Three days · Provincetown from Boston

Provincetown from Boston, for two: the fast ferry, Commercial Street and a whale watch

Reviewed Oct 23, 2026How we verify

Three car-free days at the tip of Cape Cod: the fast ferry from the Seaport, a slow first walk down Commercial Street, a morning out with the humpbacks from MacMillan Pier, bikes to Herring Cove for the sunset side of town, and dinners by the water before the boat home.

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3 days / 2 nights May–Oct Couples

Original illustration

Provincetown Harbor with moored boats and the low town along the shore under a wide sky — **Provincetown Harbor** · boats on their moorings off the town at the tip of Cape Cod

The trip in 60 seconds

Trip at a glance

Who it’s for: Couples who would rather leave the car at home, like a long walk before dinner and want one morning on the water with the whales
Route: MacMillan Pier & Commercial Street → the whale watch & the East End → Herring Cove & the West End
Best timing: May to October, when the fast ferry runs daily and the whale watches sail. Late October to mid-November the ferry runs weekends only
Pace: Easy: everything in town is on foot, with one 3–4 hour boat trip and one bike ride to the beach
Sleep: Two nights in a guesthouse or inn in town, close to Commercial Street, so the pier and dinner are a short walk
Getting there: The Bay State Cruise Company fast ferry leaves 200 Seaport Blvd in Boston, steps from the Silver Line, and takes about 90 minutes to MacMillan Pier. No car needed
Rough budget: Ferry tickets, the whale watch, rooms and dinners are the main costs. Walking Commercial Street and sitting on the beach at Herring Cove are free
Good to know: Ferries cancel in high wind and seas; check the ferry site the morning you leave and keep the evening free for a backup

Reviewed Oct 23, 2026How we verify

Illustration: route map of the three days, an illustrated bird’s-eye view of the curled tip of Cape Cod with the town strung along the harbor, numbered pins at MacMillan Pier (Day 1), the East End of Commercial Street (Day 2) and Herring Cove Beach on the west-facing shore (Day 3), with a ferry wake heading toward the pier — Provincetown in three days · one base on Commercial Street, no car needed at any point

Postcards from the trip

An old postcard view of Commercial Street in Provincetown looking east — **Commercial Street** · Walk it slowly, east to west, in the late afternoon.

A white clapboard house with a picket fence in Provincetown — **Side lanes** · Duck down between the houses to the little harbor beaches.

Long Point Lighthouse on the sand at the tip of Provincetown Harbor, in black and white — **Long Point Light** · The small lighthouse at the end of the sand spit.

Wood End Lighthouse, a small square tower on the sand beyond the West End — **Wood End Light** · The square tower on the sand past the West End breakwater.

The idea

Three days for two in Provincetown: the ferry, the harbor and the sunset side of town.

Provincetown sits at the very tip of Cape Cod, where the land curls back on itself around a deep harbor. From Boston it is about 90 minutes by fast ferry across Cape Cod Bay, and once you step off at MacMillan Pier everything in town, from breakfast to the last slice of the night, is a walk along Commercial Street. The town has welcomed LGBTQ+ travelers for generations, and couples of every kind fit right in.

Day 1 is the ferry over, a long first lunch by the harbor and a slow walk down Commercial Street. Day 2 starts on the water with a whale watch from MacMillan Pier and ends with dinner by the bay in the East End. Day 3 is bikes to Herring Cove, a low-tide walk on the West End breakwater and an early dinner before the evening boat home.

Planning more weekends from the city? See Newport from Boston, Portsmouth from Boston or every weekend escape from Boston.

Day-by-day summary

MacMillan Pier reaching into Provincetown Harbor with boats tied alongside

Day 1 · Friday · ferry, then on footMacMillan Pier and Commercial StreetThe fast ferry from the Seaport, a harbor lunch and a slow first walk down Commercial Street.

A humpback whale breaking the surface of the water with its mouth open in Stellwagen Bank sanctuary

Day 2 · Saturday · boat, then on footThe whale watch and the East EndA morning with the humpbacks from MacMillan Pier, a patio lunch and dinner by the bay in the East End.

