
Best Beach Town in Massachusetts… or America?
Well, check YOU out, Massachusetts! Provincetown, MA — the tip of Cape Cod — was named the #1 beach town in all of America by Travel and Leisure Magazine!
I shall now support that thesis by sharing 17 gorgeous photos of the town that I snapped during my visit this summer. Perhaps this will be a motivating kick in the rump for folks to visit P-Town before the weather turns cold!

The Provincetown Ferry from Boston
Travel to Provincetown is easiest via the high-speed ferry from Boston which takes just 90 minutes… and is a tourist attraction in itself. Drink in the salt-slapped air, watch the nautical sights, and join the spontaneous parties on deck if you’re so inclined!
The alternative is a 3-hour (or longer) drive from Boston, which can be pleasant if you prepare for possible traffic delays, take the journey at the speed it comes, and have a plan for parking upon arrival if it’s the high season.

Hotels in Provincetown, MA
Yay! You’ve arrived! So, where to stay in Provincetown? Below are TripAdvisor’s top hotels in P-town, which you can click on to check availability and automatically compare rates to get the best deal:
- The Provincetown Hotel at Gabriel’s (which is where we stayed and loved)
- The Seaglass Inn & Spa (well-reviewed, and located between beach and town)
- Cape Colony Inn (a great budget option outside of the town center)

P-Town Rentals for Your Vacation
Another accommodation option which is particularly affordable for groups is to rent a house or condo. My favorite site for this is Vacation Rental by Owner (Vrbo), and you can click here for an easy link to P-Town rental options.
It’s an interesting calculus with Provincetown about whether it makes more sense to do a day trip versus staying a night or more, but I’m of the school that if you CAN stay overnight, it’s worth it to get the full Cape relaxation experience… and taste the nightlife if you desire! (Cue thumping club beats.)

Provincetown Restaurants… Lobster!
Mmm… how do you feel after seeing that luscious lobster roll photo? Food is a top reason to visit Provincetown, which you can read about in depth (yes, with more drool-inducing pictures) in my previous article on the most delicious yet affordable food of P-Town. Hint: There’s a dish in there that you wouldn’t expect in a beach town, but it is tasty as heck.

Beautiful Provincetown Beaches
What about the beaches? Right in the center of town, there are sweet little beaches such as the one pictured below, but the real expanse-of-white-sand gems are a few minutes outside of town.
Race Point Beach (pictured above and in the first photo of this article), and Herring Cove Beach (famous for its sunsets since its ocean horizon faces west).

Commercial Street: Shopping Heart of P-Town
While I love beaches, I had even more fun in Provincetown wandering Commercial Street: the central shopping strip bursting with colorful goods, quirky architecture, and the best people watching for miles around. T
hough there’s plenty to buy — art, clothes, food, trinkets, and more — you don’t have to spend a penny to have a delightful day of window shopping. Let’s stroll and see!

Rainbow Colored Buildings
If you enjoy that purple building from P-Town shown above and are interested in an international trip, I highly recommend the Caribbean island of Curacao for its colorful buildings! The word used in Curacao for “sweet and delightful” is “Dushi,” and Provincetown demonstrates dushi to the max.

Color and Art Everywhere
Another place around the world that has embraced public color is Old San Juan, Puerto Rico. Both P-Town and San Juan know how bright hues on buildings and public art can lift a person’s spirit.

Other Colorful Places in America
Scrolling these P-Town photos, I’m reminded of some of the other rainbow-colored destinations I’ve toured around the world. The Corning Glass Museum in the Finger Lakes, NY (New York State, that is) for example, has a similar glowing exuberance.

Art and Artists in P-Town
Provincetown has long been a haven for artists, in part because of its famed perfect light. (P-Town is on the tip of Cape Cod), and thus sunlight streams in from all sides. It’s one of the few places on the East Coast where it’s easy to see a sunSET over the ocean, as well as sunrise.
In fact, Provincetown is the oldest art colony in America!

