10 Best Family Things to Do in Cape Cod

Cape Cod National Seashore offers 40 miles of coastline across 6 beaches, but there’s more here than just the ocean. Beyond the beachfront, families can expect marshes, ponds, lighthouses and cranberry bogs, too.

Within that diverse range of settings, the national seashore provides plenty of family-friendly activities, including hiking, cycling, lighthouse tours and ranger-led programming – including kid-specific ranger programming at the visitor centres. You can also find park service-authorised third-party service providers selling extra fun via kayak tours, surfing lessons, photography tours and more.

The Cape Cod Central Railroad is a historical, heritage railway that offers passenger rides across nearly 30 miles of Cape Cod – and if you have a train-lovin’ kid in the family, it’s a must.

Throughout the year, tour rides for all ages show off Cape Cod’s natural beauty, with the help of a friendly narrator. Around the holidays, you can find Christmas-themed tours designed with kids in mind. If you take the dinner train, you’ll find kid-friendly dining most of the time, though be sure before booking, as some dinner trains are only for ages 21 and up as they focus on wine and beer tastings.

Cape Cod Inflatable Park is one of the largest inflatable parks in the region, bringing together inflatable slides, obstacles courses and more in a single convenient setting. There are options for every age group, from toddlers to adults. Yes, even the parents will have some fun bouncing around and attempting to complete those obstacle course challenges alongside the kids! Just make sure to bring a pair of socks (which are required for access to the inflatables) and your sense of adventure.

The park is open late during peak summer months, making this a great nighttime attraction when you’re looking for something to do after dinner that’s still kid-friendly.

Shark Center Chatham may not be home to any live sharks, but it is home to lots of educational experiences and hands-on, interactive exhibits. All allow you and your family to learn a little bit more about Great Whites. Before you hit the beach, brush up on your knowledge of these magnificent creatures, including why they like to vacation in Cape Cod, too.

Check the centre’s events calendar before your trip. You may be able to catch special family-friendly programming, storytime or an art exhibit.

The Whydah Pirate Museum boasts that it’s home to the largest artefacts collection recovered from a single shipwreck in history, but that’s not all you’ll find here. The museum also houses an LED theatre, conservation lab and exhibits on 18th-century travel, piracy and the slave trade.

The museum is geared toward elementary-age children and older. But for the younger kids who aren’t quite interested in the topic, the museum does offer a scavenger hunt for some quiet play while older family members take in the history.

The Cape Cod Museum of Natural History combines education with outdoor explorations, for some enriching family fun that doesn't require the kids to stay cooped up indoors. The small museum has exhibits on the regional natural environment, as well as on archaeology, but also boasts a packed calendar of educational events. At these events, families can enjoy interacting with animal visitors, learning about the world of natural science, trying hands-on lab experiments or taking a guided hike.

Be sure to check out what might be going on during your visit; many events are free with museum admission, but others require advance registration.

The Cape Codder Water Park is 30,000 square feet of indoor-outdoor water-focused fun. There are 4 waterslides, a 300-ft lazy river, kiddie pool, wave pool, 24-person hot tub, saunas and more, plus an adjacent fitness centre and restaurant.

You can buy day passes to the water park. However, you might just find you’ll save a little extra cash during your vacation if you book a stay at the larger and encompassing Cape Codder Resort – doing so gets you free access to the water park for every member of your party.

Pirate’s Cove Adventure Golf offers so much more than just your standard family mini-golf course. The extravagantly themed mini-golf centre features a couple of 18-hole championship courses, both featuring challenging holes that will test your mettle. Even if you're not playing some rounds with the family, and just sitting on the sidelines, you’ll still enjoy taking in the lush landscaping.

You’ll quickly see why this mini-golf centre has received numerous awards and honours, including being named one of New England’s best attractions. It’s a must-visit for any family on the Cape.

The Cape Cod Rail Trail provides active families with more than 25 miles of easy, child-friendly and scenic cycling paths. The trail, which is also walkable if you don’t fancy a bike ride, passes through 6 Cape Cod towns and is outfitted with useful amenities such as restrooms and bike rentals. You can even cross-country ski on the rail trail if you happen to visit during the winter months.

While there are Trailhead Stations up and down the 25-mile route, one of the easier spots to jump on is at the Nickerson State Park Headquarters.

The Cape Cod Children’s Museum serves families with children 8 years old and younger with more than 20 exhibits. All are geared toward learning through play. Make sure to check the museum’s schedule ahead of your visit to find fun events such as craft sessions, STEM-focused lab days, music and game nights and more. Festivals and other larger events are also held at the museum throughout the year.

The non-profit museum was founded by a group of moms in the 1990s and, as such, it’s designed with parents’ needs in mind, too.