The sun setting over the water at Herring Cove Beach in Provincetown

Day 3 · Sunday · bike and on foot, ferry homeHerring Cove and the West EndBikes to Herring Cove, a low-tide walk on the breakwater and an early dinner before the ferry home.

The route

Three days, one base, no car

MacMillan Pier and Commercial Street, then the whale watch and the East End, then Herring Cove and the West End, with two nights in the same room and nothing farther than a short bike ride.

Illustration: a white fast ferry catamaran gliding into the harbor on a bright morning with tiny passengers at the bow rail, the long wooden town pier and the low shingled town ahead and the sandy hook of the outer Cape in haze, illustrated day card for Day 1

01MacMillan Pier · arrive

Base: Provincetown, both nights. The fast ferry from 200 Seaport Blvd in Boston takes about 90 minutes to MacMillan Pier, and you walk off the boat into the middle of town. Commercial Street, the harbor beach and the library are free. Pace: easy for two: one boat ride and about 3 miles on foot on flat streets, with the break at a long lunch by the water.

The fast ferry from the Seaport

Take a morning boat from the Bay State Cruise Company dock at 200 Seaport Blvd, a short walk from the Silver Line, and leave the car in the city. The fast ferry has a climate-controlled cabin, a bar and snacks, and dockside luggage storage, so the bags are not your problem until you reach the room. Sit outside on the top deck once the boat clears the harbor islands, and the city skyline shrinks behind you while the open bay spreads out ahead. About 90 minutes later the low shingled town, the long pier and the granite tower on the hill appear out of the haze. You are there before you have finished your coffee.

Pastries on Commercial Street

Where to eat: the Provincetown Portuguese Bakery, a short walk from the end of the pier, for a late breakfast of Portuguese pastries and coffee to share.

The town grew up around fishing families from Portugal and the Azores, and the bakery is the easiest place to taste that history. Take a malasada, the fried sweet dough rolled in sugar, and eat it on a bench on the street. Then drop your bags at the room and come back out with empty hands.

A long lunch on the harbor

Where to eat: Bubala’s by the Bay, at 185 Commercial Street, serving lunch, dinner and cocktails from 11:30 a.m. daily, for a long first lunch with a view of the harbor.

Ask for a table on the deck if the wind is kind. From there you watch the ferries and the fishing boats come and go at MacMillan Pier, and the light on the water changes every few minutes as the clouds move over the bay. Nobody needs to be anywhere until dinner.

Commercial Street and the library

Commercial Street runs along the harbor for about three miles, one lane wide in places, with shingled cottages, galleries, bookshops and guesthouses pressed up against the sidewalk. Walk it slowly in the afternoon, ducking down the narrow lanes between the houses to the little harbor beaches behind them, where the tide pulls out across wide flats. The Provincetown Public Library at 356 Commercial Street is open on Fridays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and inside the old church building a large model of a fishing schooner fills the upper floor. Expert tip: walk Commercial Street east to west in the late afternoon, so the low sun is behind you and the harbor side glows instead of glaring in your eyes.

Dinner for two and a late slice

Where to eat: Ciro & Sal’s, at 4 Kiley Court just off Commercial Street, open nightly for dinner in its cellar dining room and garden; reserve ahead on its site.

Afterward, walk back out to Commercial Street, where the evening crowd fills the sidewalk outside the bars and the shops stay open late. Before bed, share a slice at Spiritus Pizza, the town’s late-night gathering place since 1971, and watch the street go by.

Where to eat and stop

Breakfast · Provincetown Portuguese Bakery — Portuguese pastries and coffee; ask for a malasada. Why here: A late breakfast of Portuguese pastries on Commercial Street, a short walk from the ferry at MacMillan Pier.
Lunch · Bubala’s by the Bay — lunch from 11:30 a.m. daily at 185 Commercial Street. Why here: A long first lunch on Commercial Street with a view of the harbor.
Dinner · Ciro & Sal’s — Italian dinner nightly at 4 Kiley Court; book ahead. Why here: An Italian dinner for two in town on the first night; reserve ahead.
Quick stop (snack): Spiritus Pizza — pizza by the slice late into the night; check its hours. Why here: A late-night slice from the town hangout open since 1971.
Quick stop (other): Provincetown Public Library — 356 Commercial Street, Friday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Why here: A quiet hour in the old church building with the big schooner model upstairs.

