right or you can go straight."

Cape Cod was carved out, or mangled by, receding glaciers thousands and thousands of years ago. And while the rest of New England became littered with granite rock, the Cape acquired all kinds of cool tributaries and inlets. It is impossible to drive along the coast as you can in California where there is a smooth ride for 500 miles.

But do not despair; a magnificent tour of Cape Cod requires the sim-plest of directions. The more time you have, the more of the Cape you should see. From Boston, hop on State Route (SR) 3 and follow it south to the end. You will come to the Sagamore Bridge. Cross the canal and there will be a choice: US Hwy 6 is straight ahead; State Route 6A bears to the left. Take 6A. That's it. You're on your way.

Note: US 6 is a newer, straighter, much more commercial road and extends the length of the Cape. Along this highway you'll find national chain restaurants, motels, shopping malls and other conveniences of modern-day life.

Before heading to the Cape

Besides packing your bathing suit and toothbrush, brush up on early American history, say about 150 years before the American Revolution when the first European settlers arrived. En route to the Cape, you will have a time-capsule chance to meet people from that period-an opportunity you won't want to miss.

Fly into Boston's Logan Airport. If you arrive in the afternoon or evening, consider staying in Boston to see the Freedom Trail and enjoy the nightlife at the Faneuil Hall Marketplace. Head out between 7 and 8 a.m. the next morning.

Take SR 3 south. After about 60 miles, take Exit 6 and follow signs to Plymouth. Here, you can visit Plymouth Rock, where the Pilgrims landed in 1620; the Mayflower II, a re-creation of the ship future New Englanders took to get here; and a living history village around the area of the first Thanksgiving.

Plimoth Plantation

About three miles south of the town of Plymouth, on Route 3A, is Plimoth Plantation. "The Plimoth experience is not looking at stuff in a glass box or behind a velvet cord. It is a living village," says John Keep, Manager of Colonial Interpretation Department and Education. John is also known as Master Bruiser, one of 102 persons who came over on the Mayflower.

Each tour guide not only dresses the part, but also, after extensive research, actually plays the part of someone who lived back then. They speak in the first person and you can ask them all kinds of questions about how they live. It's really fun.

In addition to the English settlers, there is a re-created home and garden of a single 17th-century Wampanoag family. They are the original people of the

Scargo Pottery owner Harry Holl creating a custom-order bowl. Harris Gaffin

area. The native staff speaks from a modern perspective at what is called Hobbamock's Homesite where they carry out traditional crafts and skills.

Hobbamock, counselor to Wampanoag chief Massassoit, moved to Plymouth in 1621 to be an ambassador from his people to the English. They were the only Wampanoag families known to have lived alongside the colonists in the 1620s.

Allow half a day at least for this venture, or if history is your thing, allow an entire day. Students may learn more in one day than in a full term at school, and they will remember it all! There is a restaurant at Plimoth Plantation where you can grab lunch before continuing on.

Up the road a couple of miles is a replica of the original Mayflower. This current ship was built in England in 1957 and sailed here from across the Atlantic. Crew are also in costume and available to answer your questions about the original crossing. Nearby is Plymouth Rock, the spot where the Pilgrims landed. Be sure to check it out while you're there.

Old Kings Scenic Highway

OK, school is out. From Plymouth get back onto SR 3 and head south toward Cape Cod. After about 20 minutes you will arrive at Sagamore Bridge. Cross it and follow directions to Route 6A, also known as "Old Kings Scenic Highway."

There are numerous towns to stop and visit, such as Sandwich, Barnstable, Yarmouth, Dennis and Provincetown. Don't feel you have to do them all, and you can take plenty of detours to other parts of the Cape along the way. However, the entire road along 6A is scenic, lined with beautiful old shade trees, and quaint, well-maintained, pre-colonial homes. Old Kings Scenic Highway is picture-book perfect. "The great thing about this meandering, friendly road is that you are never more than a few minutes from a beach," says longtime Yarmouth resident Stanley Gaffin. Simply turn off whenever you want.

