Lauren Collins
For most people, visiting Cape Cod is strictly a summer expedition. You pack up the car to spend a week in a little cottage down Cape, explore the beaches and towns and eat as much ice cream and lobster rolls as possible.
For Ryan and I, we have the very fortunate privilege of exploring the Cape any time of the year.
Now that we have our sweet little rescue pup Rosie, it's a no-brainer to head down on the first warm days of spring!
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Finally after months of negative degree temps, extreme high wind storms and a very yucky start to March, yesterday we finally woke up to the birds chirping and the sun shining warmly through the windows.
We already knew that we would be heading down to meet with our My Fishing Cape Cod TV title sponsor the Goose Hummock in Orleans, but with weather like this, we needed to make a full day out of the ride down Cape.
The Snowy Owl
Our first stop on our way to the Goose Hummock was at one of our favorite coffee roasters on Cape Cod, the Snowy Owl in Brewster.
The Snowy Owl is right on route 6A, with indoor and outdoor places to sit and enjoy their amazing coffee and pastries. My go-to when I'm there is an iced coffee which is served in a really cool insulated cup. I also ordered one of their warmed-up spinach and cheddar scones (pictured below on the left), and Ryan ordered a blueberry scone that was also to die for.
Basically anything you get here is going to be amazing, and my stomach grumbles just thinking about those scones.
The Snowy Owl is a local coffee shop that roasts their very own coffee which you can even purchase to make at home! Attached to the Snowy Owl is another really cool shop that sells herbs, local soaps and other handmade goodies.
The whole vibe of the place is wonderful - the staff is friendly, the atmosphere is cozy and the location couldn't be better. It was even chosen as the most beautiful coffee shop in Massachusetts by Architectural Digest! The shop was made with 200-year old reclaimed barn wood and sells locally made crafts along with bags of their coffee to take home.
After a delicious pit stop there, we headed 10 minutes down the road to the Goose Hummock. I dropped Ryan off for a meeting with Team Goose, while Rosie and I went on our merry way to explore Fort Hill in Eastham.
My 5 Minutes at Fort Hill
in Eastham
I was so excited to take Rosie to Fort Hill. I had read all about it in The Nature of Cape Cod which is a wonderful book about all the different hiking, walking, birdwatching and conservation areas on the Cape.
The walk sounded glorious, especially on a sunny 55 degree Wednesday in March. I drove by the historic Captain Penniman House (the one with the big whale jaw in the front yard) and pulled into the parking lot of Fort Hill.
If you've never been to Fort Hill, it's definitely worth a quick stop for the view. There's a two mile hike that takes you along the marsh, and that's what I was planning on, until I saw a huge sign that read No Pets and even showed a picture of a person walking a dog on a leash with a big X through it.
What a letdown.
Poor Rosie was whimpering in the backseat and it was really quite a sad scene. The poor animal just wanted to sniff some rocks and grass!
Hiking the Kettle Ponds
Once Ryan's meeting with the Goose was over, I swung by the shop and picked him up. Ryan had another meeting to attend in the afternoon, however I was determined to find somewhere nearby to take Rosie for a walk.
Fortunately for Rosie, we discovered that Nickerson State Park in Brewster allows dogs! The fact that the park is dog friendly, along with the pristine and gorgeous kettle ponds, makes Nickerson one my new favorite place to hike on Cape Cod.
As you can see, Nickerson is a gorgeous freshwater paradise and a wonderful place to spend some time outdoors.
Rosie had a great time...
Despite having to be carried over a large downed tree!
I think we all need to see a closeup of that face.
Poor thing! Life's not easy with four legs sometimes.
But don't worry because Rosie loves Ryan. If you hadn't known this already, I like to call Ryan "Snow White" because animals literally flock to him. I'll just go ahead and embarrass him by letting you know that.
But I digress.
It's a bit of a letdown that so much of Cape Cod is off-limits to dogs, even if they are on a leash, so it is becoming my mission to find the best dog-friendly (and fishing-friendly) locations on the Cape!
During March the kettle ponds of Nickerson are stocked with trout, meaning endless opportunities to try out fly fishing or light tackle spin fishing in one of the most beautiful places on the Cape.
