Visit New England Online - Mashpee Massachusetts

Vacation in Mashpee Massachusetts by Jeff Smith

Mashpee Massachusetts is a microcosm of Cape Cod, with opportunities to relax on a spring, summer or early fall vacation. From tennis and golf at New Seabury Resort to biking and beach bumming around the town, Mashpee is an ideal vacation spot for your whole family.

There are a couple beaches conveniently located right in Mashpee, John's Pond and South Cape Beach. Contact the Mashpee town hall to determine whether you need a beach sticker for access. Occasionally when you rent Mashpee vacation homes, the owners include beach stickers for your use. Some Mashpee vacation rentals also have direct walking access to private beaches. South Cape Beach State Park has more than 3 miles of sandy beaches and there is a maintained trail that winds among salt marshes and ponds.

For those who bring their bicycles or want to rent them on the Cape, Mashpee is an excellent base for biking. Mashpee has its own bicycle trail, the Route 130 Mashpee Bikeway. This trail runs about two and a half miles and brings you by a couple Mashpee attractions, the Wampanoag Museum and the Mashpee River herring run. When you stay in Mashpee, however, you are close to several other popular bike trails, including a six and a half mile trail along Cape Cod Canal, the Shining Sea Bike Path stretching from Falmouth to Woods Hole, and 25-mile Cape Cod Rail Trail that stretches from Dennis to Wellfleet. These bike trails make excellent day or half-day trips.

A summer vacation in Mashpee is a golfer's delight. In addition to the Country Club of New Seabury, located in the New Seabury Resort which is right in Mashpee, there are at least six other courses nearby. The Holly Ridge Golf Club in Sandwich is a par-3 public course; Quashnet Valley is also an 18-hole public course, featuring many scenic holes on ponds and cranberry bogs. Falmouth has two public courses, the Falmouth Country Club and Paul Harney, while the semi-private Ballymeade is located in North Falmouth. Lastly there is the Cape Cod Country Club, located in Hatchville, which is one of the oldest public courses on the Cape.

For those who would like to get their exercise by walking, but not on a golf course, there are many scenic conservation areas and maintained trails for exploring Mashpee and the Cape by foot. John's Pond Park is a freshwater pond set in the midst of a Mashpee conservation area with cranberry bogs. Relax on the beach or wander among the bogs. For more of a day hike, explore the eight miles of trails along the Mashpee River. This conservation area is dotted by cranberry bogs and marshes. It is prime for bird watching and fishing. Other interesting natural areas in Mashpee include the South Mashpee Pine Barrens, the Lowell Holly Reservation, Jehu Pond Conservation Area, Quashnet River Area and the Childs River Conservation Area.

If you are interested in fishing and boating, you may want to consider bringing your boat with you on a vacation in Mashpee. There are several town and state boat landings in Mashpee, including on Popponesset Bay, Waquoit Bay, Ashumet Pond, John's Pond, Wakeby Pond and Santuit Pond.

Mashpee has a long history of habitation by the Wampanoag Indian Tribe, and the Wampanoag Tribal Council is active in Mashpee today. There are several historic attractions in Mashpee that will give you a glimpse into the town's past. The Indian Meeting House was built in 1684 and is the oldest church building on the Cape. The Wampanoag tribe uses this building today for meetings and worship. It is possible to attend Indian services by appointment during the summer.

Learn more about the Mashpee Wampanoags at the Mashpee Wampanoag Indian Museum. This 19th century building has a reconstruction of a wigwam such as those Wampanoags used to live in. The Wampanoags also host an annual Pow Wow that brings tribes from around the nation to celebrate their heritage. The Pow Wow happens each 4th of July weekend and includes food, crafts, dances and other demonstrations.

Mashpee is a shopping destination on Cape Cod. Among many small, independent shops in the town, you can also shop at Mashpee Commons with restaurants and over 90 vendors, including stores selling everything from clothing to jewelry. And you won't need to go far to enjoy fine or family dining. Mashpee has more than a dozen restaurants featuring fresh seafood, pub grub and country cooking.

When you visit Mashpee, you'll want to stay right in the town and you'll have plenty of accommodations to choose from. Mashpee has historic inns and bed and breakfasts, as well as several resorts and even a campground. The most common type of accommodations, however, are Mashpee vacation homes and cottages and townhouses for rent at New Seabury. If you'd like to have space, comfort and privacy on your vacation, then your best bets are Mashpee vacation rentals.

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Vacation in Mashpee Massachusetts by Jeff Smith

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