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Free Cape Cod Activities & Attractions:
Fun Things to Do on a $0 Budget

Free Things to See & Do on Cape Cod

1. Explore the Cape Cod Canal

Biking alongside the Cape Cod Canal is free and open to the public year-round

As you drive over the Bourne or Sagamore Bridge, you'll see one of the most awesome sights: the Cape Cod Canal. At ground level (or, I should say, "sea level") it's even more awesome.

Learn all about the history of the Canal at the Visitors Center in Sandwich. Admission is free. And you'll be amazed when you see a real boat inside the building!

Then go for a walk or a bike ride on the service roads that stretch for miles on either side of "The Big Ditch".

• More about activities at the Cape Cod Canal  →

2. Take a Lighthouse Tour

Nauset Light is one of the most recognizable landmarks on Cape Cod and a great stop for visitors any time of year.

Is visiting a lighthouse at the top of your "must do" activities list? I hope so! The view from the lantern room is breathtaking!

You can walk the grounds of lighthouses around the Cape at no charge, all year round. In season, several lighthouses offer free guided tours where you can climb to the top of the tower.

• Read about Cape Cod lighthouse tours →

3. See a Cape Cod Baseball League Game

Cape League games are free to watch and give you a front-row view of future Major Leaguers

Going to Cape Cod League games is longstanding summer tradition on the Cape!

From mid-June to early August, the country's top collegiate baseball players are here, showcasing their talents in this elite summer league.

Games are played at local ballparks from Wareham to Orleans and everywhere in between. And best of all, admission is free!

• All about Cape League games →

4. Go to a Beach Campfire (or Have Your Own!)

Evening beach campfires make for a classic, no-cost, Cape Cod experience!

Join Cape Cod National Seashore park rangers for their free beach bonfire events held in July & August. Check the National Seashore's events calendar for dates and times.

Or better still, get a free fire permit and have your own, private beach campfire any time of year!

• More about campfires on Cape Cod beaches →

5. Go Geocaching for Hidden Treasures

You never know what you’ll find inside a Cape Cod geocache. That’s half the fun!

Treasure hunting on Cape Cod? You bet!

Lots of people have hidden lots of things in lots of places, and they're out there just waiting for you to find them.

Use your GPS to discover the treasures. Geocaches can be found all over the Cape. And looking for them is a great way to get some exercise and discover places you won't read about in other vacation guides.

Searching for geocaches is a fun, free activity for kids of all ages!

• Find out about geocaching on Cape Cod →

6. Supermoons, Meteors & More

Is the moon really that large, or is it an optical illusion? Either way, it's breathtaking!

The night sky is one of Cape Cod's best, free attractions. When the sun goes down, the skies over Cape Cod quietly come to life. 

Go outside and look up! You might see meteors (a/k/a "shooting stars") streaking across the sky, or a gigantic "super moon" shining off the water, or maybe a lunar eclipse turning the moon a deep shade of red.

Want to see the moon and planets through a high-powered telescope? You can do that, too, at Cape Cod Astronomical Society's star parties. They're admission-free and open to the public. 

• Read about night sky watching on Cape Cod →

7. Go Beachcombing

Look for heart-shaped stones at Sandy Neck Beach!

Have a leisurely stroll along a Bay-side beach at low tide to find colorful shells, hermit crabs, sand dollars and the occasional star fish. (Please leave the live critters where you find them!)

There's great beachcombing at Sandy Neck in Sandwich and on the tidal flats in Dennis and Brewster, just to name a few places.

*Note: In season, parking is free after 5 p.m. at most beaches on Cape Cod. Off-season, beach parking is free all the time. :-)

• See which beaches have free parking all year round →

8. Visit Sandwich Fish Hatchery

Toss in a handful of fish food and watch the fish go crazy!

A visit to the Mass Wildlife's trout hatchery in Sandwich is one of the kid-friendliest, free-admission Cape Cod activities you can imagine.

Be sure to bring a few quarters with you. For 25¢ you can buy a handful of fish food and have tons of fun watching hungry trout leap through the water to catch your offerings.

• Here's what Sandwich Fish Hatchery is all about →

9. Stroll "The Captains Mile"

The homes on the Captains Mile are quintessential Cape Cod!

Over 40 historic sea captains homes can be found in a picture-perfect area along Rt. 6A in Yarmouthport.

As you stroll the Captains Mile, you'll feel like you've been transported back to the days when going to sea was a way of life for many Yarmouth residents!

*FYI: The village of Yarmouth Port is a beautiful place to explore any time of year. But it's especially lovely at Christmas time!