The hike we chose around Flax Pond was beautiful with about 2 miles of easy walking and lots of places to stop and cast a line. There are dozens of trails to choose from here, so I highly recommend this place, especially if you have a dog.
Driving Historic Route 6A
Whether you're a Cape Codder at heart, or have never even been to the Cape, you've got to make time to drive route 6A. It will certainly add on to your driving time but trust me, it's worth it.
This scenic route takes you through the quaint downtown areas of West Barnstable, Yarmouth and Brewster to name but a few. You'll pass historic homes, barns, inns, restaurants, coffee shops, bookstores, flower nurseries, markets, and beautiful marshland.
Route 6A eventually joins route 6 at the Orleans rotary. From there route 6 will take you north towards Provincetown and Truro, where you'll start to find little side roads that lead to beautiful vistas, with places to park and walk through the woods.
One of my favorite spots to go for a walk is in Truro at the old North Truro Air Force Station, which is where this next picture was taken.
The beauty of route 6A is that no matter where you start, you'll always end up somewhere amazing.
Getting back to our adventure that day, after our hike in Nickerson State Park, we were both in need of more coffee and more food (or at least I was), so we headed down 6A towards another one of our favorite spots, Nirvana Cafe in West Barnstable.
They too have amazing coffee and downright delicious panini's pressed to order. I got myself a chicken and walnut salad on local cranberry walnut bread. It. Was. Delicious.
There is no photo of said sandwich because it was so darn good and I ate it before I remembered to take a photo of it! So I guess you'll just have to go and see for yourself 
At Nirvana Cafe, you can stay inside or sit yourself down on an adironak chair on the sidewalk and watch the world go by in the quaint little town of West Barnstable. I love West Barnstable because it is brimming with charming white picket fences and beautifully kept little Cape homes.
Planning Your Own Day Trip in the Offseason
Before living here, I always thought Cape Cod was pretty much closed in the offseason - a "ghost town" if you will. However you'd be surprised at how much you can actually do in late fall through early spring on the Cape.
There are of course many restaurants, ice cream shops and mini-golf courses that close up for winter, but you can still find an endless amount of things to do on Cape in the winter. After all, the ponds, beaches and hiking trails never close.
The offseason is also the best time to try restaurants that are usually packed with a two-hour wait in the summer (the Lobster Trap in Bourne, Fishermens' View in Sandwich and Crisp in Orleans to name but a few). You can also park for free at almost any beach and enjoy a scenic walk with nothing but the seagulls to keep you company.
Hey Lauren! 2 weeks ago I went on a beautiful guided walk with a young guy who was a “Naturalist” from the Wellfleet Audubon. I was pleasantly surprised to find the meeting spot, to begin the walk, was the abandoned AFB in Truro. The walk went thru the AFB a little and then thru the woods all around that area. There were small paths that led you to incredible ocean bluff views. During our walk, the Naturalist was performing a Christmas Count for birds and was able to “call in” some Chickadees! We also learned information about the Scrub pines, and “masting” of trees. It was a great experience and I thought of you because of this blog that mentioned the AFB in Truro! The Cape never disappoints in ANY season!
You are a gifted writer. I just came in from surveying beaches in Truro, Wellfleet and Eastham to get a look at bars and holes etc for some great striper fishing soon…if I can beat the seals. It was beautiful, snow and all. At Balston they are tearing down the damaged house by the path from the parking lot to the beach. Must be a sad day for the owner. Looking forward to seeing everyone Sunday..
Thanks for reading, Mark! See you Sunday!
Great article! Very well written! What I could write that well. You mentioned the Truro AFB, which is a great place to hike. There is Pilgrim Heights in Truro – very nice, and not too strenuous for Rosie. Also, the Provincelands is great…especially the Beech Forest Trail. I think dogs are allowed, but they have to be on a leash. Have you tried the Audubon Society in Wellfleet? Don’t know know if dogs are allowed or not. Of course, you can’t forget Savory for that mid-afternoon coffee pickup! You can drop off “Snow White” at Head of the Meadow and while he fishes, you and Rosie can explore all the places in Truro and Provincetown! Happy Trails!
