The 5 best Cape Cod National Seashore Guided Tours include VBT’s Cape Cod bike tour, Cape Cod Rail Trail, Kayaking the Outer Cape, Sharks & Seals Duo Walk, and Private Open-Air Pedicab Tour in Provincetown.
Cape Cod National Seashore guided tours are among the best way to experience the beauty of Cape Cod firsthand. The Cape Cod National Seashore stretches 40 miles from Chatham to Provincetown, passing through Orleans, Truro, Eastham, and Wellfleet. It’s a great destination to explore beaches, lighthouses, and marine life.
Our Pick of Cape Cod National Seashore Guided Tours
1. VBT’s Cape Cod bike tour
- Tour duration: 6 days
- Cost: $2,795 per adult
Explore miles of bike trails in Martha’s Vineyard and Cape Cod, starting from Chatham Bars Inn. The tour also ends in Chatham Bars Inn, a beachside resort hotel in Chatham, Massachusetts. You will get to meander through beaches, forests, and past cranberry bogs.
During the tour, you will encounter many attractions along the route, such as lighthouses, gingerbread cottages, and breathtaking shores. It’s an 8 to 57-mile daily tour covering beautiful gardens, cliffs, hills, and islands on the outskirts of Chatham.
There’s a VBT van support shuttle that you can take for your journey. VBT’s Cape Cod bike tour is perfect for both first-timers and experienced bikers, thanks to the accessible terrain.
Although there are occasional rolling hills, this tour is a great way to relax and enjoy the scenic environment. You will encounter lots of charming townsfolk at your own pace during this great adventure.
What to see and do
The VBT Cape Cod bike tour is an exciting ride along the soaring Aquinnah cliffs and Cape Cod National Seashore. You will also ride through Salt Pond Visitors Center, Correllus State Forest, and the Grey Barn and Farm in West Tisbury.
Discover everything that makes Cape Cod an excellent tourist destination, from the Mytoi Japanese Garden to the historic oak bluffs. Make sure you go with your camera so that you can document this incredible adventure.
Cost
VBT’s Cape Cod 6-day bike tour costs about $2,795 to $3,245 per person. The single supplement costs about $1,395.
You can book your tour on the VBT Cape Cod bike tour website.
2. Cape Cod Rail Trail
- Tour duration: Dawn to dusk daily
- Cost: Free
If you are an outdoor enthusiast, you should consider experiencing one of the best bike trails across the Cape. The Cape Cod Rail Trail features a 27.6-mile paved trail that allows you to explore the Lower Cape’s ecosystem.
Bikers, horseback riders, and roller-bladers love this breezy ride. Cape Coders always praise the trail for being well-marked and clean.
Cape Cod Rail Trail is an excellent way to experience the natural attractions in Cape Cod.
The journey is fun and easy to navigate, thanks to the flatness of most parts of the trail. You’ll find the best beaches in Cape Cod scattered around the area, especially in Wellfleet and Orleans.
What to see and do
Cape Cod Rail Trail offers tourists an opportunity to explore the smaller villages in the area. Many lunch spots and snack shacks make for a great place to stop by and eat.
The tour goes on continuously from dawn till dusk, on the trailheads in Dennis and Wellfleet. A Harwich-Chatham spur brings you to Chatham Center. If you wish to jump on in the middle, Orleans Center stands as an excellent starting point.
The Massachusetts government website contains valuable information, including a trail map to guide you. Cape Cod has many places where you can rent a bike for your tour.
Cost
You will be required to pay a $10 vehicle fee to park in Wellfleet or Dennis. People with out-of-state license plates will pay $5(for Massachusetts vehicles).
3. Kayaking the Outer Cape
- Tour duration: Up to 3 hours
- Cost: Call the Province Lands Visitor Center at (508) 487-1256 for reservations and pricing details.
Kayak the outer Cape up to 3 miles with a ranger! You will get to explore parts of the Cape that are only accessible by watercraft. The location for this tour varies
weekly, and tour times depend on the tide.
If you enjoy kayaking, then this tour is for you. The ranger will provide all required equipment, and the minimum age for participation is 12. This tour offers an exciting and educating experience, as you will learn about the history of Cape Cod while paddling.
What to see and do
You will get to paddle and meander through an exciting kettle pond or dune-sided lake. Expect a fantastic experience with the best touring kayaks, lightweight PFD, and paddles.
The available kayaking tours on Cape Cod National Seashore include paddling around seals, birding, learning how to comb the mudflats, and more.
Cost
Kayaking in Cape Cod National Seashore requires reservations at least one week in advance. You can do that by calling the Province Lands Visitor Center at (508) 487-1256.
4. Sharks and Seals Cape Cod’s Dynamic Duo Walk (Truro)
- Tour duration: 60 minutes
- Cost: Free. Beach fees may apply
Sharks and Seals Cape Cod’s Dynamic Duo Walk (Truro) is an exciting one-hour walk in loose sand. The tour starts at the national seashore-managed Head of the Meadow Beach, Truro, and requires no registrations or reservations.
If you enjoy seal viewing or want to experience it for the first time, Sharks and Seals Cape Cod’s Dynamic Duo Walk is perfect for you. It’ll be convenient to carry a pair of binoculars during the tour.
What to see and do
Sharks and Seals Cape Cod’s Dynamic Duo Walk stands as a great choice for people who love taking walks. Expect to walk up to one mile in the sand.
At the end of your tour, you will better understand sharks and seals and how they
help keep the marine world balanced.
If you don’t own binoculars for seal viewing, you can borrow from the ranger.
Cost
Sharks and Seals Cape Cod’s Dynamic Duo Walk is free, but you must pay beach fees. It’s best to reserve a parking space at least one week in advance. You can do that by calling the Province Lands Visitor Center at (508) 487-1256.
5. Private Open-Air Pedicab Tour in Provincetown
- Tour duration: 60 – 90 minutes
- Cost: Starts from $98 per group of 3
The Private Open-Air Pedicab Tour starts and ends in Boston Harbor, Massachusetts. You will spend some time on the World Famous Herring Cove Beach and Long Point Beach, among other sightings. It’s a perfect tour for people looking to experience the beauty of Provincetown and Cape Cod.
Private Open-Air Pedicab Tour has been curated to provide the best experience possible in a short time. They aim to help you explore the area and give you a summer you can never forget.
So, if you wish to sit back and relax while enjoying the national seashore views, the Private Open-Air Pedicab Tour is perfect for you.
What to see and do
From Boston Harbor, you will make your first stop at Pilgrim’s First Landing Park. The Landmark/Park commemorates the Pilgrim Mayflower landing.
The next stop is at Provincetown, where you get to explore the historic Commercial Street. After that, you will stop at the World Famous Herring Cove Beach.
At this point, guests will now go to the center of the town, where they can either decide to end the tour or take the Long Point shuttle to Long Point Beach.
Cost
The Private Open-Air Pedicab Tour costs $98 per group of up to 3. They offer a refund upon cancellation, provided that you canceled 24 hours before the tour’s start date.
Xplore the Cape and Islands with an Expert
Guide tours are among the best ways to have an amazing Cape Cod National Seashore experience. Most times it’s better to explore the Cape with an expert than alone.
Cape Cod National Seashore Guided Tours that offer an amazing experience include:
- VBT’s Cape Cod bike tour
- Cape Cod Rail Trail
- Kayaking the Outer Cape
- Sharks and Seals Duo Walk
- Private Open-Air Pedicab Tour in Provincetown
Some tours offer the perfect opportunity to learn about the region’s tradition and history.
Are you interested in the national seashore history?
Check out our guide on the Cape Cod National Seashore history right here.
