Eastham

Outer Cape town between Atlantic surf beaches, bay sunsets, marsh trails, and lighthouses.

Eastham is an Outer Cape town where Cape Cod narrows to a strip between the Atlantic and Cape Cod Bay. It is quieter than Provincetown and less polished than Chatham, but it has some of the Cape's best access to dunes, marshes, bike trails, and big ocean beaches.

The Atlantic side is protected by Cape Cod National Seashore. Coast Guard Beach and Nauset Light are the obvious anchors, with surf, seals offshore, shifting dunes, and the red-and-white lighthouse that has become a Cape icon. Inland, the Salt Pond Visitor Center is the best starting point for understanding the seashore.

Eastham also has a softer bay-side story. First Encounter Beach faces sunset and remembers the 1620 meeting between the Pilgrims and the Nauset people. Around Fort Hill, trails look over salt marsh, old fields, and the curve of Nauset Marsh.

Guide

Things to Do

Eastham's strongest sights belong to Cape Cod National Seashore, but they cluster closely enough around town to make a real Outer Cape day. Start at the Salt Pond Visitor Center, then continue to Coast Guard Beach or Nauset Light depending on weather and parking.

For a slower visit, walk Fort Hill for marsh views and old Cape farm scenery, then cross to First Encounter Beach for sunset over Cape Cod Bay. The Cape Cod Rail Trail runs through town, so Eastham also works well by bicycle once you are on the Outer Cape.