Book the ferry both ways before you book the room. Summer weekend boats sell out, and the return time decides whether Sunday dinner is in town or on the boat.

Boston Seaport (200 Seaport Blvd) → MacMillan Pier: about 90 minutes by fast ferry. MacMillan Pier → the library or Ciro & Sal’s: about 10 minutes on foot along Commercial Street.

Where to stay

A guesthouse or inn in town near Commercial Street — two nights in town, so the pier, dinner and the walk home along the harbor are all on foot.

Dinner: Ciro & Sal’s, off Commercial Street.

Tomorrow: a morning whale watch from MacMillan Pier, then the East End.

Bad-weather plan

Rain, or the boat cancelled for wind? Ferries can be replaced by a coach on rough days, so check the ferry site in the morning. In town, the library, the galleries and a long lunch at Bubala’s fill a wet afternoon well.

Stay: Provincetown base · Anchor: MacMillan Pier · check the ferry site

Good to know: The ferry dock in Boston is at 200 Seaport Blvd; arrive about 30 minutes early on a summer weekend to drop bags and board without a rush.

Illustration: a humpback whale’s black-and-white tail fluke lifting out of deep blue water with spray streaming from its edge and seabirds skimming, a small white whale-watch boat far behind, illustrated day card for Day 2

02Whale watch · East End

Base: the same room tonight. Dolphin Fleet whale watches leave from MacMillan Pier, a short walk from anywhere in town, and run about 3–4 hours; the season runs April to October with several trips a day. The East End walk is free. Pace: easy: a morning on the boat, then about 2 miles on foot along Commercial Street, with the break at lunch on the patio.

Breakfast to go

Where to eat: Pop + Dutch, for breakfast sandwiches and coffee to carry down to the pier.

Eat on a bench by the water while the whale-watch boats load. Take a warm layer even on a hot morning: out on the open water the wind off the Atlantic is cooler than it is in town.

Out with the humpbacks

The Dolphin Fleet has been taking boats out from MacMillan Pier to Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary for decades, and the trip runs about three to four hours. The sanctuary lies just off the tip of the Cape, and humpbacks, finbacks and minke whales feed there through the season, with naturalists on board explaining what you are watching. When the first spout shows on the horizon, the whole deck goes quiet, and then a broad black tail lifts out of the water, streaming spray, and slides under again. Stand at the rail together and give it time; whales surface on their own schedule. Expert tip: take the morning boat rather than the afternoon, since the bay is usually calmer early, and stand toward the stern if either of you is prone to seasickness.

A patio lunch

Where to eat: the Canteen, at 225 Commercial Street, open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturdays, for an easy lunch on the back patio; it takes no reservations and is dog friendly.

Order at the counter and carry your tray out back, where the tables look onto the harbor beach. After a morning in the wind, the sun on the patio feels warmer than it did on the boat.

An afternoon in the East End

Walk east on Commercial Street, where the town gets quieter and the houses step back from the road behind gardens and picket fences. This end of town has long been the gallery district, with small studios and shows in old shingled buildings, and many are open in the afternoon with the doors propped wide. Wander in, look at what the painters have done with the same harbor light you have been walking through all day, and do not rush. Stop on one of the little beaches between the houses and watch the tide come back in over the flats.

Dinner by the bay

Where to eat: Fanizzi’s by the Sea, at 539 Commercial Street in the East End, serving an early bird menu from 4:15 to 5:30 p.m. and dinner after that; call ahead to reserve.

The dining room sits right on the water, and at high tide the bay laps under the windows. Walk back along Commercial Street afterward with the lights coming on, and stop at the Portuguese Bakery for a malasada if it is still open.

