Cape COd Camping

[Mysterest]

My wife and I are looking to camp in Cape Cod sometime in June of this year.  We would like to go Wale Watching in Provincetown.  I have seen some places listed, and I noticed that some don't allow pets, and some don't allow fires.  We will try to get a pet sitter for our two dogs, because I'm sure we couldn't take them on the boat.
  I would appreciate any recommendations for places to camp, places to eat, and wale watching ships, etc.  
Thanks Tom.

[crazymommaof4boys]

My wife and I are looking to camp in Cape Cod sometime in June of this year. We would like to go Wale Watching in Provincetown. I have seen some places listed, and I noticed that some don't allow pets, and some don't allow fires. We will try to get a pet sitter for our two dogs, because I'm sure we couldn't take them on the boat.
I would appreciate any recommendations for places to camp, places to eat, and wale watching ships, etc.
Thanks Tom.

We stayed last year at Sweetwater Forest Campground in Brewster ( http://www.sweetwaterforest.com ).....THey are pet friendly and even have a air conditioned boarding kennel you can leave your dog(s) at if you wanted to go on a day trip...the prices on the kennel weren't bad and it is right on site...you have to call or email them to inquire about rates and sign up in the office the days you want to board them... I do have to say that the 2 weeks we were there were two of the quietest weeks we've ever spent camping...(so quiet you could hear a pin drop at night)....we had brought our lab with us but never ended up using the kennel since he came with us to the beach every day up at Herring Cove...  Whale Watching you can go on the Dolphin Fleet or the Portuguese Princess Excursions out of P-Town...  this past summer was a awesome year for whale watching out on the cape...as it was a top 10 yr for humpbacks there due to all the sand eels offshore that they were feeding on...
Hope that helps some

Chris

[campingeyedoc]

If you like state campgrounds, Nickerson State park is at the "elbow" of the cape. We use this as our base and drive all over the cape. They do allow dogs, although I don't know what you could do for a "sitter". They may already be all booked for June, however.

[Hargus]

I'll second Sweetwater Forest Campground. We've stayed there and enjoyed it. But I will caution you about camping on the Cape. It is a vacation area so the campgrounds on the Cape book fast. Also if you look into other campgrounds on the Cape be aware that some because of town regulations don't allow fires. We almost got caught up into a campground like that, it may have been in Wellfleet. We were able to back out at the last minute and found out about Sweetwater. We were lucky they had some sites. I'm not a real big Cape Cod fan, I'll take the mountains any day and I have to have my campfire, sometimes even if it's raining (tarps).

[fshnfool76]

I know this is PROBABLY a stupid question, but, how bad is the traffic there in the summer? We're looking into camping there this summer too. Would the end of the summer, like last week of Aug. be better? Thanks. Alan

[jimlinalf]

I see you are interested in Provincetown on the Cape.  Traffic and camping availability are horrible from memorial day through labor day.  When we travel up to the cape we always do it after the summer season is over and stay at Sippewisset(sp) campground because they allow dogs after labor day.  I know it's on the other end of the cape you are interested in but it is closer to the island ferries which we use and to our relatives.  Peters Pond is another one but again they have pet restrictions.  I will have to check out this Brewster campground mentioned above.


Jim

[Hargus]

Hi all,
       I think we should move this post over to CAMPGROUND REVIEWS/ North Atlantic section of the forum. It's starting to get a little long and that is the Atlanitc section.

[Hargus]

The traffic on the Cape is like any other vacation area as you may know. It always backs up on tha approach to the bridges. But this year it may be a little different on a positive note. They have done away with the rotary on the Route 3 end one of the worse in my opinion. This may be the first summer if I am correct, I'd have to check the progress. The time of summer makes no difference. Keep in mind everybody heads towards the Cape on Friday and Saturday and most rookies try to get off on Sunday. Good Luck.

[GeneF]

We have been to Provincetown a few times over the years but not camping.  We use to go down in June to visit some friends and it was not my idea of fun.  Lot's of traffic and people.

We have gone down the past couple of years and stayed with a friend who has a time-share there the third week of April.

Like that a lot better.  Beaches are not crowded, plenty of stores and restaurants are open and we could even find some parking downtown.

A big plus was that we could see whales about 100 to 200 hundred feet off shore.  Not as close as on a boat but still exciting.

Weather could be iffy and I am not sure if any campgrounds would be open.

[crazymommaof4boys]

I have to say that last year the traffic wasn't all that bad especially since a lot of people seem to be using the shuttles...  we didn't have much problem getting around on the cape at all and we went there several times in July & August...also we only drive into the cape on off days (Wed or Thurs) and home on Mon or Tues as there is less traffic... at least in our experience...

I've also been to Sippewissett, nice people there...we had a large site there (it was our last year tent camping) but had it rained that week we would've been flooded!

[Volvo240]

Paines in Wellfleet..fires allowed, they sell Ice, and firewood.