Falmouth in a Hurricane
This summer, I had the opportunity to ride with my friend and her family from Upstate NY to Cape Cod for a 2 day mini-break in Falmouth, MA. Cape Cod is one of my happy places and the region has so many charming towns to explore. I spent a majority of the summers of my 20s in Barnstable, visiting Hyannis, Craigsville Beach, and Sandy Neck. More recently, our friends were married in the Harwich area and we spent a beautiful September weekend exploring Harwich Port and Chatham. While my traveling companion's end destination was Martha's Vineyard, we spent our two days (one of which included the first hurricane to hit New England since 1991) in the Upper Cape. Falmouth is the second largest city in Cape Cod and we had plenty to do, even when the rain & wind prevented us from exploring the nearby beaches. Falmouth has more coastline than any other city on the Cape and includes 14 different harbors. While we were not able to take advantage of the epic shoreline, we spent our time on Main Street in Falmouth Center, shopping, eating, and enjoying the beautiful green spaces.
Our accommodations were at the darling boutique hotel, Inn on the Square. The rooms were comfortable (bathrooms were a bit dingy, but I considered it beach rustic!) but the best part was the location was in walking distance to city center. The walk into downtown was picture-perfect New England houses and white picket fences overflowing with flowers.
Main Street Falmouth is a never-ending row of dreamy shops and local restaurants. We dinned on the spacious backyard patio at The Quarterdeck Restaurant where I had my first seafood and rose of the trip. I was partial to the crab cakes but my companions devoured the clams casino, Atlantic salmon, and steak tacos. Other well rated restaurants include The Glass Onion for New American fare, Mexican delicacies at Quick's Hole Tavern, or an Italian Feast at Osteria la Civetta. For lunch, visit The Pickle Jar Kitchen or grab a picnic to go at Bean and Cod.
Big chains like TJ Maxx and Christmas Tree Shops are within the downtown district, but we spent a majority of our souvenir cash at the little mom and pop shops lining Main Street. We snuck into national chains like Lilly Pulitzer and The Black Dog, but my favorites are the decade old candy shops and the nautical home stores. I'm a sucker for anything with a crab decal or adorned with blue and white stripes. Faux flower displays have become my favorite corner of every home store I've visited this summer.
Falmouth's Main Street surrounds a beautiful town park and Shiverick's Pond. Other activities in Falmouth, include, Museums on the Green, two 18th Century houses, complete with 18th Century furnishings, 1878 Highfield Hall & Gardens, and the Falmouth Historical Society, The Historical Society offers exhibits on the Cape Cod whaling industry and on America the Beautiful author, Katherine Lee Bates, who grew up in the city. 1878 Highfield Hall & Gardens feature a restored Victorian mansion and the manicured grounds surrounding the property.
As the hurricane broke at 5pm, we hopped in the car and headed for Woods Hole (another neighborhood in Falmouth) to claim our place on a ferry to Martha's Vineyard. Their 6am ferry was canceled due to the storm, but we were lucky to catch a ride on the 6pm shuttle. My flight out of Boston was also canceled, so I hitched a ride on the ferry, anticipating a new adventure. As we left the grey clouds behind, we were ready for a few days in the sun on the Vineyard.
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