Guest, Sign inJoin
National Seashore · Eastham · Massachusetts

Cape Cod National Seashore

The Cape Cod National Seashore (CCNS) encompasses 43,607 acres (68.1 sq mi; 176.5 km2) on Cape Cod, in Massachusetts. Eastham is where it stands. This is a site of the National Park Service. In 2025 it counted 3.7M visits.

Photo: SeduisantRedux, CC BY 3.0
Visitors in 2025
3.7M
record 4.7M in 2016 · National Park Service
Busiest month
August
5.8× January
Where
In Eastham
34 places to stay
Established
1961
National Park Service
In brief

A national seashore inside Eastham

August is the busiest month

August averages about 669,039 visitors, 5.8 times January. When to go ↓

You can sleep inside the park

15 places to stay are inside the park: Beach Plum Motor Lodge and Surf Side Cottages. The nearest town with more is Eastham. Where to stay ↓

3 towns sit inside the park

Truro, Chatham and Provincetown sit inside the park’s boundary. Where to stay ↓

A day trip from Boston

Boston is about 63 miles northwest (straight-line). Where to stay ↓

Best months: Jun, Jul, Aug and Sep

June, July, August and September are the mild months, with highs of 70–77°. When to go ↓

Written from National Park Service visitor counts, NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Overture places to stay, Census town figures, Wikidata and Wikipedia. Updated when the Park Service posts a new month.

When to go

Visits and weather by month

Pick a quieter month for Cape Cod from the chart below.

0200K400K600K800K30°50°70°90°January: about 114,766 visitors, high 39°JanFebruary: about 136,513 visitors, high 39°FebMarch: about 162,572 visitors, high 44°MarApril: about 243,276 visitors, high 53°AprMay: about 325,194 visitors, high 62°MayJune: about 447,377 visitors, high 70°JunJuly: about 600,901 visitors, high 77°JulAugust: about 669,039 visitors, high 77°AugSeptember: about 478,331 visitors, high 71°SepOctober: about 322,046 visitors, high 61°OctNovember: about 181,220 visitors, high 52°NovDecember: about 139,538 visitors, high 44°Dec77° highs
Jan39° / 25°115K
Feb39° / 26°137K
Mar44° / 31°163K
Apr53° / 39°243K
May62° / 47°325K
Jun70° / 56°447K
Jul77° / 63°601K
Aug77° / 63°669K
Sep71° / 56°478K
Oct61° / 47°322K
Nov52° / 39°181K
Dec44° / 31°140K
Bars: average monthly visitors, 2022–2025. Line: the typical afternoon high. Green months are mild and quieter than average. Visitors: National Park Service visitor use statistics, recreation visits. Weather: NOAA 1991–2020 normals for Eastham. Eastham’s full climate →
About

Cape Cod National Seashore

The Cape Cod National Seashore (CCNS) encompasses 43,607 acres (68.1 sq mi; 176.5 km2) on Cape Cod, in Massachusetts. CCNS was created on August 7, 1961, by President John F. Kennedy, when he signed a bill enacting the legislation he first co-sponsored as a Senator a few years prior. It includes ponds, woods and beachfront of the Atlantic coastal pine barrens ecoregion. The CCNS includes nearly 40 miles (64 km) of seashore along the Atlantic-facing eastern shore of Cape Cod, in the towns of Provincetown, Truro, Wellfleet, Eastham, Orleans and Chatham. It is administered by the National Park Service.

Type
National Seashore
Established
1961
Run by
National Park Service
Wikipedia readers
12K a year
Official site
nps.gov/caco
From Wikipedia (CC BY-SA). Facts: Wikidata.
Plan your visit

Getting in

Address50 Nauset Road, Eastham, MA 02642(508) 255-3421
HoursOpens at 6:00amBeaches, parking areas, and trails are open year-round between 6 am and midnight.
Entrance fees
  • Private Vehicle$25
  • Motorcycle$20
  • Per Person$15
Getting thereThe national seashore is located in eastern Massachusetts on Cape Cod and is accessed via Route 6. The park is 20 miles east of Hyannis, MA.
National Park Service. Check the park’s site for closures and alerts.
Where to stay

Nights near Cape Cod National Seashore

You can sleep inside the park (15 places). The first towns with rooms are Eastham (34) and Brewster (28).

Salt Pond Visitor Center15 in the park12Eastham34Brewster28Dennis54Yarmouth77Provincetown86Wellfleet17Truro33Orleans12SS PendletonPlimoth Patuxet10 mi
Visitor centerPark landHighwaysRoads in the park12Places to stay in town
  1. 1SS Pendleton
  2. 2Plimoth Patuxet
Inside the park

Stay in the park

15 places · 4 hotels · 3 inns & B&Bs · 3 lodges & cabins · 2 hostels · 3 campgrounds

  • Beach Plum Motor Lodge lodge or cabins
  • Surf Side Cottages lodge or cabins
  • Wellfleet by the Sea Cottages lodge or cabins
  • Dune Crest Hotel hotel
  • Cottage on Great Pond, Wellfleet hotel
  • Outer Reach Resort hotel
In town

Eastham

34 places to stay · 10 hotels · 6 motels · 6 inns & B&Bs · 9 lodges & cabins · 2 hostels · 1 campground

You’re already here.