The ocean on the north side is called Cape Cod Bay. There are no waves, so it seems more like a lake. In fact, that is part of the attraction. At low tide, you can walk out sometimes up to a mile. It is impossible to go swimming and equally difficult to drown because the ocean disappears. It is like a wet Bonneville Salt Flats-but just for a few hours per day.

The north side is protected and does not get the warm Gulf Stream, so the beaches are less crowded and when the tide is in, the water is cooler for swimming. You need to drive only a few miles to reach the south shore where the water is warmer and the beaches are much more crowded.

I recommend the north beaches for seclusion and strolling, and the south beaches for swimming and joining the crowds. If you prefer the latter, arrive in the morning to get a parking space.

Here are some samples of what to expect along Old Kings Scenic Highway.

In Sandwich, there is the Glass Museum. Stop here to see beautiful, hand-carved glassware from a historical perspective with many colorful works by contemporary artists as well. It is recommended for refined tastes and not suited for children.

Barnstable has a scenic bridge well worth visiting that leads to a remote beach. To find the bridge, before coming to Route 130 turn left on Jarvis Road, cross the train tracks, turn left, and follow the road to a free parking lot by a wide expanse of marshland and a narrow wooden bridge. The beach is on the other side of the bridge, over the sand dunes. It is a great spot for a picnic. In Barnstable, it is also possible to rent a fishing boat with a captain and go out to sea.

Coming into Yarmouth you'll pass many antique shops and art galleries.

Built in 1696, the Old Yarmouth Inn was established to serve travelers going between Plymouth and Provincetown. Harris Gaffin

It's like being in a Norman Rockwell painting. This is a good place to pick up quality souvenirs.

Stop at the Old Yarmouth Inn, built in 1696. The first inn on the Cape, it was originally a stagecoach stop, the halfway point on the arduous two-and-a-half day journey from Plymouth to Provincetown. These days, it's primarily a restaurant with just a few rooms upstairs available during the summer months. (The inn is not AAA-rated.)

In Dennis, there's the famous Cape Playhouse. Check schedules for times and reservations. There are contemporary art galleries as well, such as the Scargo Pottery & Art Gallery, featuring all kinds of offbeat sculptures and birdhouses displayed among the pine trees.

"I came here because it was an escape from everything else," says owner Harry Holl, who arrived from the Bronx in 1952. He left all the trees in place and built a home where he, his children and grandchildren make pottery.

Each town along Old Kings Scenic Highway has something unique to offer, but don't think that the farther you go the more remote things become. The Cape ends at Provincetown, a thriving area that is probably the most densely populated part of the Cape, filled with both singles and families. If you have a few days, it is well worth working your way all the way to the end.

Regional Food

Cape Cod is known for seafood and there are many varieties to try. Simple fare includes delicious fish cakes and crab cakes. Kids love them. Bay scallops are best broiled, not fried. My favorite is blue fish. When in season it is a dark, rich tasting fish that has a flavor and texture resembling meat. I find it preferable to tuna, which can be dry, and cod, which is bland and is traditionally salted or fried.

The area is famous for clams. Fried clam rolls make a great snack instead of a hot dog. Stuffed clams can be a meal or served as an appetizer with dinner. The same is true for New England clam chowder. With clams, smaller is usually sweeter and big is definitely not better. The sweetest clams are cherrystones and little necks. Locals prefer them steamed and served in a bucket. We call them "steamers," and they make a great nonfat meal.

And then there's lobster. I've yet to eat at a bad restaurant down the Cape and there are many with magnificent views and cozy interiors. Service is impeccable and they will prepare the lobster for you so even a novice can dig out the meat. I always order it steamed so it retains its natural juices.

Personally, I prefer to find a local fish shop where I can select my own lobster. If I'm feeling lazy, I will have them steam it for me. I may get a bucket of steamers, too, then I will bring my favorite beverage and a nutcracker to break open the lobster and head to the beach where I have a 180-degree ocean view. With the ocean lapping at the shore I will have a feast. Now that's an experience to write home about.

Photojournalist Harris Gaffin (aka "Harris from Paris") works on five continents and has lived in Sweden, Japan and France. A native New Englander, he has a home in Yarmouth on Cape Cod.

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