New England Road Trip: Cape Cod & Martha's Vineyard
Thursday, August 25, 2011
, Posted in
The final stop on our trip was Cape Cod. The resort was a little odd, in that it had obviously been a top class, luxury resort at one time but had had to try and adapt it's target market to a more family friendly resort as the Cape became more populated and competition grew, and it kind of straddled the two without knowing quite what it was trying to be.
The rooms were nice and spacious, there were chandeliers in the public restrooms and the outdoor pool, with hot tub and waterfalls had a spa-like quality about it, which sat in contrast to the noisy wave pool and games room. They put a lot of largely unappreciated effort into trying to make it nice, such as the outdoor movie and bonfire on the "beach" area with marshmallows to toast every evening. The lights in the trees, oil lamps in the flower beds and live band playing make the courtyard an incredibly beautiful and relaxing place in the evening, when it is free from the chav types and noisy children running around.
After the success of Flo's we decided to try another clam shack for lunch in Hyannis. Spanky's Clam Shack wasn't quite like Flo's - there was waitress service and we got actual plates, but the food was equally delicious and the Baked Seaside Sampler (oysters topped with spinach and parmesan, stuffed clams with bacon and breadcrumbs and scallops wrapped in bacon) was exceptional. The view of the harbour provided a beautiful backdrop.
We drove down to Falmouth to get the Island Queen ferry across to Martha's Vineyard, and the 35 minute journey was wonderful, with great views of Falmouth and the Cape and then of Martha's Vineyard itself.
When we arrived on the island, at Oak Bluffs, we were slightly disappointed to say the least. It was completely packed with people and there seemed to be nothing but shops selling merchandise and tat, similar to the tacky seaside resorts you find here. We had already planned to get the bus to Edgartown, and after breakfast we'd had enough already and set off for the bus stop. The journey along the coast of the island was stunning and it soon became apparent why so many came over from the mainland just to use the beaches which stretched for mile after mile.
Edgartown was far more like what we had expected. Quiet narrow streets filled with exclusive boutiques, antique stores and art galleries, and although it was fairly busy it didn't feel crowded or rushed. There was a far more relaxed atmosphere as people ambled from shop to shop and wandered around the marina, a complete contrast to Oak Bluffs just the other side of the island.
0 Response to "New England Road Trip: Cape Cod & Martha's Vineyard"
Post a Comment