5,844 people · 53% vacation homes

10 min drive

Brewster

28 places to stay · 8 hotels · 12 inns & B&Bs · 3 lodges & cabins · 4 campgrounds · 1 RV park

10,457 people · 42% vacation homes

8 mi southwest of Salt Pond Visitor Center · 5 mi to the park

20 min drive

Dennis

54 places to stay · 21 hotels · 10 motels · 12 inns & B&Bs · 9 lodges & cabins · 2 RV parks

14,906 people · 52% vacation homes

13 mi southwest of Salt Pond Visitor Center · 11 mi to the park

Compare 8 towns
TownFrom the visitor centerDrivePlaces to stayPeopleTypical homeSafety
Eastham 53% vacation homesin town—34 10 hotels · 6 motels · 6 inns & B&Bs · 9 lodges & cabins · 2 hostels · 1 campground5,844$732KB
Brewster 42% vacation homes8 mi southwest10 min28 8 hotels · 12 inns & B&Bs · 3 lodges & cabins · 4 campgrounds · 1 RV park10,457$708KA−
Dennis 52% vacation homes13 mi southwest20 min54 21 hotels · 10 motels · 12 inns & B&Bs · 9 lodges & cabins · 2 RV parks14,906$627KB−
Yarmouth 29% vacation homes17 mi southwest25 min77 43 hotels · 11 motels · 17 inns & B&Bs · 5 lodges & cabins · 1 campground25,225$552KB−
Provincetown 50% vacation homesinside the park30 min86 31 hotels · 49 inns & B&Bs · 3 lodges & cabins · 1 hostel · 2 campgrounds3,729$902KC−
Wellfleet 54% vacation homes6 mi northwest10 min17 6 hotels · 2 motels · 2 inns & B&Bs · 5 lodges & cabins · 2 campgrounds3,707$855KB+
Truro 68% vacation homesinside the park20 min33 14 hotels · 6 motels · 2 inns & B&Bs · 6 lodges & cabins · 2 hostels · 3 campgrounds2,483$888KB
Orleans 43% vacation homes5 mi south5 min12 2 hotels · 3 motels · 7 inns & B&Bs6,524$957KB

Day trip from

Straight-line miles.

Boston63 mi northwestProvidence74 mi westWorcester99 mi west

Getting there

Nearest airports with airline service, from the visitor center

HYACape Cod Gateway20 mi
ACKNantucket Memorial41 mi
EWBNew Bedford Regional52 mi
BOSBoston Logan · major hub64 mi
Places to stay: Overture Maps (hotels, motels, inns, lodges, campgrounds, RV parks; not vacation rentals) · roads: Overture Maps / OpenStreetMap contributors · park boundary: National Park Service · town figures: U.S. Census ACS · Safety: TownRatings Safety grade · airports: OurAirports. Distances are from Salt Pond Visitor Center; drive times are estimates.
Make a day of it

Pair Cape Cod with these

Pair a visit with these, within 69 miles.

Big draw68 mi Stadium & arenaFenway ParkBig draw69 mi Stadium & arenaGillette Stadium117 mi Ancient siteSS PendletonBig draw67 mi MuseumIsabella Stewart Gardner Museum62 mi MuseumUSS Massachusetts66 mi AttractionFreedom Trail234 mi MuseumPlimoth Patuxet67 mi MuseumMuseum of Fine Arts Boston477K visitors a year
Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits

Fenway Park: Gatorfan252525, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Gillette Stadium: Bernard Gagnon, CC BY-SA 3.0 · SS Pendleton: United States Coast Guard, Richard C. Kelsey, Public domain · Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum: Sean Dungan, CC BY-SA 4.0 · USS Massachusetts: USN, Public domain · Freedom Trail: Ingfbruno, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Plimoth Patuxet: Tr!sie, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Museum of Fine Arts Boston: Martin~jawiki at Japanese Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0

Visitors

3,682,771 visitors in 2025

Years run from 2016 on the left to 2025 on the right.

4.7M20164.1M20173.9M20184.1M20194.1M20204M20214M20223.8M20233.8M20243.7M2025
Every full year the Park Service has counted. 2020 (gold) was the pandemic year. Green is the record (2016). National Park Service visitor use statistics, recreation visits by calendar year.
Common questions

Know before you visit Cape Cod

Is Cape Cod National Seashore in Eastham?

Yes. It’s inside Eastham, MA. The address is 50 Nauset Road, Eastham, MA 02642.

When is the best time to visit Cape Cod National Seashore?

June, July, August and September, with highs of 70–77°. August is the busiest month (about 669,039 visitors).

How many people visit Cape Cod National Seashore each year?

3,682,771 in 2025, according to the National Park Service. The record is 4,692,796, set in 2016.

How far is Cape Cod National Seashore from Boston?

About 63 miles northwest of Boston, as the crow flies.

What is the closest airport to Cape Cod National Seashore?

Cape Cod Gateway (HYA), about 20 miles away. The nearest big hub is Boston Logan (BOS), about 64 miles.

Where should I stay near Cape Cod National Seashore?

Inside the park: Beach Plum Motor Lodge, Surf Side Cottages and Wellfleet by the Sea Cottages. Nearby: Eastham (in town, 34 places to stay), Brewster (8 mi, 28 places to stay) and Dennis (13 mi, 54 places to stay).

From locals

Tips from Eastham

What people nearby have posted about Cape Cod.

Favorite Outdoor Spots in DennisDennis town · Sep 26, 2026
When do you go to beat the crowds at Cape Cod? Where do you eat after a visit to Cape Cod? Is Cape Cod worth it with small kids? What do visitors to Cape Cod usually miss?

Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · National Park Service visitor use statistics · NOAA climate normals · U.S. Census.