Where to eat and stop

Breakfast · Pop + Dutch — breakfast sandwiches and coffee to go. Why here: Breakfast sandwiches and coffee to take on the walk to MacMillan Pier.
Lunch · Canteen — 225 Commercial Street, Saturday 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; order at the counter, no reservations. Why here: An easy lunch with a back patio after the morning whale watch.
Dinner · Fanizzi’s by the Sea — 539 Commercial Street; early bird 4:15 to 5:30 p.m., then dinner; reserve by phone. Why here: A dinner by the water in the East End, away from the busiest stretch of Commercial Street.
Quick stop (snack): Provincetown Portuguese Bakery — a malasada on the walk back from the East End; check its hours. Why here: Pastries on Commercial Street, a sweet stop between the bay and the room.
Quick stop (other): Dolphin Fleet Whale Watch — trips of about 3–4 hours from MacMillan Pier, April to October. Why here: The morning on the water with the humpbacks that the whole weekend turns on.

Pick a calm morning for the whale watch. Check the marine forecast the night before, and if the wind is up, swap the boat to Sunday and do the East End first.

The room → MacMillan Pier: about 10 minutes on foot. MacMillan Pier → the Canteen: about 5 minutes. The Canteen → Fanizzi’s in the East End: about 25 minutes on foot along Commercial Street.

Where to stay

A guesthouse or inn in town near Commercial Street — the same room; hang the damp windbreakers on the porch rail.

Dinner: Fanizzi’s by the Sea, in the East End.

Tomorrow: bikes to Herring Cove, the West End and the evening ferry home.

Bad-weather plan

Boat cancelled for wind or fog? The Dolphin Fleet reschedules or refunds trips that cannot sail. Spend the morning in the East End galleries instead and try for a later trip, or Sunday’s first boat.

Stay: same base · Anchor: the whale watch · check the marine forecast

Good to know: Whale watches leave from MacMillan Pier; book ahead on a summer weekend and arrive early to board, since boats leave on time.

Illustration: one person on a bicycle on a narrow paved path winding over tall sand dunes covered in beach grass and low pines, the open ocean glittering beyond and a second rider small and far ahead, illustrated day card for Day 3

03Herring Cove · last day

Base: check out after breakfast and leave your bags with the room or at the ferry dock. Herring Cove Beach, part of Cape Cod National Seashore, faces west at the end of Route 6, a short bike ride from town; riding or walking in is free. Pace: easy to moderate: about 6 miles on a bike and 2 miles on foot, with the break at lunch on the harbor.

Breakfast and bikes

Where to eat: Pop + Dutch again, for coffee and a breakfast sandwich before the ride.

Rent two bikes in town for the day; several shops on and near Commercial Street rent them by the hour or the day. Ride out to the West End and follow the road toward the end of Route 6, where the houses stop and the dunes begin.

Herring Cove

Herring Cove is the town’s beach on the open bay side, facing west across the water, and it is part of Cape Cod National Seashore. The sand is wide, the water is calmer than on the ocean beaches, and in July and August lifeguards are on duty and a snack bar opens behind the beach. Lock the bikes, walk down to the waterline and sit in the dune grass for a while. The wind moves through the grass in long silver waves. Expert tip: if you can catch an earlier ferry home another weekend, come back here at sunset, when couples from all over town ride out to watch the sun drop into the bay.

The West End breakwater

Back toward town, the long stone breakwater at the West End crosses the marsh and the harbor flats toward Long Point and Wood End, the two small lighthouses on the thin arm of sand that closes the harbor. Walk out on the big granite blocks for as long as feels good; the gaps are wide in places, so watch your step. At low tide the flats on either side are full of shells, birds and small channels, and the town looks tiny behind you. Check the tide table before you start, because the incoming tide covers the far end and the sand beyond it.

A last lunch on the harbor

Where to eat: Bubala’s by the Bay, from 11:30 a.m. daily, for a last long lunch with the harbor in front of you.