Great recommendations Dave, thank you!!
What a Great article, like I was walking around with you.
I too plan on moving to the Cape in a couple of years and I’ve heard there is soo little to do in the off season, I didn’t believe that also, with a little exploration and an open mind there is plenty to keep one self occupied.
Thanks for showing us so many possibilities of the “Off Season”
Thanks so much, Stephen! Yes there is certainly plenty to do here in the off-season, and I plan to keep sharing days like these with you as I keep exploring!
Great article Lauren! It inspires me to get out and explore all the awesome tucked away places on the Cape!!
Thanks so much for reading!
I think Snow White is going to stick!
Check out Lawrence Island in Cataumet. You can actually walk onto the “island” – it is dog friendly. You should keep Rosie on leash until you get pass the last couple houses, but once on the island Rosie can roam free. It is an awesome island that includes a bird sanctuary, great swimming at “the point”. Fiddler crabs, great views of Buzzards Bay, etc….
Wow that sounds amazing! Thank you for letting me know, I will definitely be checking that out!
Loved the article by the way, hope you will write many more!
Thank you!! I plan on it 🙂
You are right,Cape is great this weekend!!!
Love your new best friend, Rosie. Your article was fun to read and the pictures captured the beginning of spring and what’s to come in the months ahead.
Thanks so much for reading! We hope to do many more adventures that we will share with you too!
The Cape has a few real nice ,often forgotten spots for a walk around the pond.
I agree, I’m excited to find them all!
Hey Lauren, I enjoyed your article! We have a home in Brewster and the Snowy Owl is one of my favorite places to have delicious coffee and hang out for a bit. Our house is near Nickerson State Park and rather than riding on the main roads, I catch the bike trail in Nickerson to get onto the Cape Cod Rail Trail. There are so many walking trails and areas to explore on the Cape almost all year round! I thought I knew the lower Cape so well because we had vacationed there since I was little, but since we purchased our home in Brewster (2012), I am learning more and more of areas that I want to explore. I have an exploration bucket list! Some trails I can recommend are The White Cedar Swamp Trail in Wellfleet, The John Wing Trail in Brewster, walking to Stage harbor light/Hardings light via the sandy road at the end of the parking lot. Also, have you ever been to the National Seashore Visitor center in Eastham? There’s a beautiful walk from the visitors center to Coast Guard beach. If you go the the visitors center check out the 4 free, movies about the Cape. They are only 12 minutes long and are very good, lots of history and information! (I still watch them at least once a year!) We are so lucky that so much of the Cape is protected National Seashore! I could go on and on! Because the Cape is one of my favorite subjects! Anyway, thanks for your article I am adding the North truro Air Force Station to my bucket list! PS I hope you can bring Rosie to some of the trails that I have mentioned!
Leslie, thank you!! This list you provided is so helpful and I plan to go to every one of them!! I’ll do a little research about bringing Rosie just in case, but I really appreciate your recommendations! I have been to the Visitor Center and they do have some great things to check out there :). I definitely recommend the Air Force base – it’s a little creepy with all the abandoned buildings but it’s really cool to see!
Say Hi to “Snow White” for me!
Haha!!
I feel your pain, and Rosie’s. Betsy and I stayed near Fort Hill for a getaway weekend a few years ago. Gracie and I were very discouraged during our attempted walk by what was probably the same “No Pets” sign. Gracie’s favorite place for a beach walk is in front of Chatham Light, but you have to go during the shoulder seasons. Then off to the Oystah for an early dinner or to the Corner Store for burritos!
Sounds like a great day! I’ll add it to our spring calendar!!
Enjoyed the article – My wife loves your adopting Rosie!
Keep up the good work on promoting the Cape!
Thanks so much Ron! Rosie is certainly settling in to life as a Cape Cod dog! 🙂
Great Story, love the cape best in the Spring and the Fall.
we don’t live on cape, yet, but lucky enough to have a camp on Peter’ Pond
Thanks for reading David!
Cape is great all year. Thanks Lauren.
Thanks for reading, Jake!
Great article Lauren. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you so much!