One of the greatest misperceptions about Cape Cod is that there’s nothing to do but go to the beach. The other: It’s just for families.
But there is a quiet shift happening on the Cape: Alongside the hundreds of fried fish and ice cream stands, you’ll find gourmet restaurants featuring locally grown and raised menu items and outdoor markets with local artists and makers. And yes, a visit to the Cape Cod National Seashore is a must-do and there are still little ones galore, but there are also many new ecotours and, for the active attendee, everything from stand-up paddle boarding to parasailing.
The Cape is home to three high-end resorts, all of which have garnered various awards over the years. I recently returned from Boston Magazine’s 2023 Best of Boston Winner for “Best Hotel on Cape Cod,” Ocean Edge Resort & Golf Club in Brewster. And if you’re wondering what’s new here for groups, the answer is…everything! Sure, there’s fabulous golf (Cape Cod’s only Nicklaus-designed course) and spa by day and clambakes on the beach at night. But there’s also a lot of fresh energy around creating authentic, locally inspired and fun, new experiences.
How about a pickleball event using the resort’s 6 full-size courts, with pickle-themed food and drink? Or private tours led by a marine biologist that allow guests to watch the farmers harvest oysters on the Brewster Flats at low tide. Later the same day, the group can view an oyster-shucking demo as they sip champagne at the resort’s Mansion.
The beach can also come alive with a plethora of beach games for groups, like low-tide cornhole or mini-golf. One activity is to break the group into teams and ask them to fashion their own holes, creating obstacles with the compact sand of the Flats. Then the group can play through the holes and vote for their favorites.
A short drive away in Chatham, groups can get out on the water to see the seals basking on the sandbars of Monomoy Island. They might even spot the scientists tagging the sharks that populate the waters in the summer (they, of course, tend to hang out in the same vicinity as the seals). There’s also a whale watch out of Hyannis, about a half-hour away.
The resort, the former summer home of the renowned Nickerson family, was recently accepted into Historic Hotels of America, and a new activity, “Party Like It’s 1899,” allows groups to take a trip back in time, complete with storytellers in period costume and an elegant banquet with specialties such as salt cod croquettes and roasted venison loin.
Ocean Edge has a variety of event spaces, the largest of which is the Mansion Ballroom, accommodating 260 people.
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