Return the bikes after lunch. Spend the rest of the afternoon wandering the shops you passed on the first day, or sit on the end of MacMillan Pier and watch the boats come in.

An early dinner and the boat home

Where to eat: Victor’s, open Thursday to Tuesday with dinner from 5 p.m., for a table of small plates to share before the ferry; reserve on its site.

Pick up a slice at Spiritus for the boat if you are still hungry, collect your bags and walk down to MacMillan Pier for the evening fast ferry. Stand at the stern as the town and its tower fall behind, and Boston’s lights are in front of you about 90 minutes later.

Where to eat and stop

Breakfast · Pop + Dutch — coffee and breakfast sandwiches. Why here: Breakfast sandwiches and coffee to take before the bike ride to Herring Cove.
Lunch · Bubala’s by the Bay — lunch from 11:30 a.m. daily at 185 Commercial Street. Why here: A last long lunch on Commercial Street with a view of the harbor.
Dinner · Victor’s — small plates from 5 p.m., Thursday to Tuesday; reserve online. Why here: An early dinner of shared plates if you take the last ferry back to Boston.
Quick stop (snack): Spiritus Pizza — a slice for the boat home; check its hours. Why here: A last slice from the town hangout open since 1971, on the way to the pier.
Quick stop (other): Herring Cove Beach — Cape Cod National Seashore, at the end of Route 6; lifeguards in July and August. Why here: The calm bay-side beach that faces west, an easy ride from town.

Check the tide table before the breakwater. Start the walk on a falling tide, and turn around at the halfway point if the water is already coming back over the flats.

Town → Herring Cove: about 3 miles by bike, roughly 20 minutes. West End → the breakwater: about 5 minutes on foot from the end of Commercial Street. MacMillan Pier → Boston Seaport: about 90 minutes by fast ferry.

Where to stay

A guesthouse or inn in town near Commercial Street — check out this morning and store your bags until the ferry.

Dinner: early at Victor’s, then the evening fast ferry.

Home: back at the Boston Seaport by night.

Bad-weather plan

Rain or a hard wind? Skip the bikes and the breakwater, spend the morning in the library and the galleries, and have a long lunch at Bubala’s. If the evening boat cancels, check the ferry site for a coach back to Boston.

Stay: check out · Anchor: Herring Cove · check the tide table

Good to know: Herring Cove has seasonal restrooms and lifeguards in July and August; parking in summer has a fee, so riding out saves the cost and the queue.

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Plan & pack

Pack for the trip

A soft bag, not a suitcase. You carry it off the ferry and down Commercial Street.
A windproof layer. The ferry deck and the whale watch are cooler than town, even in July.
Sunglasses and sunscreen. The glare off the harbor and the bay is strong all day.
Sandals and walking shoes. Sandals for the beach, real shoes for the breakwater rocks.
Binoculars. A small pair helps on the whale watch and on the flats at low tide.
Seasickness tablets. If either of you is unsure, take them before the whale watch.
A dinner reservation each night. Summer weekends fill up; book before you go.
The ferry times on your phone. Keep the ferry site saved for weather changes.

A white passenger ferry crossing the water away from Provincetown toward Boston — **Book the fast ferry both ways before the room; summer boats sell out.** **The ferry to Boston** · the boat that makes the weekend car-free

The wide sand of Herring Cove Beach under a bank of cloud at Cape Cod National Seashore — **Pack a towel and a layer for Herring Cove: the bay side gets the evening wind.** **Herring Cove Beach** · part of Cape Cod National Seashore, at the end of Route 6

Illustration: a couple’s car-free weekend kit on a sun-faded striped beach towel, a soft duffel bag, a light windbreaker, two pairs of sunglasses, sandals, a water bottle, a compact camera, a folded paper map, two blank ferry boarding passes, a paper bag of sweet bread rolls and small binoculars, original illustrated plan card for 3 days in Provincetown — **Original illustration** · a soft duffel, a windbreaker, binoculars and ferry passes on a striped beach towel

Provincetown in one frame

The plan card lays the weekend out on one towel: a bag light enough to carry off the ferry, a layer for the wind on the water, binoculars for the whales and two boarding passes. Every stop and meal is in the day-by-day above.