• Map of the free, self-guided Captains Mile tour →

10. Free Outdoor Movies & Concerts

The perfect movie to watch ... at the beach! ;-)

During the summer months, many Cape Cod towns have free, family friendly concerts and movies on the town green and at the beach.

Bring your chairs and picnic blankets, spread out on the lawn or sand, and get ready for some old-fashioned, All-American fun!

• When and where to find free movies →
• When and where to find free concerts →

11. Chatham Fish Pier

"Got Fish?"

Chatham's fish pier is the place to be when local fishermen unload their catch of the day.

Everyone (including yours truly!) gets a kick out of seeing the resident seals swimming around the boats, begging for lunch.

In season, local fishermen host a fun and informative "Pier Host Program" several days each week.

Admission is free - no reservations required.

• Read about visiting Chatham Fish Pier→

12. Climb Scargo Tower

From the ground, Scargo Tower looks tall. From the top, Cape Cod looks endless.

Situated on Scargo Hill in Dennis, one of the highest points of land on the Cape, this tower looks out over Scargo Lake and across Cape Cod Bay. On a clear day, you'll have an absolutely stunning view all the way to Provincetown!

The tower is open year round and free to climb.

Scargo Tower Address: Scargo Hill Road, South Dennis, MA

13. Stony Brook Grist Mill Village & Herring Run

Stony Brook Grist Mill is a peaceful spot to explore, especially on summer weekends when the mill is running.

Stony Brook Factory Village & Gristmill is home to a working grist mill, a small museum, and one of Cape Cod's most unique attractions: the spring herring run.

The gristmill is open on Saturdays during July and August. Stop by and watch the miller grind corn the old-fashioned way: by water power. It's a fascinating process to see!

Be sure to go upstairs to the museum where you'll find the history of the Mill Village on full display.

• Learn all about the spring herring run →
• Read about Stony Brook Factory Village & Grist Mill →

14. CG36500: The Movie Star Coast Guard Boat

CG36500
This little boat has a truly mind-blowing history!

Have you seen the Disney movie "The Finest Hours"? (If not, you should!)

It's the story of four incredibly brave Coasties who risked their lives to save the crew of a tanker that broke apart off the coast of Cape Cod during a raging February 1952 nor'easter. 

CG36500 is the boat that carried the men out to sea and back in a rescue mission that's hailed, to this day, as one of the most heroic feats of seamanship in modern history.

Talks and tours are given by a CG-36500 volunteer most Saturdays & Sundays in season from 1 to 3 pm.

Admission is free. (Donations of any amount are greatly appreciated.) 

CG-36500's Summer Berth: Rock Harbor in Orleans, MA

• Here's the story of this incredible rescue →

15. Follow the Sand Sculpture Trail

One my all-time faves on the Sand Sculpture Trail!

When you're in the Mid-Cape area and looking for something free to do on a non-beach day, take an hour or two to check out the Yarmouth Sand Sculpture Trail.

See all 32 gigantic sculptures along the trail, or just visit a few. The kiddoes will love the cute and funny creations, and you will, too!

• Read about the Sand Sculpture Trail →

16. Watch a Cape Cod Cranberry Harvest

Watching the cranberry harvest is one of Cape Cod’s best fall traditions — and it won’t cost you a thing.

Imagine stepping into the middle of an Ocean Spray cranberries TV ad. 

That's just how you'll feel when you're watching our local cranberry farmers harvesting their crop.

This fascinating autumn attraction is free to watch in many locations around Cape Cod. It's a definite don't miss (IMHO)!

• Here's when and where to see the cranberry harvest →

17. Taylor-Bray Farm

Taylor-Bray Farm is open year-round, and the animals are always a hit with kids (and grownups too)!

This historic farm (circa 1640) is one of my favorite spots to visit any time of year.

Bring a picnic lunch, explore the trails, take a stroll to the end of the boardwalk over Black Flats Marsh.

Kids love seeing the Scottish Highland Cattle, sheep, donkeys, chickens, and goats. I must admit, I do, too!

The farm is open to the public daily, from dawn to dusk. No admission is charged. Donations are greatly appreciated.

• All about Taylor-Bray Farm →

18. Historic Windmills & Water-Powered Gristmills

The Oldest Windmill on Cape Cod (circa 1680)

Cape Cod’s historic grist mills are some of the oldest in the country.

A few still grind cornmeal using wind or water power. Others no longer run; but they're open for tours seasonally, so you can go inside, chat with the millers, and learn all about the mill's history and inner workings.  

Admission to most of the mills is free. (Donations are happily accepted!) 

• See which centuries-old gristmills you can visit →
  

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