Cape Cod is one of the most picturesque places on the East Coast. Every way you look is filled with stunning wildlife, beautiful beaches, and picturesque buildings. Whether you are looking for the perfect spot for a family photo or even just a great Instagram post, you’re sure to find a picturesque location! Here are 10 of the most popular locations for photography on Cape Cod.
1. Pilgrim Monument – Provincetown
Address: 1 High Pole Hill Rd, Provincetown, MA 02657
Rising towards the sky out of Provincetown, you can’t miss the 252-foot granite monument commemorating the first landing of the pilgrims. This unique monument, built in 1910, is picturesque in itself and can be seen from many spots on the Outer Cape, including the Peaked Hill Bars Historic District. Photograph from afar or enjoy the stunning views of P’Town and the Outer Cape from the top of the tower!
2. Commercial Street – Provincetown
Address: Commercial St., Provincetown, MA 02657
Just a short walk away from the Pilgrim Monument you’ll find Provincetown’s iconic Commercial Street. The colorful buildings, bustling shops, and delicious restaurants allow you to capture quintessential Cape Cod in a single photo. The warmth, inclusivity, and eccentricity of the Outer Cape can be found along this happening stretch of road. Perhaps the most iconic image is of the Lobster Pot restaurant located at the intersection of Lopes Square and Commercial Street. You’re also just steps away from the blue waters of the historic MacMilian Pier.
3. Nauset Lighthouse – Eastham
Address: 120 Nauset Light Beach Rd, Eastham, MA, 02642
You’ll recognize the iconic red and white Nauset Lighthouse from Cape Cod Potato Chip bags and special Cape Cod and Islands license plates. This historic lighthouse is the perfect background for an Instagram photo, or a frame-worthy photo of your trip to the Cape. Bonus points if you take a picture next to the lighthouse while holding a bag of Cape Cod chips! Located on the eastern side of the Outer Cape, it’s a great place to get a stunning sunrise photo and you can even catch a good sunset too!
4. Scargo Tower – Dennis
Address: Scargo Hill Rd, South Dennis, MA 02660
This 30-foot cobblestone tower was built in 1874 and was one of the first tourist attractions in Cape Cod. While the stone tower is picturesque, the real attraction is the view of Dennis and the surrounding towns from the top of Scargo Hill. At 160 feet, the hill is one of the tallest on the Cape, allowing for stunning views from Provincetown to Plymouth! This view is especially beautiful in the fall, where you can snap stunning photos with the beautiful fall foliage against the deep blue ocean.
5. Mayflower Beach – Dennis
Address: Mayflower Beach, Dennis, MA
Mayflower Beach is one of the most picturesque beaches in all of Cape Cod. Its far-reaching low tides bring out a ton of wildlife make it a great spot for sunset photoshoots of people and animals alike. You’ll find no shortage of classic Cape beachfront to photograph, with soft white sand and swaying beachgrasses, turquoise blue waters stretching to the horizon, and whisps of white clouds passing by. The skies turn electric with the sunrises and sunsets, which are well worth witnessing, even if the photographs can never truly capture the majesty!
6. Sandwich Boardwalk – Sandwich
Address: 103 Wood Ave, Sandwich, MA 02563
This 1,300-foot wooden walkway crosses over beautiful marshes, Mill Creek, and winding waterways leading to Town Neck Beach. A picture at the proper angle can make the walkway appear endless. With stunning reflections, the boardwalk is a perfect spot for a sunset stroll. Visitors and locals also love to jump off the boardwalk into the water below! While the boardwalk is a classic, it’s up for a rebuild in the fall of 2022, with the town opting for a design more resilient in the face of climate change.
7. Uncle Tim’s Bridge – Wellfleet
Address: 75 E Commercial St, Wellfleet, MA 02667
Uncle Tim’s Bridge crosses across Duck Creek connecting the village of Wellfleet to Hamblen Island. A photo while crossing the bridge to the stunning Hamblen Island at sunset simply cannot be beaten. You may even spot some wildlife to photograph, from turtles to herons and other marsh loving creatures! Hamblen Island also sports a short trail walk. Similar to the Sandwich Boardwalk, Uncle Tim’s Bridge creates intriguing cross-hatched reflections. It is worth a stop no matter what the season.
8. Cape Cod Canal Railroad Bridge
Address: 33 Canal Service Rd, Bourne, MA 02532
The Cape Cod Canal Railroad Bridge is a unique vertical lift bridge that had the longest vertical lift span of any bridge in the world at the time of its opening. The beautiful architecture of the bridge, combined with the passing ships and views of the waterway makes for excellent pictures. Make sure to bring your bike as there is a 14-mile bike path that runs along the canal offering several other scenic views.
9. The Knob – Falmouth
Address: The Knob, Falmouth, MA 02543
This rocky outcropping juts into Quissett Harbor and is known as one of the most beautiful locations in all of Cape Cod! The best time to take pictures here is early in the morning as the sun rises over Quissett Harbor. The magical light and landscape teeming with wildlife is sure to lead to stunning, frame worthy photos!
10. Chatham Pier Fish Market – Chatham
Address: 45 Barcliff Ave, Chatham, MA 02633
Did you really go to Cape Cod if you didn’t get a lobster roll? At the Chatham Pier Fish Market, you can get a fantastic lobster roll and a beautiful location to photograph it, all in one! As an added bonus, the fishing trawlers going in out of the pier attract adorable seals that are extremely photogenic.
