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Family Fun in Yarmouth

Up and down Route 28 in Yarmouth, there are a multitude of activities for a fun day with your family. Some offer indoor options for the occasional rainy day, and others involve fresh air and sunshine. Many places are open late on summer evenings if your kids get a second wind after dinner! Read on to learn more.

High Energy Fun

Wicked Waves Cape Cod is the largest water park in Massachusetts and has features to delight people of all ages, including giant slides, a wave pool, and the Roaming River. It’s a perfect place for families. Right next door is the Cape Cod Inflatable Park with 18 rides, and when the kids are napping, the Surf House is an adults-only pool bar with a Flow Rider stand-up surfing machine!

Skull Island Adventure Golf and Sports World is not just one of the Cape’s most entertaining mini-golf courses. It also features a driving range, an arcade, and a go-kart track! They have new single and double seat electric go-karts so you can drive with your kids or let them take the wheel.

Pirates on Cape Cod? Arr, Matey!

The Whydah Pirate Museum combines science and history to create a very special experience. The Museum opened in Yarmouth in 2016, and contains artifacts from the pirate ship Whydah, which was shipwrecked off the coast of Cape Cod in 1717. The wreck was discovered in 1984 by Barry Clifford, who also discovered the Titanic. More artifacts are recovered from it every year, meaning that the Museum is ever-changing as new discoveries are made. You’ll want to spend an hour or two here and the level of information is geared for older children and adults.

To continue the pirate theme of your day in Yarmouth, Pirate’s Cove Adventure Golf has two 18-hole mini golf courses with a variety of hole designs, two pirate ships, and fascinating details about pirates along the way. The courses are fun and often challenging. Some holes require careful aim and others, such as a hole where your ball drops down to the next level, require good luck!

Free Family Activities

Did you know that one out of every six current Major League Baseball players formerly played in the Cape Cod Baseball League? It’s true! You can see some of the best college players in the country right here in Yarmouth, several times a week from mid-June to early August. The Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox play at Red Wilson Field, located on the Dennis-Yarmouth High School campus. Admission and parking are free, and before the game, family entertainment includes cornhole, face painting, speed pitch, and more. All games take place in the early evening, so you can go out to eat later or get supper for the whole family at the concession stand!

For a more peaceful outing, head over to Route 6A in Yarmouth Port and visit Taylor-Bray Farm. Archaeologists have uncovered evidence that the area was inhabited by native people for 10,000 years! The Taylor family first arrived in 1639, and after seven generations, the property was sold to the Bray brothers in 1896. The Town of Yarmouth purchased the Farm to preserve it. Enjoy a walk through the woods, stroll out onto the Boardwalk into Black Flats Marsh (where you may see ospreys nesting!), and see the many animals, including a friendly goat, a pair of donkeys, a massive Scottish Highland cow, chickens, and sheep. Admission is free and the Farm is open every day from dawn to dusk, which comes late in the summer!

The Cape Cod Baseball League and Taylor-Bray Farm are both non-profit organizations and donations are welcome but not required to visit.

Rain or Shine, You’ve Got Choices

At Ryan Family Amusements in Yarmouth, the choices are amazing! Arcade games: nearly 100 favorites. Bowling – 12 ten pin lanes, eight candlepin lanes. Axe throwing. Virtual reality rides. And an inflatable air park, like a super-sized bounce house for kids and adults! If your day in Yarmouth happens to be rainy, or if your kids just really need to play, Ryan’s is the place. Plus, it includes a restaurant and bar.

For another rainy day activity, forget about online shopping – Cape Cod Toy Chest lets your whole family explore the world of toys in real life! Children can play and you can get help in finding just the right gift for the kids in your family.

When the sun comes out again, Wild Animal Lagoon is an 18-hole mini golf course populated by gorillas, elephants, and more. The course features a large fountain and a replica of a small plane that appears to have crashed into a waterfall! Kids of all ages can enjoy the golf and learn fun facts about the animals.

Create Lasting Family Memories

Whether you’re here with your family for a day or a week, you have many fun options in Yarmouth in addition to our wonderful beaches, and you’ll make family memories that last a lifetime.

