Cape Cod Rainy Day and Off Season Activities

It used to be that we were fair weather, summertime visitors to the Cape like everyone else, but we've had a chance to explore Cape Cod with kids in all kinds of weather since my parents retired there a few years ago.

Here are a few activities we've discovered to keep the kids entertained even when it's not a beach day (or in the off season):

Eastham Public Library, Eastham, MA: 

This beautiful brand-new library just opened in November 2016.  It is a gorgeous building with a lovely adult reading room (cozy chairs, a fireplace, a double-story wall of windows that look out over a pond) and a great kids' room.  Kids can borrow puzzles and toys from the library and there's a sunny play room with puppets, play kitchen, trains, legos, doll house, pirate toys and more! We visited one chilly fall day with our 5 year old while his sister was at home napping...

Pilgrim Monument and Provincetown Museum, Provincetown, MA

Fun facts: the Pilgrim Monument was built in 1907 to commemorate the Pilgrim's first landing of the Mayflower in November 1620.  The tower is 252 feet high!  You can climb the tower inside using a series of gentle stairs and ramps.  We went with a 1.5 year old and 4 year old on a warm fall day, and although I expected to carry the little one up, she chased her brother all the way up by herself!  There are lovely views over the ocean and Provincetown from the top, and there's a neat little museum featuring kid-friendly exhibits like an old-fashioned doll house and a full-size captain's ship quarters.

Snow's, Orleans, MA

When we visit the Cape for Thanksgiving, we always make a trip to Snow's (a hardware/ garden/ home goods store) to visit their amazing Christmas display!  Year- round there's a kids' toys area and a large table with a model railroad and trains that the kids can make go by pressing buttons.  But during the Christmas season, there are two additional HUGE model trains set up, with trains running and all sorts of blinking, moving village scenery.  Plus there are tons of Christmas decorations set up and for sale, it's an indoor winter wonderland.  There's also a station where kids can sit down to write a letter to Frosty, and a mailbox there to mail the letter.