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Historic Yarmouth Port: A Sea Captains’ Paradise

The north side of Yarmouth features the historic Yarmouth Port village along Route 6A, also known as Old King’s Highway. The Captain’s Mile through Yarmouth Port includes over 50 former homes of sea captains. A few of these places are now treasured sites you can visit and even spend the night!

Illustrator and writer Edward Gorey purchased an old sea captain’s house on the Yarmouth Port Common in 1979. After his death in 2000, the house eventually became the Edward Gorey House museum, and is a celebration of his vastly varied career, which included designing sets for the Broadway production of Dracula and drawing the well-known graphics used by PBS in the introduction to “Masterpiece Theater.” The Edward Gorey House is open from April to December and reservations for a visit are encouraged.

Also on the Yarmouth Port Common is the Captain Bangs Hallet House Museum. This building too was once a sea captain’s house, dating back to about 1840, and is filled with period furniture and décor. The Historical Society of Old Yarmouth owns and operates the Captain Bangs Hallet House Museum and preserves the history of Yarmouth. Note that the museum is closed in 2025 for inventory and will reopen in 2026. The grounds of the museum feature an enormous 120-year-old weeping beech tree: the perfect place for a selfie!

The Historical Society also offers over 50 acres of nature trails. The trail head is located at the Tufts Gatehouse, the small building on the lane next to the Yarmouth Port Post Office. You can download the trail map from the Historical Society’s website, as well as a variety of self-guided walking tour guides, which include the Captain’s Mile, the Village of Yarmouth Port, and a ghosts, myths, and legends walk!

Across Route 6A from the Yarmouth Port Common is Thacher Hall, a historic building dating back to around 1870. Originally a church, and one of the best surviving examples of Gothic architecture in New England, the building has been preserved and is now managed as a community location for programs, events, and weddings! Check out the schedule to see what’s on during your visit.

Located in another 19^th century building, Parnassus Books is a family-run bookstore right down the street from the Yarmouth Port Common. They specialize in rare and antique books on a wide range of subjects, from fine arts to metaphysics, political science to fashion, and much more, including a major collection of books about Cape Cod. A visit to Parnassus Books is always an adventure!

Stay in a Sea Captain’s Home

To extend your historical experience in Yarmouth Port, you can stay in a former sea captain’s home! One option is the Captain Farris House, built in 1845 and restored to modern luxury, with ten rooms and beautiful gardens.

Chapter House was built even earlier, in 1716, by Captain John Minot, a soldier and later a doctor during the Revolutionary War, with Chapter House converted to a temporary hospital. Today, Chapter House is a boutique hotel, with the main house boasting an elegant bar, and a carriage house offering additional accommodations.

The Inn at Yarmouth Port dates back to 1843 and was the home of Captain James Bacon Crocker. He presided over the courthouse that was located on the first floor of his house. During renovations, workers found beams that may have come from Captain Crocker’s ships. It’s now a small inn with six suites and a lovely outdoor patio.

Enjoy Yarmouth Port

All these accommodations and attractions in historic Yarmouth Port are near the beautiful beaches of Cape Cod Bay. And it’s just a short drive to the rest of Yarmouth’s many activities along Route 28, so you can find the perfect blend of action, adventure, history, and tranquility that you need, all in one central Cape Cod town. Aye aye, Captain!

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.

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.

Make Your Dream of an Oceanside Stay a Reality in Yarmouth

Your dream visit to Cape Cod probably includes staying on the ocean, waking up only a few steps from the beach. In one of the most varied towns on the Cape, your dream is possible! Yarmouth has perhaps the most hotels of any town on Cape Cod, and many special places located on Nantucket Sound offer rare water views and direct beach access. Plus, there’s something in every price range. If you’re planning a family trip to the Cape, here’s an overview of where to stay on the water in a town that offers it all.

Everything Under One Roof (Or More Than One!)

Red Jacket Resorts features four Yarmouth waterfront properties; each resort has its own style and features beautiful private beaches and lots of family-friendly options. Red Jacket Beach Resort is a luxurious experience, with a restaurant and lounge, heated indoor and outdoor pools, and a full-service spa. A short distance away, the Blue Water Resort has its own restaurant and lounge but also offers access to the Red Jacket Beach Resort amenities, and provides rooms with bunk beds for families, dog-friendly policies, a putting green and basketball hoop, and programs for kids.

Red Jacket’s Riviera Beach Resort has heated indoor and outdoor pools, a café and bar, and access to the indoor and outdoor dining options at the other resorts. For a different approach, Green Harbor Resort, on Lewis Bay, offers beach houses with hotel services, an outdoor pool, mini-golf, bicycles, canoes, and more.

Coastal Beauty in Blue, Sand, and White

The colors of summer blend beautifully at these coastal locations. For an upscale experience, the boutique Ocean Mist Beach Hotel & Suites sits directly on a private beach. The site also features a gorgeous heated outdoor pool, hot tub, and fire pit next to the beach, plus a heated indoor pool, as well as renovated rooms and suites (many with full kitchens).

The Surf and Sand Motel is an oceanfront resort with a private beach, a large heated outdoor pool next to the beach with plenty of lounge chairs. Rooms have private balconies or patios with ocean views and fully equipped kitchenettes. Common areas include an extensive lawn, a patio with tables and umbrellas, a shuffleboard court, a shared outdoor grill, and lounge chairs facing the water.

The Ocean Club at Smugglers Beach has one- and two-bedroom suites with kitchenettes and water views. Situated on the public Smugglers Beach, also known as Bass River Beach, the Ocean Club features a glass-enclosed pool and hot tub under a retractable roof. The Ocean Club also features a community kitchen and outdoor gas grills, so you can whip up your own meals or take advantage of the many local restaurants.

Seaside Cottages has a private beach where guests can relax. Over 30 charming, shingled cottages circle the shared barbeque and picnic area; the accommodations range from studios to one-, two-, and three-bedrooms. All have either kitchens or kitchenettes, and some feature water views! A line of lounge chairs on the grass above the beach offers the perfect place to relax.

Seaside Charm

A row of bright blue lounge chairs sits at the top of Surfcomber on the Ocean’s private beach, just past the hotel lawn. This family-friendly property also offers a heated outdoor pool surrounded by a white picket fence and a shuffleboard court. Many rooms have full kitchens.

The pet-friendly boutique hotel Parker Beach Lodge, as the name implies, is just steps from Parkers River Beach, a public beach with a food concession and a playground. Enjoy the outdoor pool and serene coastal charm. The nearby Village Green Motel is across from Parkers River Beach and is a great budget option for families, with a heated outdoor pool, shared grills, and cozy, eclectic décor. Both locations are walking distance to restaurants. Cape Cod Cottages lets you rent one or more of four adorable cottages for small or large family gatherings, with a short walk to the public Sea View Beach. Each cottage has a full kitchen and an outdoor charcoal grill, or you can use the pavilion’s gas grill, tables, and fire pit.

Stay in Yarmouth and Enjoy the Best of Cape Cod

All these accommodations have the benefit of being either within walking distance or a short drive to all that Yarmouth offers, including a wide variety of great restaurants and lots of fun activities for families. Everything you need for a Cape Cod vacation is right here.

Don’t forget that fall is a wonderful time to visit, too!

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.

#falltravel

Stay, Play, Dine or Shop in Yarmouth this Fall! Fun things to do, beautiful sights to see, plenty of great dining, shopping options, and welcoming places to stay.

Yarmouth has it all.