Cape Cod Toy Chest

Cape Cod Toy Chest

Ryan’s Family Amusements

Skull Island Sports World

Wicked Waves

Wild Animal Lagoon

Wild Animal Lagoon

Taylor Bray Farm

Taylor Bray Farm

Taylor Bray Farm

Whydah Pirate Museum

Whydah Pirate Museum

Pirates Cove

Pirates Cove

Y-D Red Sox

Written by Ellen Cliggott, Freelance Content Marketing Writer and Editor

Photos by: Amie Medeiros *

This blog is funded through the Town of Yarmouth’s Tourism Revenue Preservation Fund.

Summer is in full swing on Cape Cod

The beaches are bustling with locals and visitors alike, and the ice cream shops can hardly scoop fast enough to cool off the queue of sun-kissed patrons in between rounds of mini-golf. But it’s not summer on the Cape, according to die-hard sports fans across the nation, without the excitement of the famously riveting Cape Cod Baseball League games played by the most up-and-coming college players with big dreams of making it to the Major Leagues.

Red Wilson Field, named in 1981 for legendary Yarmouth coach, manager, and player Merrill “Red” Wilson, located at D-Y High School, has been home to the Red Sox since 1973. However, it would be another 4 years until the team would be expanded to include the town of Dennis. Over 40 years later, the 2022 Yarmouth-Dennis Red-Sox are off to a great start, currently holding first place in the East Division. The team recently had seven players selected onto the Easts All Star Roster, including two starting fielders, two reserve fielders, and three pitchers.

The 24^th year of coaching for Scott “Pick” Pickler has seen him break the record for all-time managerial wins in the Cape Cod Baseball League. On June 25^th after a 5 to 3 win against the Cotuit Kettleers, Pick earned his 540^th win, all with the Y-D Red Sox, earning cheers and accolades from the team and fans. “He is a great coach, a great ambassador for the community, and a great leader of these young men. We couldn’t be prouder of all his accomplishments,” boasts Shane Skinner, Interim President of the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox, who was there for the record-breaking game, and had the honor of presenting Pick with a plaque to commemorate the win. Pick and his team, in doing their part to give back to the community, have been involved by volunteering their time with many local organizations, including Cape Cod Five, Ryan’s Family Amusements, the Red Jacket, and the Dennis Senior Center.

Being involved with the Cape Cod Baseball League has been a blessing for Shane. “I’ve always had a passion for sports,” he explains, “and being able to combine that passion with my experience of running businesses is like a dream come true.” Shane can be found at each and every home game making sure things run smoothly and overseeing all business operations. With the help of ten dedicated baseball fans on the Board of Directors, over 30 Volunteer Interns, and over a dozen Community Volunteers, the Yarmouth-Dennis Red-Sox enthusiastically hosts a fun Game Day experience for families and fans of all ages. At a recent game, a small group of young kids stood up in the balcony next to the press box and sang “Take Me Out To The Ball Game,” a new addition to the festivities this year. “I’d say most nights it’s about 60% giggles and 40% singing which is just great,” Shane laughs. “The kids love it.” Singers have come from all over the state, and some from right here on Cape to sing the National Anthem before games, and set the scene for a family-fun night of good ol’ American baseball.

Upwards of two thousand fans per game don Red-Sox gear, lining the bleachers and dotting the outskirts of the field with beach chairs, for their chance to see superstars in the making. The merchandise booth offers trinkets, hats, and attire for all ages to support their favorite team. Families who come early can observe batting practice and then partake in some of the in-game events. This week on Tuesday 7/19 is Pokémon at the Park Night, hosted by the Cape Cod Toy Chest, and patrons can enter with Pixy 103 to win a baseball autographed by the team. On Thursday 7/21, the players will be available after the game to greet fans and sign baseballs, souvenir bats, and other items. Concessions offer a satisfying assortment of ball-game favorites like sausage subs, hot dogs, burgers, pretzels, and cold drinks. They sell out of hot delicious Paradise Pizza by the 5th inning, so be sure to order early! The 50/50 shed will have raffle tickets on sale, in addition to candy and drinks. The raffle is held at the bottom of the 7th inning. The Y-D Red Sox, and the entire Cape Cod Baseball League, strive to maintain a family-friendly atmosphere. Admission and parking are free, but tax-deductible donations are always welcome. As a not-for-profit establishment, donations keep the team equipped and outfitted, and able to put on a great season year after year.

