Provincetown: Between Dunes, Beaches and Art

Provincetown brings together coastal landscapes and art: the Province Lands Bike Trail winds through pine forests, sandy dunes and low-lying cranberry bogs. There are also beaches on different sides of Cape Cod and the Provincetown Art Association and Museum. When planning a trip, you can choose between time outdoors, cycling, the beach and culture.

Dunes, Beaches and Trails

The Province Lands Bike Trail is a 5.45-mile loop. Spur trails lead to Herring Cove, Race Point Beach and Bennett Pond. These named destinations give the bike trail several possible directions: as you plan your day, you can consider which of these landscapes interests you most. The trail passes through several distinct natural environments, from pine forest and sandy dunes to low-lying cranberry bogs.

Herring Cove Beach is the only beach in the Cape Cod National Seashore on the Cape Cod Bay side of the peninsula. The waves are gentler there, and the water is warmer than on the Atlantic side. The beach is accessible, and a snack bar is open during the summer months. Race Point Beach is at the northernmost point of Cape Cod. The two beaches therefore differ in their locations: Herring Cove is on the bay side, while Race Point marks the Cape’s northernmost point.

Another way to experience the landscape is the Beech Forest Trail. This 1-mile loop runs along shallow Beech Forest Pond. The trail offers good birdwatching, particularly in spring and fall. If you’re considering a short outing with a clearly stated loop length, this is a different option from the 5.45-mile Bike Trail. The two trails provide access to different aspects of the landscape: the Beech Forest Trail runs along the pond, while the bike trail passes through pines, dunes and cranberry bogs.

Art and Things to Do

At the Provincetown Art Association and Museum (PAAM), five galleries showcase historical and contemporary artworks by Provincetown artists. The institution’s history dates back to 1914: PAAM began as a collaboration between artists and businesspeople, with the aim of exhibiting and collecting works by Provincetown artists. In addition to its galleries, PAAM offers educational and cultural programs year-round. This makes a visit appealing to travelers who want to include art and culture in their time in Provincetown, as well as the coast and nature.

Other experiences offer different focuses, too. The Dolphin Fleet’s whale-watching boats depart from MacMillan Pier in Provincetown. Art’s Dune Tours offers day tours, as well as dune and water tours through Provincetown’s dunes. Alongside self-guided outings to trails and beaches, you can choose from dune tours and whale-watching trips. As you plan your trip, you can consider which of these activities you’d like to make the main focus.

Which Vacation Rental Suits Your Travel Plans?

Provincetown is easy to get around by bicycle, and easy to reach and leave. This is useful to keep in mind if you’d like to cycle during your trip. When looking for a vacation rental in Provincetown, you can also consider what you want to focus on: would you like to explore the trails and landscape, spend time at one of the beaches, or visit art and cultural programs? These interests lead to different daily plans, without requiring you to limit yourself to just one kind of outing. The combination of a cycling loop, beach, pond trail, museum and tour options offers various ways to discover Provincetown.

You can also explore these other destination pages: Brewster, Mashpee, Sandwich, Dennis, Bourne, Wellfleet, Yarmouth and Eastham.

For the broader travel overview: Barnstable.