The outermost stretch of Cape Cod, from Orleans to Provincetown, are protected from commercial development within the Cape Cod National Seashore, a 40-mile-long National Park Service property encompassing the whole of the coast.
The park’s highlights include miles of gorgeous beaches, harbor seals, and some of the Cape’s best waves, which occur here because the south-facing beaches are blocked by the islands of Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard, and the bayside is sheltered by the Cape itself. Pick up information detailing the various nature trails and interpretive programs at the Salt Pond Visitor Center (daily; free; 508/255-3421).
