Cape Cod is a favorite vacation destination for families and for good reason. Families on "Cape Time"; spend hours playing in the waves, resting under an umbrella on soft, white sandy beaches, meandering down quaint, old New England downtown villages, bike-riding along stretches of the 45 mile Rail Trail bike path, whale watching, you name it. Families can do as much or as little as their hearts desire.

The following suggestions are from Kids On The Cape:

PICNIC SPOT: Bass Hole Beach at end of Centre St in Yarmouthport is a nice, quiet picnic spot and an easy walk to historic district sights. Free parking and picnic tables with grills.

PLAYGROUNDS:

• Bass Hole Beach at end of Centre St in Yarmouthport is a nice, quiet picnic spot and an easy walk to historic district sights. Free parking and picnic tables with grills.
• On Rte 6A (at the Station Avenue intersection) in Yarmouthport, visit a beautiful, classic playground, with picnic tables. Other playgrounds are located at the elementary schools and at Parkers River Beach, on South Shore Drive in S. Yarmouth. Yarmouth has a new park on Old Townhouse Rd, off Station Ave. This area has bocci courts, basketball, swings, playground equipment, ball fields & lights!
  

FISHING SPOTS:

• Hamblin Pond in Marstons Mills. Connected to the larger Middle Pond and Mystic Lake, this 114 acre pond has beautiful white sand, clear water and a nice sloping beach that is perfect for children. Take Rte 149 to about three miles south of Rte 6.
• Long Pond in South Yarmouth. Best access at Wings Grove Park with free parking and a small beach. On Indian Memorial Drive off Station Ave.
  

HIKING TRAILS:

• Crocker Neck Park on Popponesset Bay in Cotuit has many good hiking trails in its 97 acre area where hikers can enjoy marsh views, a tidal pool and maybe spot a fox or some deer, ducks and other birds. Take Main St. south of Cotuit Center.
• The 1.5 mile "Nature Trail" is presented to the public by the Historical Society of Old Yarmouth. It features a rest stop overlooking a "kettle hole" pond. Parking lot is just off Rte 6A, Yarmouthport, west of the Post Office. Maps are available at the Gate House. The “Meadowbrook Road Conservation Area” has a 310’ boardwalk over swamp and saltmarsh to an observation deck on Swan Pond. Take Buck Island Rd. to Gray Rd. to Meadowbrook Rd.
  

CAPE COD BASEBALL LEAGUE: Catch a free baseball game with the hometown Hyannis Mets. See the Cape League feature story and baseball schedule in this issue. www.capecodbaseball.org

STORYLAND, HYANNIS: Just off Main St. behind the Cape Cod Central Railroad. The manicured grounds offer top rated adventure golf for kids 4 & up, with bumper boat rides. Immaculate and very well run.

GAMES AT THE GATHERING: Kids can play all day (and into the night) at this unique game store! Yu-Gi-Oh!; Magic the Gathering! Warhammer! and high speed Computer Gaming! The home of CardBall: Collectible card games, unusual board games, illusionary magic, sportscards and more. This place is really hopping with tournaments almost every day and open game play tables available all the time. Open 7 days/open late. Located just 5 minutes from Cape Cod Mall. 1600 Rte 28, Bell Tower Mall, Centerville. 508-771-7448. www.capegames.com.

CAPE COD DUCKMOBILES, HYANNIS: Kids (and adults) get a big thrill when the Duckmobile “splashes down” into the harbor as it tours from land to sea. Ride the renovated U.S. military amphibious vehicle and enjoy an informative, narrated tour. Departs frequently during the summer from downtown Hyannis’ Main St. 1-888-225-DUCK or (508)790-2111

STUFF YOUR OWN TEDDY BEAR!: During summer months, kids love “building” their own bear at the Fuzzy McGoo Bear Factory, 569 Main St. 508-771-4755

CAPE COD POTATO CHIP TOUR: Yes, those tasty, one-of-a-kind chips are made right here on Cape Cod. Take the self-guided 5-minute tour and try some free samples. Independence Park, Hyannis. Tour hours 9am - 5pm, M-F. 508-775-3206

CAPE COD CENTRAL RAILROAD: 252 Main St., Hyannis and on Jarves St., Sandwich. The railroad offers two hour scenic excursions, from Hyannis & Sandwich to the picturesque Cape Cod Canal. Passengers enjoy spectacular views as the train rolls along past salt marshes, cranberry bogs, kettle ponds and local farmland. Kids love the trip! An elegant gourmet dinner train and a luncheon train draw rave reviews. Check out the Family Supper trip on Mon. and Tues. eves. during the summer with fun food for the kids; more epicurean fare for the adults plus entertainment! 508-771-3800

PIRATE ADVENTURE, HYANNIS: This popular attraction offers 6 boat trips daily in season. Kids have their faces painted like pirates and board a real live pirate ship. Costumed pirate actors lead the group in a search around Lewis Bay for sunken treasure. Kids man the water canons to ward off the enemy, follow a treasure map and pull up the booty from the deep. Everyone gets a fistful of plunder! Advance reservations are required as trips sell out days ahead. (508)430-0202.

