As we turn the calendar to March, I start thinking of spring and looking for signs of its imminent arrival on Cape Cod. The days have already grown a bit longer, the sun setting closer to 6:00 in the evening than the 4:00 PM sunsets we saw in the dark of December. But for many Cape Codders, the re-opening of favorite summer eateries is a sure sign that spring is around the corner. (more…)

Cape Cod rolled out the red carpet for singer Patti Page today dedicating a street in her honor and toasting the event with a new ice cream flavor created by the Cape Cod Creamery, Patti Page Peppermint. Ms. Page, who celebrated our humble little peninsula  in her 2020 recording “Old Cape Cod”, traveled to Barnstable, MA to witness the dedication of Patti Page Way, a street named in her honor, and the declaration of February 26th as “Patti Page Day”.

Ms. Page was on hand to sign copies of her new memoir, “This is My Song” and will be performing at a fund raiser for the Cape Cod Literacy Council on Saturday night at the Riverway Lobster House in South Yarmouth.

The Associated Press covered the story for the national media. You can read the whole story online or listen to Ms. Page sing “Old Cape Cod” on youtube .

One night a few weeks ago Rich and I were invited to vacate our Cape Cod Inn for the evening and try a new restaurant with some innkeeper friends of ours. Every year we try to sample two or three new Cape Cod restaurants so that we can offer an honest opinion when our guests ask for dining recommendations. La Cucina Sul Mare had been on my wish list for a while, so when friends suggested a night out, we spirited them towards this tiny storefront on Main Street in Falmouth.

While they do not take reservations, I called in advance and was assured that on a Tuesday night in February the four of us we sure to get a table. And what a table. When we arrived we were escorted to a table for four tucked into the bay window that overlooked the main thoroughfare. Our server was incredible, available without being pushy, and both knowledgeable and enthusiastic about the menu. We each ordered a glass of wine from an extensive wine list to enjoy as we perused the menu.

Once the specials had been described and our orders placed, the server returned with a basket of warm, crusty bread accompanied by a rich olive oil for dipping. Though not crowded the evening that we were there, I imagine that due to its Main Street location and small size, a wait for a table may be necessary during the height of summer.

Dining at La Cucina Sul Mare is what I imagine dining in Italy must be like. The setting is warm and intimate, the service unhurried, and the atmosphere cozy and comforting. I ordered the osso buco, my all-time favorite, and was treated to the most divine dish of tender meat in a rich braise of root vegetables with a side of creamy risotto. It was heavenly, and more than enough to bring home for the next day’s lunch. They specialize in northern Italian and Mediterranean cuisines offering fresh pasta, pollo, vitello, carne, and pesce dishes including classic lasagna al forno, braised lamb shanks, lobster fra diavolo over liguine, zuppa de pesce, rigotoni a la vodka, chicken Parmesan and veal piccata.

We will be highly recommending La Cucina Sul Mare to our guests. Prices are reasonable and the food is exquisite. The restaurant is open year-round for lunch (11:30am-2:00pm) and dinner (5:00-10:00pm) and reservations not accepted.

La Cucina Sul Mare
237 Main Street
Falmouth, MA 20200
(508) 548-5600

View Cape Cod Day Trip Ideas in a larger map

Many European guests staying at our Cape Cod Inn for more than one week, take advantage of our central location to use as a base for an extended exploration of southern New England. It’s easy to explore Cape Cod  in a few days, but there are also a wealth of things to see and do on the nearby islands of  Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard, as well as in the capital city of Boston, MA;  Plimoth Plantation in nearby Plymouth, MA; and Newport, R.I. By extending your stay for as much as two weeks, here, in no particular order, are some of our favorite daytrips less than 90 minutes from Cape Cod. (more…)

In our last post we gave you ideas for your Cape Cod vacation itinerary of 3-, 5-, or 7-days. As promised, we have even more ideas to extend your trip to Cape Cod and enjoy more of what we have to offer throughout the year. These ideas are well-suited to  the adventure traveler who wants to play hard and challenge the elements, or for those who prefer a little bit more laid-back approach to travel with time to soak up the atmosphere and “go native”.

Here are some ideas if you have more than one week of vacation time: (more…)