Another Art Colony in America
The artist culture is so strong in P-Town that when I was visiting Lowe Mill artist studios in Huntsville, Alabama, many of the artists there had either spent time in Provincetown, MA or were in touch with other creatives there.

Pilgrims: History of Provincetown, MA
Here is a very important detail about the illustrious history of P-Town, Cape Cod: FOUR HUNDRED years ago, in 1620, the Pilgrims first landed in Provincetown Harbor! Now you know why the town’s famous Pilgrim Monument is named as it is…

Check Events Before Planning a P-Town Vacation
In closing, I highly encourage a Provincetown, MA vacation, but do want to give you a warning: Carefully check the schedule on the Provincetown Chamber website to know what events are happening on any given week.
Provincetown is extremely popular, and there are frequent themed gatherings that affect accommodation availability, traffic, and so on. It’s sure still worth a visit, though!

Do You Also Love Provincetown, MA?
So what do you think? Does Provincetown seem like a spot you’d like to visit? If you’ve been, what tips would you add? Comment away!

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Connie S Reed says
Wow! Gorgeous colorful photos. Based on your pics, I can understand why Provincetown was voted the #1 beach town in America.
Rajkumar says
Absolutely stunning!!!
All the pics are so lovely out here and yeah that lobster roll seems really very yummyyyy.
Keep posting :-)
Cheers.
Rick Stevens says
Beautiful place, and wonderful pictures.
katja says
Wow, what a pretty place! Love the colours and LOVE the look of that lobster roll!
Megan says
I visited once as a kid but between the beaches and that lobster roll I’d love to get back.
Lauren @BonVoyageLauren says
Cape Cod looks like it’s filled with so much color and life!! Wonderful post, thank you for sharing :)
Jenna says
I love all the bright colors there! I can see why it was voted the best beach town–it looks adorable and so much fun. I’d love to visit sometime, and that lobster roll looks so delicious!!
Carmen's Luxury Travel says
I’ve always wanted to visit Cape Cod! Stunning photos, thanks for sharing. Happy travels :)
Tawanna Browne Smith says
Can not believe I have not been to Cape Cod. Well this makes me want to go — especially that lobster roll. Yum!
Natasha says
Wow those colors just make this whole page POP! I need to get here when I go back home.
Mary @ Green Global Travel says
Beautiful photos! One day we’d love to take a New England road trip and Cape Cod is on the wish list.
Laura Lynch says
Wow, number 1 beach town in all of America? That’s making an incredibly big claim. I’m not sure I can get on board with that just yet. I mean, have they been to every beach town in America? Well, with a lobster roll like that, I can at least try it! It’s hard to convince a west coast girl that an east coast beach is best.
Alina Popescu says
OMG, I so love this post and the photos! I’ve read a whole series of books set in Provincetown, and a couple of stand alone novels, and seeing the place is such an amazing experience. I’d love to spend a few weeks there in the future.
Meg Jerrard says
#1 beach town in all of America by Travel and Leisure Magazine isn’t bad at all!! And such beautiful photos too – this summer we’re in Europe, but I’ll have to add Cape Cod to the list for next!
Elaine J Masters says
Wonderful pictures. It makes me long to return to Cape Cod. The East Coast is so different than the West Coast.
Jeff Titelius says
Since 1990, I have visited PTOWN every summer during Carnival week in mid-August. Sadly my last time was in 1995 and haven’t had the opportunity to return. But oh, how my heart aches for this little slice of heaven at the tip of Cape Cod. Every year, my friend and I would drive six hours each way for 10 glorious days at the Haven House, no longer there I am afraid but so quaint and charming and one of the very few places that had a built-in swimming pool! You just unleashed a flood of memories of so many cherished moments from those summers so long ago!!
LOVE YOU PTOWN and love this trip back in time! Thank you!!
Harry says
Very colourful and lovely pictures. You’ve convinced me enough to visit when I get to America one day.
Jessie Voigts says
Gorgeous colors and gorgeous beach!!! I want to go!