Need Help!

I need some advice. After reading the boards for several days, I still have a few questions about my upcoming trip. My wife and I (late 20%26#39;s) will be in Boston for a week and had hoped to visit the Cape on our last weekend (Aug. 10-11) before we fly out on Sunday. I had planned on renting a car in Boston on Friday morning and driving to Plymouth for a short stop and then on to Provincetown for the afternoon and evening. Then on Saturday, after hanging out in P-Town that morning, check out the National Seashore and stop in Eastham, then on to Chatham for a stop if not to stay overnight.

My questions are:

Will P-Town be out of control on Friday Aug. 10 (Jazz fest / start of Carnival Week). We are very open and fun people but don%26#39;t want to turn our relaxing trip in to a mardi gras type weekend.

Also will it be impossible to drive into P-Town on that Friday afternoon?

If you think P-Town will be doable and enjoyable, are there any B%26amp;B or Inns that will take a one night reservation?

Thanks!

Need Help!

What you propose is certainly feasible, except the part of getting a one night stay during Carnival. Finding a single night accomodation anywhere on the cape in August will be tough. I suggest you try to find a place further up cape, like Wellfleet or Eastham to stay and drive to Ptown from there. It%26#39;s only about a half hour from Eastham or Wellfleet. Summer traffic may add to that time but it shouldn%26#39;t be too bad if you get to Ptown early enough in the afternoon. In Ptown park in a lot and walk. It will be very crowded and active, but really not much more so than any July or August weekend. Carnival is just getting started. The parade is Thursday and the following weekend will be the really jammed one. Traffic can be bad but remember that Ptown is a small place. A major traffic jam can extend for blocks, not for miles like in a big city expressway.

Need Help!

Good advice above on where to stay and why. I also think Truro would meet your needs (a little more rural but very close to P-Town) but of all those places Wellfleet is my all time favorite.

I would advise you to make reservations ASAP – I’m sure lots of the places you’ll be looking at have been long booked so I expect you’ll be narrowing down your choices by availability.

I agree. You might find it difficult to find two nights on a weekend in August... even in Wellfleet or Eastham. For some choices take a look at www.wellfleetchamber.com and www.easthamchamber.com where you will find all of the local listings for hotels, motels, B+Bs and inns that you might not find on one of the more commercial, nation-wide sites that advertises on Google. You had better get started, however, because the nice places fill up fast!

Just in case you end up needing it there is a B%26amp;B in Harwich whose owner posted that he will accept one night stays in high season. Perhaps someone will remember more about this or you can look back and find it. Good luck.

You are planning to cram a lot in for just 2 days. Provincetown is pretty charming and engaging and along with the adjacent National Seashore could easily fill up that time. Have you considered taking a boat from boston? (bostonharborcruises.com/baystatecruises.com). You could avoid the harrowing Cape traffic and relax getting to and from Ptown. Renting bicycles would be a good option when you arrive and it`s much easier to get around. You also wouldn`t have to deal with the parking nightmare. Accomodations are expensive and the minimum stay requirements are annoying and absurd. I`ve found that most of the places that refuse my requests for shorter stays almost invariably have their vacancy signs out when I arrive there. If you`re somewhat of a risk taker, you can call The Provincetown Chamber of Commerce (ptownchamber.com) on the morning of your arrival. The local innkeepers call in any vacancies they may have for last minute, shorter stays. We`ve frequently had good luck with that.....even for Carnival week, but you have to be somewhat flexible with the kind of accomodation you`ll get. Another option is capecolonyinn.com (800-841-6716). It`s a motel on the East end of Bradford Street when you first come into town. You`re about a 15 minute walk into the center of town or a much quicker bike ride. The walk along parallel Commercial Street is very enjoyable. The motel is well run, clean and well maintained. The rooms are surprisingly spacious and air conditioned (both rarities at many other options) with a refrigerator and there`s a nice outdoor pool. Parking and a somewhat scanty continental breakfast is included. The best part is that they only require a 2 night minimum. I checked for your dates (Aug. 10, 11) and rooms are averaging around $165 depending on bedding. While you may be surprised, that`s a pretty good deal considering that it`s high season and the amenities. They still have availability, so it`s worth considering.