Wellfleet MA

Wellfleet, located a few miles southeast of Truro, is another quiet village popular with artists and writers. It was incorporated in June of 1763 after separating from Eastham. Once a thriving whaling and fishing port, Wellfleet is still famous for its oysters and commercial fishing is still a main source of income for many residents. The year-round population of the town is only 2800, but during the months of July and August, it balloons to 18,000. Quite a feat on an area of land that is less than two miles wide, but Wellfleet manages keep its small town feel even during the tourist season.

Downtown is very small and walking is recommended over driving. Historic homes have been converted into galleries, quaint shops and restaurants. The Wellfleet Historical Society is a great place to learn about the whaling history of the 18th and 19th centuries. Also of historic significance in Wellfleet is the Marconi Station where Guglielmo Marconi sent the first telegraph message across the Atlantic on January 18, 1903. “Most cordial greetings and good wishes” was the message from Teddy Roosevelt to King Edward VII. The original building, like so many on the Atlantic shoreline, has been badly decomposed over time and the transmitting towers have fallen off the cliff to the beach below. There is a reproduction of the original transmitter in the Cape Cod National Seashore’s administrative offices nearby.

There are many beautiful beaches in and around Wellfleet, though some of them are for residents only or require permits for use. The beaches have been heavily impacted by erosion and getting to them (and back home again) can involve carting belongings down, and up, some fairly steep grades. At Cahoon Hollow Beach, stands the Beachcomber, a popular night spot right on the beach. Frequented by college students, the bar books some nationally known talent and can get rowdy at times.

If the college scene isn’t for you, you can dance to a different drummer at the Wednesday Night Square Dances held at the town pier in July and August.

If dancing is not your bag, spend a day at the Massachusetts Audubon Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary. It’s a mouthful, but fitting for this sprawling 1,100 acre home to over 250 varieties of birds.

Walking tours are offered, as well as cruises for observing marine birds. Seals can also be seen on these trips in the winter months. With great shopping and nightlife, secluded beaches, wildlife and wooded areas to get lost in, Wellfleet offers a great vacation spot no matter what you are looking for.