DAZIES PLAYHOUSE: Fun and fantastic kids activities can be found in this pleasant indoor playground. Kids age 7 and under jump in a moonbounce, dig in a sandbox, dive into the ball pit and play on a great slide. Awesome birthday party packages are available. 150 Rosary Lane, West Yarmouth(off Willow St.) 508-771-5552

RYAN FAMILY AMUSEMENTS:

• 441 Main St., Hyannis. Candlepin & Ten Pin bowling with automatic scoring. Game room featuring skill games -- redeem tickets to win valuable prizes. All occasion party rooms. www.ryanfamily.com. 508-775-3411
• Cape Cod Mall (F Y E), Rte 132, Hyannis. Great indoor game room featuring the hottest, coolest video games, skee-ball & pinball. Win Fabulous Prizes.
• 1067 Rte 28. S. Yarmouth. Candlepin and ten pin bowling featuring automatic scoring. Kids love bumper bowling - everybody scores! Great game room - redeem tickets to win prizes! Don’t miss Mystic Bowling, a state-of-the-art light and sound show to accompany your bowling fun beginning at 7:00 PM on Thursdays and from 9:00 - Midnight on Wed., Fri. and Sat. evenings. Live DJ. Pizza, snacks; beer & wine available. Reserve your lanes by calling 508-394-5644.

FREE CONCERTS:

• For over 50 years, the Barnstable band has performed free concerts on the Village Green in Hyannis. Wednesday nights, Jul. & Aug., 7:30pm.
• Free concerts Mon. nights at 7pm in July and August at the Mattacheese Middle School band shell on Higgins Crowell Rd., West Yarmouth. Jazz, big band, country, Irish and classical music.
  

SKATEBOARD PARK: This park is located behind the Kennedy Ice Arena, in downtown Hyannis. Open every day but Monday, times vary: Equipment rentals available. 508-790-6345

MAIN ST. CAROUSEL/FUN HOUSE ARCADE: 541 Main St.. With an old-fashioned carousel, ice cream and cotton candy plus kiddie rides and great arcade games like Skeeball, this spot at Main St.’s Courtyard Marketplace is an ongoing festival.

PIRATE’S COVE ADVENTURE GOLF & MARKETPLACE: 728-742 Main St. Offering 36 holes of adventure golf, the Pirate theme extends well beyond the haunted caves, dungeons and a “Pirate Sea Battle” enactment to include a catapulting 15 foot great white shark, ice cream, arcade plus an extensive and interesting pirate gift store. 508-394-5252

SKULL ISLAND ADVENTURE GOLF AT BASS RIVER SPORTS WORLD: 934 Rte 28. Look for the giant skull and dramatic palm trees flanking this new adventure golf course; part of the Bass River Sports World complex. Also on site: a games arcade, softball and baseball cages, a driving range and soccer cages 508-398-6070

RENT A POWER BOAT: Explore Nantucket Sound and the scenic Bass River on new 16’ & 20’ power boats from Ship Shops Boat Yard, 1/2 mile south of Bass River Bridge on Pleasant Street. 508-398-2256

THE ARTIST IN YOU, PAINT YOUR OWN POTTERY STUDIO: Kids and adults alike will enjoy expressing themselves and painting unqiue souvenirs -- a wonderful Cape memory! Open daily for walk-ins all summer and nights by appt. Boch Village. 851 Rte 28, S. Yarmouth. 508-394-3208

ZOOQUARIUM, WEST YARMOUTH: Route 28, West Yarmouth. A zoo in Yarmouth? Yes! This combination zoo/aquarium provides hours of entertainment for the whole family. The animals who make their home at the zoo are native to Cape Cod and New England; many have been injured and cannot survive in the wild. There are deer, sheep, goats, pigs, bobcats, porcupines, and ponies for pony rides! 508-775-8883

JUMP ON US! (TRAMPOLINES): 260 Rte 28, across from the Brewster Farm Market, W. Yarmouth. Kids can jump themselves silly here! 508-775-3304

TROLLEY SERVICE: The Cape Cod RTA operates a trolley replica which shuttles up and down Route 28 (and the Bass River and Sea Gull beach areas) and stops at all the favorite attractions: Thunder Falls, Christmas Tree Shop, Zooquarium, Pirate’s Cove, Sports World, and more. Service runs every 30 minutes all summer. Call for schedule & routes. 800-352-7155 or go to www.thebreeze.info.

Check out Kids on the Cape website for more suggestions on family fishing, kayaking, Seal Watching, Kids Theater, Soccer and more!

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Julia Kasparova and Chuck Packard, 87 Thomas Dr Marlborough, MA 01752
Phone: 508-251-1965