Baseball Clinics For Kids

Youth Baseball Clinics for ages 5-16 run Monday-Friday from 9-11:30 am and are run by Coach Pickler, the Assistant Coaches, and some of the players. “It’s just a great opportunity. These kids get to go out there and play some baseball and learn some skills from these top players and have a great time each week. The weekly clinics end with a kids vs. family baseball game. I just played against my two sons, and we couldn’t have had a better time.” The last week for the 2022 clinics begins Monday 7/25. Registration can be completed online or at the field.

There’s a saying amongst the team:

When on Cape Cod you must:

Go the beach
Eat a lobstah
Go to a Y-D baseball game

We hope to see you there!

For more info about the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox visit the website, or find them on Instagram and Facebook.

This blog is funded through the Town of Yarmouth’s Tourism Revenue Preservation Fund.

Photo credit: Y-D Red Sox Intern Sadie Parker

(Britt Skinner is a freelance writer.)

Things to Do with Kids in Yarmouth

You planned a vacation in Yarmouth with the whole family, but other than spending time on the beach, you’re not sure how you’re going to pass the time. Your kids want to stay plugged into their devices. You want to focus on family time and creating memories to last a lifetime.

Check out our list of fun things to do when you are visiting Yarmouth and Cape Cod with children of any age.

*Family of mother and kids enjoying a ride on a public ferry at sunset*

Explore the area by land or sea

With water everywhere, you can enjoy a nautical adventure with a sightseeing cruise or a ferry to one of the nearby islands. Or take a drive through quaint towns and villages–an opportunity to encourage younger ones to take a nap while you soak in some of the picturesque views.

Go whale watching

Seeing whales in their natural habitat is awe-inspiring. While there’s no guarantee of how many whales you will see on your excursion, the boat ride alone will take a significant part of your day. Whale-watching trips are generally close to four hours, and you’ll want to leave yourself enough time beforehand for boarding.

Reel them in with some fishing

The variety of water bodies in Yarmouth provides a wide range of fishing options. Search out a lake, pond, or riverside fishing hole, or take to the high seas for a day of trawling on the open waters. Even if you prefer catch-and-release, a day spent fishing teaches patience and persistence. Plus, it can give you time to slow down, relax, and talk with your kids about anything, everything, or nothing at all.

Get out

Burn off some energy with outdoor adventures. Take in the scenery by biking, kayaking, sailing, or taking a trek on the dunes. Let the kids take the wheel on a go-kart track or cool off at the Wicked Waves Water Park.

Play a round or two

On Cape Cod, you’ll find expertly designed golf courses of all sizes. Not only can you take the whole family mini-golfing on a putt-putt course, but you can play 9 or 18 holes with your older children on links with incredible scenic views.

Step back in time

Explore Yarmouth’s rich history and culture at a variety of museums and historical centers. Visit the homes of notable literary figures, check out sites that recreate the region’s legends and lore, and give your children an education without their even realizing it.

Indulge in a sweet treat

Regardless of how else you spend the day taking a break for ice cream makes everything a little sweeter. Treat the kids to an afternoon snack or delicious dessert. Or, for teens who sleep in all morning, surprise them with ice cream for a late breakfast. It’s sure to create memories they’ll hang on to for years to come.

Cheer for the home team

No tickets are needed to turn out to root for your favorite Y-D Red Sox players. Bring the whole family to watch some of the best collegiate players take to the diamond. You never know when you’ll see a future phenom, like former Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox pitcher Chris Sale.

Spend time on the beach

Yes, this one is obvious, but it’s an essential part of a stay in Yarmouth. There are many beautiful beaches with options on both Cape Cod Bay and Nantucket Sound sides. Not only can you go swimming, but you can walk or play along the water’s edge or just listen to the water going in and out. Teaching your children how to unplug and just live in the moment is an essential lesson for the years ahead.

Kids grow from toddlers to teens all too fast. But with our suggestion of ways to entertain your family on the Cape, you’re sure to find plenty of reasons to keep coming back year after year.

This blog is funded through the Town of Yarmouth’s Tourism Revenue Preservation Fund.