A recent photo on the cover of the Cape Cod Times featured a rare Allen’s hummingbird on a feeder at a home in Harwich Port. Though it is not unusual to spot a hummingbird on the Cape, it is a rarity in the dead of winter. And this particular bird is worthy of a cover story because its normal habitat is coastal California and parts of central Mexico. Now I am not a bird expert, but this strange occurrence signals to me that this hummingbird has stumbled upon one of Cape Cod’s greatest secrets. It’s a great place to hang out at any time of the year. Let me tell you why.

Although it does snow here from time to time, the snow never lasts long. A good storm might drop as much as a foot at the beginning of the week, but by the time the weekend rolls around we’re looking at green grass again. Seriously, I saw golfers out the other day at the Hyannis Golf Club on Iyannough Road. I was out doing last minute Christmas shopping and there they were enjoying the back nine. Mind you, they were dressed for the weather, but they were golfing none-the-less.

Temperatures can dip into the 20s, and perhaps even into the teens in the wee hours of the morning. But 30s and 40s are more typical even in the dark days of winter. And now that the winter solstice has passed, the days are getting longer. Of course, it’s not beach weather yet, but it still is comfortable enough for a long walk on the beach. Casey, our yellow lab, loves a good walk on the beach in the winter. All kinds of cool things wash up on the beach after a good blow. Last year a vagrant buoy washed up on Sandy Neck Beach and created quite a stir. And the year before that the remains of an old shipwreck surfaced a Newcomb Hollow in Wellfleet. Winter is the perfect time to treasure hunt…you never know what you might find.

Winter is also the best time to go to a restaurant you may have been wanting to try. Off-season restaurants offer discounts, early bird dining, prix fixe menus, and other great deals in an effort to lure new diners. We take advantage of the slow winter months to find new haunts to recommend to our guests. Some restaurants also host wine dinners, cooking demonstrations, and themed events that are not only a great bargain but enormous fun. I’d share some pictures of the Naked Oyster’s Hawaiian Luau a couple of winters ago, but I’ve pledged to protect the innocent.

Now that the holidays are over, some of my favorite shops are offering deep discounts to deplete current inventory in an effort to ready themselves for their spring and summer stock. Red Fish Blue Fish on Main St. in Hyannis is a great spot to find fantastic gifts      for next year’s stockings at up to 75% off. Having been caught in the crunch of finding fun and funky items for the stockings I stuff this year, you can bet I’m going to be taking advantage of that sale.

Finally, most lodging properties are offering great deals for both midweek and weekend travel. Here at the High Pointe Inn in West Barnstable on Cape Cod, we offering 25%
off a 3-night mid-week stay from now through March 31st. That’s a savings of more than $100 off our regular low off-season rates!. We also have a great 3-night Romantic Valentine’s Getaway Package that includes side-by-side in-room couples massages, 3-course gourmet dinner for two, a bottle of chilled champagne and chocolate-dipped strawberries. And for our teacher friends, we just put together a Teacher’s PET package for February and April vacation weeks.

For more information on these and our other great packages, call us toll free at 1-888-362-4441 or visit our Specials and Packages page on our website.

After all, if hummingbirds want to hang around on the Cape this winter, there must be something to it.