Illustration: dinner for two on a deck at the edge of the harbor beach at sunset, grilled fish with lemon, a bowl of steamed mussels, two glasses of sparkling water and a candle, two hands resting on the table, moored boats and the harbor glowing apricot and pink behind, original illustrated recap card — **Original illustration** · dinner for two on a deck over the harbor at sunset

Where the day ends

The recap card ends the weekend the way most Provincetown days end: a table by the water, something from the sea on the plate and the harbor turning pink while the boats swing on their moorings. The day-by-day has each stop and meal.

Postcards

Provincetown, in frames.

Sunset over the harbor and the rooftops of Provincetown — **Sunset in Provincetown** · the last light over the harbor and the town

An old postcard of a small weathered Cape house in Provincetown — **An old Cape house** · a shingled cottage from the town’s fishing days, on a postcard

An aerial view of the thin curve of Long Point sand spit closing Provincetown Harbor — **Long Point from the air** · the arm of sand that curls around the harbor

Quick answers

Planning notes

How many days do you need in Provincetown?

Plan two nights and three days in Provincetown for a first visit from Boston. That leaves a full day for the whale watch and the East End, a morning on the bay-side beach at Herring Cove and two dinners in town without rushing for the ferry. See the three-day route for how the days fit together.

When does the fast ferry from Boston to Provincetown run?

The Bay State Cruise Company fast ferry runs daily from about mid-May to mid-October, with weekend-only service into mid-November in 2026. The trip takes about 90 minutes each way. Departure times change through the season, so check the current schedule on the ferry site before you book a room.

How much is the ferry from Boston to Provincetown?

A round-trip fast-ferry ticket from Boston to Provincetown costs over $100 per adult, with fares and a fuel surcharge that change by season. Check the Bay State Cruise Company site for the current fare when you book, and book both directions at once, since summer weekend boats sell out.

Where does the Provincetown ferry leave from in Boston?

The Bay State Cruise Company fast ferry leaves from 200 Seaport Blvd in the Boston Seaport, a short walk from the Silver Line, and arrives at MacMillan Pier in the middle of Provincetown. Arrive about 30 minutes early on a summer weekend; the dock has luggage storage, so bags are easy.

Do you need a car in Provincetown?

No, you do not need a car in Provincetown. The ferry lands at MacMillan Pier in the center of town, and the restaurants, galleries and harbor beaches are all on foot along Commercial Street. Rent bikes for the ride to Herring Cove, as on the Herring Cove day.

When is whale-watching season in Provincetown?

Whale watches from Provincetown run from April to October, with several Dolphin Fleet trips a day from MacMillan Pier. Humpbacks feed on Stellwagen Bank just off the tip of the Cape through the season. Take a morning boat when the water is usually calmer. See the whale watch day for how to fit it in.

Is Provincetown or the rest of Cape Cod better for a couples’ weekend?

Choose Provincetown for a car-free couples’ weekend: the fast ferry from Boston lands in the middle of town and everything is on foot. The rest of the Cape suits a longer trip by car, with more beaches and bike paths. For that version, see Cape Cod with kids.

Before you set off — the official checks

Ferry times, hours and beach rules change. Confirm current details on the sites listed under official links.

Ferry — Boats cancel or switch to a coach in high wind; check the morning you travel. Bay State Cruise Company ↗
Whale watch — Book ahead on summer weekends; boats leave from MacMillan Pier on time. Dolphin Fleet ↗
Tides — Check the tide before walking the West End breakwater. NOAA Tides & Currents ↗
Weather — Check wind and marine warnings before the ferry and the boat. National Weather Service ↗

Plan with confidence

Official Links

Official sites to plan and verify the details in this guide.

