Falmouth, Cape Cod, Massachusetts

Named for its English sister town in England, Falmouth, Cape Cod is one of the Cape's oldest resort towns. It may be known as "The Quiet Corner of Cape Cod" but Falmouth is actually vibrant and quite busy with activities for the visitor on the go. The historic village square is a great place to relax and wander around, adoring the charming look and feel. Falmouth has the most coastline of all the Cape Cod towns, with 11 beautiful harbors to watch the boats and ferries. The island of Martha's Vineyard is plainly visible from any harbor in Falmouth, being just a few miles across the Vineyard Sound. Consider staying in one of the Falmouth vacation properties during your visit to Cape Cod. A Falmouth private home vacation rental can run as low as $600 a week to as high as $650 per night, and sometimes $6,700 per week. The added privacy and space, plus the ability to make some meals "at home" is a real plus over a traditional hotel stay. Once you are settled in, you can start your vacation right by visiting some of the points of interest right in Falmouth, such as the Falmouth Historical Museum & Colonial Garden, the Nobska Light, the Ashumet Holly Reservation & Audubon Society, or the famous Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute. The town of Woods Hole is anther charming place for a stroll, and has a slightly more bohemian flavor that the rest of Falmouth.

If spending some time at the beach is one of your goals on this vacation, Falmouth is loaded with them. There is Megansett, Wood Neck and Menauhant Beach, Old Silver, Surf Drive and Falmouth Heights Beach plus Chapoquoit Beach, all located within a short distance from any vacation condo or home in which you are staying. Grab a towel, a folding chair and some sunscreen and head out for a day of total relaxation on the shores of Cape Cod. Oh yes, and there is Stoney Beach in Woods Hole. There are enough roadways in Falmouth to hold an annual road race. The Falmouth Road Race is held every August, and is the largest road race on Cape Cod. How big could they get? Anyway, it's great fun and a departure from the normal activities in the area. For a bit of the more traditional, there is also the Barnstable County Fair, and open air concerts every Thursday night in Marina Park during the months of July and August. Bartholomew Gosnold, the man who named Cape Cod, sailed from Falmouth, England, in 1602 and landed upon these shores. Although he was adventurous, Gosnold apparently ran out of creativity when it came to naming the place where he landed. Actually, he didn't name it at all. Until incorporation in 1692, Falmouth was known by its Native American name of Succonessett which means "place where the black clam is found". With its proximity to Martha's Vineyard, 11 beautiful harbors, fragrant gardens and old fashioned festivals, Falmouth is truly what is envisioned when one thinks of "Old Cape Cod". Make plans to spend some time here, or maybe even make your vacation accommodations here, on your Cape Cod getaway.