Truro, Massachusetts
Truro, Massachusetts is the ideal spot for enjoying a relaxing Cape Cod vacation. A bit less harried than other Cape villages, Truro has a notable laid back atmosphere, perfect for those who think a vacation is best enjoyed while doing next to nothing. Truro's history is intertwined with the sea. Back in the 1700s, Truro was a big whaling and ship building town. Today, however, the quaint little town prides itself on its tranquil setting, just begging to be explored by world-weary travelers. If getting active is your idea of a great vacation, Truro can accommodate with an itinerary to include beach combing, fishing, sailing, golf, parasailing, bicycling, hiking, shopping, sight-seeing, and any number of outdoor pursuits.The nearby Cape Cod National Seashore is 27,000 acres of stunningly beautiful beaches, 60-foot sand dunes, steep cliffs, salt ponds, and woodland areas. The Seashore encompasses 70 percent of Truro's land, and is a one-stop shopping mall of natural adventures. Hiking enthusiasts will enjoy the ½-mile Pamet Trail that takes visitors past boggy marshlands. The Pilgrim Spring Trail and Small Swamp Trail are both ½-mile loops that offer views of Pilgrim Lake. Cycling, both road and mountain biking, are also popular Seashore pastimes. Canoeists and kayakers can take guided tours of Wellfleet Harbor and Duck Creek. Park rangers will also take interested parties on hikes and teach them about identifying the many different types of animal tracks found in the area.
If it is fun in the sun you seek, the Seashore has six swimming beaches and miles of unobstructed sand. The Nauset Light Beach is a broad swath of sand favored by families for the shallow water and the huge sand dunes that frame the beach. The beach is also the nesting ground for piping plovers, an endangered bird species. The nests are marked, so you can look but don't touch. Surfers have staked a claim at Coast Guard Beach, another large beach that kicks off the region Henry David Thoreau called "The Great Beach."
If freshwater fishing is your particular cup of tea, toss in a line for trout and small mouth bass in Great Pond, Horseleech Pond, and Pilgrim Lake. If you want to cast for saltwater fish without a boat, you can toss in a line from Highland Light Beach.