Bay State Cruise Company ↗Fast ferry schedule and fares

Dolphin Fleet Whale Watch ↗Trips from MacMillan Pier

Cape Cod National Seashore ↗Beaches, alerts and rules

Herring Cove Beach ↗Facilities and lifeguard season

Seashore fees and passes ↗Beach parking fees

Provincetown Business Guild ↗Visitor information and events

Provincetown Public Library ↗Hours and events

NOAA Tides & Currents ↗Provincetown tide station

National Weather Service Boston ↗Marine and coastal forecasts

Reviewed Oct 23, 2026How we verify

Conditions and prices can change.

References

Research behind this guide

The reporting and research that shaped this itinerary.

Herring Cove Beach ↗National Park Service

Dolphin Fleet Whale Watch ↗Dolphin Fleet

Photo credits

Photos via Wikimedia Commons, resized and converted to WebP. The illustrated cover, day cards, plan card and recap card are this guide’s original itinerary artwork, illustrated from the credited photos listed here.

Provincetown Harbor — photo by Robert Linsdell, CC BY 2.0; it is also the basis of the Cover and Cover web illustrations
MacMillan Pier — photo by Giorgio Galeotti, CC BY 4.0; it is also the basis of the Day 1 card illustration
Humpback whale — photo by National Marine Sanctuaries, CC BY 2.0; it is also the basis of the Day 2 card illustration
Herring Cove — photo by Robert Linsdell, CC BY 2.0; it is also the basis of the Day 3 card illustration
Provincetown ferry — photo by Fletcher, CC BY 4.0; it is also the basis of the Packing card illustration
Herring Cove Beach — photo by Andre Carrotflower, CC BY-SA 4.0; this resized copy is shared under the same license (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Sunset in Provincetown — photo by Dm107650, CC BY-SA 4.0; this resized copy is shared under the same license (CC BY-SA 4.0); it is also the basis of the Recap card illustration, shared under the same license (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Old house postcard — photo by Tichnor Bros. Inc., Boston, Mass, Public domain
Long Point aerial — photo by Mslanka, CC BY-SA 3.0; this resized copy is shared under the same license (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Commercial Street postcard — photo by Pub. by The Mayflower Sales Co., Provincetown, Mass. Tichnor Bros. Inc., Boston,, Public domain
Provincetown house — photo by BriYYZ, CC BY-SA 2.0; this resized copy is shared under the same license (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Long Point Light — photo by US Coast Guard, Public domain
Wood End Light — photo by Russ, CC BY 2.0
Route map — original illustrated route artwork for this guide; stop locations from OpenStreetMap

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The trip in 60 seconds

Postcards from the trip

Three days for two in Provincetown: the ferry, the harbor and the sunset side of town.

Day-by-day summary

Three days, one base, no car

Day 1 · MacMillan Pier and Commercial Street—The morning fast ferry from the Seaport, pastries at the Portuguese Bakery, a long lunch on the harbor at Bubala’s, an afternoon on Commercial Street and at the library, Italian for dinner and a late slice at Spiritus.

Day 2 · The whale watch and the East End—Breakfast sandwiches at Pop + Dutch, a whale watch with the Dolphin Fleet from MacMillan Pier, a patio lunch at the Canteen, an afternoon walk through the East End galleries, an early dinner by the bay at Fanizzi’s and a malasada on the way home.

Day 3 · Herring Cove and the West End—Breakfast at Pop + Dutch, rented bikes out to Herring Cove at the end of Route 6, a low-tide walk on the West End breakwater, a last harbor lunch at Bubala’s, an early dinner of small plates at Victor’s and the evening ferry back to Boston.

A plan that knows how you travel.

3 full itineraries in every plan

Art & photos

Planning

Your plan, your way

Art & photos

Planning

Your plan, your way

Art & photos

Planning

Your plan, your way

Our promise

Who is Earth Adventure Travel?

Plan & pack

Pack for the trip

Provincetown in one frame

Where the day ends

Provincetown, in frames.

Planning notes

Before you set off — the official checks

More of the New England coast and other harbor towns.

Cape Cod with Kids

Providence for Two

The Maine Coast

Key West for Two

Official Links

Research behind this guide

Photo credits

Choose the landscape. Then choose the pace